The Four Threads of Change: Everybody is on an Eco-journey.
If we clarify what we can do to combat ecological degradation and climate change then it becomes manageable. We can see our journey as having four areas or threads. How fast anyone travels down any thread, and the particular route that thread takes is up to her/him. Different people will find the suggestions within each thread challenging to different degrees. It doesn’t matter where you are on the journey just be aware of the threads and make informed choices about where to go next. Crucially, we all need to be better informed, the answers aren’t simple and we must be ready to change tack and priorities. At all times we should practise cognitive dissonance: the practice of questioning our own beliefs. The journey will also be one of better well being and the joy of reconnecting with nature and the mental stimulation of understanding the complexity of eco-systems, and that we are part of them.
Our aims, combining all 4 threads are this;
To restore eco-systems
To encourage people to continually inform themselves
To help communities form more supportive bonds
To help families form closer bonds
To encourage people to reconnect with nature
A result of all this we believe will be greater well being
The four threads are:
The yellow thread: Sustainable Living This is about looking at changes we can make in our own lives and rebuilding communities to support each other.
The green thread: Local Eco-Restoration Projects This is about joining in with already established volunteer programmes and setting up our own where this is lacking, finding out about what used to be and restoring it as far as possible.
The red thread: Lobbying for Change This is about using a variety of techniques to get authorities, organizations, companies and institutions to make changes for the better. The techniques go from very gentle (eg writing a letter) to art, to activism (eg a lock on) as suits the individual.
The blue thread: Supporting the Protection and Restoration of Eco-systems Globally. This is about giving support to people globally who are trying to protect and restore their local areas. Again the techniques vary from sharing a post, to boycotting products, to donating to a cause.
Within each area or thread we are running workshops, projects and activity days. We are working with schools, visitor attractions, organizations, authorities, community groups and individuals and families.
For example, Project Mighty (green thread) is about growing and planting trees; we have a database of landowners, one of people with trees, and one of willing volunteers to dig! It is all free Project Wisdom (the yellow thread, with a green strand too) is about young people talking to elders to record their knowledge and experience that has been learnt over a lifetime and also passed down. Within this we are also asking about how the local eco-systems have changed over the years.
We have a large team with everyone having a small role so that it is manageable, other counties have taken up this idea but just done one thread of it, or sometimes just one project.
We are happy for this model to be taken up by other groups anywhere, and I can help in any way you want. You are welcome to all our ideas and we can send you pictures for posts and tell you how we have done things.
Below we have outlined some of the areas, please let us have your ideas for projects, and if you would like to help run that project -even better!
Talks can be given for free to outline this model for groups wanting to take action and needing a structure to get them going.