Blog

Climate Emergency

ffc_andrew_blog_header

The Future Forest Company: Innovative solutions to tackle the climate crisis

Up in Dalry, Scotland lie 430 acres of land that before May 2020 were covered top to toe with degraded soil. But over the past five months, we&#8217;ve worked with <a href="https://thefutureforestcompany.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Future Forest Company</a> to bring the land back to life. We sat down with Jim Mann, co-founder of FFC to learn about the variety of natural climate solutions they&#8217;re utilising at the site, along with how the forest is getting on.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ykM9tgtuXFU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> 
You can also catch more of the interview on our Youtube channel.

artboard-1-copy-9

Artboard 1 copy 9

First things first, let&#8217;s introduce you to The Future Forest Company. In 2019 Jim and his co-founder Jade Read started FFC so they could dedicate their time fully to the ultimate goal of reversing climate change through mass reforestation. But what makes FFC so unique is that alongside their reforestation they create and run &#8216;forest friendly sustainable business that balance both purpose and profit. You can learn more about their mission and business <a href="https://thefutureforestcompany.com/what-we-do/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here on their website. </a>
But to us FFC are our beloved <a href="https://ecologi.com/">tree planting</a> partners in the UK and are responsible for the last 5000-10,000 trees we have <a href="https://ecologi.com/projects/reforesting-dalry-scotland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planted up in Scotland</a>. They were founded with the aim of tackling climate change through reforestation projects and other means of drawing down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They buy degraded land and plant it up with forests using a native species mix, and then do all they can to protect the land so that the forests can survive for hundreds to thousands of years.

When we sat down with Jim we were keen to hear an explanation of the history of the land we&#8217;re reforesting together. &#8220;Our site in Scotland was formerly an upland pasture farm. The sheep and cows on this farm over-grazed the land, leaving it with poor soil quality and a significant lack of biodiversity.&#8221;  The team has been busy planting your trees to change this land for the better, planting 6000 new trees in October alone. As these trees grow they help to improve the soil biology. Leaf drop every year adds the fertility back into the soil and other life starts to move back in, first bacteria, then insects and then further up the food chain. According to Jim, the site is now overrun with voles that have brought birds of prey back to the area. &#8220;You now see hen harriers, an endangered species, regularly on site, when before the sighting of a bird of prey was rare. This is yet another sign that the land is already starting to recover&#8221;. 
Another way that the FFC are improving the biodiversity of our forest is to wild grazing of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CA2W_vgHY3Z/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wooly pigs.</a> This is not only extremely cute but they also encourage rapid recover of the local biodiversity. Having livestock such as pigs living and grazing on the same land where trees are planted is a technique called <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/agroforestry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agroforestry</a>. These pigs churn up the soil, which allows the seed bank to come up to the surface, improving the species diversity of the forests.  One problem that can be common in forests in the UK is that bracken can take over the area. This forms a thick mat of dead bracken, which suffocates the other plants. Over a number of years, bracken can completely take over the area, leading to a poor mix of species. That’s where the pigs come in. They trample and clear the bracken, giving space for new life to push through it. The manure that the pigs produce also helps to add nutrition to the soils, working as a natural fertiliser for the trees.

