Want to join the people making a difference in the world?
Here are some of the upcoming eco events you can get involved with this week.
From fighting fatbergs to encouraging your kids to cycle to school, there are plenty of green initiatives going on in your local area this month.
Or for large scale events, check out Green Live at Westfield London or listen to the experts at Net Zero Festival.
Bike To School Week
Only 2% of schoolchildren cycle to school. Kick-start the transition from fumes to feet with this UK-wide event encouraging young families to cycle, scooter or cargo bike (yes, even you) to school.
Why pedal power? Bikes boost kids’ physical and mental wellbeing so they arrive more relaxed and ready to learn (go education!) – and cycling reduces pollution at the school gates. Oh, and you also get to laugh at Dad’s helmet hair.
The whole thing was created by Sustrans, custodians of the UK-wide National Cycle Network, and Bikeability Trust.
sustrans.org.uk
Green Live
Do you go bonkers about bamboo loo roll? Bananas for beer made from discarded hop leaves? How about cat litter that turns into fertiliser? Now you’re talking.
This weekend at Westfield London, ethical brands take centre stage. The showcase of more than 80 exhibitors and speakers shines a spotlight on zero waste, as well as plant-based and carbon-negative products and services.
Even the event itself is eco-friendly with 100% recycled carpets underfoot and a total of 25,000 trees planted to offset the carbon footprint of those attending. Come along and meet your new eco-brand crush.
greenlive.co.uk
Second-Hand September
Last call to get involved with Oxfam’s Sienna Miller-fronted campaign to encourage people to shop second-hand.
The charity saved a whopping 14,000 tonnes of clothing – that is a lot of knitwear – from landfill last year by giving garments a second home and raising funds to fight worldwide poverty in the process.
Why not delve into the shelves at Selfridges’ pop-up shop, styled by ‘Thrifter-in-Chief’ Bay Garnett (until October 4)?
Or simply discard fast fashion for the week: only buy second-hand clothes and donate your pre-worn items in-store or via Oxfam’s postal donation service.
oxfam.org.uk
The Net Zero Festival
With more than 150 speakers across three days, this virtual festival (Sep 29 to Oct 1) features some of the planet’s foremost thinkers providing business leaders with inspiration and the know-how required to develop a net zero carbon emissions strategy.
Headliners include Michael Mann (co-author of the 1999 ‘hockey-stick graph’, which revealed the sharp increase in global temperatures since the industrial revolution) and Sustainable Restaurant Association president Raymond Blanc.
Meanwhile, gamified workshops from Climate Fresk, featuring collage building, keep things light. Free passes are available to business owners.
netzerofestival.com
Unblocktober
While 77% of us know what a fatberg is, 48% still willingly throw what shouldn’t go down our drains into the sewers. We’re talking fats, oils and grease, as well as beauty products such as wet wipes and cotton buds. Ewww.
It’s time to clean up our act. Beginning on Friday, this October-long national campaign hopes to improve the health of Britain’s drains, sewers, watercourses and seas by encouraging small changes to habits and a commitment to not put certain everyday items down the bog, from condoms to face masks. Take that, fatberg!
unblocktober.org
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