MOOSE JAW — If you’re one of many individuals who feels some level of anxiety over climate change and its growing consequences, the Moose Jaw Public Library is hosting an informal public forum to respectfully share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a judgment free environment.
The upcoming Saskatchewan Climate Café will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the public library’s Herb Taylor Room from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“The workshop isn’t designed to come to any conclusion about climate anxiety or climate change, but (it’s) just to have an opportunity to share or to learn from others,” explained Naiomi Setter, the library’s communications clerk.
The program, she said, will benefit anyone who is curious about how climate or environmental change affects themselves, their family, and the future. Everyone aged 13 and over is invited to attend and the program is offered free of charge.
“I think (the topic of climate change is) something that (always has) a conversation surrounding it,” she said. “So, I think it’s a good thing to reflect on and talk about.”
The climate café format entails an informal, open, and safe space to confidentially share emotional responses and reactions related to today’s changing climate. Described as “a haven from usual busyness and activity,” the café isn’t meant to lead participants to a conclusion or a set of actions but is instead focused on “a quiet, reflective experience.”
The workshop will be co-presented by Russell Charlton and Ahbay Singh Sachal.
Charlton, MEd, is a certified counsellor and climate-informed therapist. He is the co-founder, co-director, and facilitator for EcoStress Sask, an organization with the mission of organizing support groups for anyone experiencing eco-related distress.
Sachal is the founder and executive director of Break the Divide, an international non-profit organization connecting international youth in an effort to break down divisions between communities. Sachal is one of 10 advisors on the Environment and Climate Change Canada Youth Council and serves as one of 20 advisors in the United Nations’ Faith for Earth Youth Council program.
“I think sometimes people maybe feel uncomfortable talking about (the topic of climate change),” Setter added, “because there’s a lot of opinions out there about it. This is more like a respectful and confidential space to share (your) emotional responses to it.”
The program will be available on Zoom, and participants who don’t have access to a computer are welcome to visit the library in person. There, a screen will be set up so everyone can participate.
If you have an ongoing concern about the topic of climate change and experience anxieties surrounding the topic, Setter recommends a visit to the guest presenters’ websites as they contain a lot of great additional information.
To learn more about EcoStress Sask, visit EcoStressSask.ca; for more information about Break the Divide, visit BreakTheDivide.net.
To register for the upcoming workshop, visit MJLibrary.ca and search for “Saskatchewan Climate Café.” All applicants will receive a Zoom link 24 hours before the start of the program.
The Moose Jaw Public Library is located at 461 Langdon Crescent and can be reached at 306-692-2787. For more information, visit MJLibrary.ca or visit ‘Moose Jaw Public Library’ on Facebook.
