I want to bring a ridiculous, friendly “talking compost bin” to Lake Merritt and invite strangers to confess one tiny climate habit they’re struggling with:

“I still buy plastic water bottles.”
“I doom-scroll instead of organizing.”
“I forget my tote bag every single time.”

The bin “listens” (really: a human with a mic + a tiny printer) and spits out a receipt-sized “penance ticket”: a funny, doable micro-action that’s small enough to actually happen.

Examples:

“Your penance: carry one reusable bottle like it’s your emotional support animal.”

“Your penance: take one Lake Merritt lap instead of one doom-scroll.”

“Your penance: teach one friend the sacred art of sorting trash—dramatic hand gestures encouraged.”

“Your penance: pick up 10 pieces of litter and narrate it like a nature documentary.”

Then I’ll turn the anonymous confessions + penances into a free mini zine called:
“WE TRIED (LAKE MERRITT EDITION)”
…and hand it out at the lake + post it online as a little public artifact of shared humanity.

Why it’s awesome (and a little wtf):

It treats climate anxiety like a public, shared burden you can laugh at together—without minimizing the stakes.

It’s interactive, surprising, and slightly absurd (a sidewalk ritual people don’t see coming).

It’s easy to do with $1,000 and can repeat anywhere around the lake (and beyond).

It builds community cohesion through shared imperfection: not “perfect activists,” just people trying.

How it shows up at Lake Merritt:

Pop-up near a high-foot-traffic area (walker/jogger loop energy).

A simple sign: “CONFESS TO THE COMPOST. RECEIVE A PENANCE. FEEL 7% LIGHTER.”

People get a ticket + optional sticker: “I Confessed to the Compost @ Lake Merritt.”