[ad_1]
Bristol24/7 was shortlisted in the ‘Communicating the Climate and Ecological Emergency’ category at Future Leap’s Sustainable Business Awards 2023.
Civic and business worlds converged under chandeliers at the ceremony on Thursday, as organisations focused on sustainability came together to celebrate.
It was energising to be in a room with so many people working towards the same goal, and a timely opportunity to reflect on the vital role of community and storytelling in motivating climate action.
Independent journalism
is needed now More than ever
Keep our city’s journalism independent. Become a supporter member today.
Bristol24/7 were finalists in the ‘communicating the climate and ecological emergency’ category at this year’s Sustainable Business awards – photo: Ursula Billington
The great climate communicator David Attenborough was quoted not once, but twice, during the evening:
“Saving our planet is now a communications challenge. We know what to do, we just need the will,” he said in 2020.
The skills and ability to tackle the climate emergency exist. We now need new and better stories to convince people it’s essential to act and to show what’s possible.
Having a dedicated climate editor role in place at Bristol24/7 has allowed us to think more carefully about how we craft our climate coverage.
As climate and sustainability editor, I wanted to tell positive stories to inspire others and help create a ripple effect of climate action across the city.
With many at the Sustainable Business Awards – Ambition Lawrence Weston, Belmont Estate, Bridge Farm, City to Sea, UWE Bristol – I found stories demonstrating the dynamic range of activity happening on the ground in Bristol.
In the wider community I’ve found further exciting examples of climate action, from protests to folk theatre, net zero heating, community gardens, architecture, local wildlife and so much more.
Ambition Lawrence Weston’s wind turbine is a positive and uplifting story that could inspire other communities to embark on their own community energy adventures – photo: Mark Simmons
Positive stories have been shown to be the most effective means to bring about change. Doom and gloom news focused on environmental destruction is exacerbating eco-anxiety and driving consumers to switch off.
Storytellers have also found that science doesn’t resonate, but people do. The BBC says we need ‘proactivity and practicality, with stories…that offer personal examples of what people can tangibly do, and positive stories of impact.’
Sunita Ramani of Greenhouse Communications says human interest stories with a representative range of relatable people at the forefront are the most effective in inspiring people to get involved.
Avon Wildlife Trust, the organisation behind the Grow Wilder nature education project in Stapleton, was recognised for its role in communicating the climate emergency – photo: Nick Turner
At the Sustainable Business awards, Bristol24/7 was pipped to the post by the brilliant Avon Wildlife Trust (AWT) who have galvanised widespread engagement with nature’s recovery with their Team Wilder campaign.
While the judges recognised Bristol24/7’s commitment to communicating the climate crisis locally, they commended AWT for their efforts to listen as well as to speak up.
Listening is an essential part of journalism. My aim is to give a voice to the grassroots. And as an independent local news organisation, Bristol24/7 is here to inform but also to serve the community.
We welcome your news, suggestions, and feedback. We want to know what your interests are. When it comes to climate and sustainability news, what excites, motivates, inspires you?
I’m only scratching the surface of Bristol’s climate activity. I’m keen to dig deeper, to explore every community in the city, to find out what we can do to amplify their ideas and action.
But the funding we’ve secured for this role will soon run out.
If you think storytelling is important to inspire local climate action and want to support the only regional publisher in the world (as far as we know!) to have a dedicated climate editor in place, please drop us a line.
Get in touch at [email protected]
This piece of independent journalism is supported by The Extra Mile and the Bristol24/7 public and business membership.
Main photo: Ursula Billington
Read next:
Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
[ad_2]
Source link