ffc_blog_2

FFC_blog_2

artboard-1-copy-10

Artboard 1 copy 10

Innovative solutions to tackle climate change

One of the really interesting things that we found out whilst talking to Jim was that the team are also investigating other methods of capturing carbon dioxide, to use alongside planting forests. For example, they have been experimenting with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar#:~:text=Biochar%20is%20charcoal%20that%20is,soil%20for%20thousands%20of%20years." target="_blank" rel="noopener">biochar </a>which is another way of storing carbon. Biochar is a charcoal-like product that is produced from taking biomass and burning it in the absence of oxygen (a process called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/pyrolysis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pyrolysis</a>). This biomass can be any carbon product, including forest waste, straw or even cardboard or paper. Typically, the organic matter used is agricultural residue, forestry waste and animal manure. The biochar that is produced has an enormous amount of carbon locked up inside of it – it is between 75-90% pure carbon. After being produced, the biochar is crushed up and spread amongst the forest floor, distributing the captured carbon.  This is where the magic comes in, normally biomass would rot down, which would then release CO2 and methane into the atmosphere. But through the process of creating biochar, the gases are stored within the soil. Research suggests that this carbon can remain stored in the soil for many centuries. 
What’s more, the application of biochar can help the soils to recover even if it&#8217;s extremely degraded. This means that once a sapling is planted and the biochar is spread the sapling will have an extra boost, helping it to grow big and strong.
Another interesting fact about biochar is that it acts as a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/soil-amendment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soil amendment</a>, creating a platform for bacteria to colonise and thrive. This helps with the process of attracting new life to the area and improving biodiversity. Biochar also improves the drainage of soils and helps with water retention in times of drought. So, biochar application has the potential to take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and provide benefits to the soil- this is a win-win situation for the land, the trees and the local life.
Research within the scientific literature suggests that biochar application has the potential to remove up to <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aabf9f/pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11.9 GTCO2</a> from the atmosphere each year if it becomes a widely adopted practice. The Future Forest Company are in the process of appointing a Biochar Project Manager who will be managing the set-up of their Biochar Project on the Glanaros Estate on Mull.

ffc_blog_1

FFC_blog_1

artboard-1-copy-12

Artboard 1 copy 12

Another technique for drawing in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere that the team is experimenting with is <a href="https://earth.org/enhanced-weathering-for-carbon-capture/#:~:text=Enhanced%20weathering%20is%20a%20carbon,are%20weighed%20against%20the%20benefits." target="_blank" rel="noopener">enhanced weathering</a>. Now this is not to be mistaken with your every day &#8216;Weathering&#8217; which is the process whereby rocks are broken down physically into smaller rocks, then sand, mud and clay. Due to a large amount of  CO2 in our atmosphere, our rain is acidic. This acidic rain reacts with rocks and soils it lands on, gradually breaking them down into minute grains and forming bicarbonate. This is then transported to the ocean by rivers and eventually forms carbonate rocks with the carbon locked up inside of them. Natural rock weathering is one of the most important ways that CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are kept stable over geological time and it absorbs around 0.3% of global fossil fuel emissions.
Enhanced weathering involves increasing the scale and the rate of natural weathering in order to take in more CO2. This involves grinding up large amounts of rocks and spreading them over regions where <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/weathering/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chemical weathering</a> occurs naturally. These rocks will react with rainwater and absorb the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, permanently locking it away. Scientific studies suggest that applying this rock to the soils can also improve soil health, boosting nutrient levels and helping to restore degraded agricultural soils.  
This process of enhanced weathering is less advanced than the use of biochar in reforestation. Although the science is reasonably well established, how it works in the field is less well understood. However, it is well established that this technique has a huge potential for carbon capture and storage. CO2 taken in is stored permanently, and studies have shown that there are 430 billion tonnes worth of carbon removal under the UK. Of course, not all of this is extractable (we can’t start digging up mountains), but it represents a big potential for mitigating climate change. One point of contention with enhanced weathering is that it requires a huge amount of energy for extracting, grinding up and transporting the rock. If this technique became more widely established, it would be really important to try and ensure this energy comes from renewable sources.

artboard-1-copy-11

Artboard 1 copy 11

There's lots of exciting possibilities ahead

From this conversation with Jim we&#8217;ve now found a greater appreciation for their work and a new knowledge of the diverse ways in which we can capture carbon beyond planting trees. What’s more, is that these natural solutions not only work wonderfully by themselves but when paired with reforestation they can multiply the environmental benefits. In the interview, Jim highlighted that he and his team place a big emphasis on getting things done quickly, as we need to draw CO2 out of the air as fast as possible to stop the climate crisis. These technologies may provide a way for regenerating forests and planting trees to have even more of an impact.
We want to thank Jim for his time, and to thank the entire team at The Future Forests Company for their tireless innovative work. And thank you to everyone from our community who has supported our UK forests.

