# data[].attributes.body
Information on the maker-led research group exploring gaps in current materials knowledge and application of sustainability tools and practices in the studio.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Closing the Loop is a new maker-led research group exploring gaps in current materials knowledge and application of sustainability tools and practices in the studio, in partnership with Creative Informatics.

The research group grew from a workshop of the same name which AAS delivered in March 2020, in association with the Think Plastic: Materials and Making exhibition at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh; and exhibition of work resulting from the research and practice-based findings of the Smart Plastics group. Smart Plastics and Think Plastic are two key Applied Arts Scotland projects that specifically address sustainability and environmental responsibility in materials choice for makers.

The workshop's title drew on the concept of circular economies, as described by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as looking 'beyond the current take-make-waste extractive industrial model', to offer an alternative framework based on three principles:

1. Design out waste and pollution

2. Keep products and materials in use

3. Regenerate natural systems

The diagram below, from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, shows their vision of circular economies, and the right-hand blue side was the most relevant to the makers attending the workshop, offering prompts for considering how to close the loop in their practice and avoid leakage of energy, materials and resources outside their loop.

Hosting the workshop, Fiona Pilgrim led participants to consider the lifecycle of materials and products they use and produce, taking into account five key stages: sourcing, manufacturing, transporting, using and recovering. She then introduced The ReSOLVE framework to support deeper and more specific assessment of what is required to successfully close the loop.

Feedback from workshop participants indicated that while the tools provided in the workshop were helpful, it was the discussion and sharing of ideas that proved to be most useful. It was therefore decided that AAS would lead the formation of the new Closing the Loop research group to bring makers together to share ideas, tools and inspire one another to make changes in their practice. The group meets once a month to discuss and share their practical experience of using a variety of tools and methods for addressing sustainability and reducing carbon footprint.

Impacts
This research group formed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and its work has so far taken place exclusively online. The main impacts have so far been for the twelve Scotland-based makers taking part, and include:

Knowledge acquisition and exchange

Peer to peer support

Accountability

Time saved by learning from one another

Development of case studies and 'how to' advice

Opportunities to share learning with one another and the wider sector

Exchange of good practice across making disciplines

Reassurance of working with like-minded practitioners

The potential exists for this group to extend their learning to wider making and creative communities, whether through creation of a website to document and share findings or delivery of training modules (in-person or remote/digital).

There are significant opportunities for AAS to provide further support and provide leadership for the sector. The urgent need for behavioural change in our society to address the climate emergency is something that makers feel particularly strongly about, but often feel frustrated by the lack of clear information and guidance to help their decision making. Influencing governmental policy and funding strategies related to this (including through membership of existing networks) is a key priority for AAS.

At the moment, the Closing the Loop research group is running at capacity. If you want to know more and enquire about joining please email hello@appliedartsscotland.org.uk.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Closing the Loop - Applied Arts Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Closing the Loop is a new maker-led research group exploring gaps in current materials knowledge and application of sustainability tools and practices in the studio, in partnership with Creative Informatics.

# data[].attributes.body
Stories of Closing The Loop makers who build sustainability and environmentally conscious ways of working into their practices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Applied Arts Scotland's Closing The Loop Group brings together makers who build sustainability and environmentally conscious ways of working into their practices. The group meet regularly to share good practice, encourage and support one another and develop new projects to share their message.  

Dr Inge Panneels Members introduces members who share insights into their practices, approaches, work, materials, locations and more.

# data[].attributes.body
Introduction to circular economy principles, tools, resources and podcasts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting. The circular economy tackles climate change and other global challenges, like biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution, by decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources.

The circular economy is based on three principles, driven by design:

Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy renewable energy circular economy circular economy Energy derived from resources that are not depleted on timescales relevant to the economy, i.e. not geological timescales. and materials, the A systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. is a resilient system that is good for business, people, and the environment.

In our current economy, we take materials from the Earth, make products from them, and eventually throw them away as waste - the process is linear. In a circular economy, by contrast, we stop waste being produced in the first place.

We must transform every element of our take-make-waste system: how we manage resources, how we make and use products, and what we do with the materials afterwards. Only then can we create a thriving circular economy that can benefit everyone within the limits of our planet.

A way to transform our system

What will it take to transform our throwaway economy into one where waste is eliminated, resources are circulated, and nature is regenerated?

The circular economy gives us the tools to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss together, while addressing important social needs.

It gives us the power to grow prosperity, jobs, and resilience while cutting greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and pollution.

How the circular economy works

Get the basics or explore the circular economy in detail.

Circular economy principles

A circular economy is based on three principles, all driven by design.

Circular economy examples

See the circular economy in action with these case studies from brands, businesses and policy makers.

Working with nature to make food last longer

Apeel is a company that has come up with an innovative way to eliminate single-use shrink wrap plastic packaging on fresh fruit and veg, while at the same time tackling food waste.

Apeel is a layer of edible, plant-based coating applied to fresh products that mimics and enhances the natural defences of fruit and vegetables. This slows down the two main things that cause spoilage - water loss and oxidation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Definition and principles of the circular economy model. Find out why it's much more than recycling and how companies are creating circular economy products.

# data[].attributes.body
Doughnut Economics Action Lab tools including Four lenses

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Turning the ideas of #DoughnutEconomics into action.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
REsolve Online INSIGHTS - Fife Contemporary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Online 'INSIGHTS', digital content created to accompany the exhibition 'REsolve - A Creative Approach to the Circular Economy'.

# data[].attributes.body
Information and examples of the Climate Action Venn Diagram

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: This is How to Save a Planet. I'm Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.

Alex Blumberg: And I'm Alex Blumberg. And this is the podcast about what we need to do to address the climate crisis, and how to make those things happen.

