Do Not Tiptoe 4 by Christian Aid Collective

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DNT ISSUE 4 • CHRISTIANAIDCOLLECTIVE.ORG

Together we are Collective.

DO NOT TIPTOE

We are a movement of young people and students who believe the world doesn’t have to be the way it is. We’re not content to tiptoe through life. We want to shout out against injustice and challenge the systems that keep people poor. We want to run towards a new world – a better world. To be love in action. Together we can be the generation that ends poverty.

The climate edition

Stories from the edge of a changed climate and where to find hope for climate justice

A different sort of bank

Sam Stephens explains how Streetbank can help us to be better neighbours

Ignoring injustice?

Is climate change the slavery of our generation?

‘ All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip or dance, just don’t tiptoe.’ Shane Claiborne To find out more about Christian Aid Collective go to christianaidcollective.org

GUEST CONTRIBUTORS

Joe Ware is the church and campaigns journalist at Christian Aid. He wants the world to be a better place and thinks the church can help make it happen.

Eleri Birkhead spent 10 months as a Collective intern in Yorkshire. She loves Leeds and singing ‘Bread of Heaven’ at the top of her voice.

Melody Seal is passionate about art, creativity and the beautiful world in which we live. Find more of her fantastical creations at melodyseal.com

Matt Baron is an art student at Chichester University. You can see more of his work at mattgbaron.tumblr.com

CONTACT US AT: Tel: 020 7523 2300 Email: collective@christian-aid.org Online at: christianaidcollective.org Twitter: @TheCACollective Facebook: facebook.com/christianaidcollective For regional offices’ contact information, go to christianaidcollective.org/office-contact-information Do Not Tiptoe is available every six months. To find out when the next issue is on its way, sign up to our newsletter list at christianaidcollective.org UK registered charity no.1105851 Company no. 5171525 Scotland charity no. SC039150 NI charity no. XR94639 Company no. NI059154 ROI charity no. CHY 6998 Company no. 426928 The Christian Aid name and logo are trademarks of Christian Aid. Christian Aid Collective is a mark of Christian Aid. © Christian Aid September 2013. Do Not Tiptoe is printed on 100 per cent recycled paper 13-421-J1582 Front cover: Tankers are refilled from Elwak borehole, which supplies water to drought stricken areas of Northern Kenya. Cover photo: Christian Aid/Mike Goldwater. Inside cover photo: Christian Aid/Elaine Duigena

CONTENTS

The climate change issue 4 -11 Upfront and personal

Joe Ware on why now is the time to take up a new struggle; Sam Stephens explains how community might be hope for the nation; Eleri Birkhead tells us about her year tackling poverty; and how one Christian Aid partner is providing Angolan women with hope for a future free from gender inequality.

12-33 Climate

14 Your take on climate. 16 Answers to the big questions on climate. 18 Meet people already living on the climate front line. 22 Sculptural response – artist Gerry Judah highlights the inequality of climate change. 24 Visual inspiration on our interconnectivity with the world around us. 28 Dealing with the doubters – taking the climate debate to a new level.

34-39 Life and faith

The journey to Copenhagen through the eyes of one dedicated cyclist and his slightly unprepared friend; and the journey back to a place of hope after initial disapointment. Turn to pages 38-39 for how you can take action to make sure we are part of the solution.

40-47 See, hear, pray, do

Find a t-shirt slogan that expresses your way of life; eat seasonally; challenge yourself to create something new from something old; and why consumerism isn’t just bad for our wallets.

* UPFRONT AND PERSONAL

Why bother? Campaigns journalist Joe Ware takes inspiration from a few people who inspired a struggle that changed the course of history – even when change seemed impossible

hen it comes to the generationdefining issues like ending slavery, the American civil rights movement and South African apartheid, the church has a proud history of standing up for justice. It was William Wilberforce, a Christian MP, who helped end the transatlantic slave trade. Baptist minister Martin Luther King led the peaceful fight for equality in the 1960s, and organisations like Christian Aid helped to speak out against apartheid. Christians played a vital role in these victories. Yet there is a new injustice which looks equally difficult to overcome

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and I believe it will require the voice of the church to bring about the change we need. That injustice is climate change. Scientists have known for a while now that the burning of fossil fuels is leading to an increase in the global temperature as greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide trap more of the sun’s heat in the atmosphere. What makes climate change a justice issue is that it is the world’s poorest people, the people who did the least to contribute to it, that are suffering. In many respects it is similar to that of the transatlantic slave trade. Like slavery, it is

Photo: Christian Aid/Sarah Malian

‘We need political action to curb our emissions and bring our consumption of energy and raw materials to a sustainable level. This can sometimes feel like an impossible task, but then so did ending slavery, and bringing civil rights to African Americans in Alabama, and freedom to those under apartheid’

the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people that are suffering. Like slavery, those suffering haven’t caused their affliction – it is the industrialised, carbon-hungry nations like our own which have largely created the problem. Like slavery, the victims of climate change cannot end their suffering on their own. And like slavery, not only have we caused much of the suffering, we have got rich off the back of it – we rely on carbon-intensive ways of living such as driving around in petrol-powered cars and flying people and goods around the world at will. The world cannot sustain our current levels of energy use, and certainly not if people in the developing world burned carbon and squandered resources to the same level as we do. There are Christians in all parts of the world and as a result the church can provide a global perspective on this global problem. We need to heed the words of 1 Corinthians 12:26, which speaks about the body of believers: ‘If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together

with it.’ We often act protectively when we hear of the persecuted church, yet we appear to disregard their welfare when it comes to the prospect of devastating climate change. We need political action to curb our emissions and bring our consumption of energy and raw materials to a sustainable level. This can sometimes feel like an impossible task, but then so did ending slavery, and bringing civil rights to African Americans in Alabama, and freedom to those under apartheid. As Nelson Mandela said: ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ It won’t be easy. Those who stood for the abolition of slavery and institutionalised racism were ridiculed and told they were being crazy and didn’t have a chance of changing the way things were. But for Nelson Mandela, William Wilberforce and Martin Luther King, it was the struggle that made them great. What will our struggle be? I think it’s time the church took on the struggle of climate change and helped to bring about justice.

