Geelong Climate Café is a monthly gathering – two hours about how we make sense of our world today, building community for meaningful and local climate action.
Climate Café launched in Geelong
Since founding the Centre for Climate Safety and The Sustainable Hour podcast in 2013, our mission has been to accelerate climate action through education and community. As we confront an unprecedented need for meaningful change and transition, supporting one another has become not just helpful but essential.
In a world increasingly marked by climate breakdown, extreme weather, and the spread of misinformation, our work for climate safety depends on the strength we find in each other.
Gathering place for collaboration and support
With the launch of the Geelong Climate Café in November 2024, we’ve created a welcoming space for climate-conscious individuals to come together, share ideas, and reinforce our collective commitment to a sustainable future.
Held monthly in the heart of Geelong, the Climate Café is a gathering place for conversations, collaboration, and optimism. Each month (except December), we meet at The House in the Centrepoint Arcade, creating a supportive community to strengthen our resilience and commitment.
Some of the feedback we got from the first gathering on 29 November 2024 was:
“Good group of people who genuinely care about the conversation.”
“Local action and power for change is closer than I thought.”
“What I liked most was to meet new people.”
“Non judgemental space.”
“Safe space.”
“Connections made. Insight. Motivation.”
“Everyone having a say.”
“Good listening. Friendly, inclusive.”
“Transfer skills and knowledge to empower people”
“Very heartening to see the number of people turning up.”
“Great to see so many young people.”
“Very relaxed and welcoming.”
Whether you’re looking to share climate solutions, discuss local events, or exchange positive stories, this is the place for you. Together, we can keep each other informed, motivated, and inspired.
Join us at the Geelong Climate Café
When: 3-5pm on the 4th Friday of each month
Where: The House, Shop 8, Centrepoint Arcade, 132 Little Malop Street, Geelong
Next meeting: Friday 24 January 2025
Finding it difficult
“I am finding it ever more difficult to be in this nasty world. Everything that I cherish is being destroyed and there is nowhere to go to find solace. I work in climate change and am having to pretend every day that there is still a chance we can prevent catastrophic climate change. I find it ever harder to be around people who don’t get just how bad things are. I can’t talk to my family about it because they are rightwing, wealthy climate sceptics. If I look to the future, I imagine how difficult it is going to be when food supplies are more affected by environmental crisis. People fought over toilet rolls during Covid – multiply that by 100 and apply it to food. I am trying to keep a lid on it, trying to dissociate my feelings, pretending all the bad stuff isn’t happening. When what I really want to do is scream my head off at everyone. Planet Earth is so beautiful, so incredible, I cry with the pain of what we are doing to it and to each other. How am I supposed to remain feeling in this fucked up world?”
~ Read Philippa Perry’s answer in The Guardian
Meaningful steps
With disappointments and never-ending discussions about global climate policy in the UN system, and with political shifts worldwide shaping our collective future, such as what happened at the American presidential election in November 2024, this is a time to connect, reflect, and plan for the meaningful steps we can take as individuals to help build a climate safe future right here in Geelong.
We are not isolated individuals, but threads in the vast fabric of life. Beneath our feet, around us, and within, the Earth breathes with us, urging us to release the stories of separation and scarcity that have held us back.
What kind of future might we create if we allow ourselves to dream and to connect, to embrace the natural world woven through rivers, trees, oceans, skies – and each other. Here, in this community, we come not only to act but to remember that we are already home, already connected, already held in a spell that binds us together in responsibility and action.
We are coming together to make a difference. All are welcome – bring your ideas, your energy, and your dreams for the future.
→ Share the news on Facebook – Bluesky – Instagram
Shepparton climate meeting beneath the wisteria
Geelong’s Climate Cafe and Shepparton’s Beneath the Wisteria are of the same ilk.
Both are are in the hunt for answers to the climate crisis; both begin that search through conversation; both have few formalities and yet both give participants comfort, a dash of hope, and the confidence to press for climate action, even faced by those who see climate change as a hoax.
