Inspiring stories | Together on Climate

Climate trailblazers

This is a gallery of screenprints that were made by climate trailblazers in Herne Hill, London. The prints and voices that go with them are from people who live in a way that is solving climate change. Their stories tell what it feels like to have faced up to climate change, and show that living in way that brings hope to the future doesn’t mean giving up an enjoyable life, but instead is empowering, rewarding, creative, and fulfilling.

Want to hear more from these climate trailblazers? Join the online talk on 7 September. Details and tickets here.

Use the arrows to look through the gallery.

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Hannah Woodhouse

I studied languages, worked in fashion then set up a sculptural lighting business.

I can’t be vegan with the auto-immune diseases I have, but I eat very little meat. I don’t fly, and also try to avoid ferries. Cars and planes are stressful, I find it very liberating to turn my back on them. In London I travel by train and bus. I think cycling in the city is dangerous, but I take my time. I have a renewable energy supplier. I love buying clothes but I always buy from charity shops (except pants and socks!). London has the best charity shops.

For me, living in a way that’s trying to solve climate change feels life enhancing and positive. I wasn’t really aware of climate change until about four years ago when I realised the trouble we are in. This is much bigger than a ‘crisis’, which is short lived, this is literally about survival.

My decision to stop flying is not just about reducing emissions. It is also a statement of political solidarity with those in the global south (the global majority!) who did almost nothing to create this crisis. It's very simple – we need to stay still to survive. At the beginning of Covid the aeroplanes stopped flying, we heard the birdsong and it felt like a miracle. We can re-create that, if we want to. We do too much.

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Julie Hermann

I love running and half marathons, also playing music.

I have a three-year old daughter. I know where climate change is headed, so I’m not having another child, but I probably would have otherwise.

Cutting out meat was the first thing I did, and after that reducing my consumption. I realised how much I felt pushed to buy things I didn’t need, and didn’t make me happy.

I've committed to stop flying. There are places I’d like to discover, but I'd rather protect them than take away a little bit more.

I lost my grandmother recently, it made me realise I won’t be here forever, I don’t only want to live for my own pleasure, I want to protect the future of all children. My print is the way I feel when I put my daughter to bed, I think of the future I wish for her, and about the things that she might not have - her right to have a family one day too.

Rachel Goodyear

My life revolves around my four kids and church.

We don’t eat as much meat. We’ve cut it down and we have oat milk. I’ve tried to bring my kids up on hand-me-downs. It definitely is a ‘diet’ to stop purchasing stuff. It’s like weaning yourself off sugar.

We do all our holidays by train. Getting rid of the car pre-pandemic gave me freedom. Imagine London without all the cars, it would be so amazing.

I do all this for my kids. They are already saying ‘we heard this ten years ago, and nothing is changing’. I’ve heard what their future will be like. Extreme weather, floods, fires, mass migration, and what it can trigger. Climate-related wars are already being triggered.

My print is inspired by a memory. I remember looking at trees, and feeling anxious, and thinking they look like lungs. I thought ‘I just need to breathe’.

Zana Dean

I’m an architect, living in Brixton.

I was vegan for about thirty years, but I’ve relaxed a little. I’ve got rid of my car, which was difficult because I have a family member who is disabled. I cycle and bus and see more of where I’m going.

I’m not flying anymore. I’m happy, I like taking trains and I don’t feel any downsides. I’ve refurbished the house with insulation, I am ready for a heat pump.

I try to reduce consumption of clothes, hunting in charity shops is fun, elbows out!

The terror of the not reducing fossil fuels, and destroying a liveable planet, is what motivates me. There are countries with climate–related famines right now. Madagascar is one of them. I think that we can make a difference, we can do things, work together, and not be a bystander. If you don’t take action against a wrong you see happening, then you’re complicit.

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Jim Belben

My wife (Clare) and I have been without a car for 3 years, but we’re really enjoying the change. We go on local walks, and use public transport. Exploring close to home really sums up my life.

We invest in community solar powered energy, and give time to that project. We only buy what we need, and try to pay for people's time rather than things.

It feels empowering to live in a way that tries to solve climate change. I believe we all have to take it seriously, and play our part. We need to build our understanding and build our responsibility, and over half of people globally are not in a position to do anything.

Clare Pallet

Jim and I have three daughters together. Perhaps we don't say enough about some of the steps we have taken to care for our planet. I know that every step each one of us takes is important, and being an example to those close to us too. I am glad that my daughters think about the choices that they make.

The thing that worries me about climate change is that it reflects our lack of respect and care for the earth we live on, that we have let our desires dominate the way we act. My print expresses the desire to rekindle our respect for the earth. Life doesn't really work if we don't think about the consequences of our actions, if we don't care for the place we live.

Jeremy Brackpool

I work in scientific publishing, trying to find solutions to reduce the business’s climate impact. I love cooking and baking sourdough bread.

