FOUR THINGS YOU CAN DO IF YOU CAN’T/DON’T WANT TO #CLIMATESTRIKE
I'm sat here writing this on the 15th March, a day when hundreds and thousands of young people, in over 100 countries around the world have left their lessons and gone on #climatestrike.
The global climate strike has been inspired by the phenomenal Greta Thunberg, a 16 year old from Sweden who last year started a solo school strike to demand that the Swedish government take action on climate change. Her action has 'gone viral', as has her TEDx talk and video of her addressing the UN climate change conference. Oh, and she's just been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She is quite simply bloody amazing.
I am full of admiration and gratitude seeing all these bright, bold young people stand up for their futures and do all that they can to make sure that their voices are heard. But I haven't joined them.
And it's not because I don't agree with them - I echo their frustrations and their calls for action from our politicians. It's just that it all feels a bit too, well, shouty. Whether I'm too polite, or too introverted, or just a bit crap, marching with a placard feels quite a scary and overwhelming thing to me. I've never been on a march in my life. Does that make me a bad citizen? Possibly.
I wish I were a little bit braver. A little bit bolder. That I had a friend who felt the same way so we could go together and hold hands and skulk in the background not really knowing what to do. Maybe next time.
But for now, for those of us with too much inner reserve, who want to show their support but can't or don't want to take to the streets, here are a few suggestions to make your voice heard:
TAKE TO SOCIAL MEDIA
Show your support for the climate strikers on social media.
Share the strikes on your feeds, let people know that they're happening. Say thank you to those that are out there.
Useful hashtags to follow on Twitter include:
#fridaysforfuture
#climatestrike
#schoolstrike4climate
#youthstrike4climate
#climateaction
GET POLITICAL
Get in touch with your MP.
Write to them, tweet them, rock up to your local MP surgery (although if marching on the streets feels scary, confronting your MP face to face might also feel a bit much). Let them know that climate change scares the pants off you, and that you want them to take action. Ask them what they're doing, and why they aren't doing more.
In all likelihood you will get a stock response (or no response at all) but we need to let them know that this is an issue that matters.
If you aren't sure who your local MP is, or how to get in touch with them you can find out here.
And while we're on the subject of politics, when the time comes, VOTE!
Get informed on the policies of the various parties and then vote with your conscience for the party that will give the planet and our kids the best possible chance.
#EVERYACTIVISM
This also sounds a bit radical, but there's a lot less marching and banner carrying and a whole lot more simply saying "No".
Say "no" to fast fashion and single use plastics, and the constant demands that we buy, buy, buy.
Choose to refuse, to reduce, to reuse. To repair broken things, to resist the urge to upgrade.
Question the status quo. Question yourself and your motivation - did you already want that new dress, or that latest upgrade? Or did someone (an ad company paid a lot of money to get you to buy) tell you you do?
VOTE WITH YOUR PURSE
As consumers we have power. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Each time you spend money, you're sending out a message that this is the kind of world that you want. Buy with that thought in mind.
Buy less, but buy better.
