Sustainability stories - Wooldale LM

Martin Smith, Wooldale LM

I’m retired and live with my wife high on a Pennine hillside. I have been moving towards a sustainable way of living for about five years. But I am no eco hero. While emissions may be down by a third – my early data is ropey – I still run a car on a modest scale and clearly have some way to go.

Many changes have been made at home – a new boiler, insulation, energy bulbs, control of central heating, drying clothes outside, composing etc. These changes have come gradually and have been easy. Surprisingly, giving up air flight wasn’t difficult either.

Development of action within our small Meeting has been more difficult and our discussions have been tense. There is reluctance from some that is not well articulated and difficult to explain. Certainly the science is no longer openly challenged. Some folk are held back by feelings of inadequacy in being ‘patterns and examples’ for others. Nevertheless, we have made progress e.g. in greening of the Meeting House and, overall, sustainability is now firmly on our agenda.

Last year I was involved in setting up Holmfirth Transition Town, which has developed well. Among other things we have shown films, held an election meeting, organised a community blackberry picking event and an energy advice day. We have been helped by Friends elsewhere.

This endeavour has many motivations. At heart I am deeply dissatisfied with how we live as a society – with, for instance, excessive consumption, loss of community, time poverty and entrenched inequality. I feel estranged from such living – which is not the Quaker way.

What are the lessons? My story shows that significant change is possible and making it is a journey towards wellbeing – not a path to hardship. It’s been exciting and involves learning new skills. I have made better progress in acting with others rather than going it alone. This is not an overnight journey but one that involves many changes over the long term. It’s helpful to focus on what we have done and can do – rather than our shortcomings – and so find that we can change the world.

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