Bird’s Eye View

You found us! Welcome! We’re glad you’re here.

This venture, Lighter Side of Climate, has been a long time coming. We help changemakers and organizations reimagine their connection to climate and amplify their impact —without the burnout or doom and gloom.

How? Through joy, delight, and playfulness.

We look forward to posting interesting tidbits weekly about taking a lighter approach to climate work. In the meantime, read an opening salvo from us, as Lighter Side of Climate’s co-founders, Tamara Staton and Casey Meehan.

Tamara
Over the past few weeks, I've been captivated by a live cam of an eagle's nest above Big Bear Lake in California. Watching snow blanket this magnificent pair, hearing wind whistle through the trees, and noticing the growing pile of fish as they care for their three newly hatched eaglets has been remarkable. Their daily presence on my screen offers a powerful reminder of presence itself—helping me put our current world into perspective.

As I write, snow falls heavily on the nest. Jackie huddles in six inches of white, keeping her babies warm beneath her. Eyes closed, breathing slow, she weathers the storm. Literally. Sometimes that's exactly what we need, isn't it? Hunker down. Focus deeply. Be still.

Yet eventually, there comes a time to lift our heads, look around, and commit to something in a different way. A new stance, a fresh perspective, a nuanced approach to being in the world. That's why I'm thrilled to launch Lighter Side of Climate with Casey. I know what's possible when we're intentional about our state of being. While leaning into joy, playfulness, and imagination isn't always easy, it's invariably worthwhile—for us and the world. In future blog posts, I’m eager to share data supporting this, but the truth is obvious: aren't you inclined to do more of what you love?

Casey
That was beautiful, Tamara. How do I follow that?! Geesh.

Let me exercise my playfulness muscles and try a thought experiment. Based on my day today, here is what I think the eagle is really thinking. See if you can relate:

I have little in the way of profound words right now. I’ve had a long day and it’s not over. The kiddos are home and making a ruckus. Sitting on them doesn’t seem to be helping. I need to figure out what to throw down their gullet and, well, the leftovers aren’t looking great. And now it’s snowing on me. Is this all there is? Why does it feel like I can’t get any traction to move forward? I’m feeling tired and, well, stuck.

Demoralized. Tired. Stuck. Ever feel that way about something like, say, climate change? What would it feel like to, as Tamara says, lean in to joy, playfulness, and imagination when it comes to climate change?  

Hold on. We know what you’re thinking: Surely, you can't be serious. Climate change is Serious Business and there is no room for joy and playfulness in Serious Business!  We would argue that there is space for lightness and that making room for joy and delight opens up a whole new world of possibilities in how we work on climate, how we engage others in climate, and how we build our own personal resilience.

I’m so excited to partner with Tamara as we blast off on this new adventure. We’re not sure what the ultimate destination is, but it’s the journey that makes it fun. We’d be honored if you joined us.