You are currently viewing SRTI Makes a Splash at ESA

SRTI Makes a Splash at ESA

Ten activists from Scientist Rebellion Turtle Island (SRTI) attended the Ecological Society of America (ESA) conference in Long Beach, CA August 4-9, 2024. We were joined by allies from XRLA and Climate Science Legal Defense Fund, plus lots of local activists with other organizations, for activities inside and outside the conference. We made a lot of new friends (and a little good trouble) as we worked to grow the movement confronting the intersecting climate and extinction crises.

Outside the Long Beach Convention Center during ESA Annual Meeting, a scientist holds a sign reading OUT OF THE LAB - INTO THE STREETS.

Here are a few highlights from the week:

Completing our setup of Scientist Rebellion booth on opening day of ESA meeting. August 5, 2024. Long Beach, CA

Claiming a Booth

Sunday night, after being informed we shouldn’t be handing out event cards at the opening networking event (well, we are troublemakers, after all), Scientist Rebellion Turtle Island went legit and got a booth in the Ecological Society of America exhibit hall. Thanks to all who stopped by to talk to us about our dire situation and what it means to be a scientist climate activist.

see more about our booth

Scientist Rebellion labcoats hang at the brewpub, next to a sign reading "Out of the Lab, Into the Streets"

Social Mixer: Beers & Scream Pillows for Scientists

Monday evening, after a good first day of networking and conference events, Scientist Rebellion Turtle Island invited everyone from the Ecological Society of America conference to join them for a social mixer at Altar Society Brewing and Coffee Co. Drinks were had, pillows were screamed into, and everyone got a chance to get to know each other and make new friends.

see more from the mixer

Climate Cafes at Ecological Society of America 2024, with Scientist Rebellion, The Resilient Activist, Climate Psychology Alliance of North America and Novasutras

Climate Cafés at ESA

Tuesday and Wednesday’s in-person and virtual Climate Cafés at the annual ESA conference were a welcome break from sessions and talks to attend to one of the more difficult aspects of ecological work: climate emotions. Scientist Rebellion offered a safe space to share, explore, and just feel, reminding us that responding to our emotions is not only a necessary tool of self-care, but that having conversations about climate emotions is in itself a form of climate activism.

see more about the Climate Cafés

Scientist Rebellion hosts an Inspire panel session on Science to Action: Grassroots Activism for Ecologists at ESA 2024

Mini-talks Inspire Ecologists to Become Activists

One of the highlights of our week at ESA 2024 was our Inspire session, Science to Action: Grassroots Activism for Ecologists! Seven scientist activists gave 5-minute TED-talk-style presentations about their journeys from being scientists to being activists.

see more from the Inspire Session

Scientist Rebellion activists with their posters at the poster session at ESA. August 7, 2024 Long Beach, CA

Poster Session Conversations Build the Movement

Our poster session on Science to Action: Grassroots Activism for Ecologists gave us a chance to share our call to action in conversation with the crowd. Five Scientist Rebels presented their personal experiences with non-violent direct action. Hundreds of ESA attendees strolled through the row and scanned our posters.

see more from the Poster Session

Dr. Peter Kalmus holds a megaphone in front of a sign reading "we are nature defending itself" From the Arresting Science film by Holly Becker.

Making the Leap from Science to Action workshop

This workshop explored scientists engaging in non-violent direct action (NVDA). It featured the short documentary film Arresting Science about Dr. Peter Kalmus embarking on his first NVDA action, then engaged attendees in planning a hypothetical NVDA.

see more from the Workshop

Scientists participate in street theater outside the Ecological Society of America conference, Long Beach, CA August 8, 2024. Their signs read OUT OF THE LAB - INTO THE STREETS

“We Know You Know”: Street Theater to Summon Scientists to Action

We teamed up with XR LA for an action just outside the doors of the conference, calling on ecologists there to join us in action. We scientists have the privilege to know, and therefore the duty to act, on climate change. Sometimes, we need to make a little noise.

see more about our Street Theater action

Scientist in an SR labcoat delivering a petition at a Best Buy retail store about their co-branded Citi credit card and Citibank's complicity in the climate crisis. August 10, 2024, Long Beach CA

Supporting Summer of Heat: Sending a Message to Citi Credit Card Collaborators

A few of our SRTI Rebels who were in Long Beach after the ESA conference showed up in their labcoats to deliver petitions to local Costco, Home Depot, and Best Buy stores. The focus of Summer of Heat has been Citibank (one of the biggest financers of new fossil fuel projects), and these retail companies partner with Citibank for co-branded credit cards.

see more about our Summer of Heat actions

Scientists wearing Scientist Rebellion labcoats are in the street approaching Los Cerritos Wetlands sign. An oil derrick is visible in the background.

Good Activist Synergy over Bad Synergy Oil

To sum up a week of action at the ESA conference, Scientist Rebellion Turtle Island joined local climate activists at Synergy Oil and Gas in Long Beach to protest illegal drilling. SRTI experienced again the solidarity and joy of working to protect local residents and indigenous rights, while a conveniently out-of-order stoplight in front of the protest led to increased public visibility of the issue during rush hour traffic.

see more from the action

XRLA Podcasts

Greg and Bernadette discussed Scientist Rebellion at the ESA on the Extinction Rebellion Podcast Episode 82 aired during the conference. Jennifer and Marina offered further reflections in Episode 83 that aired after the conference.

Seeing Signal Hill

Scientists in labcoats make observations of a pump jack right behind homes. Signal Hill, Long Beach, CA. August 9, 2024

The Signal Hill neighborhood of Long Beach was such a study in the ugliness of oil drilling, we couldn’t resist a few more photo ops along the way.

A Scientist Rebellion labcoat draped over a statue celebrating oil drilling. Signal Hill, Long Beach, CA
Scientists in labcoats express their rage in front of an active pump jack right behind homes. Signal Hill, Long Beach, CA. August 9, 2024
An active pump jack right behind a playground. Signal Hill, Long Beach, CA. August 9, 2024

In sum, we made a lot of new friends, had a lot of good times, learned a lot, and hopefully got a lot of scientists thinking about how they should engage in activism as we confront the intertwined crises of climate change, habitat loss, and species extinction. Now’s your chance to join in the fun: join Scientist Rebellion!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.