How Buddhism can inform climate activism: a conversation with Kritee Kanko
By Nikayla Jefferson
Yale Climate Connections
March 29, 2023
A climate scientist and Zen priest explains how grief rituals can help people process collective trauma and move into action.
When you think about the climate crisis, you might feel a swirl of sadness, anxiety, fear, anger, or even paralysis. Kritee Kanko wants to help people process and act from those feelings using an approach grounded in Buddhism.
Kanko is a climate scientist, activist, Zen priest, and meditation teacher. She tied all these roles together and founded Boundless in Motion, a nonprofit organization based in Boulder, Colorado. Boundless in Motion is organized around the three pillars of Ecodharma, a holistic framework that aims to strengthen the resilience and mindfulness of individuals, build wise communities, and take action for climate and racial justice.