ffc_blog_3

FFC_blog_3

In Depth

sams_blog_facesbehindclimatecomittee_header_01

Sams_Blog_FacesBehindClimateComittee_Header_01

In the <a class="cq lu" href="https://medium.com/building-ecologi/putting-down-roots-grounding-our-climate-impact-in-scientific-knowledge-1e46fe766522" rel="noopener">last article</a>, we discussed how we use scientific knowledge to guide our impact decision-making, and also introduced the concept of the Ecologi Climate Committee.
Here at Ecologi, we work closely with our Climate Committee to ensure that all the money we receive via the Ecologi platform goes as far as it possibly can to have the greatest possible climate impact.
The Committee is made up of academics and industry experts across many different sectors, and meets once per month for a formal discussion, chaired by myself. At our monthly Committee meetings and in between, the group discusses the latest developments in climate action, helps to answer challenging questions that arise from our work — or fed back by our community — and sets out the scope and direction of our climate impact.
Together with our Impact team, the Committee is also helping us to develop our Climate Impact Strategy Framework — a public-facing strategy document that will set out and explain our impact decisions, discuss the mechanisms for maximising impact, and show how we intend to reach our goal of reducing 50% of global emissions by 2040. We’ll be publishing this document later in 2021.
Let’s meet some of the team…

<h2>Nicoletta Piccolrovazzi</h2>
Co-Founder &amp; Chairman — Applied Sustainability GmbH
Nicoletta draws on thirty-plus years’ experience leading diverse organisations and developing sustainability-driven business and collaboration programs with leading corporates and NGOs. Recently, she founded Applied Sustainability GmbH with the purpose of helping organisations “make sustainability real”.
<h2>Miranda Gorman</h2>
Project Drawdown
Miranda Gorman, Ph.D. is an environmental engineer and Senior Research Fellow for Industry at Project Drawdown whose research focuses on the sustainability of material resources. She has published peer-reviewed research papers and presented at international conferences on the topics of material flow analysis, resource availability forecasting, the circular economy, and non-fuel mineral mining.
<h2>David Markowitz</h2>
Ecologist and Sustainability Expert
David has two degrees in biology and ecology with additional specialisms in forestry and carbon accounting. With experience from the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and working with satellite imagery to analyse protected areas and wildfires, David provides support to the Ecologi team regarding new and existing forestry-related projects.
<h2>Daniel Keir</h2>
CyStellar
Daniel is the Climate Change, Natural Perils and Sustainability Project Manager at CyStellar, a SpaceTech company using remote sensing data to deliver natural hazard and weather insights to various sectors. Day-to-day, he works with climate and weather data to aid companies monitoring natural hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and wildfires. He previously co-founded the sustainability consultancy, Ecofye.

sams_blog_facesbehindclimatecomittee_banner_01

Sams_Blog_FacesBehindClimateComittee_Banner_01

<h2>James A. King</h2>
Research Associate, University of Sheffield
James King, Ph.D. is a climate scientist and Research Associate at the University of Sheffield, whose work mainly focuses on climate models; investigating reasons why their performance varies in some parts of the world, developing ways to identify what makes a model more reliable, and using models to understand the ways that humans might be able to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Now, James’ research focuses on the broader impacts on the Earth system of nature-based carbon dioxide removal strategies.
<h2>Amelia Crews</h2>
Climate Advocate &amp; Energy Innovation Co-ordinator
Amelia is Energy Innovation Co-ordinator at Your Co-op Energy, working on many projects focused on community development utilising renewables. She actively engages the voice of youth in pivotal conversations around climate change: in 2021, she was an ambassador for the G7 Youth Summit (‘Y7’) in Cornwall.
<h2>Andrew Ritchie</h2>
Director, ALR Business Solutions Ltd
Within previous roles, Andy managed validation and verification activities relating to EU ETS and the UNFCCC’s Clean Development Mechanism, plus a number of other schemes. More recently, he works in assessing forestry management against certification standards and is working with large organisations developing sustainability frameworks to help effectively manage their environmental and social challenges.

