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I apologise for the technical issue; my camera was not working. Luckily, we can see Nadia, my wonderful guest.
How do we talk about the climate crisis and its correlation with the human population in a manner that feels optimistic? Simple, speak with Nadia Huq.
I have to admit, I find talking about population a tricky subject. Largely because I feel that those who don’t know me better assume I’m being sanctimonious since I have chosen not to have children. I wish I could say my opting out of motherhood was for virtuous reasons, but it’s not.
Similarly, I understand that the population crisis can be a sensitive topic for many people who are childless, as, despite the impact of a rising population on our planet, many of those who are childless would still have had children if they could have, and that’s okay.
Remember, two things can co-exist. We can be terrified about the scale of population growth and still know we would have had kids if we could have.
There are a few writers here at Life Without Children who tackle the topic of population growth with grace. Nadia Huq is one of those. Our LIVE conversation centres on her piece What If a Low Birth Rate Is Actually a Blessing.
During our conversation, we discussed the need for governments to reorganise to provide workable policies and systems that align with today’s society. Instead of trying to promote, incentivise or coerce an increase in births, we need our governments to move with the times and embrace the drop in birth rates.
We need systemic change.
This lent itself nicely to a brief mention of how the nuclear family serves no one. It only keeps us all isolated. For further reading, I recommended Lisa Sibbett’s amazing piece The Nuclear Family is a Failed Experiment.
So, how do we stop ourselves from crumbling with doom and gloom? I don’t know about you, but I am definitely susceptible to feeling climate change anxiety and overwhelm. I asked Nadia how we can manage these feelings so as not to bury our heads in the sand and lose ourselves in apathy and burnout.
Nadia’s suggestions have certainly uplifted me, and I hope they do the same for you, too.
“Know your power” was her resounding message. We may feel like we are one lone and often lonely soul. But when we come together in community, for a cause, we are part of something so much bigger. We may think our voice and our actions don’t matter, but they do - collectively.
Read, listen and learn were some of her key recommendations and then turn this into action, no matter how small. Ask yourself, “What action am I going to take?” Then, go forth and take the said action.
Like many people I know, Nadia is part of a community gardening project. There’s something deeply grounding about having our hands in soil and being involved in the planting of life. Being part of a collective of good, kind, and like-minded people adds to the well-being and sense of unity that gardening groups bring us.
As we drew our conversation to an end, Nadia reminded us that good people will always find ways to do good things. And damn, isn’t she right?
I hope this conversation brings you a similar dose of self-empowerment as it did me.
Useful links
You can follow Nadia here on Substack at Nadia Huq and why not check out her Substack Not Another Rom Com.
During the conversation, Nadia mentioned the Outrage and Optimism podcast.
I mentioned this fabulous piece, which I wish were a must-read for all of society. The Nuclear Family is a Failed Experiment.
I hope you enjoy watching this discussion as much as we enjoyed having it.
Next up is a LIVE conversation with Charlie Brown on a piece of hers that went semi-viral here on Substack.
Thursday, 11th December, at 18:00 (GMT+1) with Charlie Brown discussing her article: There Is a Big, Uncomfortable Reason Why Some Women Don’t Have Children
Join this discussion via the LIVE link here.
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