Joy is a foreign emotion in the climate space.
When the future looks grim, responsibilities weigh heavier on those who choose to fight for the wellbeing of our planet.
We're not another climate communication brand meant to create urgency through disaster. Rather, we offer a philosophy that integrates all aspects of being human and our relationship with nature, promoting practices that sustain ourselves so we can sustain life in its entirety.
Lasting change comes from a sustained vitality and a deep love of life.
We lift the weight from the inside.
Our philosophy
Our Mission
We’re on a mission to inspire climate-focused individuals and organizations to cultivate vitality through mindfulness, joy, and human connection — so they can do their most meaningful work with lasting impact.
Our Vision
We envision a world where transformative action advances a harmonious and regenerative future — where climate action is a sustainable practice rooted in the love of life.
Our Values
Five values guide our philosophy and shape
how we bring joy and resilience to climate work.
Hover over each to explore.
We meet climate work (and life) with curiosity and lightness. They are the catalyst behind our creativity, our human nature, and resilience in the face of adversity.
We draw energy from the pulse of life itself that flows through all living things. It reminds us that sustainability comes from aliveness.
We are part of a greater whole, connected to nature, to each other, and the system we wish to heal. It is both our mission and our method.
We make space to slow down and appreciate the beauty of life in its natural form. To love life as a whole, we must see ourselves as an integral part of it.
True authenticity is a means of connection to people and life in its entirety. We honor the full spectrum of being human, along with the grief, the joy, and the contradictions.
“Joy is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.”
Meet Tamara
Founder, Integral Master Coach® & Nature-Based Resilience Guide
I didn't set out to create Lighter Side of Climate - it emerged from 20 years of asking a simple question: How do we sustain ourselves in work that truly matters?
This particular journey started in wilderness leadership, guiding challenged teens through 21-day experiences in Idaho's high desert. There, I learned that transformation happens not through force, but through support, and creating the right conditions. And over time, I discovered that even micro-doses of nature can restore us as powerfully as lengthy wilderness immersions.
For 13 years, I worked with Citizens' Climate Lobby at the national legislative level, advocating for climate solutions in Congress. I saw dedicated, brilliant people burning out under the weight of climate responsibility. The doom-and-gloom approach wasn't just emotionally exhausting, it was making people less effective.
Five years ago, I founded Climate Camp to test a different approach. What if we integrated joy, play, and creativity directly into climate work? The results were clear: people didn't just feel better, they became more creative, more resilient, and stayed committed for the long haul.
Today, as an Integral Master Coach®, I blend neuroscience, somatic practices, Internal Family Systems, and nature connection into most everything I do. I often coach while walking in nature because I believe our bodies and the living world are essential partners in building resilience.
It’s become to clear me that joy and responsibility aren't opposing forces - they strengthen each other. Personal vitality isn't selfish - it's the foundation for sustained impact. And accessing your "lighter side" isn't about ignoring hard truths - it's about building the capacity to face them without burning out.
After two decades in this work, I know the climate movement needs people who can stay in it for the long haul - with clear thinking, strong relationships, creative solutions, and calm nervous systems. That's what Lighter Side of Climate is designed to cultivate.
When I'm not coaching or facilitating, I’m eager to be exploring basalt canyons of Oregon, Idaho, and Utah with my family and two German Shepherds, Mika and Maya — the wild places that continue to teach, inspire, and restore me.
CREDENTIALS & TRAINING:
Integral Master Coach® (Integral Coaching Canada)
20+ years in human development and experiential education
Wilderness leadership and wilderness therapy background
Trained in neuroscience, somatic practices, and Internal Family Systems
13 years with Citizens' Climate Lobby (national legislative advocacy)
Founder, Climate Camp (est. 2019)
Collaborators & Partners
Lighter Side of Climate works with talented facilitators and educators who share our commitment to joy-based climate engagement.
Casey Meehan, PhD
Climate Strategist & LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator
Casey Meehan co-founded Lighter Side of Climate with Tamara in 2023 and continues to collaborate on select programs. As a certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator with a background in climate education and sustainability leadership, he believes integrating playfulness and resilience into climate work isn’t just an option—it’s necessary for long-term impact. Drawing from years of experience in higher education and community sustainability initiatives, Casey helps individuals and organizations find creative, energizing ways to approach their climate efforts.
When he's not working...
Casey loves spending time on and near Lake Superior, traveling with his familiy, and hosting neighborhood donut parties.