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* UPFRONT AND PERSONAL

Sam Stephens left a job in charity recruitment to run Streetbank – a free, grassroots initiative which gets people to reduce their carbon footprint and get to know their neighbours. Sounds like it could be just up our street! Tell us about Streetbank! It’s a website that lets you find and share things in your neighbourhood. People use it in different ways; to borrow things like ladders, electric screwdrivers; to give stuff away – anything from strawberry cuttings to pianos – and to share skills. What inspired you to start Streetbank? I saw someone on my street with some hedge cutters when I needed to cut my own hedge, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask if I could borrow them. When I got home I was a bit annoyed with myself – annoyed that I didn’t ask, even though I only needed to borrow them for an hour or so, and annoyed to think that everyone on the street probably owned the same things that all sit around idle for most of the time. Around the same time I was becoming friends with some of my other neighbours by asking to borrow things, like chairs for a party or a cup of sugar. I realised how 6 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

fun it was to share things and the two ideas came together to create Streetbank, which at its most basic, is a list of things available in your local neighbourhood. Why is being part of a community important? It makes you happy. I think wider culture has accepted something which isn’t true: that individualism is a good thing. Individualism encourages isolation and ultimately that makes us miserable. Living in an open-handed, generous way is a way of building God’s kingdom; it means you know each other, you trust each other. Community is the hope for our nation; to live in community is cheaper, good for the environment and means you connect with those around you. Because we’ve chosen to live independent lives, to use our money independently, we don’t know our neighbours and instead we fear them.

10 minutes with… Streetbank

‘

What’s the best story you’ve heard about the benefits of community sharing? There are so many! One of my favourite stories is from Marie who has used Streetbank for a few different things, including giving a hi-fi away and helping someone to restring a guitar. Marie’s son is autistic and his favourite thing to do is to fast-forward and rewind video tapes, which takes a bit of a toll on the machine and the videos. So she put a call out for videos and has been given loads – it has restored her faith in her community. When people join Streetbank and have a positive experience of their neighbours, it changes their perception of their community. Is there anything we can learn from Streetbank about loving the neighbours we have who don’t live so nearby? I think there are two main things; the first is environmental. If you think about buying an electric drill, made somewhere half way across the world, and all the

‘

Community is the hope for our nation; to live in community is cheaper, good for the environment and means you connect with those around you energy that is required to produce and transport that to you, it’s enormous. Borrowing an electric drill generates zero carbon emissions. The second thing is that it gives you a taste for giving. There’s a pleasure in lending or giving something to somebody and seeing the response, and that encourages us to be more generous generally and live more openly. What would you say to someone thinking ‘this won’t work where I live’? In life, most of the best things involve a little bit of risk. Getting to know a neighbour takes a small risk, but I see it paying off richly time and time again. Start by just smiling at your neighbour – you might be surprised at how great they are.

Check out streetbank.com and share what you have to offer. You might gain more than you expect.

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* UPFRONT AND PERSONAL

Year in the life of an intern Eleri Birkhead has spent 10 months as a Christian Aid Collective intern, going out and about meeting the good people of Yorkshire all with the goal of ending poverty

2009-2012 ‘I was inspired’ Pre-Christian Aid Collective internship I was an International Development student in the University of Leeds. I spent hours of my life eating beans (fine dining), crashing Snowrider socials (wearing a big T-shirt and repeating the word ‘sick’), and convincing seminar tutors that I knew what I was talking about when I opened my mouth. More significantly, I waded through the reading and the essays, and the way I looked at the world changed. I read about gender inequality, about the unfair trading systems, about consumerism and its victims. I read about globalisation, about the work of non-governmental organisations, and millennium development goals. But what grabbed my attention the most, and what stirred me 8 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

into action was a module which focussed on the anti-apartheid movement. I couldn’t get enough of it. We learnt about a movement of people, peacefully fighting against a huge apartheid-shaped monster. I was inspired.

September 2012 ‘The injustice of hunger made me angry’ Starting the internship meant a two-week trip to Zimbabwe, visiting Christian Aid partners and understanding the reality of working to make poverty over. As I met people in Zimbabwe who were battling hunger every day, I didn’t quite understand the severity of their situation. But when I got home, and told stories of resilient people who were surviving thanks to the sustainable solutions

provided by Christian Aid partners, the injustice of hunger began to make me angry. I became especially angry whilst taking part in Live Below the Line (living on just £1 a day for food – it’s an eye-opening challenge for you and the people around you). I was angry because I was hungry and it was taking over my life. I was also angry because it dawned upon me just how much of a struggle my Zimbabwean friends would be going through every day. I then got even angrier as I realised that their struggle to eat shouldn’t exist at all. We shouldn’t need to have partners working in Zimbabwe. There is enough food for everyone.

June 2013 ‘Don’t shut up until hunger is a thing of the past’ I’ve just got back from Belfast where, together with thousands of other people, I told the G8 to do something about the injustice of hunger. To be truthful, I wasn’t really in the mood to tackle hunger after the eight-hour overnight ferry journey, sleeping on a sofa, the church floor accommodation and the large amounts of water falling from the sky. However, I remembered the movement of people that I’ve been blessed to be a part of over the past 10 months, and the huge hunger-shaped monster we’re peacefully fighting. I remembered the students who went out onto the streets to do some activism, who raised some money, and made sure there were as many students as possible who understood that tax justice is important. School pupils who were outraged after learning about land-grabbing and tax avoidance, and wrote to their MPs, and looked into what they could do as a school about the injustice of poverty.

Eleri wore a banana suit to help explain tax dodging to a youth group. No, we’re not sure why either

I remembered groups of young people set up with the sole purpose of using their talents to end the injustice of poverty in all its forms. I remembered the anger I’d felt after visiting Zimbabwe. Students, pupils and social action groups are coming together under the banner of the Christian Aid Collective, and are creating a really exciting movement. This compelled me to keep standing in the rain in Belfast, to join in with the growing noise against the injustice of hunger, and to make sure we don’t shut up until hunger is a thing of the past. Someone once said: ‘If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention.’ And I agree. There is a load to be angry about in our world. But this is where amazing movements like the Christian Aid Collective come in: we creatively channel our anger, together. Together we act to end poverty in our lifetime. It’s been so great to have the opportunity to be involved in this inspiring movement over the past year, and I can’t wait to see what might happen as a result. Maybe we’ll successfully overthrow the huge hunger shaped monster. That’d be mint.

