Our guest today is Clover Hogan, a 21-year-old climate activist, researcher on eco-anxiety, and the Founder and Executive Director of Force of Nature. In this episode, we talk about eco-anxiety, ways to change our education systems, and how everyone can create positive impact. If you feel powerless in the face of climate change or don't know where to get started in creating positive impact then this episode is for you!
The Beginning
“Growing up, I didn’t see any particular division between myself and the natural world, but that precious bubble popped when I started watching documentaries.”
Clover grew up in a tropical part of Australia, North Queensland, and always had a very close connection to nature. growing up her parents did not allow her to watch horror movies, but she was allowed to watch documentaries like The Cove and An Inconvenient Truth, where she was exposed to horrifying images of mass dolphin hunts and environmental destruction. She was felt with despair and what struck her most was the silence around tehse issues as she did not learn about climate change in school, nor in the media or at the dinner table. As a result she made a vow to become "a voice for the voiceless".
Clover went to a very small-minded, and religious school in Australia, and she couldn’t connect to that type of education. One day, she heard about the Green School in Bali and convinced her parents to move there. The Green School is a school in the middle of the jungle and asks its students about what type of problems they would like to solve in the worldand encourages them to nurture their individual talents.
Seeing different types of education systems made Clover passionate about changing our education systems so students can feel involved and empowered.
Eco-Anxiety
“Eco-anxiety is not something to pathologize, it's actually a very healthy response to the climate crisis”
Clover became really involved in environmentalism during her high school years and found her true passion in helping people overcome a feeling of being powerless in the face of climate change and learning about eco-phobia or eco-anxiety.
Clover wanted to understand why we shut down in the face of climate change, the role of mindset, and how to mobilize people to take action. She conducted research on eco-anxiety, and it showed that 70% of young people felt hopeless about climate change.
According to Clover, generally, different generations have different views on climate change. Younger generations tend to feel hopeless towards climate change, and older generations tend to deny it, but both of these behaviors stem from feeling powerless.
Changing The World
“We can't fix the problems with the same thinking that created them.”
Clover says, that if we want to do something about climate change, all of us need to work together. We need to bring together the energy of youth with the knowledge and experience of the older generations, so we can deliver solutions that are transformational, and will stand the test of time.
She believes in open communication, shifting our mindset, and holding space for everyone in the system, by showing compassion. Climate change is nobody’s fault, but we can all take ownership of changing it.
Clover encourages everyone to focus on a single problem that they are very passionate or curious about because meaningful change comes from focus.
Palma’s Reflection On How You Can Create Positive Impact
We all have a role to play in building the future that we really want. And as Clover said, it's never too late, the best time to start is now.
So today we invite you to reflect on what problems or issues you care about the most? What are the things that you would like to see differently in this world? Then see which one of these issues has a stronger connection to you.
We invite you to take a week or two to research those issues and problems and dig into them a little bit deeper. What are people already doing in the field? What organizations are out there or what ideas are coming up for you if any?
As a second step, ask yourself, what are your skills? What are your talents? How can you use your skills and talents to contribute to solving that issue? There's no right or wrong answer here, just see what comes up.
About Our Guest, Clover Hogan
Clover Hogan is a 21-year-old climate activist, researcher on eco-anxiety, and the Founder and Executive Director of Force of Nature. Force of Nature is a youth non-profit mobilizing mindsets for climate action. Through virtual programs, they empower young people in 50+ countries to cultivate mindsets of agency, purpose, and resilience; and work with decision-makers across business, policy, and civil society to drive intergenerational solutions.
Clover has worked alongside the world’s leading authorities on sustainability and consulted within the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies. She launched the Force of Nature podcast, serves as a trustee to Global Action Plan, and is on the advisory boards of the National Community Lottery's Climate Action Fund; the Teach the Future campaign; and the COP26 President-Designate Civil Society and Youth Advisory Council.
A special thanks to Clover Hogan for taking the time to share her inspiring story with us.
Resources Mentioned In The Show:
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