People across the country and all around the world are feeling the impacts of climate change and spiraling costs of living, but are united in wanting to see a safer, greener future.
Each year, the Climate Coalition uses Valentine’s Day as a hook for people to #ShowTheLove for people and places under threat from climate change. Bishop Graham has joined the campaign by tweeting from Ghana, where he is attending the Anglican Consultative Council, with a handcrafted green heart from Scrapbox – Norfolk that was made specially for him.
Bishop Graham Tweeted: “We need our governments to #ShowTheLove in combatting climate change – visible impacts of which can be seen here in Ghana. #ACC18
My ? is made from business waste by the wonderful Scrapbox-Norfolk.”
Tula Chenery, Manager of Scrapbox – Norfolk says, “As a registered charity, promoting the reuse of reclaimed resources, Scrapbox fully supports the Show the Love Campaign 2023 by striving to keep as much perfectly reusable waste out of landfill as possible, to protect and preserve our environment for future generations.
“Creating the heart for Bishop Graham was great fun: it’s my favourite sort of reuse,” she continued. Among other items, the small heart was crafted from: felt from an old poker gaming mat, sequin waste, part of a zipper, plastic netting from an old kiwi fruit net, embroidery thread, a scrap of organza ribbon, a metallic twisty tie and buttons. Without organisations such as Scrapbox, all of this could have gone into landfill.
The Climate Coalition, a group of over 130 organisations — including the National Trust, Women’s Institute, Oxfam, and RSPB – is asking people to “Show our love for all the things we want to protect from climate change, and to ask politicians to put aside their differences and commit to doing whatever is necessary to protect them.” This is done by creating a green heart and sharing this by either sending it to your MP with a letter urging them to take action, or sharing a picture of it on social media – throughout February. “Climate change can feel huge. Start small. A simple green heart makes a big difference. This February, Show The Love with us for the people, places and nature you want to protect from the worst impacts of the climate crisis.”
If you and your church would like to join in, you can download an action pack here.
When telling your story:
What, who or where do you care about most that climate change threatens? Your family? Your local town? A landscape you love?
What’s your ‘why’ and ‘why now’? Is it that you want to protect your favourite species of bird? Or that you want your family’s homes to be well insulated to protect them each winter? Or you want to see justice for those who are impacted more around the world?
When sharing on social media, please:
Tag @The Climate Coalition (Facebook) / @TheCCoalition (Twitter) / @theclimatecoalition (Instagram)
Tag your local MP or @rishisunakmp (Instagram) / @RishiSunak (Twitter) / @Rishi Sunak (Facebook)
Tag @Diocese of Norwich (Facebook) / @DioceseNorwich (Twitter) / @dioceseofnorwich (Instagram)
Use the ? symbol and the hashtags #ShowTheLove