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* UPFRONT AND PERSONAL

Building bridges, breaking barriers Angola has a painful past and an unequal present. There is a growing gap between rich and poor and particular pressures on young women mean that they are three times more likely than their male peers to be HIV positive. Christian Aid partner Women’s Christian Union of Angola (UCF) is making sure that story doesn’t continue into the future

ife in Angola is difficult for lots of people, but women often carry a particular burden. In 2002 the country emerged from 40 years of almost continuous conflict which left millions dead or displaced and destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure. While men were away from home fighting, women were left to raise children, support the injured, grow food and provide for the family. Although the fighting is now over, many families are still headed by women, and girls are often expected to do all of the household chores. While over 80 per cent of boys can read, the figure is only 66 per cent for girls as they are much more likely than boys to drop out of school. 10 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

Poverty, inadequate education and the fact that women and girls are often seen as inferior in Angolan society, are among the reasons why girls are at a higher risk of contracting HIV and becoming pregnant before they are ready. This all contributes to Angola’s maternal and infant mortality rates being among the highest in the world and creates barriers that prevent girls from completing school, going on to university or having careers. The challenges facing girls in Angola are many, but girls like Louisa Mayambo João Lopes and her friends are proving that they can be overcome. Louisa lives in Luanda, the capital of Angola where 64 per cent of the population is under 24. She‘s softly

/Lilly Peel

Christian Aid

spoken, loves making her own clothes out of Indian fabric and is hoping to do a PhD in geology. She’s also the first girl in her neighbourhood to get a place at university. UCF runs a project called Girls Building Bridges in Cazenga, a poor neighbourhood on the outskirts of Luanda. The project teaches life skills and provides sex education, particularly on preventing HIV and underage pregnancies. The girls get together for classes where they can discuss openly the things they are worried about, practise decision making and take part in activities that promote greater selfesteem and assertiveness. They also

get to learn English and practical skills including sewing, cooking, and IT. Louisa went through the Girls Building Bridges project in 2006, and stayed on for two years afterwards to help with the classes. As well as helping her to plan her future, the project supported her in getting into university. Louisa says the best thing about the project was it ‘made me realise that I have a place in society. It taught me how to value myself as a woman.’ There is hope in Angola, and it rests with young people like Louisa; breaking down the barriers facing girls and proving that women are valuable members of society. ISSUE4 Do Not Tiptoe 11

* CLIMATE The 10 warmest years from the UK Meteorological Office’s 160-year records are all since 1997, while eight of them are after 2001.1

10cm

Since 1900, sea levels have risen by about 10cm around the UK and about 17cm globally, on average.2

The Earth’s average temperature has increased by 0.8°C over the past 100 years.3

0.8°C

1. UK Met Office HadCRUT3 temperature record. 2. How has our climate changed?, metoffice.gov.uk 3. T urn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C Warmer World Must be Avoided, The World Bank, November 2012, page ix http://climatechange.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/Turn_Down_the_heat_Why_a_4_degree_ centrigrade_warmer_world_must_be_avoided.pdf 4. I ntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007, Working Group I. 12 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

Scientists can say with certainty that the warming of the past 50 years is unprecedented in the last 1,300 years at least, and probably for several millennia.4

300,000 Research has estimated that 300,000 people die every year from the effects of climate change even with relatively low levels of warming.5

Many climate change deniers are funded by fossil fuel companies, part of a strategy to undermine action on climate change.6

Christian Aid/Elizabeth Dalziel

5. Human impact report on climate change, The Anatomy of A Silent Crisis, Global Humanitarian Forum, 2009. 6. S ee for example Smoke, Mirrors & Hot Air, Union of Concerned Scientists, January 2007, ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/exxon_report.pdf; and Koch Industries: still fuelling climate denial, Greenpeace, March 2010, greenpeace.org/usa/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries ISSUE 4 Do Not Tiptoe 13

* CLIMATE

E CALL,

YOUR TAKE

ON CLIMATE ‘We need to continue to campaign for climate justice, I don’t think we have a choice. Climate change is hitting the poorest hardest and we need to speak out.’ Sarah, Halifax

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‘We need less focus on how our summers get hotter and winters get colder and more focus on the uncertainty that can devastate families and homes.’ Ellis, London

‘Research of world disasters shows that climate change not only affects but also exacerbates poverty more than anything else.’ Laura, Wrexham

‘Can we do anything about climate change? Yes, we can use cars less and cycle more. Less driving, use public transport more.’ Josh, Ruislip

‘Small changes – like using less energy and recycling more – can make a difference. When we see the changing landscape of the Arctic it should spur us into action, not apathy.’ Lucinda, Ayr

‘We have been bingeing on unsustainable energy for far too long. We should sober up and start taking care of ourselves and our home.’ Eddie, London

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* CLIMATE

Climate FAQ Answers to the big questions on climate sources, and new reports suggest that it could reverse its emissions trend by 2025, and start to bring them down. Climate is the pattern of conditions we associate with the weather, such as temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and rainfall, but measured over a longer period of time than we use for weather forecasts or seasonal trends. Climate trends are measured over periods of decades, rather than days. The term climate change is now commonly used to mean anthropogenic climate change â&#x20AC;&#x201C; changes that are happening as a result of human activity. Since the industrial revolution, the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased enormously, largely as a result of burning fossil fuels. Scientists believe that this changing composition of gases is impacting our climate system.

China has been heavily criticised in the past for blocking international deals on climate change and for its high level of emissions. Although Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total carbon emissions are high, its average carbon footprint per person is still lower than in the UK, and its historical emissions are behind those of the EU and USA. China is investing heavily in low-carbon energy 16 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

There could be some places where farming conditions, for example, will improve as the climate changes. The negative impacts however are likely to hugely outweigh the positive impacts. The poorest and most vulnerable people around the world who have the least resources to be able to adapt to the changes will suffer the most.

