Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on
12th May 2025
To return to where this conversation began – What should I do and where should I start?’ – being well informed is key. From that can stem life practicable life style changes, the means with which to talk with – and listen to – others, and the impetus to sign a petition, join a group and/ or participate in an action. To do this is to witness to others the importance of addressing the climate crisis.
9th May 2025
Another way of demonstrating the collective power of individuals, is through a march or a vigil. Christian Climate Action regulalry organises vigils in different parts of the UK, usually outside a significant building such as both the UK and Scottish Parliaments, branches of Barclays Bank, Shell’s HQ, Lloyds of London. The focus of these vigils is both to pray for change and to public ally highlight that need for change.
Other campaigning groups organise both marches and rallies – this July a large number of different climate and nature focuses groups will be joining for a mass lobby outside Parliament to press for the enactment of the Climate and Nature Bill – https://greenchristian.org.uk/act-now-change-forever-lobby-of-parliament/
Participating in such events is a good way for us to show collectively how many people are concerned about the climate and biodiversity crises.
8th May 2025
Given that we won’t change the world just as one person, another thing we can do is to expand the number of people who understand what the issues are and who would be willing to be part of the movement of change needed. To this end, we can talk about these matters with our friends, our family, our work colleagues, people in our church, people who belong to the same clubs and societies as us. Talking to people about the climate and environmental crises – as indeed about any serious issue – requires tact and empathy. We don’t want to antagonise or disparage others. We don’t want to scare people into behaving like ostriches with their head in the sand, but nor do we want to under inform them about the real dangers. We want to be understanding of where they come from and what issues they may face vis a vis the climate and environmental crises, or life in general. We will want to be offer ways of addressing the issues – there are positive steps we can take and positive outcomes we can aim for.
And importantly listen to what they are saying! It can be really useful to understand what other people think and to learn about what they are or plan to do.
And there are even web sites giving you tips:-
7th May 2025
As just one individual we are not going to change the world – however much we wish to do so. Just as a greater impact can be created by signing a petition along with 10,000s of others (and recently a million people signed a petition calling on the Government to dead an end to oil and gas drilling!!),
so joining a climate or environmental group can be beneficial. For us as individuals it is an encouragement to know that we are not alone but that others share our concerns and understand our feelings – people who are ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’. As a group people’s different skills can be utilised such that the impact is more than the sum of the parts. The group can be a good place to think through existing conundrums, to acquire new data and to explore alternative ideas.
Possible climate and environmental groups would include –
Green Christian https://greenchristian.org.uk/about-green-christian/
Operation Noah https://www.operationnoah.org/
Christian Climate Action https://christianclimateaction.org/
Laudatory Si animators https://laudatosianimators.org/
Friends of the Earth https://friendsoftheearth.uk/
Greenpeace https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/
Christian Aid https://www.christianaid.org.uk/
Oxfam https://www.oxfam.org.uk/
Stop Rosebank https://www.stopcambo.org.uk/
Extinction Rebellion https://extinctionrebellion.uk/
Wildlife Trust https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/
This is not an inclusive list and there are many more such groups. It may be just the case of finding the one where you feel most at home.
6th May 2025
System change is vital if we are to contain and constrain the climate crisis. Individuals can help bring about system change. We can use our votes to elect a government that understands and will pursue system change. We can write to our MPs and press them to bring about the changes we need to see. We can sign petitions – targeting either MPs or business corporations- again pressing for change.
(We can also write follow up messages saying thank you when change does happen).
As regards wiring to your MP, personalised letters are more effective but you may want to start with a ready-made template such as this one from Hubbub –
Or this from WWF –
http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/how_to_write_to_your_mp.pdf
The more you read and the more groups you interact with, the greater the number of petitions that will land in your in-tray- but do they work?
The following observations comes from the Welsh Government:
“Petitioning is one of the most direct ways to suggest how something could change. Petitions can:
Friends of the Earth offer a good selection of petitions as a starting point –
5th May 2025
With the best will in the world, individual life style changes are not going to single handedly, curb carbon emissions and limit global temperature rises to a safe limit. As individuals our actions are constrained by the systems within which we live – be that tax policies; whether subsidies are made available for public transport or for fossil fuels; whether those who emit carbon dioxide have to also pay for the damage caused ( a polluters pay policy); whether manufacturing (and any associated carbon dioxide emissions) is relocated to a third country; whether beneficial lifestyle changes are promoted by the government etc. Therefore an important factor in halting the climate crisis is whether or not governments and business implement systemic change.
