Category: Counting On …

Reflections and actions during COP26 and going on

Counting on … day 69

23rd May 2025

Community Energy

Adverse weather can cut the grid supply of electricity on which our lifestyles are so reliant. Having a locally based unit producing electricity would seem advantageous – for the individual householder this could be solar panels – but communities might also want to have a locally owned wind turbine or hydro plant. Community projects can also secure better energy security by ensuring individual homes are  well  insulated and that households have access to energy at affordable prices.

“Community energy is about people working together to generate electricity locally using renewable technologies that both reduce carbon emissions and save money.” (1)

“Community energy’ is when citizens work together to build renewables or support households in reducing their consumption. It often refers to community-led generation projects, for example a wind farm or solar panel project which members of the community part or fully own.” (2)

  1. https://communityenergypathways.org.uk/about/
  2. https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/energy/what-community-energy

Counting on … day 68

22nd May 2025

Depending where you live, you may have easy access to a library of things meaning if you need a power drill, or a sewing machine, a wood plane or a fish kettle, you can borrow one for a small fee. And thus avoiding spending far more on something you may only use once. That is good for sustainability and potentially increases resilience in the event of a crisis. It can also nurture structures and habits that makes for a resilient community – a community that can look after each other. 

https://www.cagoxfordshire.org.uk/library-of-things
https://www.libraryofthings.co.uk/

Counting on … day 67

21st  May 2025

Food security even in the UK is tenuous. The action group Sustain observes that “the 2023 National Risk Register only conceives of one direct food impact, that of food supply contamination. In terms of other potential disruption, the current advice to the public is to store 3 days’ worth of food at home.  While there are already 7.2 million people experiencing food insecurity in the UK, with people unable to afford to feed themselves for one day let alone to stockpile, we need to be leaning toward community-scale food storage and systems over a “preppers” mentality.” 

In the UK most of our food comes via supermarket chains and their large scale distribution networks which makes us all vulnerable if just one part of that system fails – flood, fire, illness etc. We don’t have a local network of food supplies that could provide us with emergency food. More locally based – and therefore likely smaller – farms, and community gardens, allotments  and orchards etc would help improve local resilience. Do read this item from Sustain detailing how local authorities etc could achieve this.

https://www.sustainweb.org/blogs/mar25-building-food-resilience/

Counting on … day 65

19th  May 2025

Food banks make good commmunity hubs and increase resilience. Tottenham food bank has the strap line “Tottenham Foodbank: empowering community resilience, one parcel at a time”.

While sadly necessary, food banks ensure people who need it receive food and other essentials. Those who come and those who run the food banks also  become means by which information is shared and by which community resilience is increased. In the event of a crisis, having a community already in place will help the people in that locality better cope with the crisis. Knowing whose who, knowing who is more vulnerable, knowing who has particular skills or knowledge can really make a difference. 

https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/communities-and-social-justice/civil-society/community-insights-hub/community-insights-hub-story-library/tottenham-foodbank-empowering-community-resilience-one-parcel-time

Counting on … day 64

16th May 2025

I was particularly struck by the ‘Darn It’ workshop offered by the Totnes Climate Hub. I don’t darn particularly well, but I do darn a lot of things – socks, jumpers, T-shirts etc. By making things last longer, I become less dependent on access to shops for new items.

Repair Cafes are another scheme that can increase local community resilience. 

Find a repair group

Counting on … day 62

14th May 2025

Some communities run climate cafés – “A Climate Café® is an open, inclusive space for people to get together to talk and act on climate change. Climate Cafés® are community led, informal spaces where everyone is welcome to join the conversation and get involved. Climate Cafés® create a space to bring people together from across communities, work places and campuses to focus on solutions. Many people find them inspiring and positive spaces to connect with others.”

Welcome to the Climate Café® Network Hub

Here is an example of a climate café in Oxford – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y70qv87w3o

Counting on … Day 61

13th May 2025

In the face of present and future risks arising from the climate crisis, are there things that we can do as local communities? 

During the covid pandemic, we were amazed at the way people pulled together sharing resources – lending books and DVDs, sharing home baked goods – picking up medicines and foods for each other, organising socially distanced local activities. 

Are there similar things we could do vis a vis adapting to the changing climate?

Counting on … Day 60

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.

Counting on … Day 59

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.