Ayana: So there's this question we get from a lot of listeners, and one listener in particular summed it up perfectly. She wrote in to ask us to settle an argument.

Alex: Oh, this debate.

Ayana: This debate.

Alex: How much do our individual actions actually matter when it comes to climate change, versus how much is it all about big systems and policies sort of beyond our individual control? Like, how important is it to look at how sustainably sourced our sweatpants are, or how important is it to go deep into the weeds on which LED light is best for the climate, or that sort of thing.

Ayana: Yeah, and Anna says her brother thinks none of that stuff is actually gonna get us out of the climate crisis. That climate change is a huge, systemic problem, and the only way to fix it is with big, systemic solutions.

Alex: But Anna says in her voicemail, she's not so sure about that.

Alex: So we focus a lot on this show on big-picture solutions.

Ayana: Yeah.

Alex: Things like government policies to limit climate-harming refrigerants, or things that we can do to increase renewable power or change how we farm.

Ayana: But we know-because you tell us-that a lot of you are wondering, what should I be doing as an individual in my daily life, and do those individual actions even matter?

Alex: One listener even told us about a spreadsheet he made tallying up all his family's actions.

Ayana: I love a spreadsheet!

Alex: And the associated carbon footprint of each action, sort of like trying to winnow their footprint down. And another one of our listeners, this listener named Mark wrote, "Is there just one thing that would make a real impact? Maybe cutting out cheese or something?" Oh, Mark. [laughs]

Ayana: [laughs] Oh Mark, if only it were that simple.

Alex: On today's episode-which originally aired back in March-we are going to dive into this debate between Anna and her brother: do individual actions even matter? And if so, which ones are the most important? That's all coming up after the break. Although spoiler alert: cutting out cheese is not at the top of the list. Sorry, Mark.

Ayana: Which is really unfortunate, because I'm allergic to cheese. So if that were the answer, I'm a frickin' angel.

Alex: You'd be even more of an eco-angel, than you already are.

Ayana: I've never eaten cheese in my entire life. All right. Stick around.

[00:04:09.10]***

Ayana: So we have a debate. Anna says that individual actions matter, her brother says they don't. So today, we're gonna devote half the episode to one side and half to the other, and see who comes out on top.

Alex: And in the first half, we're gonna argue Anna's brother's side-that individual actions don't matter that much at all. And to help us in this debate, Ayana, we brought in your friend, friend of the show, Katharine Wilkinson.

Ayana: Dr. Katharine Wilkinson is my partner in all things feminist climate renaissance. She and I co-edited the anthology All We Can Save, we co-founded a new nonprofit, The All We Can Save Project, to support women leading on climate. And the reason Katharine is the perfect person to talk to about this topic is not because I adore her, it is because she was the lead author on a book called, and that book looked at what are the biggest sources of carbon emissions, and what are the solutions out there to reduce those?

Alex: And Katharine says, in arguing Anna's brother's side of this debate, that part of the reason your individual choices don't matter that much, is because a lot of the ways greenhouse gases get emitted are things you don't have control over as an individual.

Ayana: Exactly. And Katharine broke this down for us.

Alex: Okay, so roughly half our emissions come from making electricity and making food. Or making the food to feed the animals that become our food.

Ayana: Yeah. Turns out destroying ecosystems releases a lot of carbon, especially from the soil.

Alex: Right. And then Katharine says the rest, the other half, is made up by a few more categories, For example, a category Katharine calls "industry," which is basically, all the factories and businesses making the stuff that we as humans use. Everything from steel to concrete to consumer goods, paper.

Ayana: Paper clips.

Alex: [laughs] Paper clips, everything.

Ayana: All of it.

Alex: And this industry category, it accounts for 20 percent of the world's greenhouse gases.

Ayana: And making cement in particular, is a surprisingly big part of this industry category. By some measures making cement is responsible for about eight percent of carbon dioxide emissions globally.

Alex: That is crazy. Just from cement.

Ayana: Yeah, it's a lot.

Alex: Way more than paper clips.

Ayana: [laughs]

Alex: And then industry also uses lots of refrigerants, many of which are greenhouse gases, which we've talked about in previous episodes as well. That sort of thing. And to be clear, these are direct emissions from the manufacturing and industrial processes. They are in addition to emissions from the electricity the industries are using. The electricity that is counted under the "Electricity" heading in Katharine's accounting.

Ayana: Right. And then there's transportation. All of our internal combustion engines that are powering cars and trucks and buses and boats and planes, all that adds up to about another 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Alex: And then there's buildings, which is mostly oil burners and gas burners for heating and hot water systems. That's about five percent. And again, that's not counting electricity, it's just the oil and gas that you're using to heat.

Ayana: That are in the buildings themselves.

Alex: Yeah.

Ayana: The emissions at that location, not at the power plant that's powering the rest of it. So rounding to the nearest five percent, agriculture and land use is about 25 percent, electricity is another about 25 percent. And then industry is about 20 percent, transportation 15 percent, buildings another five percent. Collectively, those five categories account for about 90 percent of total emissions. And then there's this other category, the last 10 percent, which is mostly from the extraction and processing and transport of fossil fuels. Things like methane escaping from natural gas wells and storage sites.

Alex: So that is where all the carbon is coming from. And here is the point of all this, why this is all an argument for the "individual actions don't matter" side of the debate. What stands out about all these systems that are contributing so much to climate change, is that they're things we don't have a ton of control over as individuals, right? So let's say I live in Florida, it's super hot in Florida, I'm gonna probably have to run my air conditioning. But if the electricity is coming from coal, just flipping the switch I am already hooked into a fossil fuel carbon system.

Ayana: Yeah. Or if you have to get to work and there's not good public transit from where you live to your office, if you don't have an electric vehicle, then your only option really is to use a car with an internal combustion engine. And that is, of course, releasing greenhouse gases out of your tailpipe.

