York’s second Environment Week will run this year from 18th-26th September. More than double the 2020 number of events are planned with both online and in person events possible this year. They will showcase environmental groups who are focusing on acting to tackle climate change in and around York.
With the theme #YorkActsTogether-Tackling Climate Change, events will highlight ways in which everyone can help reduce climate change by individual and group action.
This year’s events have been timed to coincide with – and will receive support from – The Great Big Green Week. With thousands of groups involved this will be the largest programme of events for climate and nature ever seen in the UK.
York Environment Week will be hosting events as diverse as Improving Your House and Re-Wilding the Campus East of University of York, to in-person discussions about the Sustainable Transport Report on Tadcaster Road and guided walks around Museum Gardens, and much more.
Some of the events will remain online, which gives greater accessibility for more widespread participation, but others will this year be conducted in person, which after last year’s restrictions due to the national lockdown, is very welcome.
One live event will be conducted walks around the Groves, one of a national programme of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs). Sara Mair, spokesperson for the group ‘We Are The Groves’ said “We’re really excited to be part of York Environment Week and work together to tackle climate change and we’ll be running our popular ‘Storytelling Walk Around the Groves’, both to encourage walking as an activity and to spread awareness of LTNs.’
‘We are the Groves’ is a creative community storytelling project. Find out more at tellusastory@wearethegroves.org or on social media @wearethegroves
The programme has been put together by members of York Environment Forum and aims to celebrate and promote the work of local environmental groups and amplify “the voice for the environment in York”.
The Forum’s Chair, Penny Bainbridge, said: “We know the environment – built and natural – is a big concern for York people. Greta Thunberg’s huge following shows that young people want to know what they can do and want to learn practical, sustainable things to make the living world a better place. We hope York Environment Week will help them, as well as all other residents around York, to do that, and to connect the global problems of species extinction, climate change and environmental degradation to positive solutions that they can get involved with locally.”
“There are already so many people in York passionate about caring for the environment. We want York Environment Week 2021 to showcase them and direct local people towards them to help them get involved.”
Organisers also want the week of activities and events to create further momentum for implementing York’s climate emergency target of net-zero emissions by 2030, as well as promoting further support for the UN climate conference COP26, to be held in Glasgow in November.
Many events will be recorded and uploaded to the YEW YouTube channel so that they are available to watch again, which is also designed to create a legacy of resources and information.
All event listings are now live on the YEW website at https://yorkenvironmentweek.org.uk/events-2021/.