Hosting a Community Conversation on Climate Mobilization

KFPL Climate Emergency Discussion with Seth Klein – Kingston Frontenac Public Library

Role: Dan Hendry

Year: 2021

Addressing the climate crisis requires rethinking what is possible—and doing so quickly. On September 28, 2021, I worked with the Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) and community partners to host a virtual climate emergency discussion with Seth Klein, author of A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency.

The event was designed to connect national‑level climate thinking with local action. Seth’s work explores how Canada could respond to the climate emergency with the same urgency and coordination used during wartime mobilization. My role focused on helping translate those big ideas into a conversation that felt accessible, relevant, and grounded in Kingston’s local context.

In the lead‑up to the event, I worked alongside KFPL and partner organizations to support planning, communications, and promotion. This included shaping key messages, sharing information through community networks, and encouraging registration to ensure the event reached a broad audience—from students and first‑time participants to long‑time climate advocates.

On the day of the event, I served as the host and facilitator, guiding the discussion with Seth and drawing connections between his national framework and the kinds of system‑level changes I had worked on locally, particularly in youth transit, behaviour change, and community‑based climate initiatives. A central focus of the conversation was how shifting mindsets at the local level can accelerate meaningful action when paired with clear goals and public engagement.

Audience participation was a key part of the session. I moderated a live Q&A, helping keep the discussion inclusive and solutions‑focused while encouraging participants to explore how the idea of “mobilization” could show up in their own neighbourhoods, institutions, and day‑to‑day decisions. More than 100 people participated in the live virtual event, reflecting strong community interest in thoughtful, hopeful climate dialogue.

This experience reinforced for me that the climate emergency is not only a technical or policy challenge it is also a communication challenge. Public institutions like libraries play a critical role as trusted spaces for education, dialogue, and civic learning. Moderating this discussion was a powerful reminder that community‑led solutions are built through shared learning and collective hope. By creating space for conversations like this, we move closer to the kind of coordinated and bold local response that the climate moment demands.

Related Links & Media: https://www.kingstonist.com/news/kfpl-to-host-climate-emergency-discussion-with-author-seth-klein/