Bob presents practical ideas for really helping and enabling personal environmental action
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Really helping and enabling personal environmental action: practical ideas
Context: Quite often when people purport to want to help individuals with advice in a parish or community setting they talk at the audience about their own agenda. Environmental professionals are particularly bad at this – coming into community contexts with ‘top down agendas’. The reality is that both environmentally tuned-in and non-environmentalist alike are already doing a great deal and are very aware but need responses to their questions about how to do more. This session covered:
Asking what people are doing – listening
Climate conversations – using ‘a conversation’ approach to discover people’s views
What are individuals doing? A structure for the responses
Organising meetings to respond to people’s questions and interests (virtual, face to face, small group and Can do Cafes)
00:00 - 29:00 Presentation
29:00 - 61:38 (end) Q & A
The team discussed their past experiences, connections, and ongoing projects, with a focus on environmental sustainability and climate change. They also explored strategies for engaging local communities in environmental discussions, the importance of personal action and choices, and the challenges of managing flooding and energy-saving measures. Lastly, they discussed the progress of their website's upgrade and relaunch, the need for more interactive features, and the importance of a more realistic approach to climate action.
Andrew to send Bob dates for a lunch meeting in the third week of January.
Andrew to share the meeting presentation and recording online.
Andrew to put the link to the Climate Outreach survey in the chat.
Andrew to work on updating and relaunching the Great Collaboration website.
Andrew to send Jenny login details for the updated website once it's ready for review.
Jenny to provide feedback on the updated website once she receives access.
Andrew to create a communications page on the website and encourage people to contribute.
Andrew to follow up with the programmer regarding the login functionality for community groups, businesses, and town/parish councils.
Bob to send reports from his recent local projects to interested participants.
Anna to explore setting up climate change meetings at local libraries.
Nostalgia and Future Conservation Plans
Graham and Bob reminisced about their past experiences and connections, including their shared history with David Bellamy. Bob shared his involvement in the first citizen science project for sports divers in 1968, which led to the formation of the Marine Conservation Society. Graham then had to leave the meeting early for another appointment. Andrew and Bob agreed to meet up for lunch after Christmas to discuss their ongoing projects. They also discussed the importance of making their work more visible to higher level authorities.
Developing a Structured Flood Management Approach
Andrew and Bob discussed the need for a template on how to approach and manage flooding, particularly for town and parish councils. Bob shared his experience with the Cywem organization, where he organized over 100 professional conferences, 40 of which were on flooding. He suggested that by collecting ideas from various sources, a structured approach could be developed that relates to real-life situations. Andrew agreed to draft a document based on Bob's suggestions and share it with him for feedback. They also discussed the challenges faced by councils in managing flooding and the potential legal issues that arise. The conversation ended with Bob preparing to give a presentation on personal approaches to flood management.
Environmental Sustainability and Personal Action
Bob discussed the complexities of environmental sustainability and climate change, emphasizing the need for personal action and choices. He shared his experience of organizing conferences and his observations of local environmental meetings, highlighting the challenges of engaging with the public and the importance of understanding what people are doing for the environment. Bob introduced a simple structure of seven categories for personal action, which he found to be helpful in organizing meetings and engaging with the community. He also mentioned his willingness to share a detailed list of these categories with those interested.
Climate Conversations and Personal Actions
Bob discussed his experience with Kempley Climate Conversations, where he interviewed six non-environmental individuals about their views on climate change. He found that these individuals were already aware of climate change and its human-made nature, and they were eager to share their personal actions and motivations. Bob also noted that these individuals didn't consider their local community's actions to be helpful. He then shared his findings on personal benefits and the concept of "beyond gardening" in rural communities, where people have larger areas of land to manage. Bob concluded by emphasizing the importance of listening to others' perspectives and experiences to gain a deeper understanding of their actions and motivations.
Engaging Local Communities in Climate Discussions
Bob shared his experiences and insights on engaging local communities in environmental discussions. He emphasized the importance of understanding the audience's needs and interests, using the example of a "Can Do Cafe" where local residents shared their experiences and knowledge on home energy. Bob also discussed the "Marketplace Method" where experts were given short pitches to encourage audience participation. He highlighted the power of local word of mouth and peer-to-peer learning. Councillor shared his challenges in engaging the community, noting the resistance to climate change discussions and the difficulty in getting people to attend meetings. Bob suggested focusing on the benefits for the audience and using willing participants as a focus group for future discussions.
Environmental Conservation and Community Engagement
Bob discussed the benefits of environmental conservation, emphasizing the energy savings and the potential for community engagement. He shared his experiences in a rural community where people have varying approaches to managing their gardens and land. Bob also highlighted the importance of focusing on the benefits of change rather than just climate change. Andrew agreed, noting that people often find themselves preaching to the converted and that starting conversations with the benefits of change can be more effective. The team also discussed the potential of training more people to spread the message in their local areas. Jenny shared her experience with reducing her electricity bills and her attempts to share this information with her neighbors, although she found limited success.
Energy-Saving Measures and Insulation Priorities
In the meeting, Jenny and Bob discussed the order of energy-saving measures for houses, with insulation being the first priority. Jenny shared her experience of installing solar panels after insulation, while Bob emphasized the importance of considering the spectrum of energy-saving options. Cllr shared his experience of applying for a home energy survey and the high costs of insulation. Frank highlighted the challenges of retrofitting and the need for a holistic approach to energy-saving. Bob suggested cherishing people who show interest in energy-saving measures and using opportunities like boiler replacements or house extensions to promote changes. The team agreed on the importance of proper insulation before considering other energy-saving measures.
Climate Change Engagement Strategies
Andrew, Anna, and Bob discussed strategies for engaging people on climate change issues. Andrew suggested reaching out to local libraries, as they are interested in being meeting places for climate discussions. Anna agreed, suggesting that libraries could be used to start conversations with people who are already engaged in climate change issues. Bob emphasized the importance of personal perspectives and not forcing preconceived projects on people. He also mentioned his concern about the cost of living and how it affects people's ability to engage in climate change discussions. Andrew shared a link to the Climate Outreach Survey, which identifies seven audience segments for climate change discussions. The team agreed to continue their discussions in the future, with Bob suggesting a meeting in January.
Carbon Calculators and Green Energy
Jenny and Andrew discuss various carbon calculators and their experiences with installing solar panels and a heat pump. Jenny found the World Wildlife Fund's carbon calculator user-friendly, while others were overly detailed. They acknowledge the ethical concerns around sourcing products from China but conclude that climate impact takes priority. Andrew expresses frustration at the lack of a national strategy to develop domestic green industries. Jenny shares her positive experience with her efficient Mitsubishi heat pump, which runs infrequently yet heats her home effectively. They compare it favorably to her previous gas boiler in terms of efficiency and temperature control.
00:22:55 Peter Bates: Not seeing slides
00:23:28 Peter Bates: Are others seeing slides?