The 2009 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) conference in Copenhagen was an extremely important moment in the international negotiations to achieve a deal that would limit global emissions in a way that was fair but compulsory. Campaigners from around the world gathered in Copenhagen to make it clear that world leaders must act. Sadly the conference saw two bitter and frustrating weeks of negotiations between 170 nations, ending with the Copenhagen

Christian Aid/Susan Barry

Accord. Although the agreement recognised that the increase in global temperatures needed to remain below 2°C, it was not legally binding and did not commit countries to future reductions of emissions. Because of the weak outcome of the conference, many people felt frustrated with the progress in the UN process and climate change largely disappeared from the news. But the UN negotiations still offer the best opportunity to reach a binding deal on the scale that is required. UNFCC conferences take place at the end of every year.

Average global temperatures have risen 0.8°C since the start of the 20th century. That doesn’t sound like much, but scientists have warned that if we do nothing to stop that trend, the temperature will rise by anything up to 6°C. That’s bad news because anything above a rise of 2°C is expected to cause climate chaos. Small island states could vanish from sea level rises caused by a temperature rise of just 1.5°C. Even relatively small changes in temperature will increase the likelihood of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves. There is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than there has been for tens, if not hundreds, of millennia. Currently there are over 400 parts per million (ppm) and scientists believe we need to reduce that number down to 350ppm if we are to avoid

catastrophic change. The experience of Christian Aid partners around the world tells us that a changing climate is already affecting some of the world’s poorest people; impacting their ability to support themselves through farming, or increasing their chances of losing everything in a disaster.

No. We are already locked into a certain level of change as the greenhouse gases that have already been released into our atmosphere remain there, and the impact of that may not be fully felt for another 30 years or so. But we have not yet reached a point of no return, and there are solutions available. The green economy – finding low carbon ways of producing energy – is booming at a time when other parts of the economy are struggling. There are options for a low carbon future, and with the right investment they will be an integral part of the solution. The issue of climate change can feel overwhelming or terrifying, but only if we do nothing. We must pressure governments to take action to ensure that global temperature rises no more than 2°C above preindustrial levels. And the countries that have done the most to contribute to the problem, ours included, must support poorer countries to adapt to a changed climate so that those countries can reach their full potential. ISSUE 4 Do Not Tiptoe 17

* CLIMATE

n Burundi, central Africa, around 90 per cent of the population are dependent on agriculture – they need good harvests to support their families and to make a living. Yet a changing climate is making farming more difficult, which makes it harder for people to give their children enough food. In Burundi one in three children under-five are underweight, which means they are more likely to get ill. A lack of nutritious food means children can’t concentrate as well in school and it can have an impact on their health for the rest of their lives. Emmanuel Manirakiza (pictured in the foreground) is 29 and lives in Rutana in the south-east of the country. Explaining what life has been like in the past he said: ‘My children didn’t have access to a balanced diet. We have also seen changes in the weather. It happened twice that the dry season was prolonged. The other times, the rain was intense and destroyed the harvest.’ Climate scientists predict that the weather in this region will only become more erratic and 18 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

unpredictable in the future. Emmanuel has been part of an Anglican Church of Burundi project for four years, which has been teaching him how to get the absolute best from his land. He can now grow a bumper harvest and life has changed dramatically. He’s been able to pay school fees for his children, give them a balanced diet and improve his home from a simple straw structure to something more sturdy. The project has been life-changing in the short-term, and Emmanuel is making sure that change reaches his wider community. He says: ‘My vision is to continue to increase agricultural produce not just for the family but for everyone around.’ Our global community must also do its bit. The average carbon footprint of a person in Burundi is roughly the same as your television left on standby. People like Emmanuel have done very little to contribute to the problem of climate change, but it could be him and his children that will pay the price if we do not reach a global solution.

Christian Aid/Ally Carnwath

FEELING THE EFFECTS, WORKING ON SOLUTIONS

DESPERATE TO STAY, PREPARING TO LEAVE Alivio Aruquipa lives in Bolivia

olivia is one of the poorest and most unequal countries in Latin America and home to 20 per cent of the world’s tropical glaciers. Glaciers store about 75 per cent of the world’s freshwater and the water they release provides a crucial lifeline to the communities that live around them. In the city of La Paz and its suburb El Alto, more than two million people get a large part of their drinking water from glaciers, but those glaciers have shrunk by more than a third since the 1960s. As the melting of the glaciers becomes more unpredictable, so do the lives of the communities that rely on them. Farming communities on the slopes beneath the Illimani glacier have land to farm, but recently there has not been enough water to grow the crops they need to feed and sustain their families. Alivio Aruquipa, who was born here, knows what is happening. ‘We are the ones who feel the impact of climate change; we’re the ones who are suffering. [Because of] the melting of the glaciers, every year when a lot of snow melts, our streams are a lot wider and this causes landslides. We have a higher temperature;

Christian Aid/Hannah Richards

and has farmed the land below the Illimani glacier (Bolivia’s second highest mountain) for years. As the glacier disappears, so do Alivio’s hopes of staying in his home…

all this corn crop has pests so we are forced to buy insecticides. In recent years we are getting poorer.’ Christian Aid partner Agua Sustentable has done research in the area to provide scientific backing to Alivio’s testimony, which they are using to strengthen their advocacy work at a national and international level. They are also providing practical solutions for communities living around the melting glaciers to increase their water access and help families adapt to the new climate. Alivio knows that the problems can’t be solved by him acting alone, and says that some people have already left the area. He worries particularly about young people leaving because he says they feel ‘there is no future for them here.’ Let’s hope that working with Agua Sustentable will prove Alivio wrong. But we cannot just hope, we must also put pressure on our government to act on climate change if Alivio and millions of farming communities across the world are to have a future. ISSUE 4 Do Not Tiptoe 19