sams_blog_facesbehindclimatecomittee_banner_02

Sams_Blog_FacesBehindClimateComittee_Banner_02

<section class="gu gv gw ei gx">
<div class="n p">
<div class="ao ap aq ar as fr au u">
<h2>Melissa Hobson</h2>
Sustainability communications consultant
Melissa Hobson is a consultant working in the sustainability and for-purpose sector. In communications, Melissa has worked with companies and charities big and small (both in-house and agency side) for over 11 years. She is passionate about marine conservation and has been a certified SCUBA diver for 13 years.
<h2>David Dennison</h2>
Climate &amp; Energy Advisor
David is an experienced climate change advisor with a strong technical background and deep knowledge of the energy sector, including renewables. He is particularly passionate about climate trends and impact on the environment. His goal is to help business, government and the community navigate a successful transition to net zero.
<h2>Rebecca Dobbin</h2>
Ecologist &amp; Environmental Scientist at Victoria University of Wellington
Rebecca has a BSc in Ecology and Biodiversity, and a Master’s degree in Climate Change Science and Climate Policy. Her research is focused on climate science and modelling, mitigation, adaptation, conservation biology and carbon markets. She write reports on opportunities for mitigation and adaptation in New Zealand, and assists Ecologi with climate research.
<h2>Nicolien Van Zwieten</h2>
Geoscientist
Nicolien works as a geologist specialising in ground hazards, having completed degrees in BSc Physical Earth Science, and MSc Structural Geology and Geophysics. Her experience also includes GIS work addressing biodiversity loss and the climate crisis, and researching carbon capture and storage initiatives.
<h2>Stefanie Kaiser</h2>
Communications, forestry and sustainability expert
Stefanie works at the intersection of communication and sustainability. She specialises in sustainable land use and forestry, but spends most of her days thinking about the wider implications of sustainability solutions. In previous work, Stefanie worked in impact investing, and she also previously trained as a biologist.
<h2>Chris Webb</h2>
CEO, GreenGrowth
Chris is an environment and sustainability expert and currently CEO of GreenGrowth investments, helping people have a positive environmental impact with their money. He is well experienced in evaluating and improving business’ sustainability profiles both in the UK and abroad. His work in carbon reduction, circular economy and resource efficiency has received national and international sustainability awards.
</div>
</div>
</section>

Next time in this series, we’re going to talk about the key external, democratic and market forces that impact our work in finding and funding the most effective climate solutions.

gamification_blog_header_01

Gamification_Blog_Header_01

Gamification: the key to sustainability engagement?

Gamification uses gaming elements to influence real-world behaviour. This makes gamification both a powerful tool to engage with activists, and the newest weapon in the fight against excessive carbon emissions.
Global concentrations of CO2 are now 50% higher than before the industrial revolution. The result: increasing temperatures, melting glaciers, frequent extreme weather events and climate refugees being forced from their homes. These are sobering consequences and we need a solution that encourages people to take greater positive action.
It’s fair to say that the majority of people living in western society do care about the planet but the reality for them is that climate change is somewhat abstract. When you’re living in the leafy suburbs and your only notion of climate change concerns starving polar bears and diminishing rainforests, visualising how it affects you individually is hard to imagine. You can see why it can be hard to motivate people to change their behaviour. But how can we reach these casual climate activists?

<h2>Changing behaviours</h2>
You need to first accept that an inconvenient combination of factors surrounding climate change makes it hard to motivate people. 
Fortunately, there are proven strategies, accompanied by support and engagement to tackle this problem. Academic research asserts psychological techniques and theories to design campaigns and programmes that increase sustainable behaviour. This includes value-based communication, which is a way of communicating information that’s tailored to the audience&#8217;s specific values. Other techniques range from evoking empathy, to normative modelling; the method of demonstrating something to other people within similar social circles who are already performing the behaviour. 
There are also other techniques based on emerging theoretical models. Gamification is one such technique gaining increased attention in the world of climate change and sustainability.

<h2>What is gamification?</h2>
Gamification is the use of gaming elements within non-gaming contexts to influence real-world behaviour. Gamified programmes take the features of games that keep players&#8217; attention, like points, badges, leaderboards and challenges, and apply them to real-world situations that otherwise might seem mundane or boring to increase engagement. These gaming building blocks are used to engage users, solve problems and drive specific behaviours. 
Gamification is increasingly popular and can be used in lots of different contexts, such as education, health or business settings. Many companies have introduced gamified schemes to increase customer or employee engagement with great success. 
&nbsp;
<h2>The science behind gamification</h2>
Both individuals and businesses often think that acting positively for climate change presents a trade-off between short-term and long-term benefits. Decades of <a href="https://academic.oup.com/qje/article/107/2/573/1838331?login=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">work by psychologists</a> indicates that we tend to overvalue benefits in the short term compared to those of the long term; so-called temporal discounting. Benefits in the future can lose their value or meaning if they are perceived as being too far away. Put simply – people are often unwilling to make changes or sacrifices in the short term because they don’t get an immediate reward.
The result often presents an attitude-behaviour gap. People are concerned about the environment but often fail to consistently integrate this concern into their daily behaviour. This same gap is the reason why a person may often be aware – and willing to do something – about the plastic crisis but then at the same time, without thinking about it, find themselves thirsty and run to the vending machine to grab a bottle of Coke.
This gap between our choices and our values makes it hard to tackle big-picture issues like climate change, which rely on sweeping behaviour change across society. Fortunately, gamification helps enforce those positive behaviours with small and regular rewards.

