Sustainability stories - Exeter LM

Gerald Conyngham, Exeter LM

How can we respond to the enormous challenges the world is facing, including peak oil, climate change and increasing inequality? Quaker Testimonies to Simplicity and to Equality show me the need to change the way I live and to think about people in developing countries who are already suffering the effects of climate change. This involves working at every level, individual, community and national. As a Quaker I bring recognition of the need for change based on a conviction that the way our society is organised is fundamentally flawed, and that we need to move towards one in which right relationships at every level are considered more important than economic growth. The transition concept attracted me because of its emphasis on the positive, i.e. creating strong resilient communities. There is no blueprint but many ideas and the focus is on playing to people’s strengths and interests. And a recognition that priorities will vary in different areas.

Crediton is a market town in Devon with a wide range of community organisations. We were one of the early transition towns and now have over 300 members and active subgroups looking at food, energy, transport and waste. I have been chair for the past 3 years.

Photo credit: Gerald Conyngham

Our successes include:

• A campaign to get rid of plastic bags ( partially achieved)
• Open weekends promoting renewable energy e.g. solar panels, PV cells and ground heat pumps.
• Organising ‘swishing events’ at which people can exchange clothes and learn how to repair and reuse what they own.
• Getting local organisations to support the Copenhagen conference and make pledges about how they would cut their emissions. (part of the 350 campaign to reduce emissions to 350 parts per million)
• Setting up a website to promote local food production.

The hardest part is reaching out to the wider community and encouraging more people to become active. We struggle to find the best way of communicating in a way which recognises that major changes are needed in our lifestyles but that this can be seen as life enhancing, rather than something negative. We are working closely with local schools since engaging young people is crucial if we are to have a lasting impact.

Overall I feel pleased with what we have achieved and we are now seen as a vital part of the local community and recently won the Devon Small Green Steps Award.

My advice to other Quakers is to start with whatever seems important locally, to build alliances and networks, and to develop a vision that can be shared by all members of the community.

We’d love to hear the story of you or your meeting too. Just email sunnivat@quaker.org.uk and tell us about it.