In the heart of every challenge lies an opportunity for creativity and education, a principle embodied by Kara Buckley, a Climate Change: Learning for Action fellow. Kara has harnessed the power of poetry to speak to an important audience—children. Through a series of poems, she not only aims to educate the younger generation about the issues of climate change but also to instill a sense of responsibility and hope for the future. Kara is a former senior advisor to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team. She is based in Bend, Oregon and is the mom of three young kids.

Each poem serves as a reminder of the role we all play in protecting our earth, tailored to resonate and encourage us to become stewards of the environment. She demonstrates how art and education can intertwine to create a more informed and compassionate generation, ready to take on the challenges of climate change.

季語 / Kigo A word or phrase associated with a particular season, used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry.

CLIMATE CHANGE DUMPTY

Climate Change Dumpty sat on the Earth,
Trapping heat, for all it's worth.
Greenhouse gases, like a cozy cap,
But we pushed them up, causing Earth to snap.

Higher and higher, they reached the sky,
Radiative forcing made the temperature fly.
Now Climate Change Dumpty's call we heed,
To fix our world, with urgent speed.

CLIMATE SCIENCE, YES WE CAN!

Do you know the Earth is warming?
Yes, it's true, it's quite alarming!
CO2 in the air, oh my, oh dear,
It's time to act, make the path clear.

Earth's temperature, it's now no doubt,
1.1 degrees, warmer, no way out.
With science's help, we'll understand,
The changes in our Earth's own land.

Climate science, oh so wise,
In many ways, they analyze.
Observations, models, stats they chart,
To grasp climate's complex art.

THE CARBON’S GREAT DEBATE

In the air, they all await,
Gases long and short, at this rate.
Methane's swift, but CO2, it's true,
Lingers longer, with work to do.

Comparing gases, quite the chase,
With Global Warming Potential's embrace.
The global carbon cycle, a story old,
Sinks strained, stocks in the atmosphere bold.

No increase versus net-zero, we say,
The choice we make, let's pave the way.
To protect our Earth, let the truth unfurl,
Net-zero emissions, for a better world.

THE CLIMATE’S WAKE-UP CALL

'Twas a message we heard, both far and wide,
Of the climate's journey, a global ride.
A threshold of 1.5 C we sought to embrace,
To avoid more warming, a challenging race.

Though the goal may slip, and we may sway,
Every fraction of a degree, we pray.
With zero emissions as our guiding star,
To halt the warming, we've come so far.

The IPCC believes we can amend,
Over the next decades, with lessons to send.
Investing in knowledge, in learning, we thrive,
To act wisely and swiftly, for our Earth to revive!

SUNNY DAYS

Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away,
On our way to where solutions play.
Time's up for the gloom, now let's find a way,
To make the world brighter, every night and day!

Event attribution, in science's stride,
Linking weather and climate, side by side.
Heatwaves' fingerprints, they clearly show,
The impacts of climate, how they grow.

Extreme weather, not the only part,
Disaster's intensity, it's where we start.
Multiple crises, they may intertwine,
But together we'll face them, our strength will shine.

CLIMATE TALK

The talk about climate, it goes like this, oh please,
With wheels of conversation, as we aim to appease.
Learning from the people, in their hearts we find,
A way to inspire action, with every thought in mind.

Learn about your audience, their hopes and their fears,
What brings them joy or maybe some tears.
Speak in simple language, no jargon to stray,
Connect on shared values, as we pave the way.

100 MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION

In a world of climate strife and woe,
Where we must act, not just for show,
A hundred million, what would you spend?
To heal the Earth, help it mend.

Terra.do's approach, a blend so fine,
Systems, global, justice, align.
Skills-based learning, we'll find our way,
To a better world, come what may.

So, the $100 million question, you see,
It's not just money, it's how we'll be.
Using mental models, we'll make a plan,
To save our planet, hand in hand.

SIX LITTLE CHILDREN

Six little children, filled with glee,
Learning how to save the world, you'll see.
They asked, "What's development?" one fine day,
In different ways, they learned and played.

Four models of development, they explore,
Each valuing people and the planet's core.
Sarvodaya, Green New Deal, and more,
Learning to make the world better than before.

So, six little children, with dreams so wide,
Learn about development, side by side.
They'll make a difference, you'll soon see,
Valuing people and the planet, with boundless glee!

Sources
Terra.do - Course Summary Pages
ChatGPT - Text Generation
Dall-E - Image Generation