Scotland’s Climate Week
26 SEPTEMBER - 2nd October 2022
Scotland’s Climate week happens every year and is an opportunity for groups and the community to take climate action to tackle climate change.
The ambitions of climate week are to create a shared message across the nation that together we can end climate change in Scotland.
How can you help?
Whether you’re a community group or an individual there is something that everybody can do to prevent climate change. If you’d like some inspiration with planning a Climate Week event or simply need someone to bounce your ideas off, please reach out to us and one of our Development Officers will be in touch to progress your plans with you. WE want to showcase the huge amount of work taking place across the Highlands & Islands so are asking communities to let us know what you’re planning within Climate Week so we can help shout about it. Please let us know your Climate Week plans using this link.
Our Senior Development Officer, Steph has listed some ideas below to help inspire you.
Toolkits
Keep Scotland Beautiful have some superb toolkits to help businesses, third sector and community groups.
Climate Week Campaign Toolkit | Net Zero Nation
Community Resources | Net Zero Nation
Toolkits & Quizzes | Net Zero Nation
As Individuals
Green Eating
We can eat greener, global food production is responsible for enormous emissions of climate-damaging gases as well as taking up critical water supplies and physical space. Estimates suggest that food and drink production and distribution contribute 20% of UK carbon emissions every year.
Increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in your diet
Try to buy food produced in season
Plan what you eat in advance
Look at the packaging
Reduce, Re-use and Recycle
Reduce means minimise the amount of waste we create.
Reuse refers to using items more than once.
Recycling means putting a product to a new use instead of throwing it away.
The idea of reducing, reusing and recycling is one that forms part of the waste hierarchy and has helped people to think about the environmental impact that they have. There will also be a reduction in the amount of waste that ends up in the council-run landfill sites.
Refill a water bottle with water from home instead of buying a new one
Update your computer rather than throwing it out and getting a replacement
Ditch plastic bags and choose reusable, environmentally-friendly bags instead
Energy
To reach net zero by 2045 we need to move from high emissions heating systems that use fossil fuels, such as gas central heating, to low and zero emissions systems such as heat pumps.
We can look at ways of heating our homes efficiently. At home and on the road, new technology is increasingly focused on reducing our impact on the environment. Whether you’re planning a home renovation or just planning on using a greener way to get around, Home Energy Scotland has you covered with free impartial advice, tools, and even financial support. Home Energy Scotland
As a business or Organisation
A community garden where you can make new friends, learn new skills and improve your wellbeing. Incredible Edible has some great advice on growing: Groups – Incredible Edible
Community reuse hubs designed to help communities recycle and reuse more household goods. Zero Waste Scotland has to give super advice: Re-use and repair centres/hubs report | Zero Waste Scotland
Promoting healthy and sustainable eating while reducing food waste and increasing food recycling. See Sustainable Food Places Scotland for more advice: Sustainable Food Places Scotland | Sustainable Food Places
Sustainable Fashion Shows: For more inspiration see Sustainable Fashion Scotland About | Sustainable Fashion
Swish: A swish is basically a ‘clothes swap’. That is, a group of people come together and bring the clothes they no longer wish to keep (cleaned, of course). The clothes are organised into categories (dresses, trousers, etc) and once this is done attendees can select ‘new’ clothes to take home with them.
Keep Scotland Beautiful has some great information on networking Community Resources | Net Zero Nation
Funding
The Scotland Councils Scotland’s Climate Week: Scotland's Climate Week (sfc.ac.uk)
Climate Challenge Fund: projects funded 2020 to 2022: Climate Challenge Fund: projects funded 2020 to 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
The Climate Fringe Festival have small grants available: Climate Fringe Festival - Stop Climate Chaos Scotland
Community Grants: Community Grants - Groundwork
Screen Scotland is the national body that drives the development of all aspects of Scotland’s film and tv industry, through funding and strategic support, more information on their funding is available here: Funding & Support | Screen Scotland
Detail on funding for rural community-led local development projects can be found at Rural Communities Ideas into Action Fund - Inspiring Scotland
Funding and support for the natural environment can be found at: Funding and Projects | NatureScot
Funding Scotland lists funders with a track record of supporting projects in Scotland and is run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
What Is Scotland Doing?
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a Just Transition to a net zero economy and society, ensuring the journey is fair and creating a better future for everyone – regardless of where they live, what they do, and who they are
Driving Scotland's adaptation to climate change
Supporting decarbonisation in the public sector
Engaging with business and industry on decarbonisation
Engaging the public and encouraging people to move towards low carbon living
Supporting communities to tackle climate change
Supporting developing countries to tackle climate change through the Climate Justice Fund
Jointly administering the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) alongside the UK Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive. Read more information
Keeping track of how efficiently nitrogen is being used through a national-scale Scottish Nitrogen Balance Sheet
Delivering a just transition, by working with communities, business, industry and the people of Scotland to plan for our net zero future