 Pam Candea founded The Surefoot Effect to support people taking the next step towards a sustainable, equitable world. To stay sure footed. Our focus is on sustainability, resilience, leadership, exploration, and sure-footedness. The peak on the Surefoot logo is inspired by the Baltoro Glacier in Pakistan. This is one of the largest glaciers outside the polar regions, and as many other glaciers it’s declining. This brings a risk for surrounding regions, as was seen in a flood in 2012, the same year that The Surefoot Effect was established. The peak on the logo is unlikely recognised by the viewers, but the overall design acts as a reminder of one of the key reasons for our work on sustainability. More obviously, peaks represent exploration and challenge. The climbers must exhibit leadership and sure-footedness to reach the goal. We wish to equip people, communities and organisations on the journey by developing skills for sustainability and resilience. May each new step forward lead to significant and long-lasting change. “The Surefoot Effect provides the time, space and leadership people need to explore, create then share their own path forward.” Pam Candea. Surefoot’s approach recognises the only way to secure a sustainable and equitable future is to reconnect individuals with the values that shape the way they look at the world. In turn, people inspire each other to take the next step, safeguarding their shared environment. With sure-footed confidence we stay at the forefront of our field: respected, skilled and experienced. We use the increasing wealth of empirical research on emotional intelligence and value-based behaviour to shape our approach to assisting organisations and individuals to achieve the skills and confidence to achieve sustainability in the way they live and work. 
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 The European Commission congratulates Surefoot on its significant project to support teaching and learning about the environment and sustainability. The project, A Tale of 2 Futures, led and coordinated by Surefoot has been selected as an example of good practice by the European Commission and featured in School Education Gateway, Europe's online platform for school education. “The European Commission would like to congratulate you on A Tale of Two Futures, which we selected as an example of good practice in this month’s editorial of the School Education Gateway. We were impressed with your project and thought it a good fit for the month’s topic, learning for environmental sustainability.” A Tale of 2 Futures enables educators to train groups of people and motivate them to adopt sustainable habits in a way that was compatible with their daily lives. A collaboration between Surefoot, Dom Spain and Ziniu Kodas from Lithuania, this Erasmus+ 3-year project focuses on communicating solutions to energy issues and climate change at the local, European and national levels. As a result, some teachers in Spain included ‘carbon conversations’ in their English lessons, created a food garden in the school, and integrated sustainable activities into their daily work as well as kickstarting environmental education projects. Surefoot Managing Director, Pamela Candea and Associate, Euri Bartlome Vidal, worked on the project. Pam was delighted to receive this acknowledgement from The European Commission, "This was our first Erasmus+ project. We learned so much from our partners about Erasmus and other ways of working. We were delighted that both partners enthusiastically jumped into the world of action toward sustainable living and working, learning from the projects we found in our research and going on from there to support the start up of many sustainability projects, including a Fridays for Futures group in Vilnius." Find out more about A Tale of 2 Futures and School Education Gateway - Learning for Sustainability
 Five people from Surefoot participated in a storytelling workshop as part of our Erasmus+ project, Once Upon YOUR Time. Euri and Pam were joined by Callum Arthur, a teacher working online with learners facing barriers to accessing school; Joana Avi-Lorie, a PhD candidate working to create storytelling approaches for children dealing with climate anxiety, and one of SCCAN's storyweavers; and Suzanne O'Donnell, who works with the Climate Ed schools programme run by one of Surefoot's directors. The team spent a week with partners from Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain, learning writing techniques from Juan Pedro Romera, which they will adapt for use with young people. And watch this space as we start sharing some of the writing they each did during the workshop!   Our HeatHack project needs someone to help coordinate our activities!
A small team of people from across Surefoot and the HeatHack group of volunteers will be working together to deliver a programme that will help churches across Scotland understand what a net zero future means for their premises. The programme combines some technical learning and engineering investigation of heating and ventilation systems with Surefoot’s hallmark community engagement approach. If you are organised and able to work independently, using your own initiative, to complete tasks without supervision and this sounds interesting, please read the role description below. If it seems a fit, please apply with your CV and a 1 page cover letter by 5pm 25 May to [email protected] Interviews 1 June 2022 For informal discussion of the role, contact [email protected] HeatHack Project Administrator Role Role Purpose: to provide administrative support to a programme that will help churches understand what a net zero future means for their premises.
Applicants with an interest in community engagement practices, net zero buildings, engineering, data visualisation, or graphic design could by mutual agreement additionally contribute to the programme design. Closing date: 25 May 2022 5 pm. Interviews will be held 1 June 2022. To apply, send your CV and a 1 page covering letter to [email protected]. We welcome all applications – we hire based on merit. Project Administrator Role Description Key Tasks
Required Experience/Skills
Desirable Experience/Skills
Background Information The Surefoot Effect CIC is a Community Interest Company that helps communities, businesses and governments put sustainability and resilience at the heart of what they do. Our approach encourages people to explore their emotions, motivations and behaviours and to make positive changes for themselves and their communities. HeatHack is a volunteer group that has been helping churches understand energy efficiency, heating performance, and thermal comfort in their worship spaces and halls. For this project, a small team of people from across Surefoot and HeatHack will be working together to deliver a programme that will help churches across Scotland understand what a net zero future means for their premises. The programme combines some technical learning and engineering investigation of the premises and its heating and ventilation systems with Surefoot’s hallmark approach, and consists of four small group sessions followed by a public activity for the wider community. Each week, the groups will read material that introduces some basic concepts, hold discussions that that explore what’s right for their community and their buildings, and carry out an exercise that will build up a profile that they can use to discuss their aspirations for the future with professionals and the wider community. The groups will be aided by devices that capture temperature data from their buildings. The project will deliver the programme to 40 small groups involved in running church premises from across Scotland and produce open content materials for use more widely. For informal discussion of the role, contact [email protected]. www.surefoot-effect.com www.heathack.org With the charity Climate Ed's carbon literacy programme, students, teachers and volunteers have a tool to tackle climate change challenges. "I enjoyed it because it inspired me to do more things to help climate change. It was all amazing," says a student participating. Chris, a scientist at Imperial College London said: "I was able to see another side to myself that I don’t get to utilise in my everyday job - so I learned a lot too."  Volunteer Chris and a school class at Sacred Heart Primary in Battersea. Ben Cuddon, founder of Climate Ed and director at Surefoot, says that young people are keen to learn and take action, but also points to a poll stating that 75% of UK teachers feel unprepared to teach about climate change. Climate Ed is stepping in to fill the gap, providing schools with a pre-packaged programme, delivered by trained volunteers, covering all the basics about climate science and, most importantly, how children and their families can take action by reducing their carbon emissions. Over time, Climate Ed aims to roll the programme out to primary and secondary schools throughout London and across the UK. They are interested in hearing from schools, councils and people interested in being volunteers. Please get in touch with Climate Ed if you would like to know more.  The workshop 'Anchoring Communities and Organisations in Resilience,' part of the Erasmus+ project Breakthrough for Resilience: People, Places and Communities, took place in February 2022. Surefoot led participants in the use of six community resilience tools:
Participants actively engaged with the tools and identified ways they might help in their own communities. Some of the feedback given by participants: "I hope to use Pro Action Cafe with group setting up community garden." "I'll share the Sociocracy ideas this very week with a community led activity centre in a disadvantaged neighbourhood nearby." "Sociocracy sounds like an interesting alternative to consensus decision-taking, and well worth trying out. Time banking is a simple idea that I may try with church community." Our next step is to to record testimonies of people using resilience tools and create a series of short videos. If you want to help us out by doing a short interview about your journey of resilience, let us know! Please get in touch with Euri via [email protected] If you are interested in knowing more about our resilience workshops, please contact us on [email protected]. The project Breakthrough for Resilience is co funded by the Erasmus+ programme.
