For Future’s Sake

Introduction

All that we do, we do for you.

A "parental" instinct is present in parents, but it is also present in others to help save the human species - to not look the other way - to face the challenges head on - to believe change is possible - and to believe we have the possibility to make a difference.

What is it that drives people to dedicate their lives to instigate action to fight against climate change?

There are so many unsung heroes of the climate movement. We want to find out who they are, what types of actions they take and what drives them to dedicate their time to the movement?

For Futures Sake sets out to explore their passion and their roles within their family, work and communities, to gain an insight into what enables people to instigate change and fight for climate justice.

Join us as we delve into the human perspective on climate change.

Beth

Writer and journalist, mother of Ty, 2

Text: Beth Mark
Photography: Sandra Freij

In a time of ever-growing uncertainty, I wanted to get involved in a project that aims to inspire people.

Having spend much of my working life supporting inner-city vulnarable young adults, I have seen the impact a good role-model can have.

Stepping back from paid work and becoming a full time mum was a transformation for me, not only because of the sleepless nights, but the stark facts on climate suddenly had real emotional meaning. I started to think about climate breakdown, and what it could mean for my child, and all our children.

We have only 10 years to cut global emissions by half or risk an irreversible change in our climate. My child will be just 12-years-old then... by no means old enough to advocate for himself.

As a new mum in her 30’s, with no background in environmental science, it was difficult to see my place in it all. I cared a great deal, but I didn’t know where to start – I couldn’t quite relate to what I was reading.

This foray into writing, speaking and working with inspired volunteers through the grassroots organisation Parents For Future, has changed my mind-set and shown me that the main people instigating change are the everyday run-of-the-mill folk – the unsung heroes of the climate movement! Not the Greta Thunberg's or David Attenborough's of this world, but the people we meet everyday.

This is where their stories will be told.
/ Beth

Sandra

Photographer, mother to Alba 14, Agnes 8 and Iris 4

It was nov 2018, 1 day ahead of my daughters 3rd birthday party when I realised, I had completely forgotten about party bags...

Perhaps I could be forgiven for this slip of mind, this was after all the 3rd birthday of my 3rd child, and the 23rd kids party I organised in my life.

Fuelled with guilt (of the 3rd child kind) I threw myself in the car and headed for the closest solution to hand- lucky for me “Tiger” had opened in a close by shopping centre a few months earlier and within the hour I found myself looking down a basket full of plastic of all shapes, colours and textures.

At this moment something changed in me.

It started with a consideration for the poor parents being showered with yet another, cluttering bag full of useless plastic destined for the bin at earliest convenience. Immediately after I realised the irony as I imagined myself having a conversation with my grown-up birthday girl explaining how motherly guilt had me contribute and justify destruction to her adult natural world. I put my basket down and left.

Text: Sandra Freij
Photography: Christopher Howgate

From that moment, I carry this brief acquaintance with the grown-up version of my daughter with me. I now often imagine myself an old lady. And no matter what the world looks like at that point, I know that I need to be able to look my children in the eye and for them to know that the younger version of their mother did absolutely everything that she could to keep them safe, while there was still time.

Soon after the Tiger incident I found myself reading the IPCC report which was just released. In my motherland Sweden, there was news of a young girl, only 14, having started refusing to go to schools on Fridays to demonstrate outside the Swedish Parliament.

Like many adults, until that day, I considered “global warming” something urgent, in a far away future. Something that might happen many many generations away. Something which would one day be inevitable, perhaps necessary, for the earth to rid of their burdensome parasites. If I’m honest with myself I considered “global warming” to be someone else’s problem, and I justified inaction by a belief that time and technological advance would catch up and save the distant future world.

The weeks following the incident marking my daughters 3rd birthday everything changed.

Not only did I see the urgent need to act NOW but I saw my place within it. Having worked in advertising, promoting consumerism for most of my adult life I not only felt responsible, but I also knew that change of mindsets on a large scale – is possible.

Whilst I believe that change needs to happen on a government level, I also believe that without a change of mindsets on a large scale – governments will take longer to act. And as pointed out by the IPCC report in oct 2018 - if there is one thing that we don’t have, its TIME.

I started to advocate for change withing my own industry. I needed the industry to change, not only because it was in such desperate need to do so, but also so that I could continue working within it.

We are all surrounded by communities and workplaces with the power to accelerate change.

During the first youthstrikeforclimate feb 2019 I found myself talking to a group of mums having brought their young children to the march. We shared a moment of hope, impressed by the force and dedication of the young people having taken to the streets across the world to demand climate justice. We also shared a moment of shame and concern. Why should these issues be laid on the shoulders of the young people already burdened with the pressure of growing up.

It was at Parliament square, right next to Gillian Wearings statue of suffragist leader and social campaigner Millicent Fawsett that we decided to collectively take action “Courage calls to courage everywhere”. Not long after – we found parents across the entire world had already started organising themselves to support the young people.

Parents are everywhere and represent a geopolitical cross section of society with voting and monetary power. Parents have invested interest in the future of their children and their children’s children. Parents, logically, should see the urgency and find the power to act, for the love of their children. By uniting parents across the world, the climate debate has the potential to move inside peoples living room’s, where it needs to be.

Whilst progress has been made, largely influenced by Greta Thunberg and the youth movement, we have a long way to go until we reach into people’s living rooms.

To care for future generations is not yet fully associated with the need to act on climate issues. There are reasons for this. By learned behaviour immediate love for our kids is broadly associated with showering them in gifts and taking them on holiday. Our busy lives does not grant much time for parental activism. We might feel powerless. We might have more immediate and pressing issues to consider. The issues might feel too depressing and we choose to look away. We simply might not know what to do, how to become “active”, or how to make a difference.

Or maybe we just need some inspiration. Maybe we need a vision of activism that is inclusive, achievable and inviting. Stories and faces of everyday people that we can identify with.

Maybe we need new role models.

This project is created with the hope that it will inspire, empower, enable and encourage more people to take action as these people have.

The future of our children depend on it.
/ Sandra

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