Alex: Right. So this is one of the big arguments on the "individual choices don't matter" side of this debate. Like, a lot of this stuff is just outside of our control. We just can't change it ourselves.

Ayana: Mm-hmm. And there's a second argument against individual actions mattering, which is that even if we do change the things that are in our control, it only makes the teeniest, tiniest difference.

Alex: And I think it's instructive to point out here Ayana, just how teeny we mean. [laughs]

Ayana: Put it in perspective for them.

Alex: Put it in perspective. How meaningless are we as individuals? We're about to tell you.

Ayana: [laughs] How does it feel to be an ant?

Alex: [laughs] So we're gonna compare the total amount of global carbon emissions with an individual's carbon footprint.

Ayana: So as many of our listeners will be familiar with, this term "carbon footprint," which is when you total up all the greenhouse gas emissions that basically go into making your way of life: your food, your travel, your home. And for the average American that quote unquote "carbon footprint" is about 16 tons of carbon emissions per year.

Alex: All right. So that's the average. The average American emits 16 tons. People with lower incomes tend to emit less, wealthier people tend to emit more-in some cases a lot more. Like tens or even hundreds of times more than the average, because of their big houses and lots of air travel and stuff like that. But when you roll all Americans together, our average emissions are 16 tons per person.

Ayana: And for context, that is definitely one of the larger national average carbon footprints compared to all the other nations in the world. So globally, it's Americans, Canadians, Australians, and oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan that have the most massive carbon footprints as a per-capita average. Meanwhile, the global average is around 4.8 tons per capita, so a little more than one-fourth of the average American footprint.

Alex: And if you are focused on reducing your individual carbon footprint, there are lots of lists to look at which rank the highest-impact actions you can take. And all of these lists differ a bit in methodology and accounting and stuff, but the same actions generally make it to the top of each list. So ...

Ayana: So drum roll please! Here are the top five actions that can have the greatest impact on your individual carbon footprint. Number one: Make fewer new humans. Also known as have fewer children.

Alex: Whoops, already blew that one.

Ayana: Which Alex has already blown it on that one. He made two.

Alex: Yep, two.

Ayana: This is super controversial, and we're not gonna get into it now, but indeed having fewer children can have a big impact, especially if you have what is euphemistically referred to as a high-carbon lifestyle.

Alex: So number two: Drive less. Or if you do drive, drive electric.

Ayana: Number three: Fly less. Full stop.

Alex: Number four: Become more energy efficient. Insulate your home, and if you can, put solar panels on your house.

Ayana: And number five: Switch to a plant-based diet.

Alex: So that's the list, or at least, you know, sort of generally what are the top five items on that list. But remember, we're arguing in this half of the episode that individual actions do not really matter that much.

Ayana: Because even if you do all five things on this list perfectly, you as an individual are a tiny, tiny percent of the overall problem.

Alex: We did the math.

Ayana: Alex loves math, let me remind you.

Alex: [laughs] I love doing the math. We compared the average American's carbon footprint to the overall amount of carbon emissions globally. And remember, average American? Pretty big footprint, 16 tons. Overall global emissions, 50 billion tons.

Ayana: Yeah.

Alex: What this means is that the average American's contribution to the total global problem is 0.0000000003. That is a decimal point and then nine zeros and then a three. And statistically ...

Ayana: That's basically zero. [laughs]

Alex: It rounds to zero. [laughs] So individually, I think the math would suggest that we have zero impact on the larger problem.

Ayana: And as professor Dr. Leah Stokes, who's been on our show before puts it, even if you are the perfect, zero-waste, low-carbon footprint human being, that doesn't change the world unless you do something bigger than yourself. Because if you disappear tomorrow, we would still be facing exactly the same magnitude of climate crisis because you're just a rounding error to global carbon emissions.

Alex: And this might make certain people feel sad and maybe hopeless and defeated but, you know, Ayana, you and I talked to Katharine Wilkinson about this, and we actually think it is good news. Because it means if you change the systems, then you're changing millions of people's carbon footprints without them having to do anything.
Well I mean, it would take approximately 15 years, so they say. You know, so 2035. And you can check out our "Party Like It's 2035" episode for more details on that.
Alex: I'm gonna paraphrase Katharine Wilkinson here.

Ayana: Okay.

Alex: And perhaps put it more strongly than she would have, but essentially my takeaway from our conversation is: screw your carbon footprint.

Ayana: [laughs]

Alex: Screw devoting all of this time and energy to sort of like trying to minutely lower your impact.

Ayana: Yeah.

Alex: Because when you focus all your effort on this, you're focusing all this effort on something that makes a pretty tiny difference in the grand scheme of things. A very tiny difference. And by the way, do you know who else seems really interested in having us focus on our own personal carbon footprints? BP. Or at least, the BP social media account.

Ayana: Oh, yeah. They had a tweet in 2019 that was just, like, the most ridiculous. Quote, "The first step to reducing your emissions is to know where you stand. Find out your #carbonfootprint with our new calculator, and share your pledge today!' Exclamation point, end quote.

Alex: The chutzpah!

Ayana: I mean, how rich is that? They might want to, you know, look in the mirror, as they say.

Alex: It's like the let he who is without sin cast the first stone?

Ayana: Oh yeah. Or, you know, whoever smelt it, dealt it? [laughs]

Alex: [laughs] I went to the Bible for my quote.

Ayana: I went to fart jokes. Cool. High brow.

Alex: But you, yes.

Ayana: Fossil fuel companies' suggestions aside, it might seem like at this point in the debate, we're coming down super decisively in favor of Anna's brother. But as we promised, we're going to argue both sides. So coming up after the break, we'll make the argument for individual actions, and how they might actually matter a lot. Stick around.

