Talking action - popcawn October 2024
Last month’s popcawn was all talk…about why it’s important to talk about climate change and how to do it. One reason talking is good is that it is often a precursor to doing, and it’s vital that we do something. Talking alone will not reduce carbon emissions – we need action.
Taking action can seem like a difficult next step, but we’re here to help. Here are a few tips to getting started:
Making a plan and setting some goals is key to getting things done. Define what is within your control. It may be reducing your personal carbon footprint, making your outdoor space more wildlife friendly, or finding a local group where you can join in some community action. There’s lots of resources available online to support with all these; Friends of the Earth1 is a good starting point and we also have a repository of local groups here on CA-WN Exchange.2
Goals need to be achievable, measurable and ideally time-limited to help keep you motivated. Breaking tasks into lots of little steps is much easier to navigate than one giant leap. Ticking tasks off your to-do list is very satisfying and shows you how much you have achieved so far.
Regularly reminding yourself why you are doing something can help prioritise important tasks. It’s easy to feel like we have no time for certain things, but that’s because they aren’t considered important enough to make it to the top of the to-do list. This week I needed look no further than the relentless torrential rain to remind me why I prioritise my environmental voluntary work.
Remember ‘progress not perfection’ – it’s my dream to have zero negative impact on the planet, but that’s not realistic any time soon, so I keep on making lifestyle changes, keep on educating myself and keep on nagging local and national policymakers. I can then compare myself to last year’s me to see the progress I’ve made.
If you want some further inspiration on getting things done, take a look at this 24-hour climate comic project. A small team of motivated individuals set themselves the task of creating a 24-page comic on what a sustainable future might look like, in just 24 hours!
Our 24-hour climate comic explores what a sustainable future could look like (theconversation.com)
The 24-hour comic challenge was first set in 1990 and is celebrated annually on the first Saturday of October,3 so watch out for it this weekend. Perhaps not something to attempt for all your tasks but it does show what can be done when we put our minds to it.
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