theClimateers

A couple weeks ago, in the days leading up to September 21′s Global Wake-Up Call for climate action, I had the pleasure of meeting the folks at Avaaz’s Climate Action Factory in Berlin. I was immediately impressed by the energy exuding from the group and by the way the walls (or lack of walls, in some cases) of the teamwork-oriented office reflected this energy right back at the activists. All this energy was definitely helping the team get a heckuvalot done: not only were they preparing for a large action in Berlin in front of the Brandenburg Gate, but they were also the central organizing team for Wake-Up Call flash-mobs in 30 or 40 other German cities.

With just a few days to go before the action, these guys were BUSY. As a SustainUS member, I was warmly welcomed and quickly trusted to I help out where I could – assembling packets, setting up an online survey to collect post-action info, and throwing in my two cents on what might work for the staging of the Berlin event. But, arriving late in the game, I was definitely an outsider and had plenty of time and space just to observe and listen.

While there, I realized a story seldom told by activists: the behind-the-scenes story. We post pictures, media hits and occasionally reflections from the actions we produce, but most people don’t get to see the development process of our actions. Even we ourselves are sometimes too focused on our end-goals to recognize the beauty and wealth of the process. From the organizational charts to the unconventional “boardroom” meetings, from the email blasts to… the construction of huge cardboard clocks… what we’re creating from the ground up is energy and empowerment in true form.

So I wanted to take a moment to pause, reflect, and say, “Hey, all you climate activists out there, YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME. Recognize it!”

I know the clock is ticking – COP-15 kicks off in 66 days – and we’re all feeling it; but remember to take a tiny step back now and then when you’re hard at work to feed off of some of that inspiring energy that your peers are producing. We’ve collectively got an amazing renewable resource right in our own backyards, whether next to us at the brainstorming table or linked in from across the globe through itsgettinghotinhere.org. Take advantage of it!

If you’re feeling down (say perhaps due to the German elections), keep in mind that our activist energy is like wind energy – even if thing’s aren’t blowing your way, the mighty activist wind’s a’ blowin’ full-speed for clean energy somewhere else. So get linked into that smart grid and let the power of our youth movement reenergize your work and renew your spirit.

And P.S. check out what all the hard-work, energy, creativity, teamwork, and process of the Berlin Climate Action Factory team created (photos courtesy Avaaz):

German Leaders Heeding Climate Wake-Up Call

Flashmobbers + Press - all organized by the Action Factory in Berlin!

And check out more photos from the Berlin Wake-Up Call or from Wake-Up Calls organized by Avaaz leaders and volunteers from around the world – a great way to get pumped about our power.