 Surefoot director, Pam Candea, invited to lead a session at The British School of Coaching.
Judith Barton, Founder, and Director of Coaching and Mentoring, at the British School of Coaching, invited Surefoot director, Pam Candea, to do a guest session at the BSC's networking event on 5 March - topic: Coaching for the Climate. As the climate emergency deepens, it impacts everyone in every walk of life in every part of the world now. The UK had 4 named storms in February, for example, and Sydney is subject to devastating flooding as this is being written. Coaches, particularly those working with corporate clients, can bring climate into their coaching to help their clients broaden their sphere of concern to include climate change impacts. As Martin Hill, Senior Tutor and Coach, BSC, pointed out during discussions, "In company law, a company director must act in the way s/he considers, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members as a whole, including, amongst other factors, the impact of company operations on the community and the environment." Feedback from the 40+ coaches at the event centred around one of Pam's favourite themes - that it was good to have time and space to focus on how to bring climate into coaching. Read more about how Surefoot can support your organisation or group with Peer to peer coaching and in reaching Net Zero.  A piece of blank paper. It’s taken out of a packaging which states about the content, “A4, 500 sheets, FSC®Certified EU Eco label Recycled 100%, 80 gsm, 150 CIE.” Neither does it say magic nor time machine in the description, even though clearly everything can happen on a piece of paper. Your point of origin If you think about an event in your life when you were 7 years old it can take you to that very moment. Descriptions of surroundings, touch, smell, taste and dialogues create the portal activating your personal time machine. How you feel in this instant can be expressed on paper with words, drawings, paintings, mind maps or with music notes. Likewise, plans and sketches of everything from gardening, video making, sculptures to the community you dream of can be a building bricks for the future on a piece of paper. Processing feelings and creating envisaged solutions Climate change has an unquestionable effect on our lives. Our (lost) connection to nature is not only to be decoded in state of the world information available in graphs and statistics including species loss, increasing temperatures and carbon dioxide molecules in the atmosphere. How to express ecological grief, climate grief, any sadness experienced due to the loss caused by environmental destruction or climate change? Artistic expression can be one of many ways to face one’s emotions. “Our response to this crisis may vary: from measured expressions of hope through to feelings of despair. Art is one way of articulating and processing these feelings and of sharing envisaged solutions,” states the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust is behind the Health and the Climate and Ecological Emergency Exhibition website which displays submissions in different media such as painting, photography, print, sculpture, performance and video. The article, The art exploring the truth about how climate change began shows us that art can also bring insight about the causes and effects of climate change. This exhibition looks into the roots of global warming and how it impacts the developing world. It points out a link between the world's environmental issues, colonialism and slavery. Resilient narratives and creative steps for the future There are several creative, artistic tools available to us when wanting to go towards more sustainable living. Here’s a few on our list. At Surefoot we work with communities and individuals to strive towards net zero, promote low-carbon living and climate justice, build resilience and support mindful consumption. We often bring creative tools into our workshops when inviting participants to explore and share feelings and ideas. Please contact Surefoot if you would like to know more.  Visual from Surefoot's workshop ‘Anchoring Communities in Resilience’ by participant Alison Shaw. To decode narratives as well as creating new stories about the natural world you might find the free online course in ecolinguistics funded by the University of Gloucestershire useful.
“Ecolinguistics provides tools for revealing the stories we live by, questioning them from an ecological perspective, and contributing to the search for new stories to live by.” The Scottish Communities Climate Action Network has created a Storyteller Collective. Please enjoy the first of a two-part short story ‘The Egg Hunter’ by Surefoot’s Gazelle Buchholtz, a story with a futuristic view into recovering what is first believed lost. Poems are known to evoke feelings and to make it possible to connect to oneself and surroundings. How does the poem ‘Kinship’ by Ursula Le Guin affect you? Please contact Surefoot if you would like to share any piece of magic which you find supportive in the ecological emergency.  To change the future we need to change the present, but to do that we need to have the right conversations. That’s exactly what Alan Heeks and Pamela Candea understand when they work with local people using Future Conversations. Recently, Pamela worked with people from the Uist community, using Future Conversations to help outline a community-led local energy plan. Local Energy Plans To address the looming spectre of climate change and meet net zero targets it’s no longer enough to address the issues at an individual level. Of course, it makes an impact if we reduce our carbon output and eat less meat, but to make leaps forward collaboration is needed. One form of collaborative action on climate change is a Local Energy Plan (LEP) which is a community-led and government-backed process for helping people to identify areas of action in their local communities. Focused action for local climate change targets can then be made. The Island of Uist The Island of Uist is located in the Outer Hebrides off the North coast of Scotland, it is known for its natural beauty, but it’s also the place where local people from a variety of community groups are building a (LEP) with support from Community Energy Scotland and The Surefoot Effect. Surefoot trained a group of facilitators from across Uist to enable them to help local groups identify their needs and make changes to benefit the region and contribute to climate targets. A structured series of sessions, called Future Conversations, created by Alan Heeks, founder of Seeding our Future, was used as the basis for workshops for the facilitators to run with local community groups. “The changes to decarbonise the energy and travel infrastructure will be complex to implement,” said Pamela Candea, a facilitator and Managing Director of The Surefoot Effect, "but the good news is the Scottish government is encouraging groups to create these Local Energy Plans and has agreed to support the implementation.” “Often the changes needed in a local energy plan require large-scale infrastructure like wind turbines; however, the Scottish government is currently interested in supporting these initiatives and helping to ensure local people benefit from them. It’s a key step forward,“ she said. Local buy-in to infrastructure changes starts with including local people at the initial stages of planning and the workshops being run on Uist do just that. Future Conversations Future Conversations is a series of six workshops that train facilitators and empower local people to think about their energy needs for today and tomorrow. These can be adapted to local circumstances and requirements as was done for the project on Uist. This conversations series has been used in several communities across the UK, and more recently in online sessions. Community Action At the heart of a Local Energy Plan in collaboration with Future Conversations is a community spirit that strives to improve the planet by improving its local area. Measurable outcomes are achieved and new perspectives are developed through creative activities and local interactions. In this example, an area of Scotland, armed with a Local Energy Plan of their own, can then lobby the Scottish Government for the funding it needs to make practical changes. The road to Net Zero is not straight and predictable, but if there’s one thing we can do it’s to empower local people to communicate, organise, and lobby governments for the actionable changes that fit their requirements so they can move to low carbon sustainable future. By James Bollen James