Ep 9: A Buddhist Response to Climate Change with Kristin Barker

Climate, Mind and Behavior Podcast: Episode Nine

Welcome to episode nine of the Climate, Mind and Behavior Podcast. Each episode, we’ll explore groundbreaking intersections between climate change, resilience, contemplative practice, and human behavior.

Kristin Barker is the director and co-founder of One Earth Sangha. The group’s mission is to bring the essential wisdom and practices from the Buddhist tradition to collective engagement on critical ecological crises. A native of New Mexico, Barker now lives in Washington, D.C. where she is an active member of the Insight Meditation Community (DC) and is currently being trained as a Community Dharma Leader through Spirit Rock. Barker is also a co-founder of White Awake, whose mission is to develop awareness of race dynamics among white people. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Management from Duke University, and has worked as an independent consultant and staff member at several environmental organizations.

Barker called me from her childhood home in Albuquerque to talk about climate change in light of the recent election. We spoke about what it means to cultivate a Buddhist response to climate and social injustice in the face of the challenging times ahead.

To learn more about Kristin Barker and her work with One Earth Sangha, visit OneEarthSangha.org. Our theme music is composed by Zoë Keating. You can find her music on iTunes or on her website, Zoë Keating.com. The photograph for this episode is by Dingzeyu Li.