00:23:54 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Yes
00:24:12 Peter Bates: OK I will log out and then in again
01:01:15 Jenny Barna: My electricity bill is negative. 19 panels, ASHP, EV, no gas.
01:01:53 Andrew Maliphant: We're looking to add 27 panels to our community library
01:05:23 Garry Ford - Corsham Town Council: Installed home solar panels last week and one of the neighbours popped round to ask about them.
01:10:20 Caitlin Williams: Sorry about that Stuart- we had to put some eligibility requirements in
01:16:07 Caitlin Williams: Apologies I will have to dash off to another meeting, thank you for a great presentation and interesting discussion!
01:16:26 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow TC Essex: Reacted to "Sorry about that Stu..." with 👍
01:18:48 Jenny Barna: They may put solar PV but buy two huge new EVs and fly many times a year.
01:20:13 frank deas: https://climateoutreach.org/britain-talks-climate/what-is-britain-talks-climate/
01:21:05 frank deas: many thanks to Bob
Prompt: What are you doing at a personal level to act on climate and environmental issues?
Make a list of your ideas:
Email for contributions: bob@bobearll.co.uk
Professional World:
The environment is complicated (200+ themes).
Focus: Marine & Water – Jack Barrie, 2021.
Common Issues:
Top-down lectures without listening or input.
Use of jargon, acronyms, and corporate speak.
Pre-formed ideas and no consideration of personal scales.
Virtue signaling by "experts."
Three Contexts:
Personal Choices and Actions – In Your Control.
Influencing More People – In your spare time (community & projects).
Influencing More People – At work or through organizations.
Key Topics:
Learning and Awareness: Talk and rehearse with people.
Diet & Food Security:
More plant-based diets.
Grow your own food.
Travel: Reduce carbon and environmental footprint.
Energy in the Home: Lower carbon footprint.
Consumption:
Refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refill, and recycle.
Address plastic pollution.
Wildlife & Environment Restoration:
Gardening for biodiversity.
Investment: Spend wisely, divest from harmful practices.
Challenges:
Breaking into conversations.
Connecting with "friends" and acquaintances locally.
Strategies:
Use the structured topics; avoid leading only with "climate change."
Engage through motivational benefits:
Energy savings.
Food security.
Cost-cutting.
Resources:
Questions (2-hour sessions):
What do you think or feel about climate change?
What actions are you taking?
What benefits do you get from taking these actions?
How can village activities help you?
Focus on Benefits:
Motivation and personal benefits:
Health and financial benefits.
Solutions for future generations.
Peer-to-peer conversations.
Non-environmentalists are already knowledgeable.
People quickly share their actions.
Personal benefits drive engagement.
Village or local support is underutilized.
Poll for Topics:
Ask for interest (e.g., Electric Vehicles).
Build agendas based on specific questions.
Focus on Experts:
Brief local experts (e.g., EV garage owners).
Build discussions around audience questions.
Method:
Two sets of four expert speakers:
5-minute pitches.
Followed by two 40-minute discussion sessions.
Report on home energy issues:
Cheap solutions to investment ideas.
Key Features:
Tea and cakes during breaks for community bonding.
Understand and respond to your audience.
Use structured topics that relate to daily actions.
Recognize ordinary people as "experts."
Share experiences and insights for greater impact.
What has been your experience in engaging people?
What approaches have worked for you?
WEBVTT
1 00:00:08.469 --> 00:00:10.219 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Nice to meet you guys.
2 00:00:13.760 --> 00:00:15.859 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Alright, there is a meeting there.
3 00:01:19.580 --> 00:01:21.010 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Good morning, both.
4 00:01:22.430 --> 00:01:23.610 Bob Earll: Graham, how are you.
5 00:01:23.610 --> 00:01:26.549 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: You're looking very relaxed, sir, very nice to see you.
6 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:31.610 Bob Earll: Well, yeah, I feel I feel fairly racked. Kind of the year is coming to an end.
7 00:01:32.343 --> 00:01:33.449 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: I mean.
8 00:01:33.450 --> 00:01:42.940 Bob Earll: I mean from Monday next week. I've actually planned not to do any. My wife would call it work.
9 00:01:43.290 --> 00:01:45.940 Bob Earll: I would call it hobbies.
10 00:01:45.940 --> 00:01:46.760 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Yes.
11 00:01:47.470 --> 00:01:58.589 Bob Earll: When my wife does what she does. It's kind of writing a grandfather's history so that sort of but it somehow isn't work. What I do whatever it is.
12 00:01:59.220 --> 00:02:00.259 Bob Earll: Is work.
13 00:02:00.450 --> 00:02:01.130 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Yes.
14 00:02:01.810 --> 00:02:04.530 Bob Earll: Anyway. So yeah, I'm I'm very well. How? How are you.
15 00:02:04.760 --> 00:02:06.485 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Likewise. Thank you.
16 00:02:07.060 --> 00:02:15.810 Bob Earll: I see your your your banter sessions are going, great guns, congratulations on keeping up the momentum on a weekly basis.
17 00:02:15.810 --> 00:02:33.709 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Well, I think they feed themselves. I'm staggered, as always, at how rich and talented our various speakers are, because it doesn't matter where you go, or what topic in England you find somebody who's an amazing resource.
18 00:02:33.710 --> 00:02:34.240 Bob Earll: Yeah.
19 00:02:34.580 --> 00:02:39.469 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: I don't know if you remember, but way back in the start of the Falklands war
20 00:02:39.540 --> 00:02:48.909 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: they needed somebody who knew the Falklands coastline intimately, and they found a guy sitting in a village who said, Oh, yeah, yes, I've been there done that.
21 00:02:48.970 --> 00:02:56.006 Bob Earll: No, no, I know. Yeah, no, I I know exactly what you mean. I haven't had a friend who'd been down there on the
22 00:02:56.450 --> 00:03:24.510 Bob Earll: She she collected snails, you know. She was a mollusk expert, you know, in the kind of Oncological society of Uk. She'd been to Falklands on one of the, you know, on the you know, the survey vessel used to go down there. Yeah. Decided to chop it off, didn't they? Decided they wouldn't run it anymore. And that's that was the signal for Galcyarian code to, you know the invasion. Anyway, she'd gone down there entirely, voluntarily, to collect
23 00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:35.509 Bob Earll: mollusks and things on the Falkland Islands, and you know again she, you know, got this wealth of information. I remember listening to a talk on you know the marine mollusks of the Falkland Islands.
24 00:03:35.510 --> 00:03:36.420 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Wow!
25 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:37.970 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Quite extraordinary!
26 00:03:37.970 --> 00:03:41.907 Bob Earll: Yeah. So I mean, there are. You know, these people are everywhere, really?
27 00:03:42.610 --> 00:03:45.060 Bob Earll: yeah, indeed. And are you? Well.