<h2>How does gamification influence sustainability engagement?</h2>
In recent years, gamification has gained increasing attention from the climate change and sustainability movement after recognising the advantages of engaging people around environmental issues. These advantages include:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Reaching a broader audience – Ambitious carbon reduction goals require high participation rates. Gamification can make subjects attractive to some people who otherwise may not be inclined to care about climate change, motivating a diverse group of users to get involved.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Driving competition – Introducing an element of competition means that people are more likely to enact behavioural change. For example, a US company called Opower is using the element of social competition by equipping homes with sensors enabling residents to compare their household energy consumption with their neighbours, and broadcasting their achievements on Facebook. They now work with over 100 energy companies and are so effective that in 2016, they were able to achieve the equivalent of 2 tera-watt hours of electricity savings. That’s enough energy to power every home in Miami for more than a year.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Demonstrating social norms – Research shows how people are more likely to perform a behaviour if they think that lots of other people are also doing it. Sustainability gamification often features leaderboards, allowing you to see others taking action and subsequently normalising it. In fact, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15534510701755614" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one study</a> found that normative messaging increased the re-use of towels in hotel rooms – the most effective message for driving behavioural change was: 75% of guests who stayed in this room used their towels more than once.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Rewards drive engagement – Being rewarded for certain achievements motivates people to work towards goals and complete them. For example, achieving badges when reaching a certain number of points or carrying out a certain behaviour is a great way to incentivise good deeds. </li>
</ul>
Dedicated scientific journals, particularly those looking at energy savings, state that gamified applications can help users change their behaviour to be more conscious of environmental issues. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629619305183" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One study looking at techniques to promote eco-driving with battery electric vehicles</a> found that the use of game design elements significantly reduced energy consumption compared to normal. Similar findings show encouraging behavioural change for <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/2/712" target="_blank" rel="noopener">water conservation</a> and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/8/11160" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sustainable tourism practice</a>.

<h2>The Ecologi gamification approach</h2>
Ecologi attracts and engages people. And when it comes to taking climate action, we strive to make sustainability fun and easy for our community. Our product uses these successful gaming techniques that engage our audience and achieve as much climate impact as possible! 
Creating a dynamic profile –  Every Ecologi user gets their own dynamic profile. They can watch their virtual forest grow and see the climate impact they are making, giving users the motivation to keep coming back. Users see their impact grow over time and increase their climate action contribution.

gamification_blog_subbanner_01_treesplanted

Gamification_Blog_SubBanner_01_TreesPlanted

A dedicated goals section – This part of your profile lets you set climate lifestyle goals. These include not supporting fast fashion, eating a vegan diet or even line-drying your clothes. By making these visible on your profile, and being able to tick them off when you’ve achieved them, we hope to motivate users to make more climate-friendly choices.

gamification_blog_subbanner_02_goals

Gamification_Blog_SubBanner_02_Goals

Leaderboards – Individual users, businesses and Sparkly Tree referrals all get their own leaderboards. Healthy competition between peers is good. Plus – it motivates people to achieve as much climate action as possible in their quest to beat others. For example, you strive to plant more trees and reach the top of the leaderboard. Just ask the Ecologi team about healthy competition…

gamification_blog_subbanner_03_leaderboard

Gamification_Blog_SubBanner_03_Leaderboard

Planting Sparkly Trees – 18% of our Ecologi account subscribers have been referred by another user. Refer a new subscriber and Ecologi Sparkly Trees appear on your profile as a tile with flashing sparkles. This small gesture is mighty effective and encourages users to get their friends and family to sign up, and ultimately increase a positive climate impact.

