Conservation

We intend to create a national debate over the coming months: what are the most effective actions that we can all take in this Action Area? Together with our Ambassadors, we will then synthesize and distil the most credible and popular ideas into the core 999 Manisfesto, mobilizing as many people as possible to get involved. To start the ball rolling, 999 It's Time founder Rory Spowers has presented some of his own ideas below.

"There are obvious overlaps between all nine Action Areas, but perhaps most acutely between Conservation and Environment. In the context of 999, I see Conservation as being about recognizing the importance of the world we have inherited and what we are leaving for our children - as we outlined in the brief to Polly, it covers 'biodiversity, heritage and stewardship'. In contrast, I see the Environment section as dealing more with the major issue of our time - namely climate change - and other 'waste' issues that have arisen from our linear systems, like toxic pollution.

Another example of our atomized modern lives is the extent to which we have become dissociated from the immediate area in which we live. I would like to see actions and initiatives that enable us all, but perhaps especially the younger generation, to re-engage with local habitats and community centres, reawakening a sense of pride in local heritage and thereby encouraging a sense of responsibility and stewardship.

For example, the Walking School Bus immediately springs to mind, allowing children to walk to school safely, chat along the way and learn about their local heritage at the same time. Like so many of the solutions we seek, this is 'systemic', reducing pollution and congestion, while giving kids exercise and stimulation, bringing them to school more settled, attentive and ready to learn."
 

Suggested Actions
 

1. Join and support an NGO: Project GreenHands
    
2. Perform an easy 'one-click' action:
   Join Trees Have Rights Too and/or sign up to TreeHugger to get informed!
    
3. Take a 'real time' practical personal action:
   Plant a tree... for youngsters: KidsFACE - How To Plant A Tree... for big kids / adults: The Gift of Trees. Or just go spend time with a tree to connect with the living planet.
    
4. Engage in a 'group action' as a family, a community, a business, etc:
   Join (or start) your local Transition Towns network.
    

Have Your Say

Respond now by adding your views to this page (see the comment link below - you need to login first), by visiting our discussion board on Facebook, or by send an email to actions@999itstime.com with Conservation in the subject line.