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Why are we campaigning?

Worldwide, women are both an influential and positive force for change, and are some of the most vulnerable individuals in the face of our changing environment.

In the UK, women remain influential consumers of domestic products and utilities, providing them with the opportunity to choose greener and less polluting energy suppliers and appliances, or consider the impacts of their food choices, for example. Women are also still the primary educators of the next generation and therefore have huge power to change the way in which today's children think about their coexistence with the planet. Around the world, women are the guardians of natural resources - collecting food, water and fuel for their families - as well as some of the poorest global citizens. As a result, women will be hit the hardest when the full impacts of environmental damage such as climate change are felt, as their position in society in many countries makes them less well equipped to deal with emergencies.
As women, we have the power and the unique opportunity to act as leaders within our families, local communities and within our social networks. Although we in the UK may escape the worst of the effects of environmental changes in our generation, it is future generations which will be hit - our children and grandchildren - as well as those living in more vulnerable nations around the world. We must all be aware of the legacy we leave with every choice we make.
We may feel that individually we are not able to change the course of events or make a big impact on the environment, but it is worth remembering that the overall effect is made up of millions of individual decisions - each person making even small changes can add up to a huge collective effect.
The aim of this pack is to provide ideas and projects which members can use to re-invigorate interest within their community in environmental issues. It is designed to play to people's hobbies and interests, hopefully making it easier for WI members, who have been long-committed to working positively for our environment, to engage with other members of their community to work for collective solutions at a local level. No matter whether you feel that you only have time to send off one letter, or whether you would like to take on the challenge of coordinating your village to plant a new wooded area, there will be an action in here which everyone can take and see the difference they have made to their local environment. Our world is made up of local areas, stitched together by pathways and networks, which all work together to make our national and international ecosystem and community - by affecting your local area in a positive way, this will bring about changes in the national and international picture too.
We can all make a difference in our own way.
Interesting facts and figures

  • 70% of the world's poor are women, and with the poorest people in the world the least well equipped to cope with the effects of environmental change, this leaves women extremely vulnerable. Of those already affected by climate-related disasters, 85% are women, with the mortality rate during these disasters an amazing 14 times higher for women than men.
  • Whilst we in the UK have water on tap, the average distance which people have to travel to get water in Africa and Asia is 6km. Women are mainly responsible for gathering water, food and fuel in many countries, so this makes them more vulnerable to dwindling supplies of natural resources.
  • British women control £400 million more expenditure than men every week. With over 80% of women concerned about our changing climate, imagine the consumer power that could be put to work on tackling the causes of environmental change.