[00:20:20.06]***

Ayana: Welcome back. We're talking with Dr. Katharine Wilkinson, and we're trying to settle a sibling debate between our listener Anna and her brother about whether your individual actions actually matter when it comes to addressing the climate crisis.

Alex: And we spent the first half of the episode arguing in favor of Anna's brother's side, which we did pretty convincingly.

Ayana: If you say so yourself. [laughs]

Alex: But now we're gonna lay out the case for Anna's position, that our individual choices do matter. And Ayana, let's start here. Our guest, Katharine Wilkinson, who was just arguing that what we do as individuals barely registers against the total amounts of carbon in the atmosphere, when you ask her about her own personal choices, though ...

Alex: So aligning your actions with your values is part of it, right? But Katharine and a lot of the experts we spoke to about the importance of individual actions emphasized this one thing: you have to think of those actions outside the scope of just lowering your own carbon footprint. You know, because If you're focused only on reducing your own emissions from, you know, I don't know, 16 tons to 12 tons a year, you know, being the best climate gold star sticker winner you can be, you're having a negligible effect.

Ayana: But if you instead think about your actions as a form of communication, as an invitation for others to join you, then your action can lead to other actions that can actually lead to change. One great example of this is the trend around flying in Europe.

Alex: Starting a few years ago, more and more people in Europe started making the conscious choice to fly less for the climate. Those people included Greta Thunberg, the very famous Swedish climate activist. She very publicly took a boat across the Atlantic to come to a UN conference in 2019 instead of flying.

Alex: This is climate researcher Steve Westlake. Our producer Felix Poon talked to him. And Steve has conducted research where he asks people: do you know anyone who flies less because of climate concerns? And if so, do you also fly less because you know these people? And he found that yes, 75 percent of the people he surveyed who knew somebody who gave up flying said they also changed their own attitudes about flying and climate change, and about half of them actually started flying less themselves.

Ayana: And Steve admits this is a small study, and it was people who wanted to participate, not what is called a stratified random sample. So the people he talked to already cared enough about the issue to answer his questions. But this still might suggest that people taking this individual action led to more people taking that action, and more people and more people, and so ...

Ayana: And these changing social norms in Europe around flying? That might be why there are a growing number of policy proposals to address this in Germany and France and Austria. And in the UK in particular, there's a proposal for something called a frequent flier tax. And the idea is that, as you take more and more flights, the tax goes up. So it would be a progressive tax that targets those flying the most, and therefore contributing the most to carbon emissions.

Alex: And the fact that these policy changes are being discussed are, at least in some way, due to the actions, individual actions that people took. But it wasn't just taking these actions, it was also communicating about the actions. It was sharing it with their friends and getting them to take the actions too. And that is the key. The communication? That has to be part of the action. The action's important, but it's the talking about it that gives it power.

Ayana: This is Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, who runs the Yale Center for Climate Change Communication. They've been doing polling on Americans' opinions on climate for over a decade now, and what they have learned is that people assume there are more climate deniers out there than there actually are, because deniers are just louder. But actually, it's only about 10 percent or so of Americans who are firmly in denial about climate science, and the rest of us can team up and get some really cool things done.

Alex: Yeah. And Anthony's research indicates that, like, because we have this feeling that the people who disagree with us are in much greater numbers than they are, we clam up.

Alex: So talking about it? Super important. But also super important? How we talk about it.

Ayana: Here's Katharine again.

Ayana: Katharine has such a way with words.

Alex: Yup.

Ayana: So put a pin in that gem, and let's zoom out for a minute to think about what we even mean when we say "individual actions." Because so far, we've been defining that pretty narrowly. We've been talking about our individual diet and travel, etc. But of course, those aren't the only actions we can take. There are heaps of opportunities for individuals to be part of pushing forward these larger changes that we need, the changes that will affect the major sources of emissions that Katharine laid out at the beginning of this episode. So if you take a step back to think about it, there are individual actions you can take based on your skills and what you can bring to the table that could actually make a way bigger difference than even overhauling your diet entirely.

Alex: And Ayana, I know you get this question all the time, and I know people ask you, "What's the one thing I should do?" Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, what do you tell them?

Ayana: Here's how I think about this.

Alex: Yes.

Ayana: What I actually encourage people to do to figure out where they as individuals can be most useful, is to think of it like a Venn diagram. So there's three overlapping circles, and one circle is: what are you good at? Like, what skills, resources, networks, reach, influence are you bringing to the table? What you got? And then the next circle is: what is the work that needs doing? Like, which climate solution are you gonna focus on? And how does that overlap with the skills that you have? And then the third circle would be: what brings you joy? Like, what gets you out of bed in the morning? Because this is the work of our lifetime, right?

Ayana: So if you pick a way to contribute or a thing to talk about that you, like, hate and makes you miserable and you're just cranky, you're not gonna attract more people into the work, and you're gonna make yourself miserable and probably burn out on it. So I think we need to include that joy and passion piece in here as well, because there's so many different things we can do that we each get to choose what we're gonna focus on to be most useful.

Alex: Yeah! So just to sort of like talk about how this works. I got some paper here. I'm gonna like-I'm gonna start drawing the Venn diagram. Okay, ready?

Ayana: Look at you, good student! Let's do it.

Alex: Drawing the top circle. Sorry, what is the top circle again?

Ayana: I always put joy at the top, but that's just me.

Alex: The top, okay. So the top, I'm gonna put joy. So my joy. So I love my family, NBA basketball.

Ayana: You do.

Alex: And explaining things clearly [laughs]

Ayana: Sometimes overexplaining, and then we have to cut whole paragraphs of Alex explaining things.

Alex: Sometimes too clearly.

Ayana: Yup. Can vouch for those things.

Alex: Uh huh. And making podcasts. I love making podcasts. Okay.

