Uncategorised

how_to_talk_blog_header

A quick guide on how to talk to anyone about the climate crisis

Have you ever started talking to someone about climate change and watched their eyes glaze over? You’re not alone. It’s tough to talk about climate change, because the subject itself is huge and unwieldy, and because, often, people don’t want to hear about it! Here are a few tips we’ve picked up over the years to nudge you in the right direction when climate change comes up in conversation.

artboard-1-copy-9

Artboard 1 copy 9

Be careful of being overzealous or righteous

Rightly or wrongly, climate activists are often branded as holier-than-thou. Sometimes they are, but often, people simply are not ready to hear the message. When we know something, we find it hard to believe others don’t know what is obvious to us. Or that if they do, that they don’t feel and act the same way as we do. We get impatient with our peers, children or our other halves when they fail to see a point which seems so very clear to us. But as in a healthy relationship, we begin making progress when we cease trying to be right, and start trying to build understanding, starting with understanding the person with whom we are talking. Each person’s journey towards understanding cannot be rushed. When talking to others (and in approaching climate change ourselves), it is better to evoke some change at some point than to alienate someone by trying too hard to get them to act now. Therefore &#8211; begin with the end in mind.

artboard-1-copy-10

Artboard 1 copy 10

Create a genuinely safe space for people to educate themselves

The word educate comes from the latin ‘educere’, to bring forth or out. This means that, in the true sense of the word, whenever we are trying to teach anyone anything, all we are really doing is allowing them to see it for themselves. We all want a world where people and the planet are cared for, but people must find their own way towards it for it to truly permeate.

artboard-1-copy-11

Artboard 1 copy 11

Climate change is a bottomless topic with endless complexity and we should never assume that we understand everything about it or its solutions. We must remember that there was a time when we ourselves knew next to nothing about the climate, as well as the lengthy journey we still have to travel. Moreover, as the need for diverse voices to be heard in the global conversation only increases, sometimes the solution is simply to listen. From planting mini-forests based on ancient Shinto <a href="https://daily.jstor.org/the-miyawaki-method-a-better-way-to-build-forests/">‘sacred shrine forests’</a>, to learning from indigenous communities’ deep connection to the earth, relearning how to listen has never been more important.

artboard-1-copy-12

Artboard 1 copy 12

Engage feelings, not thoughts, by using stories

We need look no further than the most persuasive medium on the planet – advertising – to see the truth in this. Products are not sold to us by listing their benefits, but through appealing to underlying emotions of longing, lust and status. We must make similarly emotional appeals to positive values. Without an arsenal of scantily clad people or celebrities at your disposal, you can still do this by engaging people in stories. Tell stories about your personal journey to understanding the importance of our climate and taking action, rather than telling them why they should care. Stories are how we make sense of the world, find meaning, but also empathise and see ourselves in <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2022/01/05/the-power-of-storytelling-to-fight-the-climate-crisis/?sh=3d887dba5201">the shared story of our society</a>.

Provide them with a simple action or request

If, after everything, people are ready to act, then we had best provide them with something to act on! As behavioural science tells us, the way to get people to act is to remove ‘barriers to action’. These are things that affect people’s motivation, capacity or opportunity to act, but often the simplest way to do this is make it easy. As anyone who has ever engaged in therapy or self-improvement realises, when we allow issues to become too big, they seem impossible. Issues must be boiled down to their simplest elements, and we have to deal with each one as it comes up. Whether sending people a link for how to easily change to a <a href="https://www.switchcraft.co.uk/energy-suppliers/bulb-energy/">green energy supplier </a>or to sign up and <a href="https://ecologi.com/plan">plant a tree</a>, this first step to action could be the first in a lifelong path.
It all comes back to the same point; people will come around when they’re ready, and ‘whatever ideas are lying around’ will be picked up. Our job is to make sure the right ideas are there, and that we’re available to listen and provide guidance at any step of the way.
<a href="https://ecologi.com/plan">Join Ecologi today</a> to start supporting the world’s best climate projects.