Bollen is a digital writer and content creator. He writes articles and blogs in a wide range of niches including business and technology but has a particular interest in conscious living practices, nature appreciation, and creative pursuits. He lives in Glasgow with his partner and sibling cats, Hansel and Gretel. Image Credit Saturday morning, after a night scattered with awakeness I’m trying to fall back to sleep. It’s not happening. Instead, one thought meshes into another, and in no time I’m back on the worn track, “What am I doing wrong in my life?” Mentally and physically, I keep aiming for healthy ways to tackle challenges and to maintain an openminded and accommodating approach. But even though I’m fortunate to work in a field supporting environmentally friendly living, I surprise myself by occasional grumpiness when encountering bumps in daily life. They all add up into a draining pile of complaining feelings of not fitting into the big scheme where planning, executing and reaching goals run at a speedy pace. Above all this hovers a fundamental question, “Why can’t I crack the code to fix my issues, get rid of feeling inadequate and overwhelmed and take action in full speed?” Finally, I find a stick to poke into my self-propelled thoughts. Not yet out of bed I let the mind drift out in nature and take a wander in the inner landscape. How would nature deal with my questions? A mighty, old oak appears. I admire the thick bark on the wide trunk, and my gaze moves up at the gnarled branches where I spot only a few acorns and notable distance between the leaves. I would never kick and yell at the tree to produce more acorns, more leaves and more energy. Instead, I admire the strong survivor standing before me. The size of the trunk signals a life spent through countless years, including wartimes and the formation of urban settings. Today, the old oak deals with pollution which the nearby road drags along. In the landscape transformation since it was a tiny sprout, it must have lost many surrounding individuals in the forest which once was. But the oak still upholds life. No matter how big or small a portion of oxygen it produces, it goes to the pool of breathable air. With age it has grown deep furrows which host insects and is a snack bar for birds. In the treetops birds and squirrels run their families, and below in the ground roots are connected to other species in a web of life. With gentleness I will look at fellow beings and myself as we were oaks. Appreciating whatever actions we are capable to carry out must be a keystone for this earthly journey. May the oak be with you. At Surefoot we run activities with space for people to explore and share emotions, motivations and behaviours. With positive changes for people and communities we aim to move towards a sustainable future. See more about how Surefoot can support you. By Gazelle Buchholtz, Surefoot Associate  The Allerton Oak in Calderstones Park in Liverpool. The tree is estimated to be around 1,000 years old.
As part of tackling climate change Scotland has set a goal of becoming Net Zero by 2045. Net Zero can sound technical and seem an abstract goal. We will reach Net Zero when the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we put into the atmosphere are equal to the amount we take out of the atmosphere. In short, aiming for Net Zero is about engaging in climate friendly activities - which often are not only healthy for people and planet, but also for the economy, for example when saving energy in your organisation. Our programme Net Zero for Teams will support your journey towards Net Zero. Net Zero for Teams in your organisation Starting or accelerating your transition to a carbon neutral business may seem daunting. What does operating as a Net Zero business look like for your organisation? Rest assured, with Surefoot’s Net Zero for Teams, your decision-making and transition will be quicker, smoother and more straightforward than you think. As with all successful strategies for change, it starts with you and your team using your expertise to decide what is right for your organisation. How it works Surefoot’s Net Zero for Teams workshops are a mix of information sharing, identifying areas for change and an exploration of possible solutions. In between the workshops, Surefoot supports your team to help finalise the actions needed to achieve their chosen objectives. See more here. Please contact us if you would like to know more.  Growth is an outdated term: instead, businesses must focus on sustainability and meeting Net Zero targets. Build a sustainable, resilient business with The Surefoot Effect.  Making changes to your business and turning the tide of climate change can seem like a daunting task, especially when you don't know where to start. The Surefoot Effect offers a series of courses, training programs, and workshops to help businesses equip themselves for a more sustainable future. Read on to find out how to make your business more planet-friendly.
Carbon Conversations Chances are you have a carbon output for your business that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, but it's not as if you can flick a switch and your business becomes sustainable. It takes time and careful planning to work towards Net Zero by mid-century - this is the global aim. With Carbon Conversations, you can begin to discuss the issues at hand and work out how to integrate progressive thinking into your business model. Carbon Conversations at The Surefoot Effect is a series of guided discussions to help you with sustainable business planning. Climate Conversations The future starts today! That's because the choices we make in our present time and our lifestyle practices echo down through the ages. People's choices in the past have caused the climate crisis today, but now, we have an opportunity to build a better future. The Surefoot Effect offers a series of workshops on the subject of future conversations. These workshops aim to equip businesses with the foresight to implement changes that lead to progressive outcomes."Future Conversations" is the smart way to make a difference. Team Engagement Training Net Zero by mid-century is the target and the way to get there through sustainability practices. The next decade is crucial to the success of maintaining a 1.5°C rise above pre-industrial levels; to achieve this, businesses must change their paradigms and balance their carbon outputs. Again, this isn't an easy task, especially if you lack qualified persons in your management teams; but, thankfully, there's an easy solution. The Surefoot Effect offers a Team Engagement programme that provides the tools needed to help businesses operate more sustainably. The Surefoot Effect It is worthwhile to think about our individual contributions to climate change, but it won't be enough to turn the tide and reach Net Zero by mid-century. For that, we need commercial interests to pull their weight as well. The Surefoot Effect is here to help - use their workshops and courses to equip your business for a more sustainable and prosperous future. By James Bollen James Bollen is a digital writer and content creator. He writes articles and blogs in a wide range of niches including business and technology but has a particular interest in conscious living practices, nature appreciation, and creative pursuits. He lives in Glasgow with his partner and sibling cats, Hansel and Gretel. Our first workshops of the year is about fostering resilience for a flourishing life, community, and the places where we live and enjoy. You might already have experienced our resilience building workshops during 2021. Whether you have already participated or not, you are most welcome to join the next pair of workshops in February. The workshops are free but please sign up via Eventbrite: Anchoring Communities and Organisations in Resilience in February. At the workshop we will work with resilience tools as: - Compass of Resilience - Time Banking - Community Land Trust The workshops are part of the project Breakthrough for Resilience: People, Places and Communities.  Net Zero is a challenge facing companies of all sizes, but becoming planet-friendly doesn’t have to be expensive; in fact, it can benefit your business  We’ve all sat in the cinema eating popcorn watching the latest Hollywood disaster movie. The characters have to contend with a giant city-levelling wave, a twister that threatens a small town or a story of future scarcity with humanity living on the brink of extinction. Unfortunately, these scenarios have become too realistic in the face of climate change, now we are the protagonists.