Last January the World Economic Forum produced a report, The Bold Measures to Close the Climate Action Gap: A Call for Systemic Change by Governments and Corporations, which calls for ‘systemic actions and …… outlines the urgency and necessity of drastic action from both governments and corporations to combat climate change effectively and deliver on commitments. It emphasises the need for governments to level the playing field for green solutions and proposes practical ways for companies to achieve outsized impact in their ecosystems.’
2nd May 2025
Rather than finding green and/or ethical alternatives products to maintain our lifestyles, we might rather want to reflect on the idea of ‘enoughness’*. We live in a society and an economic system which sees having a better life and having more to consume as two things that run in tandem. But that may not be so. Having more to consume may make us anxious, may give us more responsibilities, may increase our dependency on things that costs more than we can afford. Having more to consume will likely increase the amount of ‘waste’ be that extra packaging or the single use, throw away nature of the product.
Paper hankies can make our lives easier but they create waste from the tissue that is thrown away, and from the plastic packet or paper box in which they were packed. A cotton handkerchief can be washed and reused giving years of use from a single purchase.
Kitchen gadgets – magi-mixers, stick blenders, spice grinders, soup and ice-cream makers, air fryers, sandwich toasters: the list is endless – can make our lives easier but do we use all of them sufficiently often to justify their purchase? For with each purchase comes the use of more resources to make them, the kitchen space needed to store them, the packaging to recycle and finally the cost of recycling the product itself?
Maybe there is merit in looking at what we already have that might serve the function? The wooden spoon, the grill, the ice box etc.
Joy in Enough, part of Green Christian, believes ‘Christians have a key role in modelling a way of life that respects the environment and serves others, finding fulfilment in what we have and not always wanting more.’ Their remit is to ‘offer study materials, talks and stories about current events, movements and activities which offer a vision of the future we want to see. We provide resources for people to decide what they can do, at a personal, community, national and global level, to challenge effectively our current way of living and bring about the changes needed in our economy, and wider society.’
1st May 2025
Whilst switching our finances may have the biggest impact, it is not necessarily an impact we can see straight away. Other lifestyle changes can have a more visible impact.
Turning down the heating, shorter showers, fitting LED light bulbs, etc will produce a visible drop in energy use. Using refill options, reusing cotton bags, and generally avoiding plastic packaging, will produce a visible reduction in plastic either going into the recycling or the dustbin. And reducing plastic, reduces both the consumption of oil and pollution. Driving less and using active travel (walking, cycling etc) and public transport options, will produce a visible reduction in fuel consumption.
Such visible impacts are encouraging because we can see that changes in the way we live do improve the wellbeing of the climate and environment.
Life style changes – sources of information
From the BBC – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49997755
From Friends of the Earth – https://friendsoftheearth.uk/climate/saving-planet-top-tips-help-climate-and-nature
From Imperial College –https://www.imperial.ac.uk/stories/climate-action/
From Greenpeace – https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/climate-change/solutions-climate-change/
From Green Christian – https://www.greenchristian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/leaflet/nine-ways.pdf
30th April 2025
Becoming more informed, you will become aware of the many lifestyles changes that we can make to begin to address the climate crisis.
Make My Money Matter argued that the most impactful change we can make is to switch to a green pension provider – ie one that doesn’t fund fossil fuels. All commercial undertakings including fossil fuel exploration and extraction rely on finance and the operations of the financial sector – whether that is banking that enables the continuing day to day, week to week, and year year transactions of ongoing the business;; insurance protection for every aspect of the business; investment in expansion and new enterprises; maintaining share values and dividend payments etc. Many pension funds – as well as banks, mortgage and insurance companies – are key players in ensuring the flow of such finances.
Although Make My Money Matter closed this year, their website is, for the current year, a good source of information on pensions and banking.
Ethical Consumer is another good source of information on matter financial – subscribing enables you to access their reports in full
And for climate friendly banking options – https://justmoney.org.uk/the-big-bank-switch/
29th April 2025
Where should I start?
By being well informed. Read reputable articles (see selection below) and books about the causes and impact of climate change and the climate crisis.
From Friends of the Earth
From the Natural History Museum
From the Grantham Institute
From the BBC
From Greenpeace
Keep up to date with a reputable newspaper – I read The Guardian.
The Green Tau 