DearTomorrow: Envisioning a sustainable future in a time of climate change

A Special Long Now Boston event for

Long Now Boston, in a distributed partnership with the nonprofit DearTomorrow, is hosting a DearTomorrow event about climate change as part of the Cambridge Science Festival, featuring Jill Kubit, director and co-founder of DearTomorrow.

Location: Boston Public Library, Commonwealth Salon room

The effects and impact of climate change can seem distant to us. Perhaps we feel overwhelmed and hopeless in the face of this crisis. Scientific communication is crucial, but may not stand alone in generating interest and maintaining actions to address climate change. How can we contribute to the discussion on climate change in a way that inspires and motivates us to take action?

DearTomorrow is a climate storytelling project that makes climate change more personally relevant by connecting to the values that we all share: love, family, and legacy. It opens up conversations about envisioning a sustainable approach to energy needs of the future for a world fueled by renewable energy, new options for agriculture, changing transportation choices, flourishing health, and of course equitable access to a better tomorrow.

Participants will break into smaller conversation groups and discuss the questions below.

We ask participants to think about those whom they love – a child, grandchild, niece or nephew, family, friend, or even their future self. Dedicate this conversation to them. You will reflect on climate change, or any theme that is related to climate action, and how you envision the future.

• How have you been impacted by climate change?

• What are your thoughts on climate change?

• How will climate change affect the lives and future of the people and places you care about?

• What are your thoughts about how to leave a legacy of a safe and stable climate?

We encourage participants to save their thoughts and ideas, write a letter, and share with the DearTomorrow community. These messages are shared at deartomorrow.org and through social and other media, community events, and public art to inspire deep thinking and bold action on climate.

Join the conversation and be part of the solution.

This event is free. Audience participation is encouraged.

About Dear Tomorrow:

Jill Kubit is the director and co-founder of DearTomorrow. Her work has been recognized by the MIT Climate Co-Lab, the Grist 50, TED, Vox, Public Radio International, Yale, and BECC. Jill is also a founding member of the Our Kids’ Climate global climate-parent collaboration. She is focused on building three main areas on climate: creativity and culture, the parents movement, and integrating social science and practice. She advises dozens of start-up founders and leaders on social entrepreneurship and climate communications. Prior to DearTomorrow, Jill worked for 10 years to help establish the labor-climate field. She has a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and a B.A. from Northwestern. Watch Jill’s TED talk about the founding of the DearTomorrow project.

DearTomorrow is a digital and archive project founded by Jill Kubit and Trisha Shrum developed for people to personally connect with the issue of climate change, to commit to taking stronger action, and to share these stories with friends, family, and their social networks. The project is designed with best practices in climate change communications, including narrative storytelling, visual imagery, and trusted messengers.

We’re proud and excited to welcome Jill and DearTomorrow to the Long Now Boston community.

Host or Publisher Long Now Boston