belonging in a low-carbon future
this low-carbon future everybody talks about
is that a future without me?
of many things I am able
yet, you implicitly keep telling me
how I spoil energy
headlines in the media
here’s what you can do
take a bike
grow your own
live in a tiny house
tell that to my roll-in shower and wide doorways
your inherent eco-ableism
my dear climate activist
is inherent exclusionism of me
no matter how green I want to be
this low-carbon future everybody talks about
is that a future without me?
of many things I am able
yet, you implicitly keep telling me
how I spoil energy
headlines in the media
here’s what you can do
take a bike
grow your own
live in a tiny house
tell that to my roll-in shower and wide doorways
your inherent eco-ableism
my dear climate activist
is inherent exclusionism of me
no matter how green I want to be
Notes
This poem explores how people with disabilities could perceive the defined lists of individual actions and behavioral changes one is encouraged to make to tackle climate change. These actions not only exclude major polluters by bringing it to the individual level, but also often implicitly assumes that everybody is able to carry out those actions. Wright (2020) and the work on disability inclusive climate action by the International Disability Alliance guided me towards this topic.
Audiogram
This poem explores how people with disabilities could perceive the defined lists of individual actions and behavioral changes one is encouraged to make to tackle climate change. These actions not only exclude major polluters by bringing it to the individual level, but also often implicitly assumes that everybody is able to carry out those actions. Wright (2020) and the work on disability inclusive climate action by the International Disability Alliance guided me towards this topic.
Audiogram