Taking The Big Climate Leap
By Isabel Hackett
Ideas for Climate Actions
Daily rain in the winter, scorching heat waves in the summer… It's safe to say climate has been on many of our minds a bit more recently. The Environment Centre’s Big Climate Leap initiative is working with local community groups to turn climate anxiety into action. I spoke with Big Climate Leap’s Project Officer, Sue, to get a better idea of the scope of the project.
With the central aim of reducing carbon emissions, Sue’s side of the project involves working with groups to figure out how they can reduce their carbon footprint. She separates this work into three categories – individual changes, collective action, and the push for political action.
Sue is visibly passionate about the work she is doing. The day we met at the Environment Centre she was preparing to go to an event at Exist Skate Park, where she was signing young people up for a £1 bus pass. She explained that the organizations she's meeting with range from small community groups with a few members to large charities. They are retirees, refugees, athletes, or school children. The only thing linking them all is their desire to take action against climate change. Sometimes this looks like starting a Whatsapp group so the group’s members can rideshare to reduce emissions. Other times it means setting up an EV charging station, starting a political petition/campaign, or creating a community pantry.
After talking with Sue I was intrigued. News about climate change often makes people feel powerless. I could see how The Big Climate Leap could be really empowering. Sue told me about the many groups she was meeting with in February, and a couple Thursdays ago, I joined her meeting with a local climate action group.
Gathering in the upstairs room at the Environment Centre, the participants shared books about sustainability and discussed issues in their communities. Once everyone was settled in with cups of tea and a goody bag of compostable toilet tissue Sue handed out (I stowed a roll in my jacket pocket), Sue suggested they plan an action for the Great Big Green Week in June. She had papers printed up with ideas to get the conversation started. The Community Fridge idea led into a spirited conversation about Too Good To Go, the topic of food waste moved to recycling to sustainable cleaning products. After chatting for a while Sue noted that two of the women were retired teachers. Why not, Sue asked, plan an education program?
It was a pleasure to listen in on the meeting. There was a great deal of interest and enthusiasm in the room, and everyone seemed pleased to have landed on a plan. They immediately began discussing the whens, the wheres, the hows, and the whats.
The Big Climate Leap is tackling the massive issue of climate change through actionable and impactful steps. I’d truly encourage any group in the area to reach out to the team if you are interested in discussing ways you can make a difference. It might start small, but when people come together it can get big fast!
Sue from The Big Climate Leap