Meet Marieke
What inspires you to act against climate change?
It goes back some time, when I lived in Amsterdam in 1995 and Greenpeace occupied the Brent Spar, forcing Shell to give up dumping the platform into the ocean, I started supporting environmental campaigns. Beyond signing petitions and donating money, I wasn’t personally all that active though. That only came many years later after I had children and someone from Friends of the Earth approached me at a festival here in England. I wanted to have greater knowledge about the subject and getting a degree in Environmental Studies helped me see the bigger picture, think more deeply about pollution, biodiversity loss and climate justice and realise the responsibilities we have (historically) to people elsewhere in the world and younger generations. Having children made me even more acutely aware of the need to preserve and protect nature for future generations.
Why did you join Tunbridge Wells FOE?
I wanted to be part of a local group of like-minded people who want to do something to help raise awareness of the consequences of climate change, but also to be around people who can motivate one another and share ideas for actions and events.
What do you think the value of local campaigning is?
It’d be difficult to measure that objectively, but we have had some visible effects of our campaigns, for example with our contribution to the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council declaring a Climate Emergency and us planting about 500 tree saplings. I do believe that by connecting with other local groups and expanding our networks we have been able to reach more people and hopefully inspired them to take further action either at home, at work or in the community and even beyond. One drop, ripple effect and so on 😃
What is your proudest/most memorable moment since joining?
Not sure if it is just one particular moment, we have had some fab events (Great Get Together, student meetings, climate hustings, Cop26 gathering), but I have definitely been proud to see how everyone kept the group going despite hardly being able to see each other due to Covid restrictions and then felt the joy of being able to to go out together and plant tree saplings after a long time trying to find suitable locations, that felt really good.
Any tips for people thinking about joining?
Just give it a go: come along to one of our events or attend a meeting (online). Visit our website and social media to get a flavour of what the group is like and things we have done. It is up to you and your circumstances how much time and effort you can put into the group. We are all volunteers and do the best we can within the time we can spare and this may vary over time, so don’t let that hold you back.
Meet Steve
What inspires you to act against climate change?
Apart from more pandemics it is the single most threat to humanity and all life on this planet. I have to believe there is hope, and there are things all of us can do individually and collectively to hold back the global rise in carbon dioxide.
Why did you join Tunbridge Wells FOE?
I’d written a long poem in 2017 called Gaia 2020, about the nature of the planet and the present crisis and I wanted to share it with like-minded people. I’d been a member of National FoE for many years and wanted to try out some local action.
What do you think the value of local campaigning is?
I think it’s the opportunity to offer local people ideas, concepts, practical solutions that they can apply within their immediate community. There is value in local identity, local awareness, local action.
What is your proudest/ most memorable moment since joining?
For me, it was sharing Gaia 2020 at the Environment Day of Action at the Forum in 2019…as well as planting trees and picking litter!
Any tips for people thinking about joining?
Be open to new experiences, potentially new friends, finding a sense of community, and sharing a voice of concern for the planet.
Meet Maria
What inspires you to act against climate change?
The perfect systems of nature in our beautiful world need to be protected and supported and this is the main reason I wish to act against climate change. The impact of climate change during the last few decades has had devastating effects and we need to act now to help prevent this situation worsening. It is hugely inspiring to be part of a group that helps individuals do just that at a local level.
Why did you join Tunbridge Wells FoE?
We are all personally responsible for climate change, to greater and lesser degrees. Whilst feeling guilty about overuse of the car or flights to foreign destinations or overuse of plastic-a few among many examples, it’s not easy to be environmentally conscious all of the time living our lives in the world that we live in. I personally feel that I am potentially adding to and perpetuating the problem of climate change and ecological disasters on a daily basis, albeit in a relatively small way. This is why I joined Tunbridge Wells Friends of the Earth, I wanted to do my bit and find ways to help sustain the environment! I have become so much more aware of environmentally friendly steps I can take since joining TW FOE and I have participated in actions that have possibly raised awareness in others along with actions that have helped to improve the local environment.
What do you think the value of local campaigning is?
Globally we need governments and world leaders to become more environmentally responsible but the individual has to partake in this too. The acceleration of climate change, pollution of our air, water, land, deforestation have all been caused by people. Whilst it’s true that it is a small minority who control this system of abuse to our natural world, demand always dictates supply. If we don’t show or know what we need to do then our needs will not be met by governments. The local campaigning of Friends of the Earth is invaluable because it can help raise awareness at ground level about practical things we can do at home, in our lives. The local campaigns of Tunbridge Wells Friends of the Earth help gather a community of like-minded people and this helps enable positive action to take place in a hands-on way locally. The more residents of a town that campaign, the more weight this carries in getting local government to listen, this is in turn could proceed to Parliament, making real change where it matters.
