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Community as a System
How we think about anything will necessarily shape how we feel about it, and what occurs to us to do about it. We are widely taught to break problems down into their respective components and look at them in isolation (and in a linear way). This can be helpful in breaking things down into manageable pieces. However, when we don’t zoom out and understand how those pieces fit into, and impact, the larger context then we often miss important information, which frequently leads to unintended consequences.
When the World Heats Up, How Do We Respond?
Two years ago, I wrote “A Sizzling 2024 Awaits” while watching winter turn to rain in Whistler, one of Canada’s most iconic ski towns. I wrote about methane, ‘weather whiplash,’ the unintended consequences of falling aerosol emissions, and the oceans absorbing unprecedented heat.
Where the Tide Turns: How Coastal Women in Bangladesh Are Quietly Rewriting the Rules of Survival
Life along Bangladesh’s coast has always existed in a delicate negotiation with water; a place where the land ends not in certainty but in a conversation with the tide. Rivers bend into the Bay of Bengal, carrying silt, memories, and the quiet knowledge that nothing here is ever still. People grow up with the rhythm of monsoon winds and the hum of fishing boats, but in recent years, the climate crisis has twisted that familiar rhythm into something harsher, something less forgiving.
Transitioning From Drifting Goals to Soaring Ones
The COP (Conference of Parties) is now convening for the 30th time to discuss how the world can work together to avoid the worst of the anthropogenic emissions that are trapping heat in our atmosphere and causing our climate to change in dangerous ways. We have known what is causing this problem – and what to do about it – for decades.
A Riff on Krista Tippett’s 3 Practices for Wisdom and Wholeness
This Ted Talk by Krista Tippett is a perennial favourite that I find myself returning to time and again. And while I certainly think that it’s jam-packed with insight and can stand all on its own, I would like to spend a little time discussing how I see it relating to the work that we are doing here at Common Earth.
Building a Sustainable Future Together
Exploring Community and Climate with Sarah Patterson, President of Common Earth. Discover insights on local climate action, community resilience, and nurturing a post-carbon society in this inspiring podcast episode.
Earth Day 2025 – Our Power, Our Planet
In 2025, the theme for Earth Day is 'Our Power, Our Planet'. Some of the areas the organisers cite as being important to this theme include: A push to switch to renewable energy sources to power or homes, businesses and vehicles. Investing in innovative solutions to provide more sustainable materials to fossil fuels. To honour this day, we at Common Earth have created an Earth Week
Gifts of the Earth: Embracing Abundance, Reciprocity, and Friendship
We have recently lost a number of dear friends and colleagues, which has some of us reflecting on our time here, how we wish to spend it, and the small mark we wish to leave on the world while we have the privilege of being here. As we enter into the holiday season, it is striking us that …
Methane: An Immediate Threat to Climate Security
This past November we delivered the inaugural Critical Climate Change Week, hosted by Ontario Tech University, in collaboration with Common Earth. The theme this year: Methane Awareness. It is surprising …
32 Climate Books To Help Move Us Forward
I believe that our stories shape how we understand who we are and our place in the world. As we grapple with the metacrisis (including the existential crisis) that we currently face, I think the stories we tell will help us to rewrite our understanding of …
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