On Thursday last week, Cheltenham Green Party attended the Zero West Winter Conference.
Zero West are paving the way for ambitious co-operative action. Progress is slow-going due to crumbling national infrastructure, funding cuts and planning restrictions, and theirs is absolutely essential work that needs to accelerate to make a zero-carbon society.
Bristol Councillor Carla Denyer gave the keynote opening address, and other guests included Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance, Friends of the Earth, and numerous experienced speakers. The conference included workshops on zero carbon transport, creative public engagement, personal action on climate change and fossil fuel divestment, among plenty of others.
The public engagement session in particular, led by Encounters Arts, was very provocative and sensitive, challenging us to think differently about our work, and encourage people to dismantle dysfunctional social values.
Overall it was an enriching and useful day of activity and discussion. It’s exciting for Cheltenham to have a place at the table, reimagining what our energy generation and distribution of the future could look like. It’s simple, but it’s vital! We’d love to see this energy spreading to our town.
If you’d like to learn more about Zero West, or get involved with their work, please check out their website – it’s packed with information and ways to help make amazing change. Individuals can join as members for free, and receive updates and chances to participate in group actions – highly recommended.