So…you retire, and get asked…well, what are you doing these days? I used to say, airily, oh a little of this, a little of that. But now I say that I volunteer for The Climate Center, because then I can talk about CPC if the person shows any interest…(or not).
And why do I want to talk about CPC? Because it is the issue. I am very much aware of the issues of hunger, disease and poverty. But if we don’t keep the climate disaster from happening, the whole world will be hungry, sick and poor.
I first became deeply aware of climate issues while team-teaching a course at SSU called “Challenge and Response in the Modern World.” That inspired me, a few years later, to design a 40-unit Degree Completion Program in which a 10-unit course is “Technology and the Environment,” and another 10-unit course that includes the economic effects of environmental degradation. That program is still going strong, and the students leave with a firm grasp of the issues we face. I also designed a Masters program, “Action for a Viable Future” which allowed students to concentrate on an environmental or social justice issue of their choice; that program had a run of several years.
But, once retired, I no longer had a “platform.” Volunteering at CPC helps fill that desire to “do something.” What do I do? Well, low-level computer entry, high-level envelope stuffing, odd jobs around the office. It’s easy, useful, frees up staff for other things, and I can do a lot of it at home at my convenience. But the real pay-off for me is being around CPC staff. They are upbeat, smart, focused, warm and wonderful people who work very hard. Their work allows me to have some hope for the future.
Is there more? Yes. I am a Climate Sustainer, which means I make an automatic monthly donation. Painless! I invite you to join me as a Sustainer, at a level suitable for your budget, by the CPC donation page.
Ardath Lee