PARASOL Climate Collective
When my partner Lara and I returned from China ten years ago, after experiencing how bad the atmosphere is there, we sought to understand what was goin’ on. We put out a call to comrades to see who wanted to study climate issues together, and several folks responded. We spent the next several years initially reading and talking together, then speaking publicly and to other organizers, and finally going door-to-door talking to folks in a Portland neighborhood. Through PARASOL’s work together I developed a better understanding of the root causes of the unfolding climate catastrophe, and how to stop it. I want to share some of what we did together so you can benefit from the work we did.
Parasol Climate Collective
The PARASOL Climate Collective was a Portland, Oregon-based study, education, and action group that educated ourselves and others about climate change and its physical and sociological effects, as well as examining the economic and political forces behind it. Through radical pedagogy, networking, and empowerment, we hoped to contribute to building a movement capable of creating a more just and safer world.
After initially studying the climate crisis together in order to get a handle on just what is going on, we began to talk to various social change organizations about how climate issues are likely to impact their work, as well as doing presentations and workshops at conferences and gatherings. We participated with other organizations in developing and implementing a door-to-door canvass of the St. John’s neighborhood about climate issues, asking if people believed the climate was changing and if they would support breaking the law to stop it, and also organized a clown picket of an impending Republican Presidential debate scheduled for Portland, a debate that was subsequently cancelled.
Over the course of our own study, we developed a curriculum intended for study groups who, like us, are concerned about climate change and want to learn more about what causes it, what its effects are currently, and what the future may hold. This curriculum includes around 350 pages of readings and a handful of short videos, as well as a series of learning objectives and suggested discussion questions, and is available here: https://parasolpdx.wordpress.com/recommended-readings/
Finding ways to learn more about the world around us, about our history, and about the ideas people have for change can be challenging. It can be hard to know where to start, who to talk to, and how to share what you’ve learned. Most of us, unconsciously or not, associate learning with school, and it’s hard to figure out how to engage in serious educational projects without a teacher. But it can be done, and successfully!
This is what we shared about study groups:
What is a Study Group?
“Any group of people who gather together to read, discuss, and learn can be considered a study group. It’s especially helpful for groups of people who already work together (political collectives, affinity groups, neighborhood organizations) to study together, because it allows them to build on their existing work and relationships. Existing groups can also start study projects which are open to new people, or two political collectives might initiate a joint study project on a topic of shared concern.
However you design the membership of your study group, you will work together by reading, thinking, and discussing, all of which will help you develop ideas that may lead to further action. Working together is a critical piece — a study group doesn’t rely on experts to bestow knowledge on novices. We all have strengths and experiences that we can use together to build understanding and inspire insight. Teaching each other, planning together, and listening to each other help us develop understanding and theory that we can use for political action. And, working together as equals builds fellowship, and can even be just plain fun.
Study group projects can also lead to insight and understanding about our previous political experiences — why do some projects succeed, while others fail? What circumstances cause organizations to falter, when is it beneficial to change course or re-examine our goals? In short, study groups aid our understanding of the world, but also help develop strategies to change the world.”
To learn how to form your own study group, go here: https://parasolpdx.wordpress.com/how-to-form-a-study-group/
Finally, PARASOL shared some quick facts about global warming, which you might find helpful. Those are here: https://parasolpdx.wordpress.com/quick-facts/
And if you just want to check out PARASOL’s website blog for yourself, it’s right here: https://parasolpdx.wordpress.com
