Why We Must Start Feeding an Imagination That Dreams of a Sustainable Future

What methodology do you use to help a child or yourself achieve a goal? I bet it involves encouraging the imagination to envision what success looks like and how you’ll get there. We’ve used this strategy so many times, with success, that it would be hard to argue that it is not essential to achieving anything! If we agree on this opinion, then we can also agree that there is one BIG goal that we have grossly neglected the use of this methodology on: stopping climate change. This week, we wanted to share reasons why feeding your imagination positive environmental stories is so important and ways that you can help others in your life do the same! 

The Climate Narrative 

Think about the last movie you watched or the last book you read about the future. Do these stories describe a world that achieved universal sustainability? Not the stories I’ve read or watched! Most stories paint a much more dystopian picture of the future.  

While this dooms-day narrative may make for a good movie plot, it is very destructive for our ability to create a sustainable and equitable future. These stories encourage our mind to ‘throw in the towel’ and ‘raise a white flag’ to climate change, rather than looking at it as a problem that we can solve.  

For the children in our life particularly, we must feed their imagination different stories. People of all ages need stories of hope. They must feel and be encouraged to believe that a sustainable world is not only possible, but that it will become a reality in their lifetime. So after years of telling a story of climate breakdown, how do we change the story? 

Creating A New Climate Story 

1.  To start, listen to environmental leaders that are already telling this story. They will help you take apart the dystopian- thoughts in your mind and help you find the words to share a new story with others.
2. Next, learn more about all the amazing organizations in your community that are making a positive impact. Invest in these organizations and talk about them with your social networks!
3. Lastly, be the story of change! Think about the ways in your life that you can live more sustainably and support others that are looking to do the same.