Ayana: What are you good at?

Alex: I'm good at exactly one thing, which is making podcasts. That's literally the only thing I'm good at. And okay.

Ayana: And what climate solutions do you want to work on?

Alex: Well I want to-I want to work on helping as many people as possible get involved. You know, build a bigger team. That's what I want to do.

Ayana: Build a bigger team.

Alex: Build a bigger team.

Ayana: So Alex, this is really out in left field. I have a crazy idea for you.

Alex: Yeah?

Ayana: What if ...

Alex: Make a podcast about climate change?

Ayana: [laughs] You made a podcast about climate solutions with calls to action at the end of every episode.

Alex: So right in the middle-right in the middle of all those things, like, here's what I love, I love making podcasts. I'm good at making podcasts. And I want to, like, sort of communicate with as many people about climate change and build a bigger team.

Ayana: And maybe we could interview your favorite NBA player on a future episode or something, just to, you know, really hit the sweet spot.

Alex: Well, I'm glad that my Venn diagram didn't come up with something completely different than what I'm doing. That would have been a weird sort of a surprise ending for this episode.

Ayana: Your intuition led you in the right direction.

Alex: Yeah. And I love this approach, right? What I love about it is it's not cookie cutter. It's not like, oh, just read a list and do what's on the list. It's tailored to you. And when you pick your own personal actions, those actions will have so much more impact than if you're just sort of like following something from a list somewhere.

Ayana: Totally. So for me, this is actually how I came up with the idea of starting a think tank for the future of coastal cities, right? I'm a marine biologist. I'm a policy nerd. I'm from Brooklyn. I just really care about design. So clearly, all those things intersect when we think about what is the future of coastal cities in the context of climate change? And there wasn't an organization already doing that. And that's how this new nonprofit, Urban Ocean Lab, came to be. So I find this to be a very helpful exercise, and it doesn't have to take a long time or be super complicated. And the answer will be different for everyone. I think this has been a real shortcoming of the environmental movement is asking everyone to do the same thing, right? Everyone march, everyone vote, everyone donate, everyone spread the word. And of course do that, but if we don't ask people to bring, like, their special talents to all this work that needs to be done, then what a waste.

Alex: Yeah, exactly. And you know, we're doing this. Like, I guess this is our job now. This is my job now: professional climate communicator.

Ayana: Here we are, living in the center of our Venn diagrams.

Alex: Exactly. But even if it's not your job, you can still take this approach and sort of like figure out, like, what can I do when I'm not at work? Or how can I involve what I do at work in climate work, you know?

Ayana: Absolutely. I think that gets really overlooked. This is not about quitting your job, but maybe there's a way that you can bring your skills to the table within your company to change things there. Which would, again, be a much bigger difference than just thinking about your own carbon footprint. Think about how to change your company, think about how that might help change the standards of your industry, right? Like, how can we think in these ever-expanding circles of influence?

Alex: And that's the approach that Katharine Wilkinson, our debate coach for this episode, takes as well, right? What can I specifically do that will have ripples beyond just myself?

Ayana: So, Alex.

Alex: Mm-hmm.

Ayana: We've played both sides. We've argued our listener Anna's case that individual actions matter, we've argued Anna's brother's case that individual actions do not really matter. We've called in some experts to provide us with some numbers and the results of the insights gleaned from their rigorous research.

Alex: Mm-hmm.

Ayana: Who won? Who won and who lost?

Alex: [laughs] Well, I mean, I think-I think we're saying they both won?

Ayana: I'm not like an acolyte of the participation trophy world, but it seems that where we've landed here is that individual actions can matter, but that's only if they're used as a tool to affect changing the larger systems.

Alex: Right. If your individual action makes some ripples. So trophies for everyone!

Ayana: Trophies for everyone. Yeah. Trophies and plant-based meals and bike lanes for all. As the podcast's resident marine biologist, I do appreciate the aquatic metaphor of the ripples. I think that's really important, because sometimes this carbon footprint stuff gets, like, super navel-gazey and sort of self-centered and, like, obnoxiously holier than thou. And that is not helping.

Alex: Not at all.

Ayana: That is not actually gonna change things. That is your, like, 0.0000000003 scenario.

Alex: Right. Yep.

Ayana: So-and in fact you might actually be convincing people not to change their behavior because you're just a jerk. So don't be a jerk. Step one to saving the planet: don't be a jerk. So I would say our first call to action this week is try actually writing that out for yourself. Draw three circles, write down what you're bringing to the table, which solutions you want to work on and, like, what kinds of things you like to do. And think about whether there might be something new you could be a part of.

Alex: Yes.

Ayana: If you do take our suggestion and make your own Venn diagram of how you want to participate in climate solutions, please show it to us. I would be legit excited to receive a lot of photographs of Venn diagrams. It would make my day. So you can email them to us: how2saveaplanet@spotify.com. You can post them on social media and tag @how2saveaplanet with the number two.

Alex: And we'll repost some of those that you send to us.

Ayana: Oh, for sure. And then hopefully, that will be a part of what Anthony was talking about as a way to start the conversation about how each of us are gonna show up.

Alex: Awesome!

Ayana: Maybe your Venn diagram will create a ripple.

Alex: And if you can't think of anything on your own, our intern Ayo has come up with this amazing idea of putting together every single call to action that we have ever sort of put forward on this podcast and making them all available by episode. We'll be sharing a link to this in our show notes.

Ayana: Yep. So you can just scan the list of things that we have recommended over the course of our episodes of the podcast so far, and see if any of those are things that you're jazzed about. And then you can click through to the links, learn more and jump in.

Alex: We have another pretty nuts-and-bolts action item that came up while we were in conversation with Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz who, again, runs the Yale Center for Climate Change Communication. He was in the middle of making the sort of individual actions don't matter point, and he sort of interrupted himself and said, "But there is one thing everyone should do."