28 00:03:45.590 --> 00:03:55.819 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Yes, I'm reminiscing. You've started a whole bunch of reminiscences now in my head. So did you ever come across a biologist? Called David Bellamy.
29 00:03:55.820 --> 00:03:57.259 Bob Earll: I certainly did.
30 00:03:57.260 --> 00:03:58.539 Bob Earll: Okay, hey?
31 00:03:58.540 --> 00:04:05.370 Bob Earll: Played a very large part in my life, which, if well, okay.
32 00:04:05.420 --> 00:04:15.900 Bob Earll: So in 1968, David Bellamy launched the, I think. What was the 1st Citizen Science project for sports divers anywhere in the world.
33 00:04:16.019 --> 00:04:16.399 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Wow!
34 00:04:16.599 --> 00:04:19.690 Bob Earll: He was a botanist and
35 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:25.110 Bob Earll: He encouraged sports divers to go out and collect a square meter of kelp.
36 00:04:25.390 --> 00:04:31.009 Bob Earll: Yeah, from from a site around the around the country, and then bring it back home.
37 00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:35.190 Bob Earll: Put it in the oven and dry it for 4 h.
38 00:04:35.590 --> 00:04:36.420 Bob Earll: Now you
39 00:04:36.420 --> 00:04:48.239 Bob Earll: can imagine you know what you know. Wives around the round the country were kind of getting going absolutely ballistic with their ovens being filled with dried, you know. Drying kelp.
40 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:55.079 Bob Earll: anyway. Well, you know what he was like, you know, absolutely totally larger than life.
41 00:04:55.080 --> 00:04:55.580 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Yes.
42 00:04:55.580 --> 00:05:09.340 Bob Earll: But I have him to thank. So I took part in that project. I was in Shetland at the time, but the the hop, skip and a jump. Later he and an editor of a diving magazine ran a thing called Underwater Conservation Year.
43 00:05:09.550 --> 00:05:10.280 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Right.
44 00:05:10.570 --> 00:05:24.735 Bob Earll: And I I did a I ran a project for that, you know, voluntarily, it was a species resorting project. It was the most successful recording project. So recording card, yeah? And divers were asked to kind of, you know. Fill in the species. And
45 00:05:25.320 --> 00:05:28.850 Bob Earll: we got. We got 400 cards sent back in a year. It's fantastic.
46 00:05:29.480 --> 00:05:42.800 Bob Earll: anyway. Hop, skip, and a jump. David Bellamy and and various friends decided to go on a major expedition to to the Chagos Archipelago in 1978. Okay.
47 00:05:43.080 --> 00:05:44.759 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Well, that was his second trip
48 00:05:45.760 --> 00:05:47.219 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: was with him on the 1st trip.
49 00:05:47.220 --> 00:06:05.140 Bob Earll: Yeah. Well, indeed. So you'll know where this is going. So this chap called Charles Shepard. Now Charles Shepard had been the Coordinator for underwater conservation year. Okay? And and Charles went off on the expedition to Chagos in 78. And basically there was a vacancy because there was some money left over.
50 00:06:05.140 --> 00:06:06.030 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Yep.
51 00:06:06.730 --> 00:06:09.250 Bob Earll: Hence the beginning of my career
52 00:06:09.280 --> 00:06:26.265 Bob Earll: in that, and that it went for you can only have. You can only have certain number of years, can't you know? So you had underwater conservation here. Didn't know what to call the second bit, so I called it Underwater Conservation program. It then became the Underwater Conservation Society, which we launched in
53 00:06:27.610 --> 00:06:35.309 Bob Earll: 1979, with a big conference in Manchester. And then it became the Marine Conservation Society.
54 00:06:35.310 --> 00:06:36.059 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Right now. It would be.
55 00:06:36.060 --> 00:06:38.179 Bob Earll: Which then took what?
56 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:42.260 Bob Earll: 14 years of my, you know. So that was 14 years of the start of my life.
57 00:06:42.260 --> 00:06:46.449 Bob Earll: So that's a long, winded way of saying, Yes, I do know David Bellamy.
58 00:06:47.760 --> 00:07:00.340 Bob Earll: He was an amazing supporter. I remember he was going somewhere. Our office had burnt down in Ross, and on a Sunday morning it was on Saturday, and he called in to see me.
59 00:07:00.667 --> 00:07:10.949 Bob Earll: I want to see us on the Sunday morning, and kind of was filmed in the process of doing this, and we've got a stack of money on the back of that kind of quite spontaneous
60 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:23.510 Bob Earll: visit. Do you know what I mean? No one asked him to come, you know. There he was, the day after it happened, happened to be driving through. Ross gave us an hour. All sorts of media got the story, and.
61 00:07:23.700 --> 00:07:29.110 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: But I need to take a second with Andrew, just to make sure he's all set up for this meeting.
62 00:07:29.350 --> 00:07:31.560 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: So morning Andrew again.
63 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:32.920 Andrew Maliphant: Hello! Hello!
64 00:07:33.277 --> 00:07:42.919 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Are you familiar with showing videos on Zoom? Because there is a special button you need to press to make sure that you get the sound through.
65 00:07:43.760 --> 00:07:46.340 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Okay, there's a video in the presentation, is there.
66 00:07:46.890 --> 00:07:49.460 Bob Earll: No, it's just the presentation just slides.
67 00:07:49.820 --> 00:07:53.300 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Right? Okay. So that video that you sent was just for fun.
68 00:07:53.988 --> 00:08:01.540 Bob Earll: I might. There are some videos at the bottom of my email. But and I might have sent you some videos from something else. But but there's no video in this presentation.
69 00:08:01.540 --> 00:08:03.119 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Oh, okay, that's fine. Then good.
70 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:03.640 Bob Earll: Yeah.
71 00:08:03.880 --> 00:08:11.319 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: So in that case, you're all set well. I'm very sorry to leave you, but I'm going to leave you because I've got to rush off to another appointment.
72 00:08:11.320 --> 00:08:11.890 Bob Earll: Hmm.
73 00:08:11.890 --> 00:08:16.289 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: But I do hope a thank you so much for jumping in. It's short notice.
74 00:08:16.290 --> 00:08:20.979 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Yes, absolutely. I hope it's going to be a wonderful session. I shall look forward to hearing the recording.
75 00:08:21.200 --> 00:08:33.490 Bob Earll: Yeah, I'm I'm looking forward to it because it gives me a chance to kind of, you know. Of course, this personal perspective, you know this personal action side of things. It's a perspective that you don't hear many presentations on.
76 00:08:33.850 --> 00:08:34.260 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Right.
77 00:08:34.260 --> 00:08:40.170 Bob Earll: Sort of assumptions about what people do, but not but but no one seems to. Well, you'll see them all over.
78 00:08:40.179 --> 00:08:43.089 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: I loved your point about people talking at you.
79 00:08:43.400 --> 00:08:44.679 Andrew Maliphant: Yes. Oh, golf, yeah.