What is Net Zero? Anthropogenic climate change is the rise in global temperatures as a result of human activity. Most scientists agree that this began in the 19th century (around the 1830s), right at the start of the industrial era. However, evidence is emerging that earlier human activity also had an effect. Humans need energy for heat and light which comes from fossilised carbon. Over time, the earth absorbed carbon from the air and stored it in ground deposits, humans now release it back into the air. Net Zero is the balance between carbon emissions and carbon absorption. The Paris Climate Agreement In 2015, 196 parties signed up to the Paris Agreement, also known as the climate accord, at COP 21. The parties agreed to a climate change target; global temperatures should not exceed 2°C by mid-century with a target of 1.5°C rise temperatures in relation to pre-industrial levels. The Paris Agreement works in 5-year cycles; each cycle has increasingly ambitious targets leading to a reduction in carbon output and stabilisation of temperatures. For this to happen, countries and industries are expected to make adequate changes to their carbon emissions. Make Your Company Planet Friendly Multi-national companies such as Amazon and Microsoft have made ambitious pledges. Amazon says it can reach Net Zero by 2040, and Microsoft aims to do it by 2030. It remains to be seen how realistic and authentic these pledges are, but every business needs to change. It’s not only global giants that are expected to implement changes to reduce emissions; businesses of all sizes can contribute to carbon neutrality. Regardless of your company size, the task is to measure your “climate shadow”, including past emissions, and work towards Net-Zero. The Upside of Company Changes When it comes to business, it’s all about the bottom line, so when managers and CEOs hear about climate change policy, the first thing they ask is, how much is it going to cost? There’s good news, becoming Net Zero involves efficiency changes that ac increase your revenue. Cost reduction and increased efficiency are two of the upsides of Net Zero targets, but there’s more. The next ten years are crucial to turning the tide on climate change, and everyone knows it! Customers are likely to respond to companies making genuine efforts towards Net Zero. The Surefoot Effect Every business is different, and achieving Net Zero requires focus and creativity. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, which is why The Surefoot Effect Net Zero programme help your business to build the Net Zero infrastructure it needs. Contact The Surefoot Effect today and learn more about the dynamic and proven strategies they use to cut carbon in your company. By James Bollen James Bollen is a digital writer and content creator. He writes articles and blogs in a wide range of niches including business and technology but has a particular interest in conscious living practices, nature appreciation, and creative pursuits. He lives in Glasgow with his partner and sibling cats, Hansel and Gretel. To build a better future we need to build a better present! These are wise words, but how can we make a better “present” without having the right conversations?  Image credit: www.unsplash.com Are you talking about climate change in your business? Perhaps it’s been kicked down the agenda in favour of growth strategies or commercial processes; if so, it’s time to re-think your priorities. The effects of climate change are becoming more obvious every year and it’s affecting local and global communities. People, nations, and businesses must adapt to survive.
What is Net Zero and why do we need it? We are living in the Anthropocene, an epoch of earth characterised by the dominance of humans on the planet. Humans have impacted the planet significantly, changing the landscapes dramatically and increasing the presence of poisonous gases in the atmosphere. Human existence is only possible because the earth absorbed these poisonous gases and trapped them underground making photosynthesis possible and therefore oxygen. Today, industrial activity is releasing these gases into the air. Find out more with Carbon Conversations. How can I make my business sustainable? At one time (not too long ago) commerce was all about growth, but that was before the realities of climate change started to take effect. Now businesses and customers realise the importance of long term strategies that limit carbon output to Net Zero while maintaining productivity. Commercial sustainability is the path to Net Zero and a carbon-neutral planet - that is a planet that does not produce more carbon than it can absorb. Every person and business has a part to play but it isn’t always straightforward. Learn how to meet Net Zero targets at The Surefoot Effect. How can we overcome eco-anxiety? Eco anxiety refers to the feeling of fear we get concerning environmental destruction and our societies of the future. Eco anxiety can affect people on a personal level, but it can also affect companies - how is it possible to plan for the future when it is so uncertain and perilous? There’s good news! Although eco-anxiety can make us feel powerless, one of the best ways to cope is to take positive action. Understanding the theory behind eco-anxiety and teaching practices to alleviate this is what The Surefoot Effect does best - see their Resilience Workshops. What is a company’s “climate shadow”? Much is made for our carbon footprints nowadays, everyone is encouraged to calculate how much carbon they use in their daily lives and to make changes to reduce that number; while this practice is admirable on a personal level it is somewhat misleading and doesn’t go far enough. The carbon footprint was thought up by major oil companies and directs attention away from the real problem. The “climate shadow” is a more useful idea, it reclaims the language of climate change and offers a more holistic measure of carbon consumption for people and companies. The Surefoot Effect The Surefoot Effect works with communities and businesses on a range of climate change issues. Through workshops, courses, mentoring, and team engagement, you can learn how to equip your business to meet the challenges of climate change. The challenges are both psychological and practical, but they require the right conversations to build a better future. By James Bollen James Bollen is a digital writer and content creator. He writes articles and blogs in a wide range of niches including business and technology but has a particular interest in conscious living practices, nature appreciation, and creative pursuits. He lives in Glasgow with his partner and sibling cats, Hansel and Gretel. How to create an off-grid organic permaculture farm in a semi-arid region of rural Africa with focus on sustainability, equality, community and independency? Get the answer with the 5-minute video tour in Kenya where Selina Nkoile will show you around the 2.5 acre off-grid homestead Bomanoma. The construction of Bomanoma began in December 2019. Now, it’s a flourishing place running 100% on solar energy and collecting enough rainwater to maintain a diverse collection of crops and other plants with diverse functions, for example natural tissue paper and perfume. Everything is farmed on the principals of organic permaculture. As stated on Bomanoma’s website, it’s a place “Where Traditional Nomadic Culture Meets Modern Regenerative Agriculture and Ingenuity” www.bomanoma.com Enjoy the video trip through a traditional and authentic Maasai homestead embedded in community spirit and surrounded by a sustainable rich and varied garden. The place is open as a learning demonstration site for everyone: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEBelPUM8tA  COP 26 brought global nations together with the aim of slowing down climate change by mid-century, but is the 1.5 still alive, or is it on life support?  