Ayana: This is my favorite sidebar of all time. [laughs] You guys, just do me this one solid, just insulate your attic.

Alex: For the love of God, people. If you take one thing from this interview, insulate your fucking attics.

Alex: There you go. Aside from insulating your attic, I believe, Ayana, your framework is by far the way more powerful one.

Ayana: I am attic-less, but Venn diagram full.

Alex: Yeah. And if you're someone who likes to understand the big picture first before you jump in and get involved, another thing you can do is check out Project Drawdown, where our debate guide Katharine Wilkinson used to work. The Project Drawdown website shows the big picture: where are the biggest sources of greenhouse gases, where are the sinks-the parts of our planet that are absorbing the greenhouse gases-and what are the solutions that will get us to the point of drawdown, where we start to actually reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, rather than adding to it.

Ayana: Links to Project Drawdown, and to the podcast A Matter of Degrees that Katharine co-hosts with Leah Stokes, and a list of all our calls to action are in our show notes and our newsletter.

Alex: You can sign up for the newsletter at howtosaveaplanet.show.

Ayana: It's a pretty cool website, a dot show.

Alex: Dot show. Dot showbiz, baby. All right. Are we ready for the credits?

Ayana: [laughs] Definitely. It's time to call it on this episode.

Ayana: How to Save a Planet is a Spotify original podcast and a Gimlet production. It's hosted by me, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.

Alex: And me, Alex Blumberg. Our reporters and producers are Kendra Pierre-Lewis, Rachel Waldholz, Anna Ladd and Felix Poon. Our intern is Ayo Oti.

Ayana: Extra shoutout to Ayo this week. Thanks for the Google doc.

Alex: Yeah! And our listeners thank you as well. Our senior producer is Lauren Silverman. Our editor is Caitlin Kenny. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard, with original music by Peter Leonard, Catherine Anderson, and Emma Munger.

Ayana: Our fact checker this week is Claudia Geib.

Alex: Special thanks to the Stamatogiannakis siblings Anna and Emmanuel for sharing their debate with us. And thanks to Seth Wynes and Nick Pigeon.

Ayana: Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next week.

Alex: [singing] If my words could glow with the gold of summer.

Ayana: What?

Alex: It's a Grateful Dead song called "Ripple."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is Your Carbon Footprint BS? | How to Save a Planet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We're tackling a sibling debate: Do your individual actions matter when it comes to climate change? Or is it all about big, systemic change? In this episode, we break down both sides of the argument.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Green Crafts Initiative (GCI) is a sister initiative to the established Green Arts Initiative and a joint project between Craft Scotland and Creative Carbon Scotland aiming to enable the craft sector to contribute green actions within Scotland's cultural industries.

Makers and craft organisations based in Scotland are able to become members of the Green Crafts Initiative, which provides support and advice for crafts individuals and groups committed to reducing their environmental impact.

The initiative asks members to pledge to improve their environmental actions over time through a series of simple commitments:

Reduce their environmental impact each year,

Strive to improve to their monitoring and management of environmental impacts each year,

Send a yearly informal report about their actions relating to the environment.

Members will have access to an extensive range of website resources and case studies to aid in their fulfilment of these commitments, as well as the ability to contact CCS for one-to-one advice as they work together to put culture and the arts at the heart of a more sustainable Scotland.

Tips on 'why', 'what' and 'where':

Interviews with sustainable makers

In Spring 2018 we undertook a survey of our members to find out more about who they are and how they are trying to reduce their environmental impact. Take a look at the 2018 Members Report to get an insight into the community!

Becoming a member of the Green Crafts Initiative is easy, quick, and free! Complete this form and we'll be in touch.

Ceramics and Clay

Furniture and Wood

Alien Spoons

All About Willow

ANGUS ROSS

Burnbrae Crafts

Buy Design Gallery

GM Forestry Mackreations

Pens of Distinction

Rag and Bone Workshop

The Edinburgh Remakery

Glass

Jewellery and Metal

&ilc

Beth Legg Designer/Maker

City of Glasgow College Jewellery

Dora's Jewellery

Eleanor Kerr-Patton

Eloise Kerr Jewellery

Fiona Chapman Jewellery

Jen Cunningham

Jo Pudelko Jewellery

Karen Westland

Luing Smith

Merel Bekking Designs

Milomade

Mirka Janeckova Jewellery

Oku Designs

Ruth Hollywood Jewellery

Shirley Lowe

Stefanie Cheong Artist Jewellery

Central Scotland School of Jewellery

Maria Laidlaw Artist

Ruehill Jewellery

Print and Paper

Textiles and Fabric

3 Bags Wool

Balgarvie Weaving

Bonny Claith

Burnside Designs

Carolyn Edmondson/Lament

Cushy Doo Textiles

Fiona Doubleday

End of Terrace Trading

Hamish Mash Eco Fashion

Home is an Island

HOT Tweed

Julia Laing

MK Eco Creations

Olive Pearson Designs

Pieter van der Werf - Orains

Sarah E Shephard Fine Upholstery

SpineySpider

Stitchbirdie

Suzanne Stuart Davies

Warped Textiles

Agency, Education and Support

Applied Arts Scotland

FOLD Contemporary Craft Store

Gayfield Projects

MADE in East Lothian

Make Do and Grow

Midas Skills School

Re:Craft Glasgow

Remake Scotland

Upcycled World

Archipelago Folkschool

West Moss-side

To find out more about our sister initiative for arts venues, organisations and companies (the Green Arts Initiative) . For any questions, comments or enquiries, please contact Catriona on catriona.patterson@creativecarbonscotland.com.

