Sustainability

Climate breakdown represents a real risk to communities now and in coming decades. Throughout all our programmes, we prioritise sustainability to bring people together, tackle inequalities, build resilience, reduce waste, and protect the environment whilst meeting immediate needs.

The challenge

The climate crisis we are facing and the social injustice we tackle are linked. Across the UK residents in the poorest parts of our cities (those least responsible) are often exposed to poorer air quality, live in draughty damp housing, more at risk of exposure to heatwaves and flooding with less access to green spaces and tree coverage. See Birmingham City Council’s Climate Risk and Vulnerabilities map to see how those experiencing social and economic hardship in one local authority examples are also vulnerable to climate risk. This can have a profound impact on people’s mental and physical health and overall wellbeing, deepening inequalities further.

People-signing-in-for-the-Brum-for-Clean-Air-event-scaled

What we do

Climate justice is an attempt to tackle the underlying causes of climate crisis and economic injustice. By tackling these root causes we can help improve people’s lives, address the climate crisis and work towards a more just and equitable society. We work to ensure fairness and equity in the process of transitioning to net zero so that no one is left behind and that the most vulnerable communities’ needs are met.

There are an abundance of resources, items, and people with different skills and knowledge already in our communities. We can work towards more sustainable ways of living by advocating for system change and supporting behaviour change. Empowering people to share resources, celebrating what is already in communities with communities.

Advocacy

Through wide-ranging initiatives, practices and activities, we raise awareness of the climate issues we are facing and actions we can take. We amplify citizen stories and voice through justice networks, bringing lived experience into decision-making spaces, to accelerate action in climate issues.

As facilitators of the Clean Air Justice Network, we bring citizens and partners together to advocate and lobby to improve air quality in our communities.

Nature connection

“People exploit what they have merely concluded to be of value, but they defend what they love, and to defend what we love we need a particularising language, for we love what we particularly know”

– Wendell Berry

People’s access to nature is not equal. People living in dense urban areas spend less time in leisure activities outdoors and ‘children who live in deprived areas are nine times less likely to have access to nature, through green space and places to play, than children in affluent areas, who may also have access to private gardens.

We aim to reconnect people with the natural world—through walking groups, which build confidence in green and blue spaces, composting sessions which redefine our relationship with food waste and soil, to citizen science initiatives and growing projects. Each project acts as an invitation to be outside, learn and connect to the places we are a part of. In the process we create pockets of regeneration within urban environments, caring for the natural world as we care for our own wellbeing.

Promoting a circular economy

Many sustainable lifestyle choices such as cycling, composting and repair can be expensive upfront. Our projects remove financial barriers to enable people to learn and experiment with sustainable and low carbon activities in the community.

We are cultivating a circular economy, eliminating waste and promoting continual use of resources. Through our Share Shack project, items are loaned out for free and skills are shared through community-led sessions. Our Free Bike movement also works to promote more sustainable active travel choices. Underpinning both these projects is a commitment to sharing repair skills and knowledge for people to care for their belongings long-term.

Climate imagination

Underpinning all our work is a recognition that to navigate climate breakdown, we urgently need to imagine new alternatives. Informed by Joanna Macey’s work, our leadership and staff training emphasise the need for taking actions which slow the deconstruction of ecosystems, recognise how our wellbeing is connected to that of our ecosystems and re-design our systems to support all life.

Our practical and our thought work seeks to create opportunities for imagination, demonstrate alternate ways of being, invite more people to dream and co-create new narratives and possibilities and build the community we need to make it a reality.

“When I walked here I was really excited to learn you could borrow these things, because back in my country I loved working in the garden. Today I’ve borrowed a rake and some seeds. I want my garden to be green and have different plants and flowers in it. I want it to be a place my kids could go out in and just have fun. Plus it’s good to keep our environment clean and greener.”

Ahmad, on discovering mobile Share Shacks

“The Share Shack team have been amazing , they’ve repaired my strimmer and some wobbly stools. I also borrowed a food mixer, to find how many different ways I could do carrots. I also borrowed a carpet cleaner. Borrowing things has definitely saved me money and helped me improve my environment. I would never have been able to buy either of them. I think it’s our future as human beings, knowing we need to prevent waste and make proper use of the natural resources we’ve been given.”

Monica, on mending and borrowing with TAWS

Climate justice is an attempt to tackle the underlying causes of climate crisis and economic injustice. By tackling these root causes we can help improve people’s lives, address the climate crisis and work towards a more just and equitable society. We work to ensure fairness and equity in the process of transitioning to net zero so that no one is left behind and that the most vulnerable communities’ needs are met.

There are an abundance of resources, items, and people with different skills and knowledge already in our communities. We can work towards more sustainable ways of living by advocating for system change and supporting behaviour change. Empowering people to share resources, celebrating what is already in communities with communities.

For more information contact Megan Smith at megan.smith@theaws.org