Take It Outside

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When I was reporting from the UN climate talks in Glasgow a few years ago, one of the thoughts that repeatedly bubbled up for me was: what if we did this outside? Tens of thousand of people from all over the world were gathered to work on climate, and for two weeks, we spent our time in windowless rooms. The goal of the conference was to prevent further destruction of the systems that support life on Earth, and tend to the destruction that’s already occurring. But the context was total disconnect from place and time. I would emerge every day from the labyrinth of meeting rooms almost surprised to find I was in Scotland, or that it was dark outside, or raining.

I mean, I get it. This is a global climate conference, not a Rainbow Gathering. They have to think about security and a million other practical things. But still, I think it’s worth asking what sort of work can be done—an…