Climate change-driven fires burning up Australia, biblical floods in Indonesia, and the hottest decade on record worldwide…2020 is not even one month old and the news headlines are already sounding alarm bells about the climate crisis unfolding around us. Words from the 2018 IPCC report, still ringing in our ears, feel even more urgent just now: we only have until 2030, 10 years away, to fundamentally transform away from a carbon-based economy, in order to prevent the world heating up by more than 1.5C.
The good news is that UK governments have already declared climate emergency, with many councils following suit, including our locals, Fife and Dundee. Plans of action are being developed, with the University and Transition feeding into Climate Fife strategy in the council’s public consultation late last year.
While the governments and institutions following up on their climate action promises are a key to the success in tackling climate emergency, we simply can’t do it without everyone doing their individual little bit for transformation happen at the scale required. So, last week at the Transition office, we shared our personal ‘green’ new year’s resolutions to keep each other motivated….Hope they provide some inspiration for you too!
Andrea, Edible Campus: I am going to:
- sign up for more led rides and cycle more
- work on finding more plant based recipes that the whole family will eat, using a veg bag and more food from the Tree.
- continue to seek out used clothing, toys and more so I am not buying anything new for my 2 year old.
Ali, Project Manager: My green resolution goals for this year will be to better insulate my home and install better heating controls to avoid unnecessary waste. I’m also going to plant more trees through schemes like Trees for Life and through organising tree planting in my community and at work.
Tansy, Skillshare: I am going to:
- recommit to my Plant Based Diet
- focus on improving my climate/low carbon living communication skills
- work with my local community to build up our network of local lift shares until it becomes habitual
Kaska, Climate Communications: I will work on being more positive about the future, finding time and tools to help me and others imagine and tell better stories about the kind of world we are working towards (inspired by an encounter with Rob Hopkins From Is to What If? at last year’s Climate Challenge Fund Gathering). On a slightly less grand scale, I would like to seriously consider getting rid of my car, and instead doing more lift shares and joining an ecar club in Dundee.
Winks, ToolShare and BikePool: This year I will try and travel less by plane and if I do, I will offset the carbon in some community project where it is really needed. I also want to cycle more and eat less meat (we already have three meat free days a week, but it is hard with two hungry teenagers to feed!).
Sam, St And Reuse: Get more politically involved and call people out for arguing capitalism is the answer.
Helena, Edible Campus Guardbridge: Last year everyday I ate at least one thing that was locally grown/harvested by me, so this year it’s two things a day and everyone in the family is joining in. Plus a general one of getting the bus more. I have also pledged not to fly in 2020.
Nikki, Sustainable Travel: I intend to reduce my personal (and family’s) consumption of single use plastic, in particular consciousesly evolving situations whereby I can either reuse plastic containers, bags and other packaging or finding ways to minimse their use in the first place.
My second eco resolution revolves around food. Whilst I will never be a diehard vegetarian I value the positive effects that reducing meat cosumption can have. It is my intention to be kinder to both the planet and my health by experimenting with new recipes and cooking techniques that evolve around purely vegetables and other non- meat ingredients.
Throughout 2020 I intend to review my progress through the means of a blog, that I will deliver every 3 months … (to anyone who may be vaguely interested in my progress !).
