Published Friday, March 27, 2009 at 2:53 pm | Permalink
We held a Global Warming Café here in Jamaica Plain (Boston), MA in March 2008, and it was energizing, inspiring – wonderful! The event was co-sponsored by the Boston Climate Action Group and the Jamaica Plain Forum, held at the JP Forum’s “home” – the parish hall of the First Church in JP (Unitarian Universalist), on a Saturday afternoon. About 80 people attended, including a reporter from the neighborhood newspaper, two city councilors, staffers from a state senator’s office, from City Hall, and representatives of various agencies with similar missions.
We had rented small round tables, and used a variety of tablecloths from our own homes, for a lively and welcoming effect. The local supermarket had donated flowers, which were on every table, and we had a feast of foods donated by local stores. The whole afternoon had a positive buzz to it, with people making new connections, exchanging information and ideas.
After some welcomes, some context about global warming and the world café process, and a spiritual message from the church’s minister, we launched into small-group discussions. Our first question was: “As global warming’s impact makes itself felt, what are your fears for yourself, your family, your community, and the planet’s future inhabitants?” We did one 15-minute round of discussion on that topic, and then did an immediate second round on the second question: “What signs of hope do you see or can you imagine that make you feel that maybe we can successfully address global warming?” We then had a large-group discussion where we shared what had come out of the small groups. Then a break.
After the break, we presented information on the Low Carbon Diet program. Then we went into our two final rounds of conversation, based on the following two questions: “What am I personally called to do, to address global warming, as an individual?” and “What do I feel called to do with others, collectively, to address global warming?” There was more large-group sharing, then closing remarks by us and by the public officials present, and finally a wonderful song by a local musician with guitar. Before leaving, everyone was given a “leaf” made from paper grocery bags on which they wrote an action they were committing to. These were then posted on a “tree” made of cloth, which was a wonderful visual. People also filled out forms with their contact information and checked off follow-up actions they were interested in.
We were really pleased, overall, with how things went. We caught the attention of at least a few local politicians and now have an entrée for further discussions with them about local climate change policy. And the planning committee – an energetic group of 6 women who pulled this whole thing together in a mere 19 days – had such a good time doing it that there’s talk of organizing similar events in other Boston neighborhoods.
by Viki Bok
