Hosting a Cuppa for Climate and Becoming Part of Something Bigger

“Hello! My name is Claire, and I live with my husband in rural Co. Laois. From a young age I have been interested in nature and the environment. When I was younger I was concerned about issues such as litter, pollution, the ozone layer, reducing waste, recycling and conserving water as those were the things that were being spoken about at the time. Climate change wasn't given much attention when I was growing up, other than the occasional mention of polar bears and melting ice caps.

Fast forward to today, the climate crisis is no longer an abstract concept. It's a reality that affects us all, and like many others, I felt the need to do something about it. I began to realise that the impact I have on my own was limited, and that in order to effect real change, I needed to be part of something bigger.  Living in a rural area, it can sometimes feel isolating to care so deeply about environmental issues. Before getting involved with Friends of the Earth, I didn’t know many people in my area who were as passionate about climate action as I was. Through Friends of the Earth I not only gained valuable insights but also formed lasting connections with like-minded individuals.

Hosting a Cuppa for Climate

Last year, I saw that Friends of the Earth were looking for supporters to host a Cuppa for Climate and while I thought it was a great idea, at first I wasn’t sure where to host it as where we live is very rural and I thought it would be inconvenient to get to for participants. Then I recalled that often people would ask to visit our house to learn about low energy building and sustainable living. Why not combine that interest with the Cuppa for Climate and turn it into an open day and raise funds for Friends of the Earth at the same time? 

The event was a huge success and I was thrilled that so many people wanted to attend. We served organic, Fair Trade teas and coffees, as well as vegan treats. I made pumpkin spice muffins with pumpkins that I had grown in our own garden! We encouraged carpooling and the use of public transport to get here which ended up giving attendees a further opportunity to network with like-minded people. We spoke about low energy building and showed these elements in our house (the heat pump, mechanical ventilation with heat exchange, triple glazed windows, air tightness, insulation etc.).

We also showed participants other sustainable living approaches which we have adopted including rainwater harvesting, PV solar panels and a battery system, composting, use of environmentally friendly building materials, sustainable options for furnishing/ home décor, and did a tour of our vegetable garden. Our passive house builder was also kind enough to come along and showed samples of different types of insulation, air tightness membranes, and a cross section of a triple glazed window. 

Not everyone is ready to build a passive house, and that’s okay. We talked about smaller, meaningful changes people can make such composting, reducing waste, and moving away from consumerism. The feedback from attendees was incredible. They found the day both informative and empowering, and it gave them a chance to meet others who share similar values.

The response from participants was really positive as it was informative as well as an opportunity to meet new people with shared interests. There were lots of other people who wanted to attend, but couldn’t make it on the day so I am thinking of making it an annual event!

Becoming more active with Friends of the Earth has been one of the things that has left me feeling most empowered in the face of the climate crisis. It's only now since I have begun to connect with other people who also care, that I realise how isolated I had felt before. There were times in the past when I felt like what I was doing was insignificant relevant to the size of the problem, but meeting so many other people who are also working to change things for the better has renewed my enthusiasm and helped me to feel part of something much bigger, and crucially, that there are enough of us to make a difference!”

We’d like to express huge thanks to Claire for hosting such a wonderful Cuppa for Climate, encouraging rich and impactful climate conversations while also raising funds to support Friends of the Earth.