gamification_blog_subbanner_04_sparklytrees

Gamification_Blog_SubBanner_04_SparklyTrees

Badges to show off your progress – Earn badges for the amount of time you’re Climate Positive. We award badges for the number of trees funded, the number of sparkly trees you acquire, the tonnes of carbon you offset and for reaching top positions on the leaderboard. These motivate our users to engage in even more positive climate impacting activities to achieve these awards. Who doesn’t love a badge and well-earned recognition?

gamification_blog_subbanner_05_badges

Gamification_Blog_SubBanner_05_Badges

<h2>Gamification normalises and incentivises helping the planet</h2>
We need everyone to care about our cause and take meaningful action. It’s the only way we’ll have a proper impact on the climate crisis. Gamification is just one of the innovative strategies we’re using to get people interested and involved – thanks to the use of gaming elements in non-game contexts to influence real-world behaviour. 
Our goal is to encourage sustainability and offset carbon emissions – but we want to have fun along the way.
<a href="https://ecologi.com/plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up today and join the movement</a>.

<h2>How our partners also used gamification</h2>
Some of our partners have gone even further with gamification and are using real games to engage people and motivate them into action. Otherwise dubbed as serious games, this technique does not require real-world activities to complete. Serious games are intended to inspire behaviour changes through education and provoking thoughts and emotions.

<h3>Alba: A Wildlife Adventure</h3>
Our partners UsTwo had major success with their game, Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. It follows Alba as she visits her grandparents on a Mediterranean island. She is ready for a peaceful holiday but when she sees an animal in danger, she takes action. Players join Alba as she sets up an organisation to help save the island. This game inspires action through play by integrating themes of environmental conservation and sustainability. 
The serious games theory suggests that by taking environmental action in the game, users are more likely to translate this into their own lives. For Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, just playing the game results in climate impact in the real world as well; for every copy of the game that is downloaded or sold, UsTwo plants one tree with Ecologi. They aim to plant 1 million trees in total. <a href="https://ecologi.com/albasforest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out their forest here</a>.

<h3>Terragenesis &#8211; transforming worlds </h3>
Ecologi recently partnered with Tilting Point to plant real trees based on players’ actions in the game TerraGenesis. This is a mobile terraforming simulator that asks players to take barren worlds and transform them into new homes for humanity. 
TerraGenesis now plants trees based on actions that players take in the game, including daily logins, ad views, completion of missions and more. Players can monitor their personal impact as well as that of the TerraGenesis community via an in-game hub. Players also unlock rewards as they reach tree-planting milestones.This is an innovative gamification approach that involves actions that players take within the game to transform virtual worlds. In doing so, their gaming actions actually help to reforest and rewild our very own planet. You can <a href="https://ecologi.com/tiltingpoint" target="_blank" rel="noopener">view the TerraGenesis forest here</a>.

activism_blog_header-2

Activism_Blog_Header

Environmental activism: your first steps

<h2>It’s not too late to start making a positive impact on the environment</h2>
<h3>We know that it’s easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about the state of the environment.</h3>
You’ve only got to look at the news or the latest David Attenborough documentary to know that the environment needs us to take action now more than ever. The recent<a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-working-group-i/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report</a>, which spells out a ‘<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/10/code-red-for-humanity-what-the-papers-say-about-the-ipcc-report-on-the-climate-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">code red for humanity</a>’ has sent shockwaves across the internet – there are some startling truths, and while it seems hopeless at times, scientists have said that if we take urgent action to address greenhouse gas emissions, this would minimise the likelihood of further tipping points occurring.
Feeling helpless is a normal reaction when it comes to our environment, as the scale of the problems can seem huge. But, there is hope.
Greta Thunberg hits the nail on the head with her poignantly titled book, No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference. Activism has to start somewhere. From the civil rights movement, women’s suffrage or gay liberation, social change has one thing in common: a group of like-minded people get fed up with the way things are done and collectively decided to take action to solve a social problem. Climate change is no different.

<h2>‘Slacktivism’ vs ‘activism’&#8230;</h2>
Sometimes it can feel that you’re doing enough just by supporting a political or social cause via social media or online petitions, but the truth is this involves very little effort or commitment. This is why these actions have been dubbed as Slacktivism, with many feeling that they want to do and achieve more. Activism isn’t as hard as you think it is &#8211; in order to be an activist you just need to take action to achieve a political goal. It’s really that simple, and while online petitions can be useful, we want to help you understand how you can help in a bigger way. 
Want to know more? Here are some steps to get you started on your own environmental activism journey.