FOOD * CLIMATE

LIGHT AND HOPE As people around the world lift themselves

out of poverty, their demand for energy and resources is increasing. But if everyone on the planet lived like the average person in Western Europe, we’d need around three more planets to provide the resources. Finding three more planets is not an option...

ndia represents a developing nation that is growing rapidly and therefore needs more energy to continue to grow. Of course, India and its people must have that right. But if that growth follows the path of rich countries that have already heavily industrialised – using highly carbonintensive fossil fuels – it could lead to planetary and climate chaos. India remains a country of great divides and alongside this race for energy

and a booming economy, more than 360 million of its population currently live in poverty. It is these communities – mainly poor and subsistence farmers – who have contributed the least to greenhouse gas emissions, but who are among the most vulnerable to the global climatic changes this growth is exacerbating. Before their village was supported by Christian Aid partner SAMVAD, farmers

Christian Aid/Elizabeth Dalziel

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Christian Aid/Elizabeth Dalziel

like Khagia Devi and her husband Banshi Hansda (pictured) were unable to grow any vegetables at all due to the lack of water and increased unpredictability of rain. They were forced to go to other farmers’ fields after harvesting and glean what they could from the land. Banshi says: ‘We could hardly eat for six months, and when we did have food, we would eat sometimes twice, sometimes once, in a day. We had to work as labourers in the nearby town, cutting earth for someone else, and we would earn 10 rupees a day. That was a very hard time for us, and we worried a lot about our children.’ Their community is now benefitting from a lift irrigation system, which pumps water from deep in the riverbed, helping the whole village to water its crops. SAMVAD is supporting the community by teaching people like Banshi and Khagia to adapt their farming methods to cope with the changing environment, and they can now farm the land almost the whole year round, when previously it was barren

for much of the time. SAMVAD is also helping farmers like Banshi to purchase d.light – a solar powered light that can also be used to charge mobile phones. As many poor people in India are not connected to the state electricity supply, lack of power forces them to use kerosene for cooking and lighting in the evening, which is a big expense for poor families and harmful to their health. With d.light’s clean lighting, students can now study later, children are no longer becoming sick from kerosene fumes and carbon emissions are zero. SAMVAD’s work demonstrates how Christian Aid partner organisations are working on the front line with those affected by climate change; helping them both to adapt to changing circumstances, and increasing their access to power without increasing their carbon footprint. Fighting poverty and fighting climate change are not incompatible – they must go hand in hand.

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* CLIMATE

Tipping Point A

rtist Gerry Judah travelled to India to visit the work of SAMVAD and another Christian Aid partner, DRCSC, to see how people are adapting to climate change and using sustainable energy. The trip inspired him to create five incredible sculptures entitled ‘Bengal’ for Tipping Point – an exhibition at Wolverhampton Art Gallery in association with Christian Aid showing how artists have chosen to highlight key issues surrounding climate change. Gerry, who was born in Kolkata in the east of India, but had not returned for 50 years, was struck by the inequality that is

a consequence of climate change. He said: ‘It seems to me that there are people in India getting richer and richer and there are people in India getting poorer and poorer. And it’s those who are really more affected by climate change. ‘Here’s a country that’s growing rapidly; we’re watching the Indian economy boom. But amongst all of that we found communities of people living on the edge, people living in the worst conditions, farmers having trouble growing crops because the pollution is

Christian Aid/Matt Gonzalez-Noda

‘It seems to me that there are people in India getting richer and richer and there are people in India getting poorer and poorer. And it’s those who are really more affected by climate change’

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‘Tipping Points are a reaffirmation of the potential for change and the power of intelligent action. Look at the world around you. It may seem like an immovable place. It is not. With the slightest push – in the right place – it can be tipped.’ – Malcolm Gladwell1

so vast, and that is in order to create this booming economy. And I found that distasteful. ‘Watching how people are trying very hard to help themselves, to come out of this by themselves, I think that’s the bit that I found very, very powerful.’ Gerry hoped that his art would not preach at people about the issue but would be ‘like a song – to move people into action.’ 1. M. Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference. Abacus books, London, 2001

We love people using their talents to raise awareness and make change. As Gerry says, ‘There isn’t a particular language with which to express the effects of poverty. It’s different for everyone. You have to search within yourself to find yours.’ If you would like to contribute your energy and talents to the fight against poverty, we’d love to hear from you. If you have an arty idea for the next edition of Do Not Tiptoe, get in touch! collective@christian-aid.org

Christian Aid/Matt Gonzalez-Noda

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ÂŠ Melody Seal

*CLIMATE

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* CLIMATE

DEALING WITH THE DOUBTERS We love a good debate. There’s joy in wrestling with big issues over a cup of tea. How quickly can we see an end to extreme poverty? Was Jesus a feminist? Should Christians boycott companies with unethical practices? Is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit?

ut with climate change, the debate doesn’t always reflect the science that exists. Many people feel unprepared to speak up about climate change because they might be confronted with arguments claiming it’s not true. Armed with some answers to common myths about climate change, we hope you can help us move the debate on. Let’s stop debating whether climate change is real, and start debating what we can do about it.

The claim: Volcanoes and other natural events emit more carbon dioxide (CO2) than our activities.

In truth: Weather and climate are

not the same. Weather is individual, day-to-day atmospheric events; climate is the statistical average of those events. Weather is short-term and is thus inherently unpredictable beyond a few days. Climate is long-term average weather and is controlled by larger forces, such as the composition of the atmosphere, and is thus more predictable on longer timescales. Averages are by nature easier to measure and predict over long periods. 28 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

In truth: Burning of fossil fuels

results in several hundred times as much CO2 release as volcanoes each year. Fossil fuel burning results in the emission of approximately 35 gigatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year worldwide. This dwarfs the estimated annual release of CO2 from volcanoes, which is 0.15 to 0.26 gigatons per year.

The claim: The weather forecast is usually wrong. How can we possibly predict future climate without error?

