what is climate camp?
Climate Camp is a workshop retreat designed to deepen resilience, integrate joy, and cultivate meaningful climate action.
Resiliency helps protect us from stress and overwhelming emotions. Joy helps us remain grounded in the values that inspire our climate work, foster community building, and further protect us from feelings of distress and isolation.
When we are more resilient and joyful, our ability to take meaningful climate action is enhanced.
We need a world full of leaders who can skillfully navigate the emotional complexities of climate change - committed climateers who embody resiliency, joy, and meaningful action in a way that positively impacts oneself, others and the world.
“Priceless weekend. Skills I will be using forever.”
Climate Camp develops these leaders.
the Who
Climate Camp might be for you if…
you recognize that climate change is a significant challenge that can be addressed with human initiative and commitment.
you feel concerned about climate change and committed to taking action.
you believe in personal responsibility and take personal actions to reduce your carbon footprint, also but believe we need to do more as a society.
you work or volunteer in the climate space - or have interest in doing either or both.
you’re ready for a renewed approach and perspective to addressing climate change.
you’re open to learning from others.
you’re up for more joy! - in your life and / or your climate work.
The Context
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.
”
Climate Camp Closing Ceremony 2020
Climate change is a complex and inescapable challenge that impacts how we live, work, and play. It’s no wonder that we are prone to becoming overwhelmed by it all! While each of us reacts to this overwhelm differently, some common responses include avoidance, despair, and burnout. These feelings can impair our ability to address climate change and its many associated challenges.
We need to lean into the climate challenge with bravery, and balance the doom and gloom with the lighter side of the human experience: joy and playfulness. This isn’t to say Climate Camp isn’t serious about climate change. But serious doesn’t have to be heavy. Climate Camp provides an opportunity to feel renewed in our climate work, build community, and discover the pervasive power of joy.
“Thank you for teaching us how to hear something more real than our own fears.”
the benefits
By attending Climate Camp, you can expect to…
gain skills and understanding around deepening personal resilience
integrate more joy and playfulness into your life and climate work
reflect on how resilience and joy can enhance meaningful action
laugh, giggle, chuckle, snicker, guffaw, or chortle
connect (with people!), and disconnect (from devices!)
be outside, in nature
smell like campfire
“Inspiring, energizing, useful experience!”
The Details
We are excited to announce that Climate Camp 2023 will take place from October 14-15 at Camp Cedar Ridge in Vernonia, OR. Registration is NOW OPEN!
Space is limited to 35-45 adult Climateers in shared rooms, dorms, platform tents and small unheated cabins on-site. Tickets are $159 for shared glamping and $199 for shared indoor accommodations.
Limited scholarships may be available based upon donations and sponsorships offered. The Donate button will bring you to our Eventbrite page, with details under “Other Considerations”. There you will also find information about how to apply for scholarships.
If you’d like to have a chat about camp, address any of your questions or just explore the possibility, feel free to email Tamara here.
“I loved the content, the format and the pace. ”
Program Details
Optional Fri Night
4pm-6pm Arrival
6:30pm Settle In
7:00pm Introductions and getting to know each other
7:30pm Informal time to hang out
Sat Morning
8:00 am Continental Breakfast (for Friday night attendees only)
8:00 -9:15 am Camp Check-in (for non-Friday night attendees)
Saturday Program
9:30 -10:30 am Welcome and Introduction to Climate Camp
10:45-11:45 am Why playfulness?
11:45 am Play Personalities
12:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Setting the Stage for Play
1:10 pm Play Personalities in Action
2:15-3:45 pm 5 Steps to Building Personal Resilience
4:00-5:30 pm Communicating through Difference
6:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Reflection on the day
7:30 pm Evening Activities
Sunday Program
8:00am Breakfast
9:00am Walk and Talk
9:20am Walk and Talk Debrief
9:30am How to find joy in climate work
10:00-11:00am Integrating Meaningful Action
11am Choose (Y)our own Adventure
12pm Lunch
1pm Moving forward
2pm Closing ceremony
2:30pm End
Interested in sharing Climate Camp with others in your network?
Check out our Social Media and Marketing Kit with text, logos, and related materials to share through email and social media!
THE FACILITATORS
Tamara Staton
Tamara is the Education and Resilience Coordinator for the Citizens' Climate Lobby. As a passionate teacher, facilitator, consultant, and professional development coach, Tamara loves working with others in a way that helps them navigate the world, embody their passion, and create big impact. Climate Camp, for Tamara, is the realization of many of her dreams, and she’s excited to share it with you and the world. Playtime for Tamara includes off-grid camping in the high desert basalt canyons with her husband, daughter and German Shepherd.
Casey Meehan
Casey is a La Crosse, Wisconsin-based educator, sustainability professional, and SERIOUSWORK certified facilitator of LEGO Serious Play. He believes that joy and delight are our collective superpowers in responding to the world's biggest challenges. Casey is passionate about helping others tap into their sense of play/fulness in service to climate action. Playtime for Casey includes running, exploring the outdoors with his wife and two boys. And juggling. Not at the same time. Yet.
“Climate Camp opened a whole new world of applying play to climate advocacy.”
Drew Eyerly
Drew is the Conservative Outreach Director at the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. He began his path on climate advocacy in 2016 when he was recognized by a college professor as republican concerned with climate change and current policies. Prior to his time with CCL, he was a Combat Medic in the U.S. Army where he saw first hand the effects of fossil fuels on servicemen and women. In an attempt to become a better medic while serving, Drew became a Master Resilience Instructor so he could help others with their mental health as much as their physical. He currently lives in Georgia with his two daughters, his dog Whiskey, and enjoys anything that has to do with the outdoors.
“Amazing work. You’re helping us all and you are made for this work. ”
“This is a truly life-changing experience. It compassionately invites you to find the joy in life, to engage your fear and pain not as enemies, but as friends, and to understand and trust in the humanity of others despite seemingly insurmountable differences. Climate Camp helped me understand that to understand and heal yourself is to understand and heal the divisions in our society. It felt like I was coming home to myself and discovering that the things and people I feared could actually be my allies in facing the challenge of climate change together.”
Climate Camp is a program developed by Tamara Staton and sponsored by
Citizens’ Climate Lobby and Citizens’ Climate Education.
