Posted: May 31, 2023   •   Posted in: Action, Climate concern, Environment

My environmental sustainability concern

A mix of feelings

The sun is shining. My garden is vibrant with life; Orange Tip butterflies sourcing nectar, cooing pigeons, a blackbird bursting into full throated song. Grasses full of wild flowers and poppies; oak trees sighing and swaying in the breeze, bright gold new leaves casting shade and moving patterns below. In this moment all feels well. For 45 years I have lived in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Here there is vibrant beauty and stillness. For me it is a fragment of paradise, a sanctuary whatever the season.

Beneath this present sense of deep relationship and connectivity and ease, there is dark dis-ease and anxiety; a restlessness and frustration in me that is unsettling. This has been increasing since 2000. As my life draws close to its natural end I have felt called to be more pro-active in addressing my concerns about what the future holds for my grandchildren, for life on planet earth. I have needed to move out of my comfort zone to confront my collusion with the principle of ‘business as usual’. The status quo threatens to disempower me if I don’t listen to the clear voice of conscience that lies deep within me.

Quaker concern for the environment

I am now 80 (it’s me on the left of the photo above). My first meaningful link with Quakers came when I was 18 in Wales.  My mother and Quakers helped me to value, respect, and be at home in the natural environment. Not until the millennium did I became involved more actively in witnessing to the Quaker testimonies of simplicity and environmental sustainability. I found Friends who shared my interest and passion to address the increasing concerns around climate change.

In 2011 Britain Yearly Meeting registered the deep concern within the Quaker community to address the issues presented by climate change. In Beccles we studied the book ‘Costing Not Less than Everything’ a stark, scientifically supported warning that the time has come for everyone to be involved in averting worst case scenario by equipping ourselves to be crew and not simply passengers. Beccles Meeting did personal energy audits. The Meeting has gradually improved the efficiency and carbon footprint of the Meeting House, as far as listed buildings will allow. I also felt led to run two eco teams in my own village, both with good outcomes in raising awareness and acting communally.

Acting on my concern

My own need to find others led me to connect with Norwich Quakers who were more proactive on the issues than those in my own meeting at that time. I came across Extinction Rebellion (XR) and heard about their non-violent direct action approach to the underlying problems that led to the failure of those in power to address the issue of Climate Emergency.  Could I come out in this way to act on my concern? I began to think I could and would.

I attended XR training in nonviolent direct action, on de-escalation; and prepared for an April gathering in London focusing on Parliament. Groups from all over the country came to live as a community over several days, most camping at Marble Arch. I decided to join them. I had already decided I would be willing to be arrested. I spent one night blocking one of the roads leading to Parliament square, except to let ambulances and emergency vehicles through.  Next morning all five of us at the road block were arrested. I spent the night in a police cell and returned to the demonstration.

In the autumn I was among those who sat in the road just outside the London City Airport to draw attention to the contribution the airport makes to pollution in the local area, as well as to the continued support of the use of private jets; and second home owners abroad fuelling the profits of fossil fuel companies with its contribution to greenhouse gases; and the vested interest of policy makers in not confronting this issue. I was arrested again.

My two trials took place sometime after the arrest. The first was thrown out because the police had not observed the right procedure. At the second trial I was found guilty of obstructing a public right of way and given a heavy fine. There would have been more impact if I had refused to pay the fine, and perhaps gone to prison. Feeling initially  convinced to do this, because of lockdown I didn’t feel able to go this route. I was fortunate in both cases that members in my local Beccles Meeting and Norwich Quaker Meeting upheld me through my action even if they were not fully in agreement with the XR approach. I was helped with the fine, for which I was very grateful.

More recently, in April 2023 in London we joined with Quakers from across the UK and many others for The Big Green Gathering. This was a different XR approach – not to inconvenience the public in any way or cause any disruption. Vigils took place. It was peaceful. But it went unnoticed by the press.

Time is running out

Time really is running out, as is my time. It is heartening that Beccles Meeting is increasing efforts locally to work with others in a concerted effort to raise awareness of the urgency to envision a world that does not fuel the destruction of all life on planet Earth. Prayers alone won’t do this. But following the time honoured Quaker belief that accessing what lies at the heart of all beings there is the light of truth, compassion, understanding and a willingness to follow this awareness with action in our own lives.

How much more life giving it would be if all beings were able to plumb their deep consciences and act freely and creatively from the truth to be found in our hearts, than to wait to be told what to do by those in authority who still see through a glass darkly and refuse to see the consequences. I see Meeting for Worship as a place to refresh vision and insight to enlighten my darkness and bring me to new light and action.