David Attenborough spoke confidently and passionately from the podium at COP 26 in Glasgow. He made many strong and insightful remarks, but he left us with a clear intention for when the pageantry was over - will the measure of the concentration of carbon in our atmosphere rise or fall after the summit? The answer is uncertain, but it’s clear that industries can do more to help. COP 26 Agreements After two weeks of presentations and discussions, the curtain finally closed on the UN’s annual climate change summit in Glasgow. So what was the outcome? According to some analysts, activists, and commentators, COP 26 didn’t do nearly enough, but it did agree on some things. According to COP 26 president, Alok Sharma, the summit succeeded in affirming the Paris Agreement’s aim to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C by mid-century. Successes included talks on limiting coal usage for the first time and rules to govern cross-border carbon credits. COP 26 Failures Despite agreements made in the Glasgow Climate Pact, the summit didn’t go far enough according to some analysts. Alok Sharma called for “phasing out” of coal power by mid-century - at 46% coal is the biggest contributor to anthropogenic climate change, but calls failed. Instead, negotiators agreed to “phase-down” coal usage, but developed nations like India and China will continue to use it in the 2040s. There were also failures with regards to climate justice - the adaptation fund received support, but the funding levels remain woefully inadequate. Action is Needed Promises, promises, promises. Over one hundred nations promised to cut their methane output by 30% by 2030, and 130 nations possessing 90% of global forests promised to reverse deforestation. To find out what your business can actively do, visit Net-Zero at Surefoot-effect. The central problem with COP 26 was not necessarily the sentiment, although some say there was more greenwashing than activism on the part of governments; the problem was (and still is) accountability - will nations act on the commitments they have failed to keep at previous COPs? Future Prospects At present, there is no legal framework for accountability on climate change, which might change when the water starts to rise, but for now, the pledges are based solely on goodwill and cultural pressure. It seems nations are beginning to wake up, but there’s much work to be done. Some commentators point to the lack of young people and women in future conversations, for instance. Still, there is room for optimism. As climate activist Greta Thunberg said “... the real work continues outside these halls. And, we will never give up, ever.” A popular sentiment. The Surefoot Effect It’s no longer possible to ignore the effects of climate change, and your business has a role to play in turning the tide. It’s time to start learning about Net-Zero and building responsibility into your enterprise. If you’re interested in making your business more planet-friendly, visit the Surefoot-Effect and take part in climate change training, mentoring, courses and workshops. By James Bollen James Bollen is a digital writer and content creator. He writes articles and blogs in a wide range of niches including business and technology but has a particular interest in conscious living practices, nature appreciation, and creative pursuits. He lives in Glasgow with his partner and sibling cats, Hansel and Gretel.
In Eswatini, the Southern African country formerly known as Swaziland until 2018, a new movement is taking form to engage young people in a broad range of climate change actions. In a country where flights and overconsumption aren’t options for most people, worldwide climate advice needs to be replaced with initiatives rooted in local reality. Even the Eswatini average carbon footprint is low, there are still actions to take to mitigate climate change effects. Local understanding and education, improvement of infrastructure and engagement of the young people which make up a large part of the country’s population, can support Eswatini towards a sustainable future. As places and people are globally interlinked, we get valuable insight into the state of the world when listening to voices from Eswatini. Supporting the youth in taking action At Surefoot we have talked with Dane Armstrong and Tamika Du-Pont from Eswatini, who are on the steering committee of a youth led climate change network called Hlumisa (which translates ‘to make grow’ or ‘to sprout’). They are also engaged in the Eswatini Climate Coalition which offers a platform for engaging in climate change news and projects around climate justice. This is one of a series where we are speaking with people from organisations around the world, to get first-hand insight into climate change and environmentally friendly actions. Dane, who is an artist who also works in climate adaptation, policy and food systems, explains the need to engage young people in climate change actions, “There is a gap between the governmental goals and citizens participation. With our platform we share news and information, reach out to schools, create workshops, organise marches, and use the creative arts to raise awareness around climate change.” Like other places on the planet, the Covid-pandemic has put many activities on hold. Since there has been a shift to online activities, inequality has become more visible. Internet connections are expensive for many people, and once connected the internet is not always reliable. Their work with high school students aged 15 - 30 years old, including a festival and the pilot of a climate platform, was postponed due to the pandemic, but the activities are again going forward as they look to rebuild and forge ahead.  Time for change With a background in environmental science and concern of the social aspects of the environment, Tamika points out the importance of forming a community where different skills come into play, whether it’s about saving energy or creating art. “A small wave of climate change awareness is here, but many more need to know about the consequences and initiatives to build resilience. It should be followed up with governmental actions and rebuilding of the infrastructure. There is a call for optimisation of the national transportation system within the small sized country. We need for example cycle lanes, and a more reliable public transportation system to allow people to participate in greener and more sustainable means of living,” explains Tamika. Recycling is a simple example of a weak spot in the infrastructure. Dane mentions the lack of information and access to recycling (which does exist as an option), even to people who have the means and desire to participate. There are further steps to take when encouraging change on a personal level. Reducing meat towards a more plant-based diet is a challenge due to cultural habits, and there is not much information in circulation about the environmental benefits. Also, embracing agroecological food systems, promoting organic gardens and buying locally produced food and other products would help mitigate the climate change effect. “People should be exposed and encouraged to adopt these possibilities,” states Tamika. The storm to initiate change Heavy rain, extreme storms, heat waves, drought and high temperature in October, which are normally experienced in December, are some of the potential climate change effects already being felt in Eswatini. This is on the back of the extreme drought that was felt in the region between 2015/2016, which thrust climate change into everyone's minds due to the huge personal effect this had on everyone’s lives. Roads, agriculture and livestock are constantly at risk or affected. “Last weekend almost everyone in my neighbourhood was on their roof fixing holes after a heavy rain and hailstorm,” informs Tamika. In a time where it’s difficult to predict what will happen in the wake of climate change, uncertainty has become a weighty actor. “People can see that climate change is happening, but often it has been forgotten on the other side of the storm. But now, the bubble starts to burst,” says Dane and explains about these early days of awareness and action. Discussions, debates and aiming for shared solutions between citizens and the city councils are wanted. When climate change