<h3>1. Make your bank and pension green</h3>
Did you know that 35 of the world&#8217;s major banks have provided in excess of<a href="https://www.ran.org/bankingonclimatechaos2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> $2.7 trillion (£2tn) to fossil fuel companies</a> since the Paris Agreement? Did you also know that according to a 2020 report from Rainforest Action Network, they found that fossil fuel financing had actually grown each year since the Paris agreement?
So while you think that the cash in your bank account, pension and personal investments may not seem to be doing any harm, the truth is that in most cases it’s the opposite. Your money could be used by the banks to make investments in fossil fuels, and you might be completely unaware.
It’s easy to assume that one person can’t make much of a difference. But we have to remember that money talks, and if more people opt to leave the major banks, or switch investments to other options, the louder the message is &#8211; because ultimately, your decision to leave affects their profits. Banks and investment companies care about their brand image <a href="https://www.ran.org/bankingonclimatechange2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and work hard at being portrayed in a good light.</a> Meanwhile, putting your savings into an ethical fund will mean that they are no longer used for high-carbon investments, and are instead used to support renewables or other sustainable industries.
When it comes to pensions, switching to an ethical option isn’t as hard as you’d imagine. You can do this yourself by using your online login details most of the time. For example, the likes of <a href="https://www.nestpensions.org.uk/schemeweb/nest/aboutnest/investment-approach/other-fund-choices/nest-ethical-fund.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nest</a>, lets you change your settings in just a few clicks.
&nbsp;
<h3>2. Stop supporting fast fashion </h3>
We live in a society where clothing can be made cheaply, and we’re encouraged to buy as quickly as we dispose. It’s unsustainable, not just for the workers who are forced to create garments in unbearable conditions, but for the earth&#8217;s resources that we use to generate just one garment.  Did you know that around <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/full-report.html#heading-8">300,000 tonnes</a> of used clothes <a href="https://www.bbcearth.com/blog/?article=will-fashion-firms-stop-burning-clothes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are burned</a> or buried in landfill each year? And on top of this &#8211; fashion is the world’s second-largest polluter after the oil industry, and it’s thought that this will only increase as our appetite for fast-fashion continues to grow.
Much like living frugally, investing in your wardrobe’s statement pieces with the intention of keeping them forever is key. A good pair of jeans and a classic button-down shirt are timeless staples that never go out of fashion, so why keep replacing them? Alternatively, check out pre-loved websites, charity shops or auction sites. For clothes, you can even try online apps such as Vinted and Depop, and you can find out more about<a href="https://goodonyou.eco/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> clothing ethical ratings here</a> if you’re unsure of a company&#8217;s ethical credentials. If you want to learn more about the footprint of devastation that our fast-fashion addiction leaves behind, you can watch ‘<a href="https://truecostmovie.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The True Cost</a>’, and read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3289140-to-die-for" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘To Die for: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World?</a>’ by Lucy Siegle.
&nbsp;
<h3>3. Contact your local Member of Parliament </h3>
Ecologi is based in the UK and here, elected representatives are Members of Parliament, or ‘MPs’. If you’re outside the UK, your representatives may be called something else &#8211; but the advice still applies.
Here, the key to success is patience and perseverance. While some may feel like there’s little to no point in contacting your local MP, imagine a day where a number of other like-minded constituents also did the same thing. Soon enough it becomes more frequent and develops into an unavoidable topic that your MP has no choice but to deal with. 
Writing to your MP is an effective way of creating public pressure. It’s also a personalised voice coming from a local constituent. MPs care about votes, which means they become answerable to the majority in their area. What’s important to you and your neighbours eventually becomes unavoidable, especially around the time of elections. 
If you’re unsure about what to do or what to say to your local MP:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/how_to_write_to_your_mp.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here’s a great template to start you off</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.writetothem.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here’s how to find your local MP</a></li>
</ul>
If you’re not convinced that your MP will deal with your climate concerns, you can publish your correspondence to them in an ‘open letter’ on social media &#8211; often representatives and organisations take far more notice of issues when they are being called out in public online.
Remember that it doesn’t matter if you didn’t vote for your local MP and if they don’t align with your preferred party or political views, they’re still in place to help voice the opinions of all constituents. 
&nbsp;
<h3>4. Subscribe to Ecologi and grow your own forest</h3>
We’re on a mission to reduce half the world&#8217;s emissions by 2040 through Collective Action. <a href="https://ecologi.com/collective-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our timeline is clear</a> and our Ecologi Community is hard at work spreading the word.
While it may seem simple, <a href="https://ecologi.com/plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">starting your monthly subscription</a> with Ecologi is one of the easiest ways to tackle climate change. For the price of a coffee and pastry a month, our Ecologi subscription is here to responsibly plant trees across the world and to support the very best in verified climate solution projects. 
Through our tree-planting partners, Ecologi supports tree-planting projects across the world. You can even choose to plant trees here in the UK. In addition to tree-planting, an Ecologi monthly subscription also supports Gold Standard and Verified Carbon Standard certified carbon reduction projects, ranging from protecting the Amazon rainforest, funding wind farms, biomass and hydropower solutions, or energy-efficient stoves for rural communities. 
&nbsp;
<h3>5. Arm yourself with plenty of knowledge</h3>
Read lots of books on the matter – especially from fellow environmental activists and leading experts on climate change. Understanding the complexity of the situation, and seeing the problems from more diverse perspectives allows you to speak up, challenge opinions and add to the conversation surrounding climate change. Knowledge is power, and it’s a great way to dive into a specific interest even more so.
Here are just some of Ecologi’s recommended reading for the budding environmental activist:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://naomiklein.org/on-fire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal</a> – Naomi Klein</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52275335-how-to-avoid-a-climate-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need</a> – Bill Gates</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5571.Cradle_to_Cradle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cradle to Cradle. Remaking the Way We Make Things</a> – Michael Braungart and William McDonough</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55996032-climate-action-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate Action Challenge: A Proven Plan for Launching Your Eco-Initiative in 90 Days</a> – Joan Gregerson</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://penguin.co.uk/books/314/314671/this-is-not-a-drill/9780141991443.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This Is Not A Drill</a> &#8211; Extinction Rebellion</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7230015-how-bad-are-bananas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How Bad Are Bananas?: The carbon footprint of everything</a> &#8211; Mike Berners- Lee</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="http://www.zedbooks.net/shop/book/why-women-will-save-the-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why Women Will Save the Planet</a> &#8211; Friends of the Earth</li>
</ul>

