Why community action matters
In Wicked Leeks – Climate Special – Issue 8 Published on Nov 10, 2021
What we are doing
We are lobbying our local MPs to ensure the government introduces sensible funding, and are working with other groups to encourage our local councils to get serious about providing advice and managing grants.
Our Open Eco Homes Day in October showcased heat pumps, insulation, and other energy efficiency measures in 12 homes. The hosts will continue to offer advice and help. Our renewable energy study will estimate how much electricity we need and explore options of how we might generate it locally. Most importantly, we are involving residents in the discussion and starting a conversation with the Peak Park.
We are also engaging with farmers and landowners to help them reduce their emissions, capture more carbon, and increase biodiversity. Our village rewilding groups are planting hundreds of trees, and working with local councils to change verge mowing regimes to allow wildflowers to seed and to create wildlife corridors.
Our School Climate Challenge with all 11 schools in the Hope Valley is proving to be popular with pupils and teachers. We play a card game to engage and empower children to take action against climate change. Every child who gets their family to make pledges online wins a prize of Greta Thunberg’s book, No One Is Too Small To Make a Difference, and the best school wins the School Climate Challenge certificate.
We also need systemic change to combat climate change. Global leaders at COP26 currently follow private interests and public opinion, so our local actions and demands matter. We are building relationships with our local MPs and councillors, and influencing their thinking.
If hundreds of groups like HVCA in Britain and worldwide take action and demand change, our governments will deliver the transformational policies we need.