impacts strike, people are often left alone to deal with the effects, for example repairing their houses. If support appears in a sudden climate change disaster, most often it is short-term oriented, like the provision of food supplies. This is important, but there is a demand for a shift in political attitude towards climate change challenges. Empowering agencies already established in the local areas would strengthen the forces already there to meet emergency situations. Furthermore, viewing solutions to climate change impacts not as an expense but as an investment in long-term sustainable solutions would support the future of the country and its people. If such initiatives become part of supporting Africa as a whole, this will make the continent stronger. And again, on an even bigger scale, if we at a global level are concerned about what is happening to various places on the planet, we will all learn more about climate change and what it takes to deal with it. Dane mentions Madagascar as a place with hardly any attention from the global society. The fourth largest island in the world, with animals and plants found nowhere else on the planet, is currently facing a devastating dry season which has left people in starvation. The UN predicts it might turn into the world’s first climate change famine[1]. Sharing is caring It might be a clichéd saying, but nevertheless sharing is caring. And shared communities are also what the young people want to be engaged in, when asking Tamika and Dane what the youth in Eswatini prefer among their offered activities. Platforms for sharing are essential for young people worldwide, and Eswatini is no exception - it is fundamental for change. Space to share knowledge, skills, experience, creative work and ideas. A place which invites young people to think and to be listened to, to be able to deal with challenges in their part of the world, and to be a part of the global community. By Gazelle Buchholtz [1] https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/10/1103712 If you like to follow the work of Tamika and Dane see more here:
www.eswatiniclimate.org, [email protected] Twitter: @ClimateEswatini Hlumisa email: [email protected] Tamika Du-Pont linkedin, Personal email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamikadupont/ As part of our project Sustainability, Heritage, Health (SHH), I have had the pleasure of investigating, planning and piloting our three planned walks in Scotland. Each walk showcases a different aspect of this beautiful country. This description of the routes is a step towards populating the app we are developing with our partners. Enjoy the tour. Walking through a UNESCO World Heritage Site The first walk I was lucky enough to experience was through the capital, Edinburgh, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site in its entirety. Starting on the far side of Duddingston Loch, I re-entered the city overlooking a quiet nature reserve in the shadow of the imposing Arthur’s Seat hill. The natural and green slowly gave way to the urban, though was never truly absent. Crossing through the Meadows, a park brimming with the vibrancy of Edinburgh’s youth, into the historic Old Town highlighted the duality of the city. It has often been referred to as two cities built on top of each other, which one can see as they walk towards the Royal Mile over the sides of the many bridges over the streets below. Here is where the tourists congregate; street performers fill the approach to the mighty castle and the sound of bagpipes is ever in the air. Around every corner the rich history of Edinburgh burgeons, and there is far too much to take in on a single visit. In the view of the castle, I began to exit the centre of the city, looking up at the majestic facade with the sun on my face and the fading sound of bagpipes behind me. After narrowly avoiding Edinburgh’s inevitable shopping district, I found myself going down a tiny path next to a grand bridge, not knowing the hidden oasis that awaited me below. By the side of a tiny river, an 800 year old milling village, with modern additions and restorations, sits inconspicuously and easily missed. As a resident of Edinburgh, this was my favourite surprise while planning the route. The walk carries us down the Water of Leith, past galleries and striking memorials. It is truly a treasure in the midst of the city it cuts through. Finally, I exit the city proper and walk briefly through a residential area towards the walk’s terminus on Corstorphine Hill. At its summit, a single stone tower sits amidst the trees, and on the descent, I was greeted by the stunning view of the Forth Bridges, illuminated as if by a complicit sun. On the trail of the industrial revolution, Roman occupation and engineering wonder Moving slightly out from the urban centre, the next route took me through some unlikely places over two days. Some people may say that starting a walk in Cumbernauld industrial estate is a bad idea. I don’t. Central Scotland is an area with a long history of industrialisation, deindustrialisation and disparity. Starting in an “ugly” urban area, I take a path weaving through Scotland’s industrial history along the very canals that propelled it. I see power stations that are rapidly approaching redundancy alongside the distant wind turbines that will replace them. I see the remains of long past Roman attempts at quelling the wild, ever-changing landscape. And I see what the Scottish people have built while preserving the incredible natural beauty just beyond our doorsteps. The Roman wall and hill fort of Rough Castle were impressive given what remains - just earth having been moved for purposes long abandoned. Seeing them and taking in the weight of their history is, I’m sure, something that everyone will react to differently. Shortly after, the contrast of millennia is exemplified by the incredible Falkirk Wheel. “A lift for canal boats” is one way to describe this engineering and artistic marvel, but that doesn’t quite do it justice. The canals themselves were truly welcoming, with boatmen travelling along them for work or just a lovely day out, all willing to greet walkers warmly. It felt like a secret route; central Scotland is the most populated and industrial area of the country, and yet you could hardly tell such have the canals been forgotten by all but an eclectic few. The Avon Aqueduct marked the end of my time by the canalside and my lingering memory of it is one of fear. The aqueduct is really, really high. I’d like to tell you more about it, I’m sure it’s beautiful and an impressive feat of architecture, but mostly I just remember how high it is, 35 metres! Luckily for my acrophobic self, the rest of the walk bore me gently through the woods to Linlithgow, its rich history and many pubs. A breeze of coastline stories The third route abandons the urban side of Scotland almost entirely. Only a short bus ride from Edinburgh, the coast of Fife presents some of the most beautiful walking I have ever done. It presented a bit more of an escape for three days through historic fishing villages, each with their own local stories and personalities. The local history is told through countless information boards, and the efforts to conserve the coastal wildlife is espoused on signs throughout. Local farms put up honesty boxes to sell their products, which always make me far happier than they possibly should. There are a number of golf courses on the route which one must navigate, but one can hardly blame them for setting up here; the views out to sea are absolutely staggering. Distant tiny islands boast their own stories and beckon curiosity, just as the views up and down the coastline itself draw you further along with the promise of further beauty. More than the other routes, this one is peaceful. A quiet meal with a harbour view is a memory that I will cherish, especially because I was lucky enough to share it with someone special.   