Fullers Vale Wildlife Pond Association were invited to support the launch of Headley CAN’s (Climate Action Network) launch of the 12-month “Greening Headley” campaign on 18th February. We are delighted to be involved because one of the five Pillars of the campaign is closely aligned to our own mission, Space for Nature.
The Greening Headley campaign is supported and resourced by the Lottery-funded Greening Campaign, which is led by Terena Plowright, a long-time climate campaigner. The purpose of the launch meeting was to introduce these five Pillars and invite members of our local community to register their interests in any combination of these.
We were delighted to see so many people coming along on a cold February evening – so many that we had to rush about finding more chairs and I don’t think we could have fitted any more in the hall! Luckily our Headley CAN hosts had been extremely generous with their preparation of home-made nibbles and warming drinks, so everyone had a great evening.
Terena spoke passionately about the need for everyone to be more aware of the impact of our daily activities on the climate and environment, and make whatever changes, however small, that reduce our collective impact on the planet. This may sound like a repeat of all the Green Campaigns we have heard over the years but this approach is refreshingly different. Instead of protests against the activities of big organisations, Terena encouraged us to make small, practical changes and help others to do the same. Many small changes add up to a lot, and we can be motivated by the changes we make instead of being frustrated by protests that are ineffective.
Recognising that some areas are of more relevance and interest to some than others, the campaign has been divided into five Pillars. Each of these will have their own resources, local leaders and activities.
- Space for Nature – both protecting the existing environment and making small changes in our own gardens to help nature move around and survive.
- Energy Efficient Warmer Homes – we can reduce energy consumption (and save money) by identifying and stopping wasteful heat loss from our homes and public buildings.
- Health Impacts of Climate Change – recognising that the climate is changing anyway, there are actions we can take to reduce the health risks of excessive heat or cold for more vulnerable people
- Cycle of the Seed – promoting the importance of food security, understanding soil health and if we are able to, support for growing our own food
- Waste Prevention – we probably all know that recycling waste has many challenges, so this pillar focusses on reducing and stopping waste in the first place so there is less need for recycling and waste disposal.
Over the next 12 months, Headley CAN will be organising talks, training, practical group sessions, visits and other activities so if you would like to be involved in any of these free events please register using this link: Sign Up
Headley CAN also has a Facebook Page where news about Greening Headley and other Headley CAN events will be published.
Neville Merritt