We’ve done many things.
We insulated and installed solar panels in our old house. We bought our current house because it had panels and a heat pump already installed. I grow most of our own vegetables and fruit requirements for the year. I do this organically, composting as much as possible, with wildlife always in mind. I recently found a very rare beetle in the garden and had it verified by the local species recorder. He commented on how good it was that my garden was providing a species-rich environment.
If we do travel, we try to be conscious that tourism can bring good by offering protection to areas and wildlife, and stopping bushmeat killings and habitat destruction. I know that international travel is a position of privilege, but it can bring good too.
I donate most of my book sales and royalties to an antislavery charity.
We eat vegetarian and pretty much vegan most days. We keep our house thermostat turned down; although my husband has Reynauds so we cannot go much colder than we already do or he really does turn blue – to ice.
We live in a rural village. We still drive two cars: while we would like to use the bus more often, it so rarely fits with our schedule. We haven’t yet managed to work out how to manage without our cars. My husband is a musician and needs to transport gear for his gigs. I also perform poetry and am part of a storytelling group which meets and performs all over the island. Often, we’re on the road long after the last bus runs. As of now, we still don’t have any viable alternatives. While an electric car is an option, we are maintaining our current cars to keep them as clean and efficient as possible, so that we might drive them to their limits in an effort to maximise their use.
Beyond these steps, it’s micromanaging our lives. Clothes are all sourced from ethical and environmentally responsible sources. Chocolate and other treats must be as fair as humanly possible, or we go without. Some are easier than others, although we have to make compromises. Some of our activities need to use providers whose ethics we profoundly dislike. We try to see that of God in everything – and not just when it suits us, either.
But beyond this, I think we need the systems to change - governments to change direction and start to really lead us all together in this new direction. To this end, we also sign petitions and pursue a certain level of politics. I know there is more work to do, to talk to people and ask them to do more - each little adjustment matters. But, in the end, it may or may not reverse this looming catastrophe; we have chosen to go into this future with as much love and joy in our lives as possible.
Sylvia Clare