In September, we held two sessions of our workshop 'Creativity Builds Resilience'. These are part of the adult education project Breakthrough for Resilience: People, Places and Communities. The sessions were designed by our Greek partner, the 'Greek Society for Social Psychology and Psychriatry', which together with organisations in Italy and Sweden make up the consortium. 'Creativity Builds Resilience' showcases tools which use the creative arts to help build individual resilience such as 'name your feelings', the drawing of mandala and street art as a resilience tool, 'dealing with criticism' or listening to baroque music. After the workshop, comments included: "Balance of sharing, explanations, and practice was excellent", and "Thank you for cultivating a safe, trusted space in such a short time. I’m so thankful also that you were able to make this accessible in the way you have." Please contact us if you are interested in these workshops for your organisation.  Street art by Tom Bob. In the workshop we looked into how street art can be liberating and bring resilience.  The project is co funded by the Erasmus+ programme. One of the primary goals for Crops For the Future Research Centre[i] (CFFRC) is to secure a greater role for underutilised crops in global agriculture, especially in developing regions of the world. CFFRC's function includes global campaigning as well as the collection and distribution of information on underutilised crops for food and non-food applications. The organisation has developed an online tool called CropBASE, a data-to-decision solution that focuses on agricultural diversification. This is free for farmers, researchers and everyone with an interest in sustainable agriculture. The changing political scene in Malaysia over the last few years has caused instability in the organisation’s work. Established in 2014, CFFRC closed its doors in May 2020 after the Government of Malaysia’s agreed-upon period of funding support came to an end. The closure has resulted in the move of CFFRC to the UK, now known as CFFUK where it continues to work for a worldwide varied supply of food sources to benefit both people and the planet. Biodiversity incorporated in agriculture At Surefoot we have talked with PhD student Gomathy Sethuraman at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. The online conversation is one of a series where we speak with people from organisations around the world, to get first-hand insight into climate change and environmentally friendly actions. Gomathy Sethuraman has worked for about 15 years in various laboratory settings and joined the Research Division at CFFRC in 2015 as the Technical Support Manager. Her main tasks were to provide technical support in equipment setup and usage, sample analysis and data collection, including report writing related to crop studies & nutrition profiling. “Despite there being approximately 30,000 known plant species documented for human use, less than 20 species provide the world’s food and only four major crops namely wheat, corn, rice and soybean account for the majority of the world’s food production. There are at least 7000 plant species identified as food sources that remain underutilised or lesser-known; these crops are very rich in vitamins and nutrients. Whilst bringing new flavours to the meals, they also have the potential to improve both food and nutrition security. As knowledge is scarce on these underutilised crops it presents a challenge to incorporate these lesser-known crops into the agriculture sector,” says Gomathy. Together with colleagues she has published a few papers on some of these underutilised crops found in Malaysia. One such crop is sacha inchi[ii] which is native to the Amazon rainforest but can now be found in other parts of the world including Malaysia. Its high levels of fatty acids (Omega 3, 6 and 9) and easily digestible protein are not common in other vegetable oil. The team is pleased to find out that there are farmers around Malaysia who have started working on this crop. Hopefully, this will lead to further collating of information and dissemination to a wider audience with the hope that more farmers will explore the underutilised crop that has valuable traits not only to improve diversity in agriculture but also to mitigate climate change and reduce the use of pesticide and fertiliser that contributes to the carbon footprint of agriculture. Positive effects of more local food “The Malaysian government’s goal of being carbon neutral in 2050, I believe is a difficult target to achieve as a large portion of the country’s food is being imported from all over the world despite it being an agricultural country. More varied and locally produced food would help to decrease carbon emissions and the negative climate effect,” says Gomathy and she elaborates on climate change in Malaysia. Monsoon is a typical recurring annual event, but now it causes more flooding than usual. Water levels can at times reach the heights of house roofs. Likewise, extreme heat is a more frequent phenomenon. The average temperature rise of 1 - 2°C doesn’t seem much on the skin of our body, but plants experience it differently. The flowering of some plants is affected by the temperature change, which directly affects the yield production. With a number of changes of government in Malaysia over the past several years, Gomathy calls out for stability for the support of environmentally friendly initiatives which aim to ease the impacts of climate change, regardless of changes in the political agenda. Creating value out of challenges One positive ‘side-effect’ of moving Crops For the Future to the UK, is that now the organisation has established new partnerships with other countries and has gained international recognition. Gomathy underlines the persistent effort of the CEO at Crops For the Future, Sayed Nader Azam-Ali. His book, ‘The Ninth Revolution, Transforming Food Systems For Good’ was released earlier this year, and the organisation continues to promote the Global Action Plan for Agricultural Diversification (GAPAD) through its participation in the AIRCA consortium and work with a range of partners. CFFUK is also looking into expanding its approach globally and currently working towards establishing in South Africa with hosting by the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg and a preliminary exploration underway in Australia with the goal to create regional centres with complementary expertise that can contribute to a variety of food system research projects throughout the world. On the question of how to support underutilised crop production, Gomathy points out knowledge sharing as an important initiative. Knowledge is an important tool for any form of advancement, and it should start in the family. Some of these crops were grown by our ancestors and they are lost in the transition of time. Gomathy teaches her daughters of seven and twelve years old who take part in growing edible plants like long beans, tomatoes, okra and some leafy vegetables in their home in Selangor. She iterates, whenever we buy food, we ask questions like, “Where is this food produced, is it coming from a local farm or has it taken a flight to come to our shelves, has there been the use of pesticides, how much has it been processed, and what kind of packaging material is used? Could there be an option for locally fresh, less processed food, with a minimum wrapping be available as a substitute?”  When Gomathy participated in Carbon Conversations conducted by Surefoot in 2009, she was surprised about the carbon footprint of food transported by plane, “It is not enough to go for vegetables and fruits, the footprint of transport is a significant factor to take into consideration when assessing the impact of our food. Educational programmes available to all would be a great help for people to find out how to choose climate-friendly food sources.” Gomathy also highlights that it does not help the situation by pointing fingers and judging people for their eating habits, especially those who consume meat or highly processed food products. Instead, we can inspire and share the knowledge towards a varied food option that is good for us and the planet since there are more than 7000 crops documented for food sources.
