Step 1. Get someone to read this Sustainability conversation catalyst
Of all the existential crises facing humanity, Sustainability is the biggest and the least talked about – how can 9 billion people live indefinitely on Earth with finite resources? We are currently using resources 1.7 times faster than the Earth’s ability to regenerate them and we only maintain that deficit by literally digging deeper.
Travel is a practical, everyday topic everyone can relate to, when talking about use of finite resources…
- a Boeing Jumbo burns 15,000 litres/hour i.e. about 30 lt/person/hour
- a 2500 RAM Laramie uses 20 litres/100km i.e. about 10 lt/person/hour
- a large cruise ship uses 300,000 litres */per day i.e. about 2.5lt/person/hour
- a Toyota Corolla uses 4 litres/100km i.e. about 2lt/person/hour
And just sayin’… conversations are often best when we talk less about what others are doing and more about what we are doing.
* ADDITIONAL NOTE: the low-grade fuels used on cruise ships are also really dire for the environment
Step 2: how does hearing that make everyone feel?
Go around each person in turn and get their feelings associated with the Convo Catalyst… with NO interruptions, responses or comments from anyone else.
NOTE: feelings are often described by short, simple words e.g. I feel sad, happy, hungry, annoyed, excited. They are emotions and what we feel deep in our bodies.
Step 3: what are everyone’s thoughts?
Go around in turn again and get each person to share their thoughts associated with the Convo Catalyst… again with NO interruptions, responses or comments from anyone else.
NOTES: thoughts are often ways to explain a feeling e.g. I’m feeling sad because my dog died; I’m feeling happy because it’s my birthday; I’m feeling angry because someone cut me off in traffic; I’m feeling hungry because I missed dinner
Step 4: Go around the group again and ask questions of others.
Get each person to ask questions of others… being curious about what others have said. Ask questions that are less about what they said and more about WHY they said it e.g. why do you hold that belief?
Step 5: Open the floor to random free-flowing discussion
And amidst the discussion… get everyone to agree on a summary of the conversation!