This page is about Extinction Rebellion Chelmsford’s Deep Water Campaign, which is part of the wider Deep Water campaign by Extinction Rebellion UK. If you’re concerned about sea level rise in your local area, come and join us on a local, family-friendly action.
Although the future looks scary and some sea-level rise is now inevitable, the worst outcomes can still be avoided.
We, as a society, have a choice about how bad it gets. To avoid the worst outcomes, we need to transition away from fossil fuels and stop destroying nature as fast as possible.
Although our governments have committed to decarbonisation, they are still leading us in the wrong direction.
If we are to transform our societies and save as much as our region as we can, we need to make fighting climate change the biggest thing there is… for everybody.
Scientists say we need to reach “social tipping points” – where there are so many people pushing for change that change becomes inevitable.
We all have an important part to play. The good news is that there is LOTS you can do and here are 10 things you can start doing right now – you might be doing some of them already:
Explore flood risk maps for your area – for example, see this website to view the coastal flooding impacts expected by 2030. Much of our region in East Anglia is at or below sea level and extremely vulnerable. Defending it will become more and more difficult as the seas rise, and in some cases, impossible.
Talk about it – We often think most people don’t care about climate change because we don’t hear them talking about it, but poll after poll shows most people are worried and want much stronger action. The more we show people we care, the more they’ll care too and the easiest way to do that is just to talk about it.
Cleanse your finances – Did you know that your money could be funding oil and gas exploration and other dirty industries without you knowing it? For example, Barclays is one of the biggest funders of fossil fuels in Europe (XR Chelmsford has targeted them in the past) and many pension funds invest heavily in dirty industries. As well as fuelling climate change, these investments are at risk of becoming “stranded assets” as we move away from fossil fuels. It’s easy to change your bank account provider. See Make Money Matter for more information and a guide on how to put pressure on your pension provider.
Reduce your footprint – Although fossil fuel companies have caused climate change, reducing our own impact is also important and it’s one thing we can actually control. There are lots of things we can do, e.g. reducing how much meat and dairy we eat, going flight-free, changing how we travel, upgrading our homes if we can and reducing our consumption of consumer goods (or buying second hand wherever possible).
Get political. Vote for candidates that take climate change seriously and tell your elected representatives how you feel. Write to your MP in support of the Climate and Ecology Bill and support the Zero Hour campaign that’s behind it.
Form a community group to start transforming your neighbourhood. Many people are getting together to change the way they grow food, deal with waste and obtain green energy and to defend green spaces that are threatened by development. See the Woodland Trust as an example.
Join, support or donate to groups pushing for change. Extinction Rebellion, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Fridays for Future are all such organisations. Many activists have found that taking action, rather than sitting at home feeling worried has given them a renewed sense of purpose. Come and join XR Chelmsford!
Look after yourself – Many people suffer grief over everything that’s being lost and anxiety about what’s to come. There are lots of resources to help. See Climate Psychology Alliance and the Gen Dread newsletter.
