In Search of Hope

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An American writer, historian, and activist. She is the author of twenty-some books, i.e. "Wanderlust: a history of walking", "Hope in the dark: untold histories, wild possibilities", "Men explain things to me". She writes abut community, art, geography, politics, feminism and hope.

Don’t stop being angry but also don’t lose sight of beauty. A letter to a young climate activist.

Dear Galicia,

Climate chaos is the worst thing human beings have brought upon themselves and the earth, and we are beginning to see its impact, in heartbreaking phenomena from melting ice to starving whales to burning forests and cities. If you’re sad, you’re not alone. If you’re scared, you’re not alone. Those of you who are young have every reason to be furious that you were handed a world entering into an era of catastrophe and disruption. You did nothing to make this mess and most of us who are older didn’t do enough to avert it during the last thirty-plus years that we have known we should act, the last fifteen-plus when we had the renewable-energy technology to leave the age of fossil fuel behind.

I would never question the rightness of that fury, but I am going to go after despair, hopelessness, and powerlessness. And maybe your fury pointed in the right direction is a treasure: a non-fossil fuel, a clean-burning fire, a passion to do what we need to do. Fury can fight for all that is still with us and all that is worth protecting. And

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Rebecca Solnit:

An American writer, historian, and activist. She is the author of twenty-some books, i.e. "Wanderlust: a history of walking", "Hope in the dark: untold histories, wild possibilities", "Men explain things to me". She writes abut community, art, geography, politics, feminism and hope.

Publish date: 20.03.2020

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Julia Fiedorczuk:

a poet, writer, translator and lecturer at the University of Warsaw, Institute of English Studies.

She was accused of excessive emotionality, reproached for her spinsterhood. Some even suggested she was a Soviet spy. That was the price she paid for writing about the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment. Her name was Rachel Carson.

1962, in the midst of the Cold War. The US imposes an embargo on Cuba; the nuclear arms race and the space race are on. Lou Reed is 20 years old; Bob Dylan is 21 and has just released his first album. 19-year-old Janis Joplin begins her studies at the University of Texas at Austin, which she never finishes. On 5th August, Marilyn Monroe dies – the circumstances are unclear, and her death is referred to as a “probable suicide”. On 28th August 1962 at 4pm, President John F. Kennedy hosts a press conference during which he is asked whether he is considering engaging the Department of Agriculture or the Public Health Service to investigate the impact of DDT and other popular pesticides on human health. Kennedy responds without hesitation that the investigation is already underway, thanks to “Miss Carson’s” book.

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A Lesson in Wonder

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