Climate change: community projects that inspire us

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The fight against climate change is now a climate emergency. Action is needed at global, national, and local level.

 

There are lots of benefits to local action on climate change because the impacts of the climate crisis vary across different geographies.

 

A report by independent Think Tank, New Local, says, “By focussing on what climate change means for specific places and groups of people, we can begin to shift our view of tackling climate change from a challenge which is overwhelming to something that is more tangible”.

 

The report explains that local action is more responsive to the specific issues and needs of local communities. It can also be more flexible as those needs shift. Community projects can also feel more legitimate to local communities and are less likely to get less pushback than top-down measures.

 

 

Listening to local communities

 

The first step in community action is listening to climate concerns from local communities.

 

Rethink Glasgow aims to rethink, reimagine, and redesign Glasgow’s future. The project was initiated by Lateral North, OnePlanet and After The Pandemic.

 

It is an interactive map that invites Glasgow residents to drop a pin and suggest an improvement to the city. For example, more than one contributor has identified an unused or misused plot of land for tree planting or a community garden.

 

The map uses the Commonplace, a mapping and engagement tool for community-driven place-making.

 

Another project, Mothers’ Climate Action Network (MothersCAN), taps into existing networks of UK mums to take action on climate change. They target mothers of school age children to set up community groups, take local actions and help secure a greener future for their children. Groups receive support and training from the MothersCAN team and partners.

 

After setting up in 2020, one of their first projects was ‘Talk Climate’. Their goal was to listen to “mothers around the country to develop a shared vision and manifesto”. Mums are asked to answer five questions online on how they feel about climate change and what they would like to change in their local area.

 

 

Taking action

 

Impactful climate change projects in different locations can vary wildly. The actions that will make a big difference in Calderdale, West Yorkshire are very different to those in Machakilha and Graham Creek Villages in remote Belize.

 

In Calderdale, National Lottery Community Funding is supporting a moorland restoration project. The moors play a vital role in local flood management and carbon capture and sphagnum moss is an important plant in these processes.

 

Volunteers have been experimenting with different ways of growing the moss effectively. The next stage of the project will involve engaging local landowners who may have suitable sites for planting.

 

In the remote Toledo region of Belize, three Mayan women and a team of engineers are creating a solar energy hub.

 

The villages of Machakilha and Graham Creek are off grid. This GEF Small Grants-funded project will create a “power board” in each local community. The board will oversee the project to meet the community’s solar energy needs. Local women will be trained to do basic troubleshooting and replace parts in the new solar infrastructure.

 

 

Think global act local

 

Some projects are flexible enough to be rolled out nationally or even internationally, while being adapted for each local area.

 

The social enterprise Library of Things has a strapline, “why buy when you can borrow?” Each location holds a useful collection of things that can be rented to use in your home or for travelling.

 

It can be cheaper and better for the planet to rent a pressure washer or tent than to buy one. Sharing rented items is also a way of reducing mass consumption and waste. For example, electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the UK.

 

The Library of Things started as a project in West Norwood, London. At the time of writing in February 2023, there are 13 locations served in the UK.

 

Belfast has a good example of a Repair Café. Repair Cafés fix things (for free) that might otherwise end up in landfill. You can bring something and fix it yourself using equipment at the cafe or get advice and help from a specialist volunteer.

 

In Belfast, popular items to fix include small electronics, clothes, bicycles, and books. Elsewhere in the world the local community needs may be very different.

 

The first repair cafe was opened in Amsterdam in 2007. There are now around 2,500 worldwide.

 

Every community and environment will be impacted differently by the climate emergency.

 

Thinking and acting at a local level is an essential part of building climate resilience as the situation continues to escalate. As Greta Thumberg said, “once we start to act, hope is everywhere”.