80 00:08:44.680 --> 00:08:47.870 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Or from above, down, down on you.
81 00:08:47.990 --> 00:08:53.860 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: So I think it's going to be a spectacular session, Bob, and I'm very sorry to miss it, but I'll I'll be there afterwards.
82 00:08:53.860 --> 00:08:57.059 Bob Earll: Well, keep up the good work, anyway. I mean, it's terrific job.
83 00:08:57.060 --> 00:09:01.630 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Okay. So I've made you the host. Andrew, you've got all controlled.
84 00:09:02.723 --> 00:09:04.450 Andrew Maliphant: Oh, gosh!
85 00:09:04.450 --> 00:09:04.770 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: It's.
86 00:09:04.770 --> 00:09:09.619 Andrew Maliphant: And Michael Jones. Michael Jones, our programmer, says, Oh, yeah, I'll look at that soon, he says.
87 00:09:09.620 --> 00:09:13.099 Graham Stoddart-Stones - Great Collaboration: Okay. Well, I'll run off before everyone else starts joining. But good luck.
88 00:09:13.100 --> 00:09:16.279 Andrew Maliphant: Okay, enjoy, enjoy your lunch.
89 00:09:17.150 --> 00:09:20.710 Bob Earll: Andrew, I mean you live nearby, don't you?
90 00:09:21.042 --> 00:09:22.040 Andrew Maliphant: Mitchudine. Yeah. Yeah.
91 00:09:22.040 --> 00:09:28.410 Bob Earll: Yeah. Well, Christ, Mitchell Dean is a, you know, is a is a blink away, isn't it?
92 00:09:28.410 --> 00:09:28.900 Andrew Maliphant: Yeah.
93 00:09:28.900 --> 00:09:35.119 Bob Earll: Get together. I mean, I mean, obviously, I kind of responded to various things that you do. You know what I mean? But
94 00:09:35.770 --> 00:09:43.079 Bob Earll: you know. I I kind of understand exactly what you're doing, and and the kind of world that you're kind of trying to break into. I mean.
95 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:45.752 Andrew Maliphant: It's in a way, it's the whole world, but it's
96 00:09:46.590 --> 00:09:54.750 Andrew Maliphant: I I feel I know what you mean, but it it feels like we're we're in the world, but we need to make it more visible. Because certainly, when you're speaking to.
97 00:09:55.830 --> 00:10:05.210 Andrew Maliphant: you know, people at sort of local authority and certainly government level town and parish councils. It's not like they're treating us as little people. It's just we're just invisible, you know.
98 00:10:05.210 --> 00:10:05.560 Bob Earll: Yeah.
99 00:10:05.849 --> 00:10:17.739 Andrew Maliphant: And and of course, in a number of cases, as you and I know, parish councils and their communities aren't always on all fours, either. So this is what we're trying to achieve. Oh, Jenny, good to see you. Yeah.
100 00:10:18.740 --> 00:10:19.400 Bob Earll: Alright!
101 00:10:19.400 --> 00:10:23.298 Andrew Maliphant: So we it. It is a long
102 00:10:24.590 --> 00:10:40.677 Andrew Maliphant: process, but I'm I'm convinced that well, 2 things the more that we show things happening on the ground at community bit level, the more that will encourage people to think there's something in all of this, and the more we do that the more we people get we'll get more traction with these higher level authorities, because
103 00:10:42.398 --> 00:10:45.980 Bob Earll: After Christmas. Why don't we meet up for lunch somewhere.
104 00:10:45.980 --> 00:10:46.510 Andrew Maliphant: Great.
105 00:10:46.510 --> 00:10:51.450 Bob Earll: There must be somewhere halfway. Well, you know, halfway, you know, in in Ross. Say.
106 00:10:51.790 --> 00:10:54.200 Bob Earll: Yeah, okay, where? Where are you living these days?
107 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:58.679 Bob Earll: I live in campley, which is about 7 miles from New, and 7 miles.
108 00:10:58.680 --> 00:11:01.010 Andrew Maliphant: I know I've got friends in Campley. I know I know.
109 00:11:01.010 --> 00:11:01.420 Bob Earll: Right.
110 00:11:01.420 --> 00:11:02.230 Andrew Maliphant: But yeah.
111 00:11:02.230 --> 00:11:02.610 Bob Earll: Yeah.
112 00:11:02.947 --> 00:11:07.672 Andrew Maliphant: Well, there's there's Ross. That's pretty fairly close to you, isn't it?
113 00:11:08.010 --> 00:11:09.010 Bob Earll: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
114 00:11:09.010 --> 00:11:12.379 Bob Earll: Sure. We'll go to the the King's Head in Ross. Then.
115 00:11:12.660 --> 00:11:13.760 Bob Earll: Pretty good. Yeah.
116 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:19.710 Andrew Maliphant: Yeah, I mean the the forest, you know. Community forest
117 00:11:20.010 --> 00:11:25.829 Andrew Maliphant: Climate Forum doesn't seem to have met at all lately, and that's partly because the key people involved have become district councillors, you know.
118 00:11:25.830 --> 00:11:26.970 Andrew Maliphant: Yeah.
119 00:11:26.970 --> 00:11:38.269 Andrew Maliphant: Jackie and Tim, they're just really up to their ears and stuff. Well, we're all up Tories, isn't it? Because it's such a big agenda? And Jenny there, who's already on the call, has been helping a lot with some of our
120 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:42.650 Andrew Maliphant: of all of our room advanced guidance. So that's that's all.
121 00:11:42.870 --> 00:11:44.790 Bob Earll: No, it it.
122 00:11:45.260 --> 00:11:54.346 Bob Earll: I was just saying to Graham that you know. Somehow, somehow retirement seems to kind of get diverted into.
123 00:11:54.760 --> 00:12:13.180 Andrew Maliphant: Well, I always thought you know, if I once I retired, people were banging on me, become their treasurer. So I had my excuse all lined up, you know my wife's business, but blow me, I'm now. I'm now treasurer for 3 different organizations. Well, I used to get rid of one of them, but
124 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:13.905 Andrew Maliphant: it's
125 00:12:14.790 --> 00:12:19.610 Andrew Maliphant: that that's the trouble. But the thing is, you know, we're all doing this out of conviction, aren't we? We're doing it
126 00:12:20.040 --> 00:12:25.329 Andrew Maliphant: important, and it needs to be done, and we're in the best place to do it with our chosen audience. So.
127 00:12:26.150 --> 00:12:29.599 Andrew Maliphant: as I say, often, let us go forward together.
128 00:12:30.760 --> 00:12:31.920 Andrew Maliphant: Indeed.
129 00:12:31.920 --> 00:12:47.330 Andrew Maliphant: Yeah. So yeah. So you were. You are one of our very earliest speakers, weren't you on floods? One of the things we need to do, actually. And that's come up with a couple of parishes lately, is of course. Lidney got flooded out again this last time around.
