Anonymous citizens trying to save the planet (to the clumsiness of those who should)

We have all known for years that climate change represents the greatest threat to our existence.

To the despair of many, governments around the world have stumbled and stuttered when it comes to implementing climate action.

Their lack of action has accelerated a wave of citizen-driven movements aimed at solving the climate crisis.

In this article we explore four such moves, each of which has its own strategy.

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Build yourself a modest home

The Dutch House Movement, founded by Marjolein Jonkers, does not stop growing.

More and more people are adopting a simpler, more independent and modest life.

Especially in the Netherlands, where land is limited and expensive.

“The environmental factor was certainly on our minds and has influenced the decision, but we also wanted to have the experience of building our own house,” say Jasmijn Twilt and Jurre Antonisse, a couple who live with their son in a small residential community in Delft.

His story is similar to that of others who have opted for a more austere lifestyle.

The combination of financial, environmental and creative incentives finally persuaded them to keep going.

“We are part of a generation that is privileged in many cases to question the traditional values ​​of the big house, the nine-to-five job, etc.,” explains Elvie Kromwijk, who lives with her partner Abel in the same Delft community.

"I never had the dream of building it, but we did it due to circumstances, such as the exorbitant prices in Amsterdam," he adds.

But changing one's lifestyle is not a solution for everyone, Twilt and Antonisse point out, who see it as an experiment to learn from.

“We want to inspire people to better insulate their homes and use available technology and knowledge to make better decisions.

And since we are the builders and we work on a small scale, we can really be innovative ”.

Antonisse, who is a computer engineer, gives a historical example: “I really wanted a

house

that needed almost zero energy thanks to the insulation and good design.

houses

were developed in the 1970s during the oil crisis, so that we understand that it is possible to build homes that do not consume energy.

The concept was developed by German, Canadian and American engineers, and has become the norm. ”

This type of innovation is just one of the trends that this movement has driven.

These pioneers have begun to pave the way for others and have succeeded in getting municipalities to adopt their building regulations to adapt to the new lifestyle.

Today many more authorities in the Netherlands offer permanent or long-term land use permits to the owners of these tiny houses ...

Birth strike in the UK

Across the North Sea, another movement is spreading, but the approach is totally different.

In the UK, BirthStrike aims to raise the bar for climate action.

"It's about raising the alarm, not about population control," says its founder, Bythe Pepino.

The activist explains that the initiative has its origin in the anxiety caused by the climate problem.

A compelling argument, no doubt, although skeptics often call it pro-abortion or focused solely on reducing population.

However, if we listen to those who have made such a promise and renunciation of procreation, a different story emerges.

Nathan Nuckir, a 27-year-old social worker, expresses his desire to be a father and how difficult it has been for him to make up his mind and commit.

"I always wanted to be a dad, it's the only thing I wanted to be good at."

But given the slowness of governments in taking action against the climate crisis, Nuckir believes that becoming a father is now out of place.

And that has allowed him to reassess his future.

"Now that I don't have to make plans for a child, I am freer to fight and dedicate my time to causes I believe in."

For anyone, becoming a

can be a difficult option and even more so, for all the

, for those in their thirties.

Adam Ley-Lange and Jessica Johannesson are one of those couples.

They had just decided to have children when the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate (IPCC) was published.

"The report examines the disastrous consequences of global warming ... A climate disaster is looming," explains Jessica, 34.

“Before this publication was released, climate change was something abstract and distant for me.

[Now] The fear of the future is too great to bring a child into the world in the current ecological crisis, "he says.

"BirthStrike is not intended to be salvation, but we hope to be one of the many dominoes that will fall to drive the necessary change," says Pepino.

All of the

we spoke to shared this sentiment and had a clear message.

“The strike or resignation part is vital.

Teachers go on strike to protest conditions or pay, not because the teaching itself is bad.

A birth strike is the same;

they are protesting the conditions, not the act itself ”.

Urban gardens and trees in Berlin

In Germany we find another movement driven by citizens, although its roots are well known on the continent.

Urban gardens, or rented gardens, are enjoying a new wave of popularity in the German capital;

they unite neighborhoods, enhance biodiversity and provide organic fruits and vegetables while reducing the supply chain.

"It's very fashionable in Berlin to enjoy here drinking a beer in a green environment, while growing your own vegetables in boxes," says Ameli Stieg, from the Himmelbeet orchard in north-west Berlin.

We discovered that its popularity is being driven by a number of factors, and specifically environmentalism and the desire to connect with nature and with neighbors.

“Most people don't have a garden or balcony at home.

Use our spaces to plant vegetables that you later harvest.

And also, people enjoy the feeling of community, ”says Stieg, who has a master's degree in Geological Sciences.

He explains the environmental impact of orchards and adds: "Having a good ecological system in the city is very important for the diversity of insects. In addition, it is getting hotter and hotter and the plants help to have a lower temperature."

One of the best known orchards in Berlin, in Prinzessinnengarten [endangered by property pressure], has been completed with another in a cemetery (St. Jacobi, in Neukölln).

"In the last 30 years the number of funerals has decreased and so has the culture of being buried, so there are more open spaces," says Hanna Burckhardt, one of the organizers of the garden.

This unusual place became an option after the priest himself contacted the creators of the project.

“It is interesting to turn it into a place to enjoy nature.

Space for urban gardens is scarce in the city and large developers often keep the land.

In this case it is less likely that it will be sold and we will be forced to move, ”Burckhardt rejoices.

While these projects have a lot to offer the environment, their main purpose is to interact with neighbors.

"The feeling of community and the exchange of experiences are important aspects", emphasizes Burckhardt.

And he adds: "The garden has very different visitors, young families, old and young people, new residents ... The main environmental aspect is education and raising awareness through this."

While Berlin's urban gardens connect residents and educate on environmental issues, there is another project that works across the city to save its trees.

The City Lab (urban laboratory) financed by the City Council has developed an application that allows its inhabitants to adopt the trees of the city (Water your neighborhood, it's called).

"We came up with an innovative application, in which Berliners can take care of a tree, water it," explains Julia Zimmerman.

And it was created in response to increasingly dry summers.

Trees act as important climatic balancers, especially in cities;

they filter the air, increase biodiversity and cool the temperature.

Therefore, protecting them is vital for any urban environment.

They use tree logging and weather reports to calculate precise measurements to guide users, and it has been developed using open source.

“It is great to have this tool because it is a collaborative effort with citizens and transferable to other cities.

Leipzig has already cloned the code and is creating its own version. "

Catalan ecovillages

The last stop is in Catalonia, in Spain.

There, the idea of ​​repopulating abandoned villages with ecological substitutes is being explored.

“Ecovillages can offer an alternative to cities, especially in times of covid-19.

Leaving the city can provide a cleaner and healthier life, ”says Didac Costa, founder of the Ecovila Amat ecovillage.

Like many other European countries, Spain has a unique opportunity in this regard.

Here alone there were more than three million empty or unfinished homes after the 2008 financial crisis. Costa thinks solutions like his ecovillage offer more than a healthier and more environmentally conscious lifestyle.

"The objective is to be as sustainable as possible so that we do not depend on the government and we can be independent."

While some of the key goals are this independence and sustainability, Costa also wants to spread the idea globally.

“The purpose is to achieve a more accessible lifestyle.

We intend to create other ecovillages around the world.

We use tools like Wi-Fi to establish global networks and create alternatives to the current situation ”.

Four different initiatives, in four different countries, that address the issue of climate change in very different ways but with a clear trend that Costa himself sums up: “After years of conferences and seminars, we are finally creating.

We are replacing words with actions ”.

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