Blog

blog_goodnews_header-1

Blog_GoodNews_Header (1)

Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

In Depth

july-bts-glenaros-flowers-yellow-2

July- BTS Glenaros-Flowers-Yellow

Just as we make sure all our reforestation projects are designed in a way that is most beneficial to our planet, our other terrestrial restoration projects need to be of the highest quality too. Wildflower, Wetlands and Wildlife projects have the potential to provide vital support to a wide array of species, boosting local, national and international biodiversity, as well as being an important and secure carbon store. But for these benefits to come to fruition the projects must be implemented properly, in line with best practices.
We know you might have some questions about this new type of project, so we’ve put together answers to some FAQs to help you learn more about our Wildflower, Wetlands and Wildlife project.

Your questions answered

blog_beforeafter_header

Blog_Before&After_Header

Before and after: See how your climate action is making a difference

Before and after: This is how your Ecologi impact is transforming landscapes and lives.

We love a before and after shot at Ecologi. They&#8217;re an incredible way to show the impact of the projects supported by our community. Whether it’s deforested land turning back to verdant green, or solar projects springing to life, sometimes two simple images are worth a thousand words.
On this blog you’ll find snapshot images that paint pictures of the difference our supported climate projects are making, all around the world. Thank you to our community for making it all possible! 
&nbsp;

📍 Location: Ouarzazate, Morocco
⌛ Dates: 2015 –2020
🌱 Project: Verified Carbon Standard
🌳 Type: Solar energy

Morocco

blog_before_after_01blog_beforeafter_banner_morroco-solar

Blog_Before_After_01Blog_Before&After_Banner_Morroco solar

From a bare area of desert to a haven of clean energy. The Ouarzazate II solar project is a major milestone in Morocco&#8217;s journey towards a clean energy future. It is one of the largest concentrated solar power plants in the world and is expected to supply around 500 GWh per year to Morocco’s power grid.
The project uses thousands of concave mirrors to concentrate solar energy and generate electricity, which can be stored for up to 7 hours. This allows the project to continue generating electricity even after the sun sets.
The Ouarzazate II solar project supplies electricity to nearly 2 million Moroccans and will prevent emissions equivalent to 300,544 tCO2e per year over its 10 year crediting period. The project has also created around 7,000 local jobs and incorporated co-projects that promote the creation of cooperatives, educational opportunities, and skills training.
Learn more about this<a href="https://ecologi.com/projects/morocco-solar"> project</a>.

📍 Location: Brodoclea, North Ayrshire, Scotland
⌛ Dates: 2018 –2021
🌱 Project: Future Forest Company
🌳 Type: Temperate reforestation

Scotland

blog_beforeafter_banner_scotland-2

Blog_Before&After_Banner_Scotland

Nestled in North Ayrshire, Brodoclea is a sprawling 174-hectare haven of broadleaf woodland that plays host to woolly pigs, the incredible ecological restoration engineers! 
Under <a href="https://thefutureforestcompany.com/">The Future Forest Company</a>&#8216;s guidance, these pigs awaken the soil seed bank, nourish soil microbiology, create space for sapling growth, reduce competition, and form pondlets for breeding amphibians and invertebrates. This enriches the ecosystem, offering sustenance for birds and materials for nests. 
Since 2018, the Ecologi community has helped make a significant impact on this site, funding the planting of 56,170 trees, with a focus on native broadleaf species including oak and birch, creating important habitat for local invertebrate and bird species.

