Coping with Copenhagen: Living with Post Copenhagen Stress Disorder

In the closing hours of 2009, people from around the world gathered to witness and attempt to influence the activities of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 5th Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 5) to the Kyoto Protocol.

Current Green called into Copenhagen each day to get the perspective of activists, policy experts, and environmental enthusiasts.

We circled ’round and asked the people we interviewed to check back in with us and give us their 20/20 perspective on their experience. The following entry comes from Celia Alario, a media strategist and radio producer. Celia provided an informative behind the scenes perspective on Copenhagen in the video below (Celia was the last one interviewed, but certainly not least!) The video was a live stream of interviews with people in Copenhagen.

Ah yes, coping. I wish I could say that I was really 'coping' with Copenhagen. What would that mean? Coping. It sounds so grounded, so professional, so civilized, so savvy. What would 'coping' mean? Perhaps it would mean that I was working somehow to be at peace with all that occurred? Um, ur, nope.

Would it mean that I'd found some magic formula for our next step as a movement committed to climate justice? Maybe it would mean that the shortfalls and trappings and internal toxicity that divides the myriad organizations engaged on the issues would have evaporated or been strategically set aside in favor of more balanced, kind, strategic and loving collaborations essential for our own planetary survival? No such luck.

Coping? No I think I am muddling through at best, maybe sorta illin' at honest assessment, but hey, thanks to Sanjay Khanna I at least know what ails me. I have 'PCSD' Post Copenhagen Stress Disorder. And I mean this with the greatest of respect and honoring to anyone who has suffered from PTSD... cuz, Copenhagen was, for anyone with a conscience, traumatic.

The good news is that my Tweet Deck columns for #COP15 and #climateaction continue to excite and amaze. Even through the sometimes crippling and numbing pain of the reality of our times, our Hope turned Nope by my President who thinks that clean energy includes nuclear power and some absurd non-existent fantasy thingy called 'clean coal' I do indeed still find inspiration daily in all that is being done domestically and abroad in the name of change. Like, real change, the kind of change we need, the kind I voted for in the last two elections, not that weird twisted non-change-disguised-as-good-stuff that has been talked about lately. Jeez.

Meanwhile, I feel like a dork to admit that I live in Utah. So my elected leaders are the ones that just passed a Resolution implying Climate Change is a farse and a left-wing conspiracy to curb population? Huh . Yeah, right, those are my guys? NOT! My smartest allies in the climate movements in Utah recommend giving up. Really, just focusing on national and international change and writing off my entire state legislature. Dang. Maybe that is the best way to 'cope' with madness like this!

But more than Copenhagen tonight, actually I am coping with the tragic loss of a great activist and sister in the work for sanity and an end to the climate chaos: Terry Shepherd passed away in her early 40s of H1N1. Crazy! She was a force for protection of Wild Utah, and had recently added her savvy to the efforts to protect Alaska. Here is a link to her speaking truth to power at the Oil and Gas Auction during the waning days of the Bush Administration's fire sale give away.

Her brave efforts made a huge impact to this issue, which reached national audiences when Tim DeChristopher bid on parcels as an act of climate civil disobedience. Learn more about his actions and upcoming trial.

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