Episode 23:1 Harry R. Moody on Climate Change and Aging

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, Nancy Griffininterviews Harry R. Moody, a distinguished professor and author, about his journey into activism in climate change, and the concept of legacy. Dr. Moody shares insights from his life, emphasizing the importance of hope, action, andintergenerational dialogue in addressing climate issues.

About Dr. Moody

Harry R. Moody is a graduate of Yale University and received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Columbia University. He has taught philosophy at Columbia University, Hunter College, New York University, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. He is the retired Vice President and Director of Academic Affairs for AARP in Washington, DC. He is currently Visiting Professor at Tohoku University in Japan, and Distinguished Visiting Professor at Fielding Graduate University’s Creativity and Wisdom Program.

Dr. Moody previously served as Executive Director of theBrookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College and Chairman of the Board of Elderhostel (now Road Scholar). Moody is the author of over 100 scholarly articles, as well as a number of books including: Abundance of Life: Human Development Policies for an Aging Society (Columbia University Press, 1988) and Ethics in an Aging Society (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992).

His most recent book, Climate Change in an Aging Society,is the first book fully devoted to the impact of climate change on those who are old today―and those who will be old in decades to come. He is the editor of the Climate Change in an Aging Society and Human Values in Aging newsletters. In 2011 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society on Aging and in 2008 he was named by Utne Reader Magazine as one of “50 Visionaries Who AreChanging Your World.”

Key Takeaways

• Dr. Moody encourages action and hope, emphasizing that change requires collective effort.
• Hope is not the expectation of a better future but thebelief in doing what's right. “Hope is a verb with sleeves rolled up.” - David Orr, environmental educator and author.
• The concepts of aging and climate change are both perfect candidates for denial. We can overcome denial by facing up to things and doing what's possible.
• The “Four Horseman of the Climate Apocalypse” defined in Climate Change for an Aging Society are fire, flood, drought and heat wave.
• A Life Review asks, what have you done in your life isworth remembering, that is worth sharing with younger generations?
• Lasting change happens when generations come together. Older adults pass on their knowledge, wisdom, and experience to younger people. Theproblem with elders communicating with young people can be that elders think they know it all.

Email [e-mail] to subscribe to the free newsletters Climate Change in an Aging Society and Human Values in Aging.