Image: Lise Bech / Photography by Mutevelian / Craft Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Green Crafts Initiative | Creative Carbon Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Makers and craft organisations based in Scotland are able to become members of the Green Crafts Initiative, which provides support and advice for crafts individuals and groups committed to reducing their environmental impact.

# data[].attributes.body
Craft Toolkit to help you to plan for the future and grow your craft practice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Digital Craft Toolkit is part of the British Council's Crafting Futures programme. It was developed with funding from the British Council by Carol Sinclair at Applied Arts Scotland. The technical development was undertaken by Agency of None and the translation by Translators Without Borders.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fife Contemporary has created this Artists' Environmental Resource page to host a document which is a general introduction to the issues artists might consider when trying to make their practice more environmentally sustainable.
Download the free Artists' Environmental Resource pdf here
Its creation came out of a Climate Emergency in Practice day which we ran in October 2019. Our plan was originally to put together some kind of practical toolkit which artists could use to measure their carbon footprint. However, discussion during the day showed us the impossibility of the task, and we believe that this document will be more useful. The document will be updated annually, and we would welcome any new information that you can provide.

We would also like to share artists' stories about how they are dealing with Climate Emergency and environmental issues in their own practice. To that end, we are putting together an Artists' Environmental Sharespace and would be happy to hear from anyone who would like to be featured. Please send us images, related links, and information about relevant artwork. Also welcome are any hints and tips about materials and processes which allow your practice to be more sustainable.

We are opening the Sharespace by featuring the practices of two environmentally engaged artists who will be part of our REsolve exhibition, Stefanie Cheong and Hannah Imlach.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Artists' Environmental Resource - Fife Contemporary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fife Contemporary has created this Artists' Environmental Resource page to host a document which is a general introduction to the issues artists might consider when trying to make their practice more environmentally sustainable. Download the free Artists' Environmental Resource pdf here Its creation came out of a Climate Emergency in Practice day which we ran in October 2019.

# data[].attributes.body
Exhibition of artists and makers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fife Contemporary is delighted to present REsolve: a Creative Approach to the Circular Economy as part of our commitment to put the climate emergency at the heart of our programming.

Curated by artist-curator Mella Shaw, this exhibition will showcase the work of contemporary artists, designers and makers and encourage new perspectives on resources, waste and how we live. It will take place at Kirkcaldy Galleries from 26 February to 8 May 2022.

The objects on show will challenge expectation, spark dialogue and reveal an innovative and explorative approach to materials that is essential for our transition away from our current take-make-waste economy. From salvaged e-waste to the by-product of beer-making, in the hands of these creative practitioners everything has value to be unlocked. An alternative and hopeful future is discussed through adoption of the themes of the circular economy, as well as celebrating the craftsmanship and creativity necessary for moving towards a sustainable, zero carbon future.

FREE Circular Economy Resource for School and Home Learning from Ostrero. Click the link to find out how you can take part in the Making Circles project as a school or from home.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
REsolve: a Creative Approach to the Circular Economy - Fife Contemporary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fife Contemporary is delighted to present REsolve: a Creative Approach to the Circular Economy as part of our commitment to put the climate emergency at the heart of our programming. Curated by artist-curator Mella Shaw, this exhibition will showcase the work of contemporary artists, designers and makers and encourage new perspectives on resources, waste and how we live.

# data[].attributes.body
Craft Scotland's Make It Green series of inspiring stories and tips from Scotland-based makers and initiatives about sustainability and ethical making.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get inspired by exciting craft projects and happening in Scotland and around the world, and learn more about makers working in Scotland.

# data[].attributes.body
Making Circles learning resource for children featuring Scottish makers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Making Circles is a project created and ran by Ostrero which introduces the Circular Economy to schools through interactive projects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Join us and take part in our alternative material focus programme: Altermatter.
Altermatter is an online material-centred collaborative design project bringing together makers and designers from Indonesia and the UK to explore the practical use of new materials. We are inviting applications from makers and designer who have some experience and an interest in exploring new ways of working with sustainable materials.

Selected material developers/designers/makers and product designers will work in pairs as a team to brainstorm the challenges and solutions of creating a daily use product made of alternative materials and showcase their ideas as a final outcome.
Requirements:
Material Developers:
* Emerging material developer: 2 - 3 years of experience OR student level material developer
* Aware of Design Thinking Process
* English proficiency is favourable
* Location: Indonesia and UK
Material developer can also include designer or maker with experience working in alternative and sustainable materials.

Product Designers:
* Emerging with 2 - 3 years working experience after university OR Industry level designers
* Skill in 3D modeling tools
* Aware of Design Thinking process
* English proficiency is favourable
* Location: Indonesia and UK

Expectation:

* Willing to be paired with cross countries (UK-IDN) using online communication tools.
* Able to collaboratively develop product concepts that solve daily problems.
* Able to collaboratively develop product concepts using alternative materials.
* Committed to involvement in the program to completion.
* Open to communicating with mentors and collaborators outside of workshop hours

Timeline of Workshop: February - March 2022 (workshops will be held on 4 Thursdays over this time scale)

Fee for participants: £500

Deadline to apply: 17 January 2022 - 23:59 UK Time

To apply go here

Partners:
British Council
British Council is the UK's international organisation responsible for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We connect, build understanding and trust between the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education, and the English language. Last year, we communicated face-to-face with more than 80 million people, and over 791 million people online, through our radio and TV programs and our print publications. Founded in 1934, the British Council is a charity and public organization that has become a legal entity with the Royal Charter. 15 percent of our revenue is covered by the UK government.

Applied Arts Scotland
Applied Arts Scotland is a membership organisation run 'by makers for makers' in Scotland. We nurture the creative heart and soul of making practice, celebrate expertise, and facilitate practical opportunities for creative and professional development.

Playo (playo.id) is an experimentation space for founders and researchers to develop, foster, and connect sustainable solutions.