<h3>Start small and set your own goals</h3>
Activism doesn’t always mean protests and boycotts. Ripples make waves, so start small with your efforts. You’re also more likely to adopt them if they’re smaller and easier to do. The key to success is little and often. We all know the basics; reusing your coffee cup, opting for a meat-free diet, and consciously using less plastic throughout our daily lives. So, we’re not going to preach to the converted here, so if you’d like to know more on small goals, you can <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/29/50-ways-to-green-up-your-life-save-the-planet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read this great article to get you started</a>.

<h2>Collective Action: the key to environmental activism</h2>
Being an environmental activist is all about making small changes. The very fact that you want to help, and are willing to make changes to your lifestyle, is a good foundation for you to start your journey. You’re also not alone. Right now, there are tens of thousands of like-minded people who want to make a positive difference and change the world for the better, just like you.
Ecologi believes that the key to successful change is through <a href="https://ecologi.com/collective-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Collective Action</a>. We know that we’re facing the biggest challenge of our lifetime and that by coming together we can make a difference to the planet for generations to come. We believe that with a little input from a lot of people, we can create real, tangible change. 
 
This article demonstrates just a few, simple ways that environmental activism takes shape. Outdated notions of ways to protect the environment are a thing of the past. The average person can take a few positive steps to make a huge difference. 
Whether you’re planning to switch banks and invest your pension in cleaner energy, adopt a vegetarian lifestyle or <a href="https://ecologi.com/plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subscribe to Ecologi every month</a>, there’s no wrong way to save the planet. The important thing is to make changes and move forwards with action and purpose.

The Future Forest Company: Innovative solutions to tackle the climate crisis.

Who are the Future Forest Company?

Reforesting Dalry, Scotland

Innovative solutions to tackle climate change

The use of enhanced weathering

There's lots of exciting possibilities ahead

More posts

Meet the faces behind the Ecologi Climate Committee

Gamification: the key to sustainability engagement and behaviour change?

Environmental activism: your first steps

We send good things