I’ve been waiting to launch this website at the right moment, when I have it all organized and full of well-edited articles. But that’s just not happening, so I’ve decided that the moment to launch is now.

Tonight I went to the Rise Up for Climate Justice‘s gathering on the eve of the Paris Climate talks. There was ceremony, singing, and feasting. The evening was simple yet powerful, and each person I met was warm yet serious about climate action. Even though I didn’t know most of the people at the gathering, I felt like I belonged.

I feel small and powerless about climate change and environmental issues right now. I’m not going to Paris. I don’t have a powerful environmental policy job. I’m not living a perfectly sustainable lifestyle. I have a lot of student loans.

But I know that my smallness and powerlessness is changing into something else. I am finding my path and my voice, and for some reason, I believe that a part of my journey includes this website.

So here goes nothing. It’s time for Keeping Things Alive to come alive.