For the Love Of Chiswick, Brentford And Isleworth
An inspiring day on the subject of climate change
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I joined a group of people from the Brentford and Isleworth constituency participated in the “Speak Up For the Love of…” day of action on climate change on Wednesday 17th June. I found it inspiring to pass the thousands of people from all parts of the UK lining the embankment from Parliament Square, over Lambeth Bridge and alongside St Thomas’s Hospital to find the place alloted to us amongst the other London constituencies.
We were there for the love of many different things that we want to protect from climate change – from local trees and green spaces, bluebell woods, mountains, oceans, our children and grandchildren to coffee and chocolate! The main focus of the day was the lobby of MPs and we were pleased that our MP, Ruth Cadbury, came – by bicycle rickshaw – to meet us.
2015 is a vital year, with international climate negotiations coming up in Paris in December. We asked Ruth to work with other MPs across the political spectrum to ensure that the UK Government takes a global lead. The UK has been at the forefront of the fight against global poverty and these two issues need to be linked since the poorest communities will be the hardest hit by climate change. At a more local level, Ruth was keen to encourage the provision of more energy-efficient homes. These would reduce our carbon footprint and help families for whom fuel poverty is a major problem.
It was a day of conversations, of community spirit and of hope. And there was a strong message to all of us: the Secretary of State appealed for businesses and campaigners to work together to keep politicians on the right track. “Without all three of those parts it’s going to be very difficult because politicians can’t deliver on the ambition without the public saying ‘We need you to do this’.”
More information can be found here:
fortheloveof.org.uk/the-best-of-speak-up
As a fitting finish to an inspiring day, I attended the Bedford Park Fesitival event - Fergal Keane reading WB Yeats and telling us of his love of Chiswick.
Marie Rabouhans
July 26, 2015
