We live in a time of tremendous transformation as the reality of climate change and its effects on our communities become more apparent with every passing year. While there is still much that can and must be done to mitigate the range of impacts climate change might have, we are confronting the certainty of a crisis that will continue to unfold no matter what we do. What is the meaning of this extraordinary moment in human history? The meanings we construct about climate change affect how we think about it, our feelings about it, and our willingness to take action. Portland State University instructor David Osborn leads a discussion exploring different meanings of climate change and how our understanding of meaning relates to action.

David Osborn is a faculty member at Portland State University where he teaches courses on the Pacific Northwest, place, identity, and social change. He is a participant in social movements and is currently involved in the climate justice movement at a local and international level. Increasingly, he is interested in how we construct meaning in relationship to ecological and social crises as well as how we might apply wisdom traditions and contemplative practices to further community-based social change. David lives with his partner and two children in Corbett, Oregon, where he grows vegetables and cut flowers on land overlooking the Sandy River Gorge.