📍 Location: Belavenika, Madagascar.
⌛ Dates: 2019 –2022
🌱 Project: Eden Reforestation Projects
🌳 Type: Mangrove reforestation

Madagascar

blog_beforeafter_banner_madagascar-belavenika

Blog_Before&After_Banner_Madagascar (Belavenika)

Madagascar’s mangroves are amazing habitats that, sadly, have been deforested over the years and become degraded. This project is one of three currently being supported by the Ecologi community that are replanting mangroves in Madagascar to bring benefits to local biodiversity and communities.
Creating new sustainable income streams for local people is a key component of the project, as is female empowerment. The project employs an average of 85 people per month, with female employees making up approximately 37.5% of the workforce in 2022.
As a result of their involvement in this project, local people are now able to purchase more nutritious food, leading to improved health, and can afford to send their children to school.
To date, the Ecologi community has funded 7.9 million trees on this site in north-west Madagascar.
&nbsp;

📍 Location: Marotaola, Madagascar.
⌛ Dates: 2019 –2022
🌱 Project: Eden Reforestation Projects
🌳 Type: Mangrove reforestation

blog_beforeafter_banner_madagascar-marotaola

Blog_Before&After_Banner_Madagascar (Marotaola)

This was the very first project we supported, so it holds a special place in our hearts. Seeing its progress over the last four years has brought us so much joy! 
Native mangrove species are being planted on this site, including Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, and Ceriops tagal. To date, the Ecologi community has funded the planting of over 10 million trees here, and there’s room for another million. 
This site is particularly fascinating as the mangroves are only separated from the open ocean by a thin strip of sand about 100m wide. Despite being more exposed to the ocean, mangroves that have successfully become established are growing well, creating an important habitat for coastal biodiversity and protecting the coastline from erosion by the waves.
&nbsp;

📍 Location: Vĩnh Hảo, Tuy Phong District, Bình Thuận, Vietnam
⌛ Dates: 2018 –2023
🌱 Project: Verified Carbon Standard
☀️ Type: Solar

Vietnam

blog_beforeafter_banner_vietnam

Blog_Before&After_Banner_Vietnam

Vietnam&#8217;s demand for energy has been rising sharply since the 1990s, and it’s a demand that the country has struggled to fulfil, with an overreliance on coal and frequent power outages.
This project, in the Vinh Hao commune, Vietnam, is generating electricity using photovoltaic technology, which transforms sunlight into electricity. The project is on around 60ha of salt farm, and will generate 83,750MWh of power annually.
Local people have been involved throughout the design phase and operation of the project. The construction process of the project was carefully managed to minimise the impact on the local environment. During the operation of the project, pollution will also be minimised through a series of measures, including ensuring no littering takes place, and waste materials will be responsibly disposed of off-site.
Over the 10-year crediting period, the project will prevent 704,110tCO2e from being emitted by replacing energy in the grid that would otherwise have come from fossil fuels.
The project has given a real boost to the living standards of local communities through economic support funds: the commune gratitude fund in the Vinh Hao commune, and the learning promotion fund in the Binh Thuan province.
&nbsp;

📍 Location: Mount Elgon, Uganda. 
⌛ Dates: 2021 – 2023
🌱 Project: Trees for the Future
🌳 Type: Reforestation and sustainable agroforestry

Uganda

blog_beforeafter_banner_uganda

Blog_Before&After_Banner_Uganda

Trees for the Future’s innovative Forest Gardens approach is all about engaging farmers in reforestation and sustainable agroforestry. The farmers take part in a 4-year programme, learning the skills they need to better manage their land. This brings multiple benefits, including protected crops, stabilised soils, and habitats for pollinators, as well as increasing household incomes.
Over the past two years, the Ecologi community has funded the planting of 766,663 trees in Forest Gardens through this project. Three hundred farmers (57% of whom are women) are involved, with 3,522 people benefitting from the project so far. 
Pictured is 56-year-old Philister Khana, a farmer enrolled in the programme. In just two years she’s taken the number of trees on her plot from 4 to 2,001!
&nbsp;

How to talk about climate change

Be careful of being overzealous or righteous

Create a genuinely safe space for people to educate themselves

Be patient, resist judgement and listen

Engage feelings, not thoughts, by using stories

Provide them with a simple action or request

More posts

Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

Your questions answered about our Wildflowers, Wetlands and Wildlife project

Before and after: See how your climate action is making a difference

Start making a difference today

Fund the best climate solutions

About

Take action

Members

Resources

Follow us

© 2023 Ecologi

We send good things