CAST Foundation
A platform that supports meaningful design and sustainable ecosystems for the people and the planet through innovations found at the intersection of culture, arts, science, and technology.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Altermatter Workshop Participant Call Out - Applied Arts Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join us and take part in our alternative material focus programme: Altermatter. Altermatter is an online material-centred collaborative design project bringing together makers and designers from Indonesia and the UK to explore the practical use of new materials. We are inviting applications from makers and designer who have some experience and an interest in exploring new ways of working with sustainable materials.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Artists' Environmental Sharespace - Fife Contemporary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Sharespace aims to capture additional and new information from the arts' community. It allows artists to share their own environmental practice & ask their peers for help in solving environmental queries.

# data[].attributes.body
A way to redistribute spare or unneeded resources and save waste

# data[].attributes.body
Focus areas; food and drink, plastic packaging, clothing and textiles, collections and recycling.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our vision is a thriving world in which climate change is no longer a problem

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We are a registered charity no. SC028384.

The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust celebrates and promotes the quality craftsmanship and design skills of Scotland's Jewellers and Silversmiths at all stages of their careers. We hope to continue to support and inspire future generations of makers and to support the adoption of sustainable and responsible practices.

Please help us to continue this work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ethical Making | Promoting Ethical & Sustainable Practice in Jewellery & Silversmithing Internationally | Scotland - UK - International

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are a registered charity no. SC028384. The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust celebrates and promotes the quality craftsmanship and design skills of Scotland's Jewellers and Silversmiths at all stages of their careers. We hope to continue to support and inspire future generations of makers and to support the adoption of sustainable and responsible practices.

# data[].attributes.body
Showcase of experimentation and innovation in industrial waste, repurposing and new sustainable materials

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Design for Our Times is an exhibition curated by Design Exhibition Scotland in partnership with V&A Dundee. Showcasing seven projects from designers, artists, and researchers working across Scotland, it is a celebration of ingenuity & invention. It opened last month at V&A Dundee.

Celebrating innovation & experimentation in materials & making for our contemporary age, Design for Our Times amplifies the the vital need to support creative thinking & invention.

Ffion & Stephen Blench | Chalk Plaster

Aymeric Renoud | Draff

Maria Lander & Peter Large | Future Practical

Dr Sam Chapman & Prof. Gabriela Medero | Kenoteq

Andrew Miller | Andrew Miller Studio

Lewis Harley & Simon Harlow | Mirrl

Catriona Brown | Shroom

Design for Our Times shares insights into the inspiration that lies behind the creation of a functional object. The exhibition seeks to illuminate the role of the designer as a catalyst of change, the design process, and to illustrate the careful determination and creativity that takes an initial idea through the trial and error of experimentation, prototype development, towards the exciting and sometimes challenging exploration of potential applications in the wider world.

D riven by a desire to make a difference, these individuals question established norms, re-visit time-honoured materials and practices, and propose practical solutions to issues of waste and overconsumption.

The objects and processes highlighted in this exhibition encourage us to consider new approaches to sustainable behaviour: from repurposing waste and discarded objects to using natural resources in place of manufactured materials.

Shroom, a prototype tree shelter made of mycelium by Catriona Brown. Image Michael McGurk.

Design for Our Times is at V&A Dundee until 13 June 2022, admission is free. There is an events programme to accompany the exhibition - 'Introducing Design for Our Times' studio interviews with live discussion from curator Susanna Beaumont & designer Catriona Brown online Thursday 27 January, 6.15pm. Book now.

Design for Our Times made its debut at London Design Festival | Brompton Design District in September. Design for Our Times is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Design for Our Times - Design Exhibition Scotland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
EXHIBITION Celebrating material exploration & experimentation, Design for Our Times has opened at V&A Dundee. Showcasing work by seven designers, artists & inventors from across Scotland, it rethinks materials & making. Design for Our Times is curated by Design Exhibition Scotland.

# data[].attributes.body
Sustainability support and advice including energy efficiency, circular economy and waste reduction initiatives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inspiring change to fight the climate crisis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Zero Waste Scotland have the facts to help everyone end the climate crisis by wasting less and making things last instead. Start your journey to zero today!

# data[].attributes.body
Circular with Katie Treggiden is a series of conversations with the thinkers and doers of the circular economy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Home Podcast Circular with Katie Treggiden Circular with Katie Treggiden is a series of conversations with the thinkers and doers of the circular economy - the people bringing about genuine change by challenging the historic 'take-make-waste' model of production and consumption and instead proposing new ways of meeting our needs without compromising those of the planet, other species [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We all want to do the right thing for the planet, but what's the real impact of each of the things we do and buy?
We hear a lot about driving and flying, but what about sending a text message, buying a latte or keeping a pet? How do apples compare to oranges or bananas, buying a newspaper with surfing the internet, or cut flowers with house plants? How much does a Zoom call save on a meeting or conference? And what about the big things? How much CO2 is generated by a wildfire, a volcano, or a war? What's our carbon budget, and can any of it be genuinely offset?

Packed full of information yet always entertaining, How Bad Are Bananas? comes up with the answers we need and provides plenty of revelations. But be warned: everything you thought you knew about green living is about to be turned on its head.

This new edition of How Bad Are Bananas? has been fully updated throughout, and includes new entries on pets, cryptocurrencies, E-bikes, supermarket deliveries, negative emissions, and a 20-page guide to what we can do about our climate.

How Bad are Bananas? was first published in 2010. The 2021 revised edition is published by Profile Books Ltd. An audio version of the book will be released in 2024.

ISBN: 9781788163811
eISBN: 978-1782837114

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We all want to do the right thing for the planet, but what's the real impact of each of the things we do and buy? We hear a lot about driving and flying, but what about sending a text message, buying a latte or keeping a pet?