After years working in the climate movement, Katharine K. Wilkinson noticed that advocates consistently lacked the emotional stamina and support needed to stay active, inspired and connected to others engaged in climate work.
Climate advocates are tired. The burnout is real. Solutions are abundant and renewables like solar are cheaper than ever before, but the political will for change, especially at the federal level, is in short supply.
People often ask, “‘What can I do?’” Wilkinson said in a recent interview, and the climate movement responds with punch lists of to-dos. “The punch lists sell us short on those nodes of possibility, that we are not just action takers and chore doers, that our very lives can be meaningful sites of contribution,” she said.
In her new book, “Climate Wayfinding,” published last month, Wilkinson lays out a framework to build emotional resilience and find direction in the climate movement even when the challenges feel endless.
“Climate Wayfinding” blends poetry, art, essays, playlists and personal reflection into active chapters that guide the reader through their own climate journey. It is, in large part, a book designed for active facilitation, where readers are encouraged to discuss central questions and themes with a small group. “It’s not just another climate book that talks to you, but it is a book that can actually walk with you on your own path of exploration wherever you are in your own climate journey,” Wilkinson said.