What is your proudest / most memorable moment since joining?
Every Friends of the Earth event is enjoyable because we have become friends! The last event put on by TW Friends of the Earth was the Global Day of Action locally highlighting the Cop26 talks that were taking place during October/ November 2021. This was a thoroughly enjoyable and informative day as there were speakers and stalls and a coming together of interested people from our town, giving real hope for the future. For me though, the planting of saplings on a rainy day in the middle of last year is perhaps my most precious memory from my time with Friends of the Earth so far. It felt like improvement and care for our local environment in the company of like-minded friends.
Any tips for people thinking about joining?
If you are thinking of joining Tunbridge Wells Friends of the Earth, just do it! You’d be very welcome! There’s no pressure to attend every meeting or to know everything about eco-friendly practice. The TW Friends of the Earth group are very inspiring, friendly people who all just want to get on with the business of the fight against climate change and care for our natural environment. We are not political, we are practical.
Meet Lucy
What inspires you to act against climate change?
This is the only home we have and it’s an incredible, stunning place. I’ve always been a nature lover and love photographing landscapes and animals. The future generations deserve to experience the planet in all its beauty but they will face the consequences of our actions. So I feel encouraged to preserve what I can, for the planet itself and for the children of the future.
Why did you join Tunbridge Wells FOE?
I wanted to help and educate myself along the way. I’ve learnt so much being part of this group which then influences my actions. Being passionate about the environment encouraged me to help in anyway that I could. I was blown away by what had already been achieved by the group and knew I wanted to get in on it!
What do you think the value of local campaigning is?
I think if you want to make a big change… start small. Focusing on what you can do locally will still have an enormous impact in many ways. Working with your community will not only provide results but also connect you with others.
What is your proudest/ most memorable moment since joining?
Probably participating in the demo/protest on the town hall steps. It was to highlight the lack of progress following the TWBC Climate Emergency Declaration a year prior. I felt we got our message out there and encouraged others to keep an eye on what the council agrees and to never let these things slip.
Any tips for people thinking about joining?
Come along to a meeting or event and if you enjoy it and want to get regularly involved – then great! And if not, that’s also absolutely fine. We are very relaxed and friendly. Just give it a go and I’m positive you won’t regret it!
Meet Ellie
What inspires you to act against climate change?
I’m inspired by the beauty of the world, growing up with fantastic countryside and coastal views of the natural world and wanting to preserve these for our future. I’m inspired by the enthusiasm of everyone around me joining together with the same desire to protect our world. And I’m inspired by the knowledge that if we act now we can still achieve these things.
Why did you join Tunbridge Wells FOE?
I joined the group because I wanted to take my individual actions further and work with other enthusiastic individuals all looking to do our bit to live more sustainably and help protect the environment.
What do you think the value of local campaigning is?
I believe that for true change and benefit to the world, actions must be taken individually, locally, nationally and globally. When we all act in this way, the combined impact has the potential to be enormous – and this is exactly what our planet needs to thrive.
What is your proudest/ most memorable moment since joining?
It was really great to present one of our campaigns to the entire South East Friends of the Earth community. This put into perspective the enormity of the effect we can have as a national group, and hearing about all the projects the other groups were involved in gave me a real appreciation for how what matters in the local communities can vary so much – be it going plastic free, planting trees, or campaigning against airport expansions!
Any tips for people thinking about joining?
Just go for it – sign up for the newsletters, come along to a meeting and hear more about what we do. The group is involved in loads of different campaigns so there really is something for everyone! Being able to chat with individuals who share your beliefs can provide some much needed inspiration to act sustainably and encourage others to do the same!
Meet Pauline
What inspires you to act against climate change?
I am a Soka Gakkai International Buddhist, in our local TW group, and I understand the connection of life and the environment. There is no separation. Humanity and its relationship with the environment has brought us to the climate and environmental problems we are now at. This means that humans must tackle these problems which are man-made, to resolve them. Individually we can all do something, no matter how small, and working together to support and encourage the changes that must be made will have a positive effect.
Why did you join Tunbridge Wells FOE?
I want to advance and progress the importance of saving our planet and I think that being with like-minded others will be mutually encouraging and effective.
What do you think the value of local campaigning is?
It’s very important. Change starts with the individual and then to family, to local community, nationally to globally. The more of us speaking out and making our voices heard so the effects will impact.
What is your proudest/most memorable moment since joining?
I joined in December and I’ve also joined the Crowborough Facebook Sustainable Living group which is a supportive group finding ways to re-use, recycle, repair etc.