The convenor of Beneath the Wisteria – which is so called as that was where the group met for years until the wisteria was sacrificed to imagined progress – Robert McLean believes it’s important people can look each other in the eye. And now after years of searching, and hoping, Robert has discovered the outdoor circular seating at the newly expanded Shepparton campus of La Trobe University.
The group will meet on Saturday 14 December at 11:00am using the new seating where it will discuss of host of issues, including whether or not people are purists or pragmatists when it comes to climate change.
The group was set up in about 2011, has met most months since then (it met via Zoom during Covid), has no set agenda, no office bearers and effectively does nothing, although many issues discussed are given oxygen, and so influence the Goulburn Valley community when the substance of discussions filters through to other groups.
Beneath the Wisteria nurtures people by chatting with like-minded souls.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Are we locked in a dangerous illusion?
“To respond meaningfully, we’ll need a complete revolution of economic, social and political priorities. We’ll also need a complete transformation of human consciousness – an entirely different way of existing.”
~ Dr Richard Hil, Adjunct Professor in the School of Health Sciences and Social Work at Griffith University
→ Pearls and Irritations – 18 November 2024:
Are we locked in a dangerous illusion?
→ Resilience.org – 21 November 2024:
Envisioning a livable future
“We are coming down to Earth, and we will not arrive intact.”
~ Báyò Akómoláfé
“Imagine if we put a greater focus on supporting change beyond oneself. Shift some of those actions into connection and networks. Applying this idea is slow… worthwhile…”
~ Sarah Fortner, Director of Sustainability at Carleton College
Our Inner Development Goals
Being – thinking – relating – collaborating – acting
In 2015, the UN Sustainable Development Goals provided a comprehensive plan for a sustainable world by 2030. However, progress is not happening fast enough, and we urgently need to increase our collective abilities to face and work effectively with complex challenges. This is why people around the planet are co-creating the Inner Development Goals – a non-profit, open-source initiative committed to fostering inner development towards more sustainable futures.
Geelong Climate Café is inspired by and seeks to explore this avenue for action.
Climate Cafés: A global movement
Gatherings like fortnightly or monthly Climate Cafés are emerging all over the world, reflecting a growing recognition of the need for community-based action in addressing the climate crisis.
These gatherings, which offer safe spaces for dialogue and connection, are gaining traction in diverse communities, from rural towns to urban centres, and across various cultural contexts. Climate Cafés are now a global movement, with participants in Europe, North America, and Australasia.
Rise of Climate Cafés
- The Climate Psychology Alliance in the United Kingdom: The Climate Psychology Alliance pioneered the concept of Climate Cafés as a space where people could share their emotions and thoughts about the climate crisis without fear of judgment. The initiative has grown significantly, with groups forming across the United Kingdom and beyond.
- Climate Cafés in the Netherlands: The Netherlands has embraced the concept through initiatives like KlimaatGesprekken (Climate Conversations). These gatherings, inspired by CPA’s Climate Cafés, focus on creating dialogue and fostering behavioural change. They are held regularly in cities like Amsterdam and Utrecht, where participants discuss topics ranging from eco-anxiety to sustainable living.
- Eco-Americas Meetups in USA: In the United States, variations of Climate Cafés, such as Eco Meetups, have sprung up in response to increasing climate anxiety among younger generations. Cities like Portland and Austin host regular events that bring together activists, students, and concerned citizens to share stories and strategise collective action.
- The Global Youth Climate Movement: Organisations like Fridays for Future and Extinction Rebellion have also adapted the Climate Café model for their grassroots gatherings. These spaces provide opportunities for young activists to decompress, share experiences, and sustain momentum in their advocacy work.
- Australia’s community-led initiatives: In Australia, groups like Transition Streets and Parents for Climate are incorporating Climate Café principles into their community gatherings. On the Surf Coast, Parents for Climate is running a series of Climate Cafés in Ocean Grove, and Transition Streets Geelong has hosted similar meetings, focusing on community resilience and localised solutions to climate challenges.
“The thing about climate is that you can either be overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem or fall in love with the creativity of the solutions.”
