A lot of people are waking up to the idea that ecological apocalypse is upon us. Among other things, this revelation is bumming people out. A lifetime spent studying poetry, or frog gonads, or software doesn't seem so bad in a world with a steady, foreseeable future. But when you finally realize that your children are going to spend most of their lives trying to siphon crude oil from rusty barrels in the dead of night, a wave of apathy hits you, and life doesn't seem so good anymore. Researchers are calling this phenomenon "eco-grief" or "climate dread." Dr. Jennifer Atkinson, an instructor at UW Bothell, has been teaching a class on the subject for a few years now. In her lecture, she'll offer some strategies necessary to "build the resilience to stay engaged in climate solutions over the long run." Hopefully she'll also include a handout with instructions for building a dune buggy out of bones and grass. by Rich Smith