The day before the conference, UBC will host a day-long interactive hybrid institute on climate communication. The institute is free and open to the public; however, space will be limited. Participants can attend in person or online. Registration will formally open at the same time as registration for the conference; you are welcome to contact us ahead of time to indicate your interest in participation. The program will include the following:
- A workshop on How to Talk about the Climate Crisis Without Overheating and Keep Your Friends, led by Patricia Lane
- Why talk about climate change
- How to talk about climate change to be effective and stay sane.
- Learning about reaching diverse audiences
- Brain science for changing minds
- Tested formulas
- Listening skills
- Practice applying communication skills
- Cultivating hope in the face of the ecological crisis with the arts
- In person: An interactive songwriting session and group singalong, led by Luke Wallace
- Online: Learn how to draw an endangered BC animal, led by scientific illustrator Dr. Julius Csotonyi
About the presenters
Patricia Lane
Patricia Lane, mediator, arbitrator, and retired lawyer, was the longest serving member of the Sierra Club Board and still serves in a variety of capacities. She has been studying effective climate communication since 2010 when she helped to found LeadNow.ca. She co-founded GVAT – Victoria a coalition of 30 organisations representing 60,000 people working on issues of common concern including climate fairness.
She has taught this course for Vancouver Island Elder College, Nanaimo Green Faith, SPEC Vancouver, Sierra Club BC, Greater Victoria Acting Together and other groups and will provide it for University of Victoria Continuing Education in the Fall of 2023. She is loosely affiliated with Climate Access and Re:Climate at Carleton University and relies heavily on their work. Patricia provides advice on effective climate communications for a variety of organizations and as “Canada’s Most Hopeful Climate Columnist” writes a weekly column for National Observer profiling people making a difference in climate change.
Luke Wallace
Luke Wallace is a songwriter, speaker, choral arranger and environmental champion from the Coast Salish Territory known as Vancouver, Canada. For 10 years Luke has been touring, recording, fundraising and organizing for people and the planet.
In 2023, Luke was a feature performer at the United Nations Water Conference, the first of its kind in a generation. Luke has performed hundreds of concerts all over North America and spends much of his time speaking in schools about hope in the face of climate change. Luke’s performance history include the Vancouver Folk Festival, Salmon Arm Roots and Blues, Vancouver Island Music Festival and multiple independent US tours.
Dr. Julius Csotonyi
Dr. Julius Csotonyi is a freelance natural history illustrator/fine artist and biologist whose passion is the artistic portrayal of scientific subjects, especially prehistoric and extant wildlife. He collaborates on projects with museums, scientists, and publishers worldwide, working closely with experts and drawing on his own scientific background. An MSc graduate of Ecology and Environmental Biology (University of Alberta), and a PhD graduate of microbiology (University of Manitoba), he has published scientific papers on mutualism and deep ocean hydrothermal vent bacteria, and created thousands of illustrations featuring the natural world. Recently, the exhibit “Monsters of the Abyss” opened at the Vancouver Aquarium, featuring murals of Julius’ work on prehistoric aquatic wildlife.
A playlist of Dr. Csotonyi’s Canvas & Currents science/art/conservation productions with the Porpoise Conservation Society can be found here.
Montana Burgess
Montana Burgess is the Executive Director of Neighbours United. Neighbours United uses “deep canvassing,” a transformational voter persuasion method developed from US social movements, to move voters on climate, energy and biodiversity policy. Since their success getting a bylaw adopted in a heavy industry smelter town, they use deep canvassing, community organizing, and strategic communications to shift moveable middle community narratives on key policy in rural, small town and suburban communities. Apart from running their own campaigns, Neighbours United trains, coaches and mentors partner groups in Canada and the US to integrate deep canvassing and get on-the-ground wins. Montana is a queer settler based on the unceded territory of the Sinixt Peoples in southeastern B. C.