Most people could use tips for saving energy and preparing for weather emergencies. But they also often have knowledge to share.
So a Minneapolis-based nonprofit is hosting workshops that affirm participants’ traditions and experiences.
Arevalo: “There really is no rigid separation between the teacher or a student. … All participants are learning from each other.”
Natalya Arevalo is with the Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy.
She says in the nonprofit’s ‘Justice in Home Electricity’ workshop, participants learn about weatherization and trade strategies for staying warm in winter.
Arevalo: “We’ve heard people say, you know, ‘I start making more soups,’ or ‘I make teas,’ or ‘I layer up inside,’ or … ‘I heat up a sock of rice and use that as a heat pack.’”
In a climate emergency planning workshop, people get a list of essentials to pack in an evacuation bag — then brainstorm other items they might want.
Arevalo: “So maybe it is Vicks VapoRub or coconut oil that can be used for cooking, for hair, for cuts.”
Arevalo says guides for the workshops are free online, so anyone can use them to start culturally relevant conversations in their own communities about climate and energy.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media