Pledge for our Future

Why do we need to Pledge for our Future?

So many of us care about our natural world and are heartbroken to see it so damaged. We understand that we need a healthy world if we and future generations are to thrive. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent natural disasters, we must change our relationship with our planet. We must each make a Pledge for our Future.

As individuals, we all need to play our part, by significantly reducing our consumption and adopting more sustainable ways of living. But individual action alone is not enough. Governments and institutions need to make sustainable, long-term choices that protect nature and improve human wellbeing in our wider societies. We can use our power as consumers, as members of communities and workers in businesses, as voters, as parents and children, as students and teachers, to urge those in power to make the change.

iccs-image

If you’d like to share your pledges, ideas and inspirations on social media, join us by using the hashtag #PledgeForOurFuture

Many of us at ICCS, and many of our friends and colleagues, have committed ourselves to these aims and actions – here are some of our pledges:

Change my lifestyle

I will work to eat locally and sustainably, and to make the best choices possible when I make purchases. I will continue to research ways to reduce my impact and conserve energy.

BP

Influence those around me

I hope to demonstrate better ways of living, shopping and eating and use these as examples that others can learn from.

BP

Make my voice heard

I will always vote in favor of the Earth and sustainable living.

BP

Change my lifestyle

I will work to eat locally and sustainably, and to make the best choices possible when I make purchases. I will continue to research ways to reduce my impact and conserve energy.

BP

Influence those around me

I hope to demonstrate better ways of living, shopping and eating and use these as examples that others can learn from.

BP

Make my voice heard

I will always vote in favor of the Earth and sustainable living.

BP

Initiatives

Here at ICCS we have several initiatives that support organisations and individuals to make a difference:

Conservation Optimism tells stories of hope to inspire change

Nature Positive Universities supports universities and their members (especially students) to take action towards a Nature Positive future

The Conservation Hierarchy helps organisations and individuals to understand how to mitigate their impact using the "Four R's" - Refrain, Reduce, Restore, Renew.

What can I do?

Individual action can involve three main things: changing your lifestyle to address individual impacts, influencing those around you, and making your voice heard. To have the most influence you can combine all three types of action. Take gardening as an example:

  • Stop using chemicals in your garden and leave some wild places to reduce your individual impact on nature.
  • Talk to your neighbours & friends about your actions and encourage them to do the same, influencing those around you.
  • To make your voice heard on a larger scale, campaign for your local government to reduce intense management of green spaces, and for businesses to increase the nature around their buildings.

We recognise that everyone comes from diverse life situations, but we know everyone has the power to make a difference in their own way. If you want ideas on how to get started, see our Green Hacks and Resources below.

iccs-image

What are green hacks?

Our Green Hacks are designed to serve as inspiration for changes that individuals can make in their everyday lives to improve their relationship with nature. Although every Green Hack may not be applicable to you, there are plenty of changes across the six categories that we’d love to see people try out. Small changes add up, and these hacks can help us make a big impact as a community!

Make a gift using things you already own instead of buying one! Eat seasonal or more sustainably-produced fruits & vegetables Borrowing and lending outfits Buy secondhand before you buy new Use your local library instead of buying a book or film Re-gift unwanted presents! Buy e-books and films instead of buying physical copies Repair textiles instead of buying new Ask friends and family to donate to a charity or fundraiser instead of giving you birthday presents Repair electrical appliances instead of buying new Purchase ocean-friendly sunscreen that doesn't contain harmful chemicals
Check out the BBC food calculator to see the carbon footprint associated with your food Try a meat-free meal for Christmas or other celebrations/holidays Make your own flatbreads/tortillas instead of buying packs to reduce food waste Adapt recipes for ingredients you already have instead of buying everything new Create a meal plan for the week before grocery shopping to reduce food waste Don't throw away useable foods if they're after their best-before date Offer your unwanted foodstuffs to friends or neighbours Try out a new plant-based recipe this week! Eat lower-impact meats instead of beef and unsustainably farmed meats Try an alternative milk to dairy this week Re-grow lettuce and other supermarket vegetables Buy items with the shortest use-by dates needed Leave restaurant reviews with sustainable suggestions! At restaurants, ask where ingredients are sourced from - are they local? Sustainably sourced? Eat seasonal or more sustainably-produced fruits & vegetables
Don't use wrapping paper for gifts, or make your own out of paper waste Hole-punch leaves or petals as an alternative to confetti Buy un-popped popcorn instead of pre-popped! Pre-popped typically has more packaging per serving Buy uncooked rice instead of microwaveable packs! Microwaveable rice typically contains more packaging per serving Take your own cutlery and paper napkins to food outlets to avoid having to use disposables Recycle bread bags at drop-off points in your local area Instead of asking for presents, fundraise for a charity for your birthday or a cultural celebration Take a reusable bag to the supermarket instead of buying a disposable one Take your own containers to the butchers, supermarket deli counters or market Use scrap paper like old envelopes to write notes on instead of buying a new notebook Make reusable, fabric kitchen roll instead of buying disposable rolls - you can find patterns online! Consider switching from disposable menstrual products to a reusable menstrual cup Buy bar soap for hand-washing instead of liquid soap in plastic dispensers Buy produce like honey in glass jars (recyclable) instead of squeezy plastic tubes (typically non-recyclable) Next time you need to replace a toothbrush or hairbrush, buy one made of sustainably-sourced wood instead of plastic* Next time you need new clothing pegs, buy ones made of sustainably-sourced wood instead of plastic* Buy foods in tins instead of plastic containers - aluminium is endlessly recyclable whereas plastic isn't! Use alternatives to cling-film such as beeswax wraps, tupperware or placing a plate over something! Check out TerraCycle for how to recycle some landfill items, and recycle them at drop-off locations near you Recycle old stationery in the UK at your local Ryman store - they are drop-off points for the Bic stationery recycling scheme Eat seasonal or more sustainably-produced fruits & vegetables
Leave a patch of lawn unmown for wildlife Use a water-butt (or any outdoor container) to collect rainwater for plants
Have a conversation about climate change with someone you know
Take public transport (or cycle!) instead of the car Turn off your WiFi router and other electrical items when going on holiday Turn off your computer monitor when not in use Switch to a renewable energy tariff with your energy provider Use shampoo & conditioner bars instead of bottles Send an e-card instead of a paper one Buy loose produce instead of pre-packaged bulk bags Take your own containers to bakeries and use these instead of disposable packaging Refill liquid shower gel, detergent, etc. at zero-waste shops if available

Resources

Learn more: I’m a young person

Learn more: I’m an adult

 

Change my lifestyle: Food

Change my lifestyle: Circular economy

Change my lifestyle: Outdoor

Change my lifestyle: Other

Use my voice: Volunteer: campaigning

Volunteer: other volunteering