130 00:12:47.330 --> 00:12:47.840 Bob Earll: Hmm.
131 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:51.249 Andrew Maliphant: Is, I think we well, no, we need some kind of
132 00:12:52.270 --> 00:12:56.500 Andrew Maliphant: template for an approach to flooding, which talks a bit about.
133 00:12:56.800 --> 00:13:00.320 Andrew Maliphant: you know not just the concept, but what what sort of
134 00:13:00.370 --> 00:13:05.530 Andrew Maliphant: situation might be, you know, in terms of ownership, in terms of risk, and all the rest of it.
135 00:13:05.550 --> 00:13:08.390 Andrew Maliphant: and the steps that you can take to do something about it.
136 00:13:08.390 --> 00:13:08.860 Bob Earll: Yeah, yeah.
137 00:13:08.860 --> 00:13:13.810 Andrew Maliphant: Preferably prevention rather than cure, of course. But I'll be right.
138 00:13:13.810 --> 00:13:17.319 Andrew Maliphant: think! And this is particularly obviously aimed at town and parish councils. But
139 00:13:17.826 --> 00:13:20.403 Andrew Maliphant: I'm sure we could put such a thing together.
140 00:13:20.690 --> 00:13:24.780 Bob Earll: Okay, I mean, but
141 00:13:25.460 --> 00:13:34.379 Bob Earll: about 2,003, I became involved with the Charleston Institution for water and environmental management. Siem for short, yeah. And and
142 00:13:34.450 --> 00:13:43.880 Bob Earll: that I was on there looking at their webpage just recently. And they they've actually got whole part of their website is devoted to property level
143 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:46.310 Bob Earll: flood protection.
144 00:13:46.850 --> 00:13:54.169 Bob Earll: Because that was that was, that was the the area that was most ignored by the professionals, by and large, because there wasn't enough money in it.
145 00:13:54.370 --> 00:13:57.200 Bob Earll: But it's a huge huge sector now.
146 00:13:57.270 --> 00:14:01.939 Bob Earll: and anyway, for cywem. I organized
147 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:09.499 Bob Earll: exactly a hundred conferences. Professional conferences. Probably 40 of them were on flooding.
148 00:14:10.680 --> 00:14:16.989 Bob Earll: And because I used to talk to in preparing the programs I used to sit in on all of the conferences.
149 00:14:17.070 --> 00:14:19.979 Bob Earll: Quite a lot of conference organizers seem to kind of
150 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:25.509 Bob Earll: disappear outside by sitting on them all, because it was the best way of understanding what the.
151 00:14:25.790 --> 00:14:26.110 Andrew Maliphant: Hey!
152 00:14:26.110 --> 00:14:28.240 Bob Earll: Where the issues were for the next one.
153 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:29.030 Andrew Maliphant: Yeah, yeah.
154 00:14:29.450 --> 00:14:32.499 Bob Earll: I actually also used to talk to all of the speakers.
155 00:14:32.650 --> 00:14:33.770 Andrew Maliphant: Right.
156 00:14:34.130 --> 00:14:52.930 Bob Earll: And and effectively. If you've got a sort of London Conference day of, let's say, 12 presentations. It meant that I rehearsed the topic 12 times, whatever it happened to be. So it's a lot of this still is still there, because I actually did 40 conferences on it and rehearsed with lots of different people.
157 00:14:53.060 --> 00:15:01.129 Bob Earll: And so and and, as Arthur Daly would have said, you know, this was a nice little earner.
158 00:15:01.270 --> 00:15:01.870 Andrew Maliphant: Indeed.
159 00:15:01.870 --> 00:15:04.651 Bob Earll: We? We did well, in fact, we did one for
160 00:15:05.980 --> 00:15:13.550 Bob Earll: Dclg on, you know, property. Well, they used to have Pps, wasn't it? Planning and policy guidance.
161 00:15:13.550 --> 00:15:14.160 Andrew Maliphant: Right.
162 00:15:14.290 --> 00:15:35.290 Bob Earll: Documents. We did what we did, a meeting for them on where they were generating that on urban flooding we had over 300, you know, had a room, 300 people who completed a questionnaire very systematically. We got over 1,200 responses.
163 00:15:35.290 --> 00:15:35.760 Andrew Maliphant: Think.
164 00:15:35.760 --> 00:15:50.059 Bob Earll: That the authors of the sections of the Pps presenting they got those representations. We did another conference for Dclg. You know, a year later, where they presented what the guidance was.
165 00:15:50.340 --> 00:16:00.310 Bob Earll: It it was, you know it was great, and it's kind of worked, and it was kind of it was really quite enjoyable in a whole variety of ways, do you know, I mean but.
166 00:16:00.310 --> 00:16:05.750 Andrew Maliphant: Well, I think that I think we've probably got that. And thanks that link to that organization.
167 00:16:05.770 --> 00:16:08.730 Andrew Maliphant: I think. There's probably
168 00:16:08.900 --> 00:16:16.436 Andrew Maliphant: from what you're saying enough online to to actually start drafting something. Obviously, I would share it with you in the 1st instance. But then we can run it around various.
169 00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:20.280 Andrew Maliphant: our various parish networks to get some feedback from on the ground. Yeah.
170 00:16:20.280 --> 00:16:25.969 Bob Earll: I mean, you know, as you'll see today, I mean, I kind of believe in. You know, I'm quite
171 00:16:26.530 --> 00:16:29.849 Bob Earll: open to having completely open meetings. Do you know what I mean?
172 00:16:29.850 --> 00:16:30.390 Andrew Maliphant: Gorgeous.
173 00:16:30.390 --> 00:16:31.739 Bob Earll: This is the challenge.
174 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:43.809 Bob Earll: you know. Throw your things into the kind of into the pot, because then you get a structure that actually relates to what people you know are doing. And and and once you've got that
175 00:16:44.070 --> 00:16:57.330 Bob Earll: collection of ideas, then you can start structuring it in a way that actually makes sense to people or relates to their kind of. And it's things like, you know, property, level schemes and things, then become, you know, or you know, upstream.
176 00:16:57.650 --> 00:16:58.240 Andrew Maliphant: Yep.
177 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:02.420 Bob Earll: You know, in measures and all that kind of stuff, you know
178 00:17:03.780 --> 00:17:11.509 Bob Earll: it is. It was a very exciting time. I kind of enjoyed these siren conferences. I'm not. I'm not a water person, but there's some really brilliant people.
179 00:17:11.510 --> 00:17:12.414 Andrew Maliphant: We do not. No.
180 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:17.499 Bob Earll: No, I mean I I'm a marine, you know. I'm a marine person. Do you know what I mean? I kind of
181 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:22.940 Bob Earll: But the the water people were really great and very, you know. I got them really well with them.
182 00:17:23.150 --> 00:17:23.710 Andrew Maliphant: Yeah.
