Ideas for Action
Here’s a round-up of ideas to copy, adapt or improve to make sure the South West Wildlife Trusts achieves its ambition for 200 or more climate change events to take place in the region during Climate Friendly Fortnight: 15 to 30 September.
Most of the ideas link directly to our quick climate fixes section but you will find the inspiration for others in useful links and you are very welcome to contact us for additional tips, print items or to be put in touch with speakers and suppliers.
To add to the buzz, we’d appreciate it if you branded your events using the Climate Friendly Fortnight logo (link to logo pdf).
Piggyback on existing events and activities:
Make a point of supplying/serving local seasonal produce
Encourage visitors to come on foot, by bike or public transport
Make climate change a talking point at meetings, in work-places or at the pub – e.g. invite a speaker who knows about an aspect of climate friendly living or energy efficiency; screen a topical DVD; provide a climate change advice table; organise a climate change quiz; log on to use a carbon calculator via a laptop PC, then invite onlookers to work out how much carbon dioxide they generate.
Find out what others think
Conduct your own climate change survey among associates, colleagues, at local events or in your local High Street – then share the results via newsletters, notice boards or the local media
Show & share
Do you have, or do you know of, a wildlife friendly garden, allotment or compost heap, an eco-friendly building, an interesting use of local, organic, seasonal, food? Could you arrange an open day so that others can gain from the example?
Are there enough climate-friendly goods suppliers in your area to run a climate friendly trade fair – displaying anything from washable nappies and local foods to renewable energy technologies and loft insulation.
Will a local garden centre, or keen gardeners, create a display about gardening for wildlife – with plants or other products labelled to show the benefits they offer? Could you pot up a few wildlife friendly plants, and sell them at a local market, village fete or school event?
Who will collaborate in a green travel day, or offer prizes for the most inventive carbon-low way of making the trip to school, to the shops, to work?
What about a local foods picnic, tasting table or harvest feast – for friends, or the public? Local producers may be glad to donate some drinks, cheeses or other produce, in return for publicity, or meet the costs from sales or a charge.
Attract attention
Set up an advice stall in a busy shopping area or a popular local event, with eye-catching attractions to draw attention – e.g. people in zany costumes, a bin bag mountain, an inflatable boat (to show that some spots may be underwater if sea levels rise!)
Change your address to Green Street - ban vehicles for a day, turf or carpet the road, enjoy a neighbourhood party (with local foods, a wildlife friendly plants table, energy advice activities, junk funk music-making, a place to create and display art made from cast-offs and rubbish).
Stage a recycled fashion parade - using clothes found in charity shops or on a ‘freecycling’ website, or created from waste materials.
Be imaginative/upbeat
Don’t feel that you have to stick to the ideas here. There are many other approaches. Choose whatever works best for you and your community! Our top tips for successful community campaigning are:
• Be positive and inspirational. Avoid doom and gloom. Focus on solutions and successes not problems
• Keep it human - use examples and stories to explain how humans are contributing to climate change, the likely consequences if it’s left unchecked and the ingenuity and passion people are tapping to address the challenge
• Stay reasonable, and responsible, at all times.
• Trust people power! Ordinary people pay much more heed to what other ordinary people tell them than to what is said by officials. Person to person contact is invaluable.
Make some noise!
Be sure to tell as many people as possible about your plans well in advance, and to explain afterwards how they turned out. For example, share the info – urging ‘pass-it-on’ – with personal and community networks; offer articles to community newsletters/websites/e-zines; put up posters in shops and other public buildings; notify the local media; invite councillors, local VIPs and MPs, and – of course – tell the Climate Friendly Fortnight team, using our sign-up form (hotlink to form).
See also useful links, climate quick fixes, and CAMPAIGN LOGO!