The claim: Scientists aren’t even sure it’s humans causing climate change. In truth: Over 97 per cent of

scientists that publish research on the subject support the view that human activities are warming the planet. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body for the assessment on climate change established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), produces a report every five to seven years to summarise the most up-to-date science, and this process involves hundreds of scientists looking at the work of thousands of others. Their last assessment report concluded that it is more than 95 per cent certain that human activity is the primary cause of the warming of the climate system. Scientists almost never claim 100 per cent certainty as there is always a possibility that new evidence on an issue could come to light and change things. So as far as science goes, this is more certainty than we need.

The claim: God is in charge. If there are increased natural disasters, they must be part of God’s plan. We shouldn’t interfere to try and save the world; that’s God’s job and God’s job alone.

The claim: Warming and cooling are not caused by humans producing greenhouse gases, they are caused by changes in the sun’s activity. In truth: Scientists have been

measuring the amount of the sun’s energy reaching the top of earth’s atmosphere using sensors on satellites since 1978. Since that time, global temperatures have risen sharply, while there has been no trend in the amount of the sun’s energy reaching earth. If the warming is caused by changes from the sun, it would change the temperature throughout every layer of our atmosphere. In fact, the temperature at the earth’s surface has increased, but those in the stratosphere – the second layer of the world’s atmosphere – have cooled. And that’s exactly what would be expected by an increase of greenhouse gases produced by human activity.

In truth: We have already

interfered in God’s world with activities that have used up resources, cut down trees and burned greenhouse gases. The results are hurting poor people first and worst, which makes climate change not just an environmental issue, but a justice issue. Time and again in the Bible we see God choosing to use people as part of his transformation of individuals and communities. As the hands and feet of Jesus, we are called to restore the broken relationships between people, and between people and the planet. That means speaking and acting on climate change.

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No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime. (Isaiah 65:20)

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They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. (Isaiah 65:21)

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* LIFE AND FAITH

The road to Copenhagen In December 2009, a group of Christian Aid supporters rode from the UK to Copenhagen to participate in several days of campaign action around the global climate change talks being held there. It was widely believed that this was the moment political leaders would finally do something on a global scale to address climate abuses. Here is an account of that journey, as tweeted by one cyclist…

DAY ONE

ycled across London from Waterloo to Liverpool Street in C 15 minutes carrying ALL our luggage. Jim: ‘I trained in the Peak District, the only thing I had to worry about hitting was a sheep.’ London was a bit of a shock. Poor lamb. We’re cycling to Copenhagen because we believe the fate of the human race hangs in the balance. And to see the little mermaid statue. Jim’s chain just fell off. Jim just set off down a dirt track claiming it was the official route. He was wrong. We’ve managed to lose seven so far. There are 28 of us in total so we should all be gone by Friday. About Jim’s bike: he bought it for £5 from a car boot sale. Now he is riding it to Denmark. He is either fiercely passionate or insane. Jim update: Jim’s bike has now lost the ability to change gears. Take that bargain boy! Have renamed Jim’s bike the ‘Rusty Death Machine’ (RDM). Jim just ate a fly.

34 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

ne more puncture. Also Jim has stolen my water bottle and cycled off giggling on O the RDM. I’ll catch him as soon as he hits a hill and has to get off and walk! Chocolate cake after 60 miles is guilt free. Imagine that! Guilt. Free. Our first day’s ride is over and we’re 60 miles nearer Copenhagen.

DAY TWO

e have arrived in Denmark. For the record, the ship had less entertainment W than I imagine would be available on a rowing boat. Jim sang sea shanties. And we’re off! On the road to Copenhagen. Jim’s chain just fell off again. Denmark is the RDM’s friend – no hills, no bends. Jim says he ‘feels like he’s cycling on the shoulders of giants.’ Jim keeps holding his hand outstretched to red traffic lights and muttering ‘go green’. One went green. Jim now thinks he’s a Jedi. Buzzing the cycle speed cameras in the town centre – it displays the speed on readout. The RDM managed 29km/h, then the chain fell off. Jim just stacked it on an empty country road. We have been run ragged by an amazing group of Christian Aid supporters, many in their 60s and 70s. Copenhagen is but one day’s ride. Safe in the hostel. 25 miles from Copenhagen. We’re in spitting distance now.

DAY THREE

It’s snowing. I’m wearing shorts. My hands are now so cold that they no longer register on the iPhone touchscreen. I’m typing this with my tongue. So near we can taste it. 500 supporters and the Archbishop of Canterbury gathered for our arrival. Then the police moved them on 10 minutes before we actually arrived. But. We. Did. It! We are not dreamers, we are not naive, because in the threat of climate change we see the possibility of a better world. In the following days, the Copenhagen climate talks collapsed under the stress of political infighting. The problems they were supposed to have urgently addressed are now even more pronounced. The current location of the RDM is unknown.

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Christian Aid/Amanda Farrant

* LIFE AND FAITH

There’s hope yet… Hannah Henderson reflects on the ups and downs of being a climate change campaigner but ultimately finds a reason to keep going

In 2009 I took the longest journey of my and draw up laws that required us all life for a trip that I thought was going to to radically cut our carbon emissions, make history. I took a 40-hour coach ride stepping in just in time to save the future to Copenhagen – it’s important to point of our planet. out that it felt so long because after a few COP15 failed. The outcome was a hours the toilet broke – to join long weekend of disagreements between over 100,000 people and countries that ended our world leaders at the ‘All of creation is in a last-minute United Nations Climate groaning and it is time document agreeing that Change Conference it was important we we played our part in (COP15). should do something making it better’ At this point, unlike at some point in the the last couple of years, future. The document climate change had been in the news excluded developing countries from regularly. Everyone understood how the conversation and had no binding urgent it was, and I really thought that implications. Copenhagen became known this was going to be the time that our for its failure to listen to an overwhelming leaders would make the obvious choice public call for change. 36 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

