Hi,
Last night, as I was sitting at the table eating dinner, I happened to glance over to the window at just the right moment. I caught a quick glimpse of a firefly outside, quickly blinking through the front yard. It was the first one of the season.
If you live in a part of the world with no fireflies, it’s impossible to describe the joy of seeing the one-second-long bioluminescent flash on one of the first warm nights of summer after six (or more!) gruelling months of cold. (If you live in a part of the world that *does* have fireflies, I’d encourage you to participate in a citizen science project to help protect and study them, like this one in North America or this global one. )
Seeing the fireflies is one of my favourite moments of the entire year, along with the first frogs of the spring and the first snowflakes of winter. It’s a moment of transcendence, and reminds me that the real world can be so much more magical than we can even imagine. Because a bug with a light-up butt is a real thing that actually exists.
This morning, I woke up early to try to catch a glimpse of Comet Neowise, and instead found the field near my house blanketed with a perfect thin layer of fog. It was an idyllic, dreamlike few moments with the world still asleep and everything quiet. It was just peaceful enough to make me remember that I love this planet so damn much.
Our world is breathtaking. The people who live here are breathtaking. What we’re doing here together is breathtaking.
This week’s good news on climate
On Thursday 9 July, I’m super excited to convene a conversation among Indigenous leaders and Indigenous-rights activists from around the world about how we can change the narrative of the climate emergency away from inevitable dystopia toward a future society that works for everyone. You can register for the event here, which will be a live video meeting on Zoom.
The panel is truly impressive:
Marama Mere-Ana Davidson is a Māori climate and social justice activist and is also co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Licypriya Kangujam is an 8-year-old Meitei climate activist in India and founder of The Child Movement.
Kyle Powys Whyte is a professor of philosophy and sustainability at Michigan State University and an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Kelsey Leonard is a water scholar, activist and international speaker advocating for Indigenous water rights and a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation.
Felipe Viveros is a Chilean strategist and narratives consultant specialising in campaigning, program design and storytelling, particularly on climate and Indigenous issues.
Andrea Ixchíu is a Maya K’iche journalist and activist in Guatemala, who has devoted her life to defending gender and Indigenous rights.
I hope you’ll be able to join us!
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