~ Mary Annaïse Heglar
Why Climate Cafés are growing
The rise of these gatherings can be attributed to several factors:
- Addressing eco-anxiety: As studies show increasing rates of climate anxiety, especially among youth, Climate Cafés offer an outlet to express these feelings in a supportive environment. For example, a 2021 Lancet Planetary Health study highlighted that 59% of young people worldwide feel very worried about climate change, with 45% reporting that it negatively affects their daily lives.
- Empowering communities: By providing a forum for discussion and collaboration, these gatherings empower participants to move from anxiety to action. They combine the personal – sharing emotions – with the collective – planning change – creating a sense of purpose and agency.
- Adaptability and accessibility: Climate Cafés are simple to organise, requiring only a space and a facilitator. This accessibility has enabled their rapid proliferation, from small villages in Denmark to bustling cities like Sydney and New York.
Examples of Climate Cafés in practice
- “KlimaSnak” (Denmark): Regular Climate Cafés, or KlimaSnak (“Climate Chat”), are organised by local municipalities in Denmark. These events focus on fostering sustainable habits and addressing climate anxiety through communal dialogue.
- Climate Café Perth (Scotland): This initiative offers bi-monthly meetups where participants discuss climate challenges and explore practical solutions, such as community gardening and waste reduction projects.
- Revolution Plastics Cafés (South Africa): Inspired by the Climate Café model, these gatherings focus on community-led plastic waste management and its impact on climate resilience in local communities.
- Climate Circle (India): An adaptation of the Climate Café concept, these circles are held monthly in Bengaluru, where participants blend traditional Indian wisdom with modern sustainability practices.
These examples illustrate how Climate Cafés are not only addressing the emotional dimensions of the climate crisis but also sparking practical, community-led solutions. Their spread underscores the universal need for connection and collective action in the face of one of humanity’s greatest challenges.
There’s no better adventure out there than working together to save the planet.
~ Dr Melissa Lem
Recently published: a beautiful nuanced study of seven participants’ experiences of climate cafés, by Luis Calabria and Elizabeth Marks. “Attending Climate Cafés appears to offer important support to people experiencing distress related to the climate and ecological emergencies” bit.ly/4eNvvXs
— Rebecca Nestor (@rebeccaclimate.bsky.social) November 22, 2024 at 5:52 PM
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Coming together for change
Which role could Climate Cafés play in the bigger scheme of things?
A recent UN report issued a stark warning: the window to limit global warming to safe levels is rapidly closing. The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat. Its effects are here, reshaping our communities and our lives. From devastating floods to relentless heatwaves, Australians are witnessing firsthand the urgency of addressing this global emergency.
Extraordinary action is needed. Yet, too often, climate activism and community mobilisation are dismissed as “extreme”, while business-as-usual practices – which drive the environmental destruction – are treated as “normal”.
This inversion of values needs to change.
As daunting as the climate breakdown may seem, there is a growing realisation in our community: If we think this is something we each will have to face on our own, or something we can simply ignore, we are likely to end up in a very unpleasant and insecure situation.
When we come together, something transformative happens. We generate what the social scientists call “social capital” – the trust, networks, and mutual understanding that bind communities.
In the context of the climate emergency, this is essential. As we face this pivotal moment in history, the power of community cannot be overstated.
For that same reason, gatherings such as monthly or fortnightly Climate Cafés are emerging all over the world. These community spaces allow people to connect, share, and act together. They show us that collective action is not only effective but deeply rewarding.
Community gatherings foster connection and purpose, enabling us to move from despair to action. They help combat a growing phenomenon: climate anxiety.
Studies reveal its prevalence:
• In the UK, 70% of children aged 11 to 16 express significant concern about climate change.
• A global study published in The Lancet Planetary Health found that 75% of young people feel the future is frightening because of the climate crisis.
• Here in Australia, climate anxiety is an increasingly common experience, especially among younger generations.
These feelings are not obstacles – they are opportunities. When shared in a supportive environment, they can inspire meaningful action and change.