183 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:34.698 Andrew Maliphant: well, we'll we'll we'll have a we'll have a go at that there and as I say, certainly very much needed by town and parish councils at the moment talking with one early in the week, and
184 00:17:35.250 --> 00:17:45.429 Andrew Maliphant: they own land, which is a water meadow which is fine for normal processes. But of course we're not getting normal rainfall these days, and there is all this extra flooding coming in.
185 00:17:45.780 --> 00:18:01.429 Andrew Maliphant: And so they're wondering not just about how they might better manage it, but also are they liable, if flood comes off their area and in dates nearby people's houses, you know. I mean? I couldn't answer the second question, but that's a very real problem that they are facing right now.
186 00:18:01.580 --> 00:18:08.030 Bob Earll: There are lots of legal. There are legal questions, not least. When people start paving over their bribes.
187 00:18:08.030 --> 00:18:09.230 Andrew Maliphant: Yes, yeah.
188 00:18:09.490 --> 00:18:12.459 Andrew Maliphant: Well, we've seen it in many parts of the country people have.
189 00:18:12.570 --> 00:18:17.259 Andrew Maliphant: particularly if they've got a a terrace, and they pave over the front guards link bark their cars on it, you know.
190 00:18:18.018 --> 00:18:23.440 Andrew Maliphant: You see it all over the place. So the more hard standing there is, the less to less soak away, and so on, and so forth.
191 00:18:23.800 --> 00:18:24.120 Bob Earll: Yeah.
192 00:18:24.120 --> 00:18:29.710 Andrew Maliphant: And whether, of course, all these wonderful new houses which the Labour Government is promising will pay all attention to all these things.
193 00:18:29.790 --> 00:18:32.193 Andrew Maliphant: Well, we we wait, we wait and see, but
194 00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:33.970 Bob Earll: Yeah. Oh, rich. Yeah.
195 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:35.430 Andrew Maliphant: Good, really.
196 00:18:35.430 --> 00:18:41.649 Bob Earll: I have right smiles because I've listened to ministers. Talk about this thing, and you know, and senior civil servants, you know, and you kind of
197 00:18:41.910 --> 00:18:44.350 Bob Earll: you can't help thinking about Sir Humphrey, and.
198 00:18:44.350 --> 00:18:44.670 Andrew Maliphant: Yes.
199 00:18:44.670 --> 00:18:45.330 Bob Earll: So I'm happy.
200 00:18:45.330 --> 00:18:50.374 Andrew Maliphant: Oh, oh, I I well, so Humphrey's alive and well, and I I know this because
201 00:18:51.340 --> 00:18:58.879 Andrew Maliphant: We got involved with finding out what I mean the new Labour Government's not imposed very long. Within 3 months
202 00:18:59.170 --> 00:19:17.809 Andrew Maliphant: each new Minister has obviously been tapped on the shoulder by their relevant Sir Humphrey, and they're complaining about any danger of loss to their department's budget. So they've been captured by the system already, you know. And we're back in the old game of each department trying to rob each other for funding. I mean, thinking we ought to be getting a bit beyond that.
203 00:19:18.267 --> 00:19:23.130 Andrew Maliphant: Well, maybe Rachel Reeves can can envy her job and getting her through that
204 00:19:23.280 --> 00:19:25.588 Andrew Maliphant: anyway. Welcome everybody. This is
205 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:52.879 Andrew Maliphant: our latest zooms. I think it's probably the penultimate one before Christmas, because I think the Wednesday after in 2 weeks. Time is my calling. My calendar is Christmas Day, so rest assured we shan't be meeting on Christmas Day or New Year's Day, but we'll be hitting the ground, running in the New Year one of the things we're looking about for the New Year is. There's a big issue around community energy production and selling, which we may have a big session on.
206 00:19:53.150 --> 00:20:13.869 Andrew Maliphant: We're very pleased to welcome back Mr. Bob Earl with us today. He gave us a good talk on flooding at the very early stages of this year was one of our very early speakers, and he's asked to speak to us today on personal approaches to climate action. So, Bob, if I set, if I give it over to you and you let me know when you want me to start. Set up the presentation.
207 00:20:14.080 --> 00:20:16.010 Bob Earll: Yeah, if if you can start the slides now.
208 00:20:16.010 --> 00:20:16.455 Andrew Maliphant: Okay.
209 00:20:16.900 --> 00:20:18.910 Bob Earll: That would be really helpful.
210 00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.819 Andrew Maliphant: Right? Okay.
211 00:20:25.550 --> 00:20:30.920 Andrew Maliphant: alright. Let's start being slideshow. Come on, come on.
212 00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:34.300 Andrew Maliphant: Always seem to take. Always seems to take an age. There we go.
213 00:20:34.300 --> 00:20:34.850 Bob Earll: Yeah.
214 00:20:36.711 --> 00:20:42.679 Andrew Maliphant: I like to think I could set these up before the Zoom Meeting starts, but doesn't seem to want to do that either. Anyway. There we go.
215 00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:44.050 Bob Earll: No, that's fine.
216 00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:46.490 Andrew Maliphant: Right here we go.
217 00:20:46.870 --> 00:20:49.999 Bob Earll: Okay. And and, Andrew, if if I could ask you to.
218 00:20:50.260 --> 00:20:50.789 Andrew Maliphant: You let me know.
219 00:20:50.790 --> 00:20:51.640 Bob Earll: The slide. That would be.
220 00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:54.100 Andrew Maliphant: Yes, just kick me under the table, whatever. Yeah.
221 00:20:54.100 --> 00:20:55.284 Bob Earll: Okay. Well, look
222 00:20:56.290 --> 00:21:15.550 Bob Earll: welcome everyone. This is rather timely, because I was writing some information from my website last week, and Graham approached me and this tied in with something I've just written. So it's actually very helpful to me to rehearse on you in order to kind of get what I've got going to put on my website sorted out. So here goes.
223 00:21:16.151 --> 00:21:20.270 Bob Earll: I've called this really helping and enabling personal environmental action
224 00:21:20.320 --> 00:21:22.820 Bob Earll: because a lot of people speak about it, but
225 00:21:22.950 --> 00:21:40.279 Bob Earll: don't actually really understand what it involves. And and perhaps as a I don't know whether you've got handy access to a to a pen and paper, but what you you, what you might like to do, but is actually make a little list. As I'm speaking of the things that you personally
226 00:21:40.310 --> 00:21:42.520 Bob Earll: are actually doing
227 00:21:42.780 --> 00:21:54.349 Bob Earll: okay in order to kind of do environmental sustainability, climate change related things. So if you could make a list as as I'm talking for a little while. You'll see how this becomes relevant in a second or 2.
