New Badenoch group to host their first climate action drop-in this weekend
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Badenoch residents are taking action on climate change with their own drop-in event planning this coming weekend.
People from Kingussie, Kincraig and Newtonmore have formed a new group – Badenoch Climate Action – and have organised their first event.
It will be taking place in the Iona Gallery on Duke Street in Kingussie.
The group emerged from a well-attended public meeting held in Newtonmore in December and joins others in Badenoch and Strathspey in raising awareness of climate crisis and what can be done about it locally.
“It will highlight ways in which we can all reduce our carbon footprints and provide a local voice for lobbying politicians, businesses and public bodies to do more to limit global warming,” said a spokesperson for the group.
The event will include stalls which showcase different types of action with the emphasis on taking positive steps in everyone’s daily life.
“We’d like people just to drop in and discover the different ways we can all avoid contributing to the climate crisis,” said the group’s spokesperson.
“Our event will provide information and practical opportunities to reduce our carbon footprints whether through recycling, reducing consumption, or careful shopping.”
Highlights will include:
• a chance to calculate each household’s carbon footprint.
• A mini-repair café where garments can be repaired or knives sharpened for those who take them along.
• A collection point for small electrical appliances that no longer work. ILM Highland will take them away for repair and re-sale, or dispose of them carefully.
• The opportunity to shop sustainably with Fiona’s Wholefoods & Refills from Grantown will show consumers how to reduce their impact on the environment.
• Climate-focused activities for children.
Badenoch Climate Action wants to hear what other residents in the area would like to see happening.
Ideas so far include a regular repair café, a library of things to borrow for occasional use rather than buy, lobbying for better public transport and greater use of it, creating clothes swaps and persuading local business to make efforts to reduce their impact and governments to stick to their targets.
The spokesperson said: “For those who want to write letters to politicians and hold them to their promises, or to apply pressure to businesses and policy-making bodies to do more, there will be a stall offering advice on that and a chance do it right there and then – stamps and addresses provided!
“Not everyone can change overnight but we can all resolve to make some changes and our event is there to help us take steps in the right direction.”
The launch event runs this Saturday from 10am to noon.