This is where Climate Cafés come in. These recurring gatherings create safe spaces for conversation and collaboration. They allow participants to voice their fears, share ideas, and build resilience. They turn eco-anxiety into eco-action.
Why are these spaces so effective? Because they tap into something fundamental: our need for connection. Psychologists have found that working together releases brain chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, which enhance feelings of trust, joy, and motivation. In other words, activism not only drives change but also feels good.
In our town, we are taking this concept forward by launching monthly Climate Cafés. These gatherings will be more than discussions – they can be catalysts for real change at so many levels in our lives.
By coming together, we can:
• Transform fear into determination
• Build networks of support and solidarity
• Take concrete steps toward a safe climate
The beauty of these cafés lies in their simplicity. Anyone can join, and everyone is welcome. Whether you’re new to climate action or a seasoned activist, there’s a place for you. Together, we can tackle the greatest challenges of our time while finding joy and purpose in the process.
Embrace this opportunity to come together. Share your story. Because in the fight against climate breakdown, a sense of unity and togetherness will always be our greatest strength.
“What if I told you that you didn’t have to save the world, only love it? What if love will save the world? Love – not as an empty word, but as a spell that binds us together in responsibility and action. Love that urges us to stand up for one another and this planet, that sees every magical incarnation of life as beautiful and worthy.”
~ Willow Defebaugh, Editor-in-Chief, Atmos.earth
“Does watching the news make you concerned with everything? When you think of Revolution you probably picture the heads of French Bourgeois rolling down the streets of Paris or Hugh Jackman standing with his fist in the air, singing.
What if I told you that there was a revolution seizing back power in Bristol without a solo Insight when the powers that be decided to close their library, their community center and finally their community college. They started to wonder if maybe they could run things better themselves. In classic British form they did not make a song and dance about it but knocked on 5,000 doors to ask their neighbours what needed to change. They came up with a plan to make their future less miserable and started a local revolution…”
My active practice
In his latest newsletter, the American meteorologist Eric Holthaus describes how he recently started focusing explicitly on how he can “better live in the present moment” by focusing his attention and effort on doing things that actually matter and that can actually make a difference in his life and in the world.
An excerpt:
“I am really really trying hard lately not to judge days or weeks or years as “good” or “bad”, and just recognize them instead as context in which I’m showing up in my own life. The ongoing genocide in Gaza, the climate emergency, another Trump presidency — I am too small to make a tangible difference in any of these directly. AND YET I can still make a tangible difference in my own life, and help bring about a world more grounded in justice and the fundamental ecology that binds us all together. Understanding this distinction and living it is my active practice right now.
It’s important to say that all the collective work pushing for a greener world for the past 50 years has also measurably altered the trajectory of our civilization away from a worst-case climate scenario and toward a more verdant world. I really believe that the massive growth of renewable energy we’ve seen over the past 10 years will continue no matter what Trump does.
I wrote about that for Slate:
Bluesky has become another emergent bright spot over the past few days, reaching 20 million active users today. That’s still just a few percent of Twitter or Instagram or TikTok, but finally you can start to squint and see a future where distributed social media has a real place — reclaiming power from billionaires. And that’s exciting.
You were born at just the right moment to help change everything.” 🌹
~ Eric Holthaus
Other climate cafes
🌍
10 techniques to help you influence change on climate and nature
Influencing change in a world resistant to it is tough. But as Mary Annaïse Heglar says:
💬 “The thing about climate is that you can either be overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem or fall in love with the creativity of the solutions.” 💬
So, here are 10 ways to keep your creative as you influence change:
1️⃣ Link it to something they already care about.
Listen closely. What motivates your stakeholders? If they’re birdwatchers, show them how bird populations are at risk. Find the connection that speaks to what they love.
2️⃣ Ask for a favour.
People feel more invested in someone’s success after helping them – psychologists called this the “Ben Franklin effect.” What small favor can you ask to help them feel invested in your work?
3️⃣ Compare and contrast.
Show the stark difference between the status quo and action. Find sensory ways of helping them experience the two options so they can ‘feel’ what course of action they want to take now to set us all up for the future.
4️⃣ Use metaphor.
