Episode Summary: This episode is focused on some parts of the previous episode “Africa NXT and Protecting Africa from the Impact of Climate Change”

The hosts discussed Olabanji’s journey into The Carbon Almanac, his involvement in the project, and conversations as a powerful tool to create systemic change, and why we don't have to settle our differences before we try to solve the climate change problem.

More about the Africa NXT here

For more information on the project and to order your copy of the Carbon Almanac, visit thecarbonalmanac.org

Want to join in the conversation?

Visit thecarbonalmanac.org/podcasts and send us a voice message on this episode or any other climate-related ideas and perspectives.

Don’t Take Our Word For It, Look It Up!

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Olabanji is from Lagos Nigeria, he’s a Creative Director and visual designer that helps brands gain clarity, deliver meaningful experiences and build tribes through Design & Strategy. He founded Jorney - a community designed to help people stay productive, accountable, and do their best work.

From Langley in British Columbia, Canada, Jenn is a Minister, Coach, Writer and Community Connector, helping people help themselves.  

Brian is a Real Estate Title Insurance Professional and Goat Farmer in the US. 

Kristina is working on design theory and using design process in everything. With a background in architecture, civil engineering and education, she loves research, play and co-creating. Currently in Prague (that it is where she is originally from) and her base in the U.S.  

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The CarbonSessions Podcast is produced and edited by Leekei Tang, Steve Heatherington and Rob Slater.

, and I hope I'm answering your question correctly.

, one of the things I hope to achieve with, with my session generally is to

not talk too much, but actually have the conversations within the session.

So have people from all these parts of the world say, give their take and say, oh,

this is the point we're at, this is what we're doing, this is what we're not doing.

This is how we can, you know, do this in our country.

Um, you know, and have people from different countries

do pretty much do the same.

, , and on the other end, I think like climate change is not, um, and, and this is to

answer the first question, right, as much as Africa might be the most vulner.

, continent, like it's a global phenomenon.

There's no part of the world that is exempted from the whole mix.

. The goal is not to try to say, oh yeah, let's solve the problem for Africa.

The goal is to try to actually solve the problem.

Like solve the climate change problem.

Exactly.

Yeah.

But bring to cognizance the, the cognizance of Africans that who

might not see to be a big deal, that there's actually a global

phenomenon and it's the climate change and we're probably the least, I

wouldn't say aware, but you know, we.

Have more conversations about it.

We probably have the least amount of conversations about

climate change down here.

So, , we wanna do that to get at par so that now we're better positioned

to solve the global crisis.

.

I think the first thing that that has done to me is.

just put, put it somewhere in my head that is actually possible to, like, it's

possible to, to actually make a change.

That there are people that care and they don't just care by, by words.

They actually do care and they show that they care and.

Caring on, you know, on a level that, I mean, everything gets supported, right?

Like the amount of supports, the amount of good energy, the amount of, you know,

care and selflessness and leadership that goes on is, is just amazing.

I mean, it's incredible that people can get.

At this level to, you know, to make this kind of change or for this kind of cause.

So that definitely changed something in my mind and say

like, actually this, is possible.

And if people are doing this with this level of dedication, then um, then

that's, that's actually a great thing.

And so it fueled me with hope and, you know, generally that okay, things are

actually possible and I've learned a lot.

That's another thing from everyone and you.

Um, with every podcast we record with every, um, with every voice

acting that I do with the kids podcast, with everything, there's

just always something new to learn.

There's always someone new to make friends with, and, and that's really great.

. Um, I mean, I know the second part of your question is like, , where do I see

myself, you know, having been a part of the community for, , for a while now.

And I think that would be, um, like I, I see myself being an, I mean, there's,

there's a lot of things around, around that part, but as far as, you know,

this context goes, I see myself being.

You know, a better person and someone that, , is able to

make other people also care.

Like, not just me caring, but you know, having to make other people care and

start to, , take steps that, you know, that help, uh, that help in this regard.

So, Which is part of why I wanted to get the carbon amac to as many

African countries as as possible.

And, um, look where it got me . Wow.

Just keep going.

Actually said that like, oh, you know, More like this actually got me in trouble.

you know, we're cheering you on.

as far as , that goes, I would say one of the tools, so to say, would

be actually having conversations, and that's the first one.

The second one would be to engage actual polluting industries

and the government as well.

So that's, that's, you know, engage polluting industries and

then, you know, engage in the government will be the third one.

Um, Everything is around basically having conversations because

engaging, polluting industries is.

, you know, is as good as participating in conferences like this because

they're going to be there, most of them.

And, finding people that might be able to make decisions in these places,

or finding people that have links and connections to the people that could

actually make decisions and say, Hey, this might be something to consider.

What if you stop greenwashing and start, you know, doing this right.

And as far as, you know, engaging the government goes as well, of which they're

going to be there, which is, I mean, one of the persons I'm most, most excited to

meet there is the Minister for Education and going to her and say, Hey, like

we, have a problem and you actually have a level of power to, you know, to.

Started a change to, make a contribution to the problem getting solved.

So I think my most powerful tool would be the conversation , and

that's for , a single reason.

And there's a lot of things that I, I do on a personal level, which

is like, hey, do, do plastics.

Don't travel too much.

And it's, that's like a lot of that.

But like Seth said, in this podcast with Rich role, , there is more need for

systemic change, um, than personal change.

And that's because , we having this problem at this.

, right now.

So having the conversations that are able to power systemic change is, um,

what I would say my, is my greatest tool.

the other thing would be the people to look out for.

Um, and I, and I learned this from Seth Goodin in, I mean, again, on the

same podcast with, with ritual, and.

He talked about certain people that amplify our differences and like they're

the people to watch out for, right?

as much as we're watching out for, you know, and trying to get people

to have conversations about climate change, there are certain class

of people that make a profit from amplifying what makes us different and.

That changes the focus from solving the problem to trying to solve our

differences before we solve the problem.

And , it doesn't matter if you are white or black or brown or pink or

you know, whatever color, it doesn't matter if you are like, we actually

have a problem and it's our problem.

We don't have to settle our differences before we try to solve the problem.

, because we would always be different, would always be different.

. I don't know if there's anything that history has taught us is that we

actually would always be different.

Someone's gonna like something someone else is not going to like, but if there

are things and which they are like climate change that actually bring us

all together, matter to every single one of us, it's actually unimportant to

try to solve our differences before we.

The climate change problem, right?

We don't have to solve opinions about the climate change problem.

We have to solve the climate change problem, and I think that it's

important that we know when we engage in those kinds of arguments,

don't move us forward, that we're.

, the people that make a profit from amplifying those arguments are

standing in the corner and then they're clapping for us for arguing.

Um, it's important that we, pay attention to what matters most.

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