The last few years of recent climate Climate change feels like an talks have made a little more progress, apocalyptic scenario. And it is, but not in but Copenhagen didn’t just disappoint us, the way we might think. This is where I it killed our hope. think we might just be able to find some Like many others, I lost my hope in new hope. The word ‘apocalypse’ doesn’t our global leaders. just mean the end of ‘We don’t need to wait for the world, it means If 100,000 people marching on the more than that. The the world to end before street isn’t enough to original meaning of the we can begin to see the persuade politicians of word is an ‘unveiling’ old broken ways being the need and urgency or a ‘revelation’ of a mended, revealing in to act, then I don’t new way of seeing the know what is. Climate present. Apocalypse their place a new and change slowly dropped improved world’ invites us to reimagine out of the media and the world; it shows disheartened activists took a break from us the end of the world as we know it campaigning. and asks us to imagine a new and But enough is enough. It might feel too better world. late, but the longer it goes on, the more In God we find the promise of a better urgent it gets. It’s time that we found world; that the broken things of this earth some new hope in this battle, because will come to an end and in their place will when we’re fighting a battle as big as this, come a better world. We don’t need to it’s impossible to keep going unless we wait for the world to end before we can have something incredible to hope for. begin to see the old broken ways being Doing something about climate change mended, revealing in their place a new isn’t just for tree-hugging hippies. As and improved world. Jesus offers us the Christians, we are called to exist in hope of wholeness of life – for everyone. relationship; with God, with the world As the hands and feet of Jesus on earth, around us, and with one another. it’s down to us to bring about this change. Our actions have caused broken If we find our hope in God’s promise of relationships; it’s time we took collective a better world then we might just find responsibility to mend them. enough hope to keep up the fight against All of creation is groaning, and it isn’t climate change. And in doing so, we might just the polar bears. It’s the people whose find new life amidst the chaos. In sharing homes are gradually sinking beneath the our resources and building community, in rising sea levels. It’s the farmers whose learning new skills that have been lost and crops are failing to grow after another in taking time to appreciate the people year of unpredictable rainfall. It’s the and world around us. families who have lost loved ones in the So I’m going to put Copenhagen behind increasingly devastating disasters. It is me and find my hope in a new place. And time we played our part in making I’m not going to stop campaigning against it better. injustice until it’s over. Sometimes it feels like an impossible My hope is that we find new life as part to play. I’m supposed to be positive, we continue the fight against climate but I’ll be honest; sometimes I feel like change. And in doing so, perhaps we there’s no hope. I’m not sure I trust will bring about a new and improved world our world leaders to make big enough – one where broken relationships changes before it’s too late and I find it between people, the earth, and God difficult to know how to challenge the are restored. apathy around me. ISSUE 4 Do Not Tiptoe 37

* LIFE AND FAITH

Take action for climate justice A

major new report providing the most up-to-date knowledge on the scientific, technical and social aspects of climate change will be released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in stages from September 2013. Thousands of climate scientists from all over the world have contributed to the report. World leaders, through the UN, set up the IPCC to find out more about how our global climate is changing, and so it’s crucial that our governments make policy and take action based on the findings of this report. We must not ignore the science and we must not miss our chance to make sure our governments are listening too.

What you can do: • Go to theyworkforyou.com to find out who your local politician is. • Write to them to check they have seen the latest report from the IPCC. • Explain that you care about climate change and need to know what they will do as a result of this latest scientific evidence. • Remember to include your full name and address so that they can reply to your letter. • If you have time, write your letter by hand – it will have more impact.

Find out the latest by visiting christianaidcollective.org/IPCC and get in touch with us if you want more help with writing to your politician.

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Include a home-made mini placard with your letter to make it even more memorable! ISSUE 4 Do Not Tiptoe 39

* SEE, HEAR, PRAY, DO

Something new from something old Each year around 1.4 million tonnes of clothes and shoes go to landfill where they decompose slowly, while releasing methane into the atmosphere and chemicals into Grab an old t-shirt that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the groundwater. So alongside trying to reduce the amount of stuff we buy, why not get creative and turn old items into new things?

wear anymore and create this nifty necklace; it makes a great low-cost pressie too!

Step 1 1. Lay your t-shirt out flat, cut off the bottom hem and then cut straight across from armpit to armpit so you have a square.

Step 2

2. Cut strips of roughly 2cm from the square to create loops of fabric. (You can vary the width of the strips if you want different sized loops in the final necklace.) 40 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

Step 3 3. Stretch out the loops so that the cotton rolls in at the edges, then double up the loops so that the two seams sit together.

Step 4

4. Gather up all the loops but one. Cut the leftover loop at the seam so that you have a strip.

Step 5 5. Tie the strip around your loops then wrap the strip around the loops to cover the seams. When you reach the end of the strip, tie it off in a knot.

Step 6

6. Voila! Accessorise with pride.

Got other new uses for old things? Let us know and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll share them! collective@christian-aid.org ISSUE 4 Do Not Tiptoe 41

Give us today our daily bread. Give us parents happy because their children have gone to bed with full stomachs. Give us farmers who have won their land rights. Give us the peace of people who can go home at last in safety. Give us the pride of women who have worked together and got a fair price for their produce. Give us the hospitality of people who have almost nothing but share it anyway. Give us the shared pleasure of the meal that breaks a long emptiness, and the feast that follows shared work. Give us the justice of eating. Give us the joy of these good side effects. Give us an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;us.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bread is never just bread. Our Father, give us today our daily bread. Kathy Galloway, head of Christian Aid Scotland

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Christian Aid/Antoinette Powell

* SEE, HEAR, PRAY, DO

Eating with the seasons

AUTUMN

SUMMER

SPRING

WINTER

Learning to eat in season food is one way of trying to work with the planet rather than against it

December:

January:

February:

Red cabbage, leeks, mushrooms.

Apples, onions, carrots.

Brussels sprouts, kale, leeks, pears.

March:

April:

Beetroot, rhubarb, parsnip.

Aubergine, rocket, new potatoes, spring onions.

Asparagus, chillies, peppers, lettuce.

June:

July:

August:

Blackcurrants, broccoli, cucumber, peas, strawberries, runner beans, courgettes.

French beans, summer squash, watercress, broad beans, potatoes, chicory.

Sweetcorn, blueberries, garlic, mangetout, tomatoes.

September:

October:

November:

Pumpkin, plums, raspberries.

Spinach, butternut squash, radish.

Turnip, Jerusalem artichokes, cranberries.