Dinosaurs wouldn’t vote for their own extinction. A good metaphor helps people see a challenge from a new angle (and make it more obvious why doing nothing is more than a bit bonkers).
5️⃣ Tell a story.
Stories inspire. They don’t need to be big—just relatable and specific enough to show what’s at stake and what’s possible. What story does your audience need to hear to feel moved?
6️⃣ Find who they look up to.
Who inspires the people you’re seeking to influence? Show what their peers and their heroes are doing to help them see action and engagement on climate as the norm.
7️⃣ Create space to listen.
Listen to gather insights on your stakeholders’ aspirations, anxieties and where they feel torn on climate action. You’ll learn and they’ll be influenced by hearing themselves speak.
8️⃣ Seedbomb.
An idea from the brilliant @Caroline Hickman: land a bold or shocking statement with calm detachment, then move on—like tossing a seed bomb over a fence. This way you give it space and time to take root, rather than trigger resistance with insistence.
9️⃣ Ask for permission.
“Can I share an idea with you?” Simple, but powerful. This act of seeking consent gives your audience agency, making them more receptive to what you’re about to say.
🔟 Get them to describe their vision.
“What does success look like for you in 10 years?” Give them space to articulate their dreams for sustainable future and see how their goals are connected to it
💡 What’s your go-to technique for influencing change?
Let’s build a collective toolkit – drop your suggestions in the comments!
~ Claire Osborne
Helping Sustainability Specialists have clarity on ‘where next’ in their career to make more impact
Have you read a good book lately? Tell us about it at the Climate Café!
For instance, have you read American author Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s new book, ‘What if we get it right?’
You can read an excerpt in Google Books.
“Transformative Adaptation is adaptation that works with, not against nature. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions in the same breath as it guards us against the impacts of those emissions. This helps transform our civilisation to be in readiness and in the direction that it needs to be, and makes life worth living.”
New book by Rupert Read and Morgan Phillips, with Manda Scott: ‘Transformate Adaptation – Another world is still just possible’
“To help transform our civilisation to be in readiness and in the direction that it needs to be, and makes life worth living, this book sets out Transformative Adaptation as a theory and a practice, a community and an attitude.”
Connecting with others
“On the way home, I watched the video below that reminded me of the immense challenges we face in sustainability. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the work ahead. But events like tonight reignite my belief that collaboration, commitment, resilience, and determination can lead us to a better future—for both people and the planet.
I know that as the Company Director of OAHA I won’t singlehandedly solve global inequality. But I’m also certain that, by working together, we can drive meaningful change.
Why do I feel driven to do this? Because I have children. Because I want them to be excited about their future. Because I need to leave behind a world filled with life, purpose, and promise—not just for them but for all future generations.
When doubt creeps in, I remind myself: “we need to believe in what’s possible.” And then, I switch on my determination and start connecting with others who share the same mission. Together, we “can” do this.
So if you watch the video attached, please have faith in our collective ability to create a brighter, more sustainable future.”
~ Nina Slingsby
Kindness, systems thinking, and love of nature
“It is entirely possible that humanity itself is an evolutionary mistake—that intelligence is of only marginal usefulness in long-term survival, and that its over-emphasis puts our species on a glidepath to extinction. Intelligent animals like crows and raccoons are opportunistic critters, and it’s easy to admire their cleverness. Our species’ abilities with tools and language have given us cleverness to shame any raccoon. But might that hyper-amplified cleverness qualify us for a Darwin Award?
We have a relatively brief chance to prove this cynical condemnation of our species wrong. We won’t do so through party politics. We won’t do it through achieving “net zero” using a new generation of gadgets. It’s likely that we can only do it personally, through reflection and self-transformation, and in small communities devoted to kindness, systems thinking, and love of nature.”
~ Richard Heinberg, Post Carbon Institute
“This time of uncertainty and adversity must be met with a heightened sense of resolve and determination to move forward and rely on the power we all have, to strive for solutions and progress for our communities and the environment we all depend upon.”
~ Dr. Jane Goodall
Local community action
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