Ich habe einen Knödel in meiner Brust. Mein Herz blutet. I cry. Der safe space brennt. Mein Rückzugsort. Die Unschuld endlich zerstört. Finally. Ich versuche meine Spezies zu lieben. Wirklich. Brennende Liebe. Wie Lava. Sie ist zu zerstörerisch. Selbstzerstörerisch.
Ja. Die Spezies liebt es, sich selbst zu zerstören. Walzt alles platt. Nimmt alles mit.
Mehr, mehr. Noch mehr. Wo ist die verdammte Peak? Selbstsucher verlieren sich. Strudeln. Straucheln.
Prost, Mahlzeit.
Hoffe, es grillt sich gut. Hoffe, es hat gemundet. Hoffe, es brennt sich gut.
When we write climate stories, we often imagine our main characters as scientists or activists. But the truth is, anyone can be a climate character. We don’t need to create another Greta Thunberg.
Think of your own grandma, for example. She might just be the perfect climate hero. My grandmother lived in Istanbul, and she had some wonderful sustainable habits. She didn’t care if the peppers were perfectly shaped or if the apples and carrots looked like soldiers in a row. She didn’t buy pre-cut, pre-packaged fruits or vegetables wrapped in unnecessary plastic. In fact, she would have been shocked to see ten grapes enclosed in layers of plastic packaging. When it came to buying meat, she supported the local butcher instead of relying on imports from faraway places.
Food waste was never an option for her. She was incredibly resourceful and creative in the kitchen, using every bit of a vegetable when she cooked. She turned yoghurt tubs into flower pots, finding beauty in repurposing. She didn’t buy loads of cheap clothing every month but always looked well-dressed. She had a sewing machine, and I have fond memories of her sewing me pyjamas in just half an hour one night when my mom forgot to pack them. Her wardrobe was like a treasure chest, full of exciting surprises whenever she opened its heavy wooden doors.
Take a moment to think about your own family. Do you have an eccentric aunt or a wise grandfather whose old-fashioned ways are now eco-friendly trends? They may not be activists or have fancy titles, but their everyday choices contribute to the climate narrative.
We invite you to share your environmental stories in any language you are comfortable with. Be hilarious, passionate, daring, sarcastic, or whatever your imagination wants.
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