228 00:21:56.090 --> 00:21:56.740 Bob Earll: I
229 00:21:58.410 --> 00:22:19.769 Bob Earll: I have to say. I haven't been to many talks like the one I'm going to give you. So I and it's going to take me about 15 min to do this talk, so I will really look forward to any thoughts that you have or any experiences you have from this perspective in terms of what comes up, and I'm more than happy to send people. I've got sort of a number of reports from
230 00:22:21.070 --> 00:22:29.909 Bob Earll: projects I've done just recently and locally, and if you send me an email I will certainly send you copies of those reports, and I'll mention them as I go along.
231 00:22:30.310 --> 00:22:32.209 Bob Earll: so we can have the next slide. Andrew.
232 00:22:33.730 --> 00:22:34.330 Andrew Maliphant: Oh!
233 00:22:34.750 --> 00:22:47.230 Bob Earll: So I I put this in as a context slide. Because for 40 well, for 40 odd years I've been working professionally in this kind of in environment, environment.
234 00:22:47.250 --> 00:22:51.510 Bob Earll: sustainability, climate change area. Okay?
235 00:22:51.690 --> 00:22:58.019 Bob Earll: And for a lot of that time, I used to organize conferences.
236 00:22:59.260 --> 00:23:01.190 Bob Earll: Okay? And
237 00:23:03.010 --> 00:23:16.840 Bob Earll: I became pretty obvious to me that this was a pretty complicated area of work, and and I came across this in Covid. This chap called Jack Barry. Everyone was talking about green recovery then, and he itemized
238 00:23:17.170 --> 00:23:30.220 Bob Earll: all of the kind of environmental sustainability climate change activities that the Scottish government might like to take part in. Now the reality is, I'm not expecting you to
239 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:33.939 Bob Earll: see these these categories. There are over 200 of them.
240 00:23:33.990 --> 00:23:45.450 Bob Earll: If you think environment is complicated, it is. And from a professional point of view, this, this world is populated by professionals who are working in this area.
241 00:23:45.700 --> 00:23:49.940 Bob Earll: Now, one of the kind of green categories is marine. Okay?
242 00:23:49.990 --> 00:23:53.509 Bob Earll: Now, I know from my marine experience, for example.
243 00:23:53.530 --> 00:23:58.240 Bob Earll: that I work with over a hundred categories of things just in marine.
244 00:23:59.390 --> 00:24:01.010 Bob Earll: Yeah. So
245 00:24:01.070 --> 00:24:21.679 Bob Earll: you know, we're looking from at a professional point of view for very large number of people engaged in the professional environmental sphere, and and they work and operate in that sphere, and it is complicated area of work. So don't anyone think that this is kind of relatively simple? But what I'm going to show you is something by way of complete contrast to this. So I can have the next slide, please.
246 00:24:25.400 --> 00:24:27.379 Bob Earll: Yeah, Andrew, if you could.
247 00:24:27.380 --> 00:24:28.749 Andrew Maliphant: Yeah, no, it's just being slow.
248 00:24:28.750 --> 00:24:29.800 Bob Earll: Oh, okay. Sorry. Okay.
249 00:24:29.800 --> 00:24:30.580 Andrew Maliphant: There you go!
250 00:24:31.380 --> 00:24:32.020 Andrew Maliphant: Yeah.
251 00:24:32.180 --> 00:24:48.550 Bob Earll: The reason, I suppose I kind of this really stuck in my mind and stuck in my mind for a long time, is that I've only been involved in local environmental activities for about 15 years. Most of my career has been spent in the kind of professional sphere.
252 00:24:48.550 --> 00:24:49.090 Caitlin Williams: Watch it.
253 00:24:49.570 --> 00:24:50.200 Caitlin Williams: Good!
254 00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:51.839 Bob Earll: But I've noticed that.
255 00:24:52.656 --> 00:24:53.473 Caitlin Williams: Yeah.
256 00:24:58.740 --> 00:25:00.490 Bob Earll: someone needs to turn their sound off.
257 00:25:00.942 --> 00:25:01.640 Andrew Maliphant: Done it. Yeah.
258 00:25:01.640 --> 00:25:21.990 Bob Earll: Look. I've noticed when I've gone along to local meetings that you know we have a local transition group which was fantastic. I've sat and listened to a wide variety of speakers, and who've come along and told, you know, told me, or told the audience that they wanted to engage with the local community in order to encourage them to do more.
259 00:25:22.530 --> 00:25:39.370 Bob Earll: And and it's sort of it struck me up, you know, many occasions. So you go along with with an open mind and and start listening. And then then a number of things happen. Okay, you get a sort of top down lecture. You get talked at
260 00:25:39.570 --> 00:25:48.150 Bob Earll: at its worst you get, you know it's utterly condescending. You know you're regarded as kind of a lower form of life. You know what I mean
261 00:25:49.930 --> 00:26:00.009 Bob Earll: you get bombarded with corporate. Speak acronyms, jargon coming out of every orifice which makes great sense. If you're working, say, in the flooding industry. We know all these acronyms mean
262 00:26:00.490 --> 00:26:03.490 Bob Earll: if you're at a local level, people, don't.
263 00:26:04.090 --> 00:26:10.510 Bob Earll: These people often come selling a preformed idea? You know they they they don't listen
264 00:26:10.930 --> 00:26:15.269 Bob Earll: often. There's very little time for questions, and they don't
265 00:26:15.340 --> 00:26:25.549 Bob Earll: really want any input from you at all. They're just selling the idea, basically. And although these are often sold as operating at a kind of local scale.
266 00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:33.569 Bob Earll: These probably often usually aren't. And and certainly in in our village we have a well, you know we
267 00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:41.110 Bob Earll: someone called one of my professional colleagues. It's it says it's worst. It's like he's like a religious fanatic
268 00:26:41.270 --> 00:26:45.380 Bob Earll: when he gets going. But he's speaking professional. Speak. Yeah.
269 00:26:45.690 --> 00:26:49.769 Bob Earll: So. And professionals, I have to say of which there are a vast number
270 00:26:49.890 --> 00:26:52.099 Bob Earll: from that world I just mentioned to you
271 00:26:52.270 --> 00:27:00.179 Bob Earll: are can be some of the worst people who actually do this sort of presentation in a local scope.
272 00:27:00.670 --> 00:27:08.160 Bob Earll: So move, you know. So I am very interested in this kind of local scale and engaging, you know, individuals. So you can have next slide, please, Andrew.
273 00:27:10.950 --> 00:27:17.600 Bob Earll: I gave this some thought, and and and I'll show you this really rather simple structure.
274 00:27:17.610 --> 00:27:25.879 Bob Earll: I mean, I'm going to be talking today about, you know the personal choices and actions that are within your control.
275 00:27:26.806 --> 00:27:35.419 Bob Earll: Stuart. You can go out today and buy an electric car if you want to. You don't have to consult with government or regulations, or you know any legal device. You can just do it.
276 00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:37.670 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow TC Essex: Funny enough. I just bought one yesterday.
277 00:27:37.670 --> 00:27:38.330 Andrew Maliphant: But he's like, Yeah.
