Parenting in a Climate-Changed World with Elizabeth Rush and Sophia Cheng

Climate Changed

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How do we navigate the joys and challenges of parenting in a world shaped by climate change? In this episode, hosts Ben Yosua-Davis and Nicole Diroff explore this question with two thoughtful guests: Elizabeth Rush, acclaimed author of The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth, and Sophia Cheng, founder of With Many Roots and a new parent herself.

Together, they share personal stories, insights, and strategies for parenting amid uncertainty, reflecting on the deep connections between care, community, and climate action.

Grounding:

The episode opens with Sophia Cheng’s evocative poem, which emerged from her reflections on climate change and the emotional journey of becoming a parent. In it, she captures the weight of uncertainty, the depth of responsibility, and the hope that guides her path forward.

Main Conversation:

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Elizabeth Rush and Sophia Cheng discuss how climate change shapes their perspectives as parents. They explore:

🌿 Parenting Amid Uncertainty: How do we raise children when the future is unpredictable? Sophia reflects on her journey toward embracing uncertainty. At the same time, Elizabeth shares insights from her book, The Quickening, which weaves together scientific exploration in Antarctica with her own decision to become a mother.

🧡 The Role of Love and Community: Elizabeth and Sophia discuss the profound realization that we must learn to love more fiercely and build stronger connections in a world facing climate challenges.

📚 Imagining a Different Future: Sophia describes the practice of future dreaming — an exercise in envisioning the world we want to create. She explains how this practice helped her reconcile her environmental concerns with the decision to start a family.

🌊 Lessons from Antarctica: Elizabeth shares how studying glaciers influenced her understanding of time, resilience, and change, drawing powerful parallels between environmental and personal transformation.

🌎 The Power of Storytelling: Both guests emphasize how storytelling helps make climate issues more relatable — whether through literature, parenting, or engaging in difficult but necessary conversations about our shared future.

Meet Our Guests:

Elizabeth Rush

Elizabeth Rush is the author of The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth and Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore, a Pulitzer Prize finalist. She teaches creative nonfiction at Brown University and writes about climate change, sea level rise, and the environment. Learn more about Elizabeth Rush.

Sophia Cheng

Sophia Cheng founded With Many Roots, an organization that delivers creative and interactive education on climate issues. She helps people envision and work toward a sustainable future through storytelling, workshops, and collaborative projects. Explore Sophia’s work.

Next Steps:

Looking for ways to bring these insights into your own life? Try one of these next steps:

📖 Practice Future Dreaming: Spend time imagining a future where climate action has succeeded. What does it look like? How can you contribute to making it real?

👶 Join a Climate Parenting Group: Seek out a climate café for parents or start your own discussion group to process emotions and strategize for action.

🛠️ Create an Emergency Kit with Your Child: Build a 72-hour emergency kit together to prepare for extreme weather events. Visit RedCross.org for tips.

🌍 Explore Climate Education Resources: Visit ClimateKids.org for engaging activities to help children understand climate change.

📝 Share Your Reflections: Have a conversation with someone who is considering parenthood. Post your insights on social media to inspire others.

Other Resources

Additional Resources

Rob Hopkins' Work on Future Imagination
- What If? Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want
- Citizens Climate Radio Episode 95: Rob Hopkins on the Role of Imagination in Climate Change Solutions
- Learn more about Rob Hopkins

Dr. Britt Wray's Work on Climate Anxiety
- Her book: Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis
- Visit Britt Wray’s website
The Antarctic Treaty and Open-Access Climate Science
- Learn more about the Antarctic Treaty
Katharine Hayhoe’s Work on Climate Action and Communication
- Watch Katharine Hayhoe’s TED Talk
Jane McGonigal’s Future Thinking Exercises
- Book: Imaginable: How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything
- Learn more about Jane McGonigal

Continue the Conversation

💬 What are your thoughts on parenting in a climate-changed world?
Share your reflections on Instagram, BlueSky, and Facebook using #ClimateChangedPodcast.

📩 Subscribe to The BTS Center’s Newsletter for more discussions, resources, and upcoming events.

🎙️ Stay Tuned for Season 4! If you have guest suggestions or topics you’d like us to explore, email us at [email protected].

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