What Can We Do In These Powerful Times?

I've been working in the field of sustainability and climate change for some 20 years. It feels like the need for change is growing faster than the impact we are delivering. So, I am wondering what I can do next that is useful. Speaking with others, they have the same challenge.Which is why I’m doing this interview series. In 30 minute bites, I ask some brilliant people what they are doing now and why. All to inspire and enable the audience (which may turn out to be just me!) through stories grounded in experience. Please do listen, be inspired and suggest who I should be interviewing.Thank you -- David (powerfultimespodcast@gmail.com)

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What Can We Do In These Powerful Times?

Clare Farrell

January 14, 2023 • David Bent • Season 1 • Episode 31

Clare Farrell is a co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, as well as fashion designer and lecturer (Twitter, website).

Clare had a lot of deeply interesting things to say across a broad range of topics. So, this episode is the longest yet at 57 mins. I make no apology, as every minute is worth listening to. Just want to give you a heads up.

She speaks about the coming together of Extinction Rebellion as a magical time: "It's a huge honour really. So too, in like, basically, I feel the universe sort of collided the right people at the right time. And enough of us were like crazy enough to go: oh, yeah, like, whatever. Let's try and do that."

Clare is trying to create a different approach to politics, here "ordinary people have agency, and the ability to take part in the way decisions are made". On the need for deep change to address the climate emergency, Clare believes that "ordinary people are way ahead of the people in power".

As you will pick up, I hugely admire Extinction Rebellion for many things, including the core message: a positive future possible if only we were willing to tell the truth on the challenges we face and act for it. For the most part, the first wave of XR was successful in creating a sense of a festival, which modelled a more vibrant, more inclusive, positive future, where we will still have to deal with the consequences of our actions up to this point.

Clare ends with this:

"This work that we do is absolutely made of love....Whatever your opinion about me...[It] absolutely comes from ..the best possible intention to try and make something better out of a wholly depressing and heartbreaking, tragic situation."

Clare occasionally swears (a*-holes, sh*t, f*cked that kind of thing).

Links

Penguin publishers book with Extinction Rebellion: 'This is Not A Drill'.

More on the Extinction Rebellion symbol and how since inception it has always been a strictly anti-consumerist project.

For criticism of David Attenborough, see George Monbiot's piece.

People on this episode

David Bent

Host