May:

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* SEE, HEAR, PRAY, DO

Beacons:

Books don’t come with a rating certificate but be warned that this one does contain swearing!

stories for our not so distant future Joanna Callender dives into a collection of short stories to find out whether fiction can offer a new perspective on the climate debate and a new vision on our collective future

love short stories because they skilfully take you on an emotional rollercoaster in just a few pages; you’re rapidly drawn in and your attention is held fleetingly. Yet I was uncertain how the vast complexities of climate change could be captured in such a medium. There is a certain tension about the relationship between climate change and fiction; equally there is truth to the words in the book’s introduction, ‘How do we write fiction about the ecological crisis without lapsing into cliché?’ Yet Beacons manages to deliver creative, imaginative writing that parallels with the realities of our changing globe. It’s a plethora of styles and genres; drama, comic strip and hashtags are used alongside the occasional swear word. Yet what struck me most about this assortment of writing was the breadth of issues it addressed. Stories like Meat, reminding us of the importance of what we consume; The Weatherman, innovatively demonstrating the power we have as humans; and utopian-style Almost Visible Cities, creating landscapes which seemed both beautifully imaginary and hauntingly real. It’s not easy reading – some stories are literarily dense and others made me 44 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

physically squirm as I grappled with their implications. But in his afterword, Mike Robinson (board member of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland) says the book intends this: ‘Writers and artists can voice our concerns and build up our confidence to act. By experimenting with different scenarios they can lessen our fear of change … they can immerse readers in, and create a mood for new thinking in a way that constant recycling of the science simply cannot.’ And so the power of these stories lies in the way they emotionally impact; evoking a passion for change which really should be natural to us as we think about our changing world.

Beacons is available from all good bookshops and author royalties from its sale will go to the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition. Find out more at stopclimatechaos.org

We love…

hearing something that gives us goosebumps, having conversations that change our perspective, and seeing something that makes us say ‘WOAH!’ We’re always looking for more moments like these.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Below are some of our latest loves. Check out christianaidcollective.org for more!

Something to watch: Overview

A short film commemorating the 40th anniversary of the first photograph taken of the earth from space. The impact that sight has on people who experience it is called the ‘overview effect’ and it can transform your perspective on the world. Hear from astronauts who know the feeling and see the earth in its full majestic glory. Available to watch at overviewthemovie.com

Something to do: Part-Time Carnivore

Sign up to be a part-time carnivore! Go to parttimecarnivore.org and join a team or start a new one. The website shows how much land and energy is being saved by people pledging to eat less meat. Why not encourage other people at your uni or college to get involved?

Something to give: grass baskets

These lovely baskets are made in Bangladesh and would make a great gift. Traidcraft fights poverty through trade by supporting small farmers and producers in developing countries. Buy these and other transformational products from christianaid.traidcraftshop.co.uk

Something to challenge: St. Ignatius of Loyola

‘Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go and do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.’

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* SEE, HEAR, PRAY, DO Do not tiptoe around ...

consumption T

urn on the TV; find an advert telling you your life is not complete. Get on the bus or the train; be reminded that you definitely need the latest something. Walk through the town centre and get bombarded with things you absolutely should buy. It sometimes feels like we are faced with a never-ending stream of adverts, and it can be hard to not be tantalised by the things that they suggest we’re missing. Society tells us that enough is not enough, that new and more is always better – whether it’s money or clothes, mobile phones or gadgets. When we’re surrounded by so many opportunities to buy, it’s easy to compare ourselves to those who have more than us; to wish we had nicer shoes, or this season’s ‘look’. The problem with this isn’t just the dent it’s making in our wallet, but the toll it’s taking elsewhere. We simply can’t keep producing more stuff on a planet that has limited resources. The wealthiest 20 per cent of the world’s population – that includes you and me – currently account for 80 per cent of consumption of global resources. The government claims our nationwide carbon emissions are decreasing, but a parliamentary committee recently found that calculation doesn’t take into account the fact that lots of products created overseas are produced for us and shipped to the UK. When that gets factored in, it becomes clear that our carbon emissions are rising, not coming down.1 The challenge is to remember that most people around the world don’t have

the luxury of a dilemma over what to wear, or which new laptop to go for; to remember that many of our purchases are luxuries, not essentials; and to do what we can to reduce our negative impact on the world and its people. When Jesus told the rich young man to sell everything he has and give the money to the poor, the man went away grieving. Feeling so sad it was almost as if someone had died. If I’m completely honest, I think I’d feel the same – I know I haven’t stopped consuming everything I don’t truly need. But Jesus knew that was the problem; if we are so attached to things that we place their importance over other people it can stop us from really giving our all to standing alongside the poor and vulnerable. Too much stuff isn’t just bad for the planet; it could also stop us fulfilling our purpose as God’s people. Can we start living in a way that demonstrates that enough really is enough? Sarah Rowe

1. www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/energy-and-climate-change-committee/ news/consumption-published/ 46 Do Not Tiptoe ISSUE 4

Wear your heart on your shirt This month’s charity shop challenge: find a second-hand slogan you’re proud to wear. Can you do better than us?

nspired by our retro Christian Aid climate campaign t-shirt, we decided to see if we could find a t-shirt that proclaims our way of life. Turned out to be harder than we expected…

1. We found this old school gem that shows Scripture Union were well ahead of the YOLO trend with a YOYO – You’re Only Young Once – message. Sadly, it’s true. It’s also true that that we couldn’t make this t-shirt look good. 2. We’re not sure what we’re supposed to be ‘making it happen’, but we’ve decided it’s fighting climate change. We are so on it.

3. Not quite a lifestyle choice, but pies really are nice so we couldn’t help ourselves. 4. But this month’s winner is a peace of cake (geddit?!) At 99p and with the best slogan, this is definitely the bargain of the week.

Share your best charity shop bargains with us on Twitter using

#charityshopchallenge ISSUE 4 Do Not Tiptoe 47

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Together we are Collective.

DO NOT TIPTOE

The climate edition

Stories from the edge of a changed climate and where to find hope for climate justice

A different sort of bank

Sam Stephens explains how Streetbank can help us to be better neighbours

Ignoring injustice?

Is climate change the slavery of our generation?