By Gazelle Buchholtz For more information: [i] Gregory, P. J.; Mayes, S.; Hui, C. H.; Jahanshiri, E.; Julkifle, A.; Kuppusamy, G.; Kuan, H. W.; Lin, T. X.; Massawe, F.; Suhairi, T. A. S. T. M.; Azam-Ali, S. N. Crops For the Future (CFF): An Overview of Research Efforts in the Adoption of Underutilised Species. Planta 2019, 250 (3), 979–988. Overview of CFFRC, Malaysia [ii] Sethuraman, G.; Nizar, N. M. M.; Muhamad, F. N.; Gregory, P. J.; Jahanshiri, E.; Azam-Ali, S. Nutrition Composition of Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia Volubikis L.). International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) 2020, 7 (9), 271–277. Join us to experience and learn how to use a selection of Resilience of Place tools the 22nd and 29th of November. The workshops are part of our series of Erasmus+ funded resilience workshops, following on from our 'Creativity Builds Resilience' workshops where one participant told us: "The workshop was very helpful and inspiring. I've never experienced an online workshop in this moving way before. Connecting and exchanging with others in the breakout rooms and getting to apply the techniques together and to try them out instantly was very rewarding." In the two connected workshops, participants will learn about resilience tools for communities: - Landscape reading - Restoration - Transformation - Conservation & visualisation - Fairytales We promise fun and relaxing sessions to support resilience for you and your community. You can sign up for these free sessions here. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone who may be interested and let us know if this is something we can run for a group or organisation.  Our next team task is to create an app for all to access details of the routes in the project Sustainability, Heritage, Health. Together with our three partners, we have now finished trialling the three routes in each partner country which make up the 'Sustainable Walks Programme.' The programme aims to create routes for people to learn about local heritage as well as initiatives to build sustainability. At Surefoot we have designed a one-day route within the city of Edinburgh, a 2-day route from Lenzie near Glasgow to Linlithgow, and a 3-day route alongside the coast of Fife with the option to finish in St. Andrews. The 1-day Edinburgh route stops at places such as the Patrick Geddes Museum that commemorates the life of the Scottish town planner and environmentalist, the local green cooperative 'The New Leaf', and the UNESCO-designated Dean Village at the outskirts of the city. Partners in Spain, Lithuania and Greece have designed routes along the St. James Way as it crosses the northern city of Santander, a section of the Lithuanian Baltic coast, and a route along the coast of Athens that ends at Sounio where there is an iconic temple dedicated to Poseidon. Happy walking until next update. Find out more about the SHH apps >>  From engaging people in nature conservation and creating crafts from plastic waste to inviting visitors to take part in the daily lives of private homes, Eco Hub Africa in Western Uganda strives to empower people and places. With increasing flooding impacting daily life and health of humans and nature, local understanding and knowledge sharing on a global scale are required to create a sustainable life. Ripple effects of climate change At Surefoot we talk with people from organisations around the world, to get firsthand insight into climate change and environmentally friendly actions. An online conversation with Goodman Bwambale and William Bwambale, who are Environmental Management leaders at the organisation Eco Hub Africa in Kasese, Western Uganda, illustrates the ripple effects of climate change. The Kasese district is surrounded by several national parks, among these are Rwenzori Mountains National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. The snowcapped Rwenzori mountains, known as mountains of the moon, includes the Margherita Peak which with more than 5100 meter is the highest summit of the Ruwenzori Range in East Africa. Environmental impacts in Kasese carve deep traces in both natural and residential areas. Citizens, residences, hospital and national parks are affected by increased flooding. The river Nyamwamba in the Kilembe subcounty Kasese district floods every year, but the amount of water is increasing, and flooding is now happening outside the typical season. In 2016 there were 25,445 people effected by flooding, in 2020 the number was 120,000 people.[i] The Kilembe Mines hospital, which since 1951 has been a ‘health sanctuary’ for most communities in western Uganda, was destroyed by flooding in May 2020. It’s still not recovered from the effects of the catastrophe. The same day of our conversation, William followed up by email to say that the river Nyamwamba had just burst its banks causing devastating flood in the lowland of Kilembe Valley and parts of Kasese municipality. The Rwenzori mountains is a catchment area of major rivers as Nyamwamba, Mubuku, Lhubiriha and Thako. These rivers have been flooding since 2013 causing loss of life, loss of property and displacement of people in the Kasese district and impacts on the natural environment and ecosystem. “When flooding causes the riverbanks to burst, waste is being transported from the residential areas in the valley into natural habitats, where for example toxic substances pollute Lake George and Lake Edward in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. This includes killing the fish,” Goodman explains. Nurturing the sprouts Goodman points out that whereas burning fossil fuel is the primary source of carbon emissions many places on the earth, a great part of the emissions in Africa is caused due to households’ dependency on woodburning as an energy source. Another environmental problem is plastic waste which is to be found everywhere. The core work of the Eco Hub Africa is activities providing skills to especially children and to mothers with no formal education. Nature conservation, creating crafts of plastic waste, and taking part in training for the tourism industry are central areas. William and Goodman, both with a background in the tourism industry, organise free hosting of travelers and volunteers to provide an opportunity to exchange experience with the local people in private homes. At the Eco Hub Africa, birthdays are celebrated by inviting people to join tree planting and to make crafts of plastic waste. When working with children, Goodman and William witness the development of care and engagement in the natural world which nurtures the future conservationists. However, the persistent, ongoing engagement by many is a crucial factor when you try to make positive ripple effects with sustainable outcome.  To grow long-term solutions in web of communities “One thing is to plant seedlings, another is to nurture the growth of the trees,” states Goodman. During our conversation, it’s pointed out that environmentally friendly projects should be founded in holistic perspectives, long-term planning and knowledge of the local area. More people are needed aboard as natural conservationists, to have supportive hands to take responsibility for plants as well for sharing knowledge. It’s not enough to initiate projects, they also need to be adjusted to local areas and supported in the implementation phase until they are up running. As much as global cooperation is important in a worldwide climate crisis, it is essential to know the ground you stand on, no matter where you are in the world. Goodman and William aim to reach out to the broader community, to obtain knowledge sharing across borders and global coordination. “We need joined efforts,” they say when they remind me of the recent flood in New York. As basement apartments were filled with water in no time, at least 14 people were killed in the flooding in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.[ii] As William ends in his updating email, “Climate change does not affect only Africa, it affects the whole World.” Contact William Bwambale if you would like to know more about Eco Hub Africa: [email protected], WhatsApp +256789434763. By Gazelle Buchholtz [i] Source: https://www.infonile.org/en/2021/05/kasese-battles-the-aftermath-of-destructive-floods/ [ii] Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/02/new-york-flooding-state-of-emergency-ny-city-flash-flood-nyc-hurricane-ida-remnants The Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland’s (ERCS) vision is of a Scotland where every person’s right to live in a healthy environment is fully realised. Individuals and communities can get support to use their rights to protect the environment, tackle climate change, improve local biodiversity and make greenspaces healthier and wilder. The aim is to provide help to challenge environmental injustices and advance our human right to a healthy environment. Shivali Fifield, associate of The Surefoot Effect and Chief Officer for the ERCS, explains: “We offer free advice on environmental law, which includes law relating to land-use planning, climate change, pollution control, environmental health, conservation, and any other field, for example transport and energy, to the extent that it impacts on the natural environment in Scotland.” If you need advice, get in contact by the online form www.ercs.scot/get-advice. This could be on a specific issue, for example a worrying planning application or loss of greenspace in your neighbourhood, or a more general question such as your rights to environmental information. To find out more about ERCS’s work on policy and law reform, check out www.ercs.scot and @ERCScot on twitter.  |
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