278 00:27:38.910 --> 00:27:44.952 Bob Earll: Yeah, so yeah, Frank, you got it by side of the pile. So this is the sort of area we are.
279 00:27:45.250 --> 00:27:47.149 Bob Earll: in the context of
280 00:27:48.100 --> 00:27:53.914 Bob Earll: you know what Andrew does. And there there are quite a lot of people who want to influence things.
281 00:27:54.230 --> 00:27:58.790 Bob Earll: want to influence their parishes, their councils, their communities in general.
282 00:27:58.810 --> 00:28:04.699 Bob Earll: and I put that, you know I called it community and projects. But you know, I put this in a kind of middle category.
283 00:28:05.890 --> 00:28:11.459 Bob Earll: And then there's the 3rd category, which is that professional category which is, you know, which is vast.
284 00:28:11.690 --> 00:28:19.380 Bob Earll: And again, if you want to understand why life as a counsellor, and things is so difficult is that you're often piggy in the middle.
285 00:28:19.570 --> 00:28:23.440 Bob Earll: You're getting bombarded with stuff from the top down.
286 00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:30.780 Bob Earll: which you have to make sense of, and sometimes have to make sense of in relation to your parishioners, residents.
287 00:28:31.040 --> 00:28:33.139 Bob Earll: whatever you want to call them. Okay.
288 00:28:34.150 --> 00:28:42.799 Bob Earll: I'm not going to be talking about. You know, a professional perspective. I'm going to be focusing very much on this personal choices and actions one today.
289 00:28:43.170 --> 00:28:47.510 Bob Earll: So, Andrew, if so, let's move to this
290 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:52.840 Bob Earll: if you take the simple step of actually asking.
291 00:28:53.990 --> 00:29:01.889 Bob Earll: and it's difficult to say there's not been concerning, but what people the public residents, parishioners, ordinary people
292 00:29:02.270 --> 00:29:04.789 Bob Earll: are doing for the environment.
293 00:29:05.980 --> 00:29:11.569 Bob Earll: I could ask you the question of how many of you have actually gone out and asked your parishioners.
294 00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:12.510 Bob Earll: won't.
295 00:29:12.950 --> 00:29:15.089 Bob Earll: They are doing for the environment.
296 00:29:16.830 --> 00:29:26.930 Bob Earll: If you take the trouble to do that. And I've I've done this and a couple of settings. Now I did it for a big conference in Exeter a few years ago, and I got over a hundred responses.
297 00:29:27.750 --> 00:29:47.940 Bob Earll: 100 people responded. Over 300 more than 300 individual comments, and I've done it for a group of students down a master's students who I lectured to in Plymouth for the last 7 years. And and it's extraordinarily revealing because you come to this particular. Well, the next slide.
298 00:29:48.560 --> 00:29:50.460 Bob Earll: If you ask that question.
299 00:29:51.030 --> 00:29:54.000 Bob Earll: which is the kind of question I asked you at the beginning of this talk.
300 00:29:56.360 --> 00:30:01.770 Bob Earll: You come to a simple listing of what people are doing.
301 00:30:01.940 --> 00:30:06.050 Bob Earll: Okay, now, I'm I'm a great believer in structures.
302 00:30:06.170 --> 00:30:10.819 Bob Earll: Okay, I hence my kind of, you know, earlier slide with with this in context.
303 00:30:11.430 --> 00:30:20.649 Bob Earll: But for the most part people's personal action falls into these 7 categories.
304 00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:25.270 Bob Earll: Now, clearly, these 7 categories can be expanded a lot.
305 00:30:25.370 --> 00:30:36.200 Bob Earll: Okay, and it and they can be. And I've got an a 4 sheet with the expansion of these 7 categories. If anyone wants one, I'd be happy to send it to them. Okay.
306 00:30:37.270 --> 00:30:38.310 Bob Earll: so.
307 00:30:39.070 --> 00:30:50.589 Bob Earll: and and on the face of it, there's no surprises here at all, really. These are are topics which you all will know and love.
308 00:30:51.910 --> 00:31:01.730 Bob Earll: Okay, obviously depending on the audience. You know, the students, for example, don't have houses, so don't have to worry about energy in the home.
309 00:31:02.110 --> 00:31:07.539 Bob Earll: but they do care passionately about their food and food security.
310 00:31:07.570 --> 00:31:15.460 Bob Earll: and they do care passionately about consumerism and a lot of them spend a lot of time working on wildlife and volunteer on all sorts of things as well.
311 00:31:15.880 --> 00:31:18.019 Bob Earll: and and they often organize.
312 00:31:18.090 --> 00:31:34.520 Bob Earll: you know and rehearse their views on on students so often. The actual focus of their particular activities, you know, varies. But again, that's not entirely surprising. But it still falls within this remit of this, this series of headings in relation to personal action.
313 00:31:35.550 --> 00:31:39.140 Bob Earll: If we go to the next slide I'm going to, I'm going to give you a
314 00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:47.340 Bob Earll: and this is, perhaps this slide isn't perhaps as clear as it ought to be. But let me let me give you a very practical example of how this works.
315 00:31:47.810 --> 00:31:59.779 Bob Earll: So I in our transition group, I basically set up our our sort of monthly and bi-monthly meetings. Okay? And often, we were looking for topics to cover.
316 00:31:59.780 --> 00:32:00.440 Cllr Stuart Withington, Gt Dunmow TC Essex: Peace.
317 00:32:02.800 --> 00:32:07.370 Bob Earll: If you pick any one of the topics in the previous slide.
318 00:32:07.840 --> 00:32:11.919 Bob Earll: virtually everyone in the room will have something to say about it.
319 00:32:12.030 --> 00:32:14.920 Bob Earll: Okay, everyone.
320 00:32:15.080 --> 00:32:22.219 Bob Earll: The whole room will have something to say about travel or diet, or you know the learning they've done everyone.
321 00:32:24.690 --> 00:32:35.109 Bob Earll: If you ask people, you know, and various other people. Let's take, you know, we had a lady, you know, in a local group who volunteered with a local council to do a big tree planting program.
322 00:32:35.930 --> 00:32:42.460 Bob Earll: But in our local group of about 30 odd people she was the only person
323 00:32:42.550 --> 00:32:45.159 Bob Earll: who was doing that in that community.
324 00:32:45.770 --> 00:32:50.110 Bob Earll: So it was very interesting to listen to what she was doing and how she was doing it.
325 00:32:50.470 --> 00:32:52.970 Bob Earll: But the other 29 people
326 00:32:53.040 --> 00:32:57.269 Bob Earll: weren't actually engaged in that in that process.
327 00:32:57.430 --> 00:32:58.310 Bob Earll: Okay.
328 00:32:58.860 --> 00:33:18.149 Bob Earll: so that particular listing I showed you before is incredibly helpful. If you're organizing, you know, meetings for, or to engage people at a local level in whatever for