Anna (my wife) and I have stopped flying, and we now have wonderful holidays in the UK. I virtually never buy new stuff, I could count the items from the last year on one hand! I’ve cut out red meat, and only rarely eat white meat and dairy.

I was originally motivated to change by a sense of duty, to my children, and to everyone, we shouldn’t knowingly make other people’s lives a misery. We can’t achieve equality, better health or education, if every day is a struggle to survive against the elements.

Now it’s easy to continue living in a way that that’s trying to solve climate change. It feels natural to slow down and appreciate the things that matter, and it makes me feel happier.

Ruth Arnott

I’m from Fife in Scotland, I’m a community gardener and garden designer and work for Southwark council. I’m also into books, films, music and dance.

I gave up my car when I moved to London and I mostly cycle or get public transport. I don’t fly anymore, and our trip to Spain this year will be by train.

I’m vegan and I was so amazed to find one of my oldest friends, who was anti-vegan a few years ago, has now given up meat. People are changing.

I think it’s just obvious that we have to do this for our species surviving and being able to live on this planet.

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Jane Dutton

I work in social media and have two sons.

We've just gone car-free, we barely used it and it felt like the right thing to do. We’re used to finding ways to do things on public transport, or by walking and cycling. I am intending not to fly again, and I’m very excited about planning holidays to Italy and Germany by train.

We’re cutting down on meat, eating it once or twice a week at most. We try to find ways to reuse stuff, and reduce waste. I rarely buy anything new, and always ask myself “do I really need this?” if I do want something.

It is depressing to live through this. What climate-related disasters are my kids going suffer from in the future? But it feels good to be doing my bit, I’m trying to be a good role model for my children.

I think we all need to ask, am I doing the best that I can for the planet? Everyone needs to wake up. We can all make changes to help reduce the worst impacts of climate change. I’ve met people who do get it, and I imagine how lovely it would be if more of my friends could understand.

Nancy Inness

I love gardening, outdoor swimming, singing, and family time.

I discussed with my partner and we realised that we wanted to be able to tell our children we’d done everything we possibly could. We do the no flying. We don’t have a car. I don’t buy very much new stuff, the policy is second hand whenever I need or want something. If it can’t be found, I assess whether I really need it or can live without it.

I know as a family we have a ripple effect, influencing others around us.

I feel authentic, I love my children, so aren’t I just doing what I should? I live in a world where it’s like my kids are driving off a cliff in a car. It’s painful, but I’ve learned to enjoy the moment and the kid’s lives, and I’m proud of that. I want to be here and present, but life is bittersweet.

I know it’s imperative that we act. I have read about when the earth is set to become uninhabitable. In the middle of this century, people in the global south won’t be able to go outside because of the heat.

I wanted a print about feeling safe, but showing conflicting feelings felt more honest.

Anders Gramer

I’m a Dad, my son is 5 years old. I’ve had an opportunity to live in a world that’s good and I want to pass that on to him.

Twenty years ago I became a vegetarian. I always cycle and take public transport. I need a car for work, but I don’t use it outside that. Ten years ago I changed to ethical banking, and ethical investments. I’ve signed up to Ecologi, to support renewable energy and forest protection. I don’t buy new things, I buy second-hand. I find it saves money too.

I want to help my son to know that we are the environment, we’re not separate from it. I worry that my ignorance causes problems for the living world and future generations. It’s a beautiful world we live in, the rain, the woods and fields. It motivates me to pass on that beautifulness.

Celeste Hicks

When I was a child I loved nature. My own children have made me remember how important that was to me, and now we go for walks and do camping as much as we can.

As soon as I moved to London I got rid of my car. I’m not taking holidays by plane, we take the kids to Europe on the train. They don't miss out, their life is rich with clubs, sports, and meeting people from around the world.

I wear my clothes out and I think twice about buying anything.
We’ve done insulation bit by bit.

Not everyone can live a life of massive consumption, but if you can choose how to spend your time and money, spend it on doing something that makes a difference. I think it’s about being part of a community, that’s what matters.

My design is a swift. I love the shape of swifts. I cried when they came back this year. I was so worried they wouldn’t, because we’ve killed nearly all the insects. I was so happy to see them.

Anna Pharoah

Climate change is out of control, an unthinkable future is just around the corner, within our children’s lifetimes, within our own.

We want our children to know we cared enough about the world, and about them, to do everything we could.

I set up the Extreme Weather Print Club exhibition because I want to celebrate the amazing people who give me hope. People who act in way that’s best for everyone and the future, and live in a way that tries to solve climate change.

A few years ago, my husband Jeremy and I wanted to see if it was possible for us to live sustainably. What we found out shocked us.

Even although we felt our life was normal, our carbon footprint was three times the safe level. We flew to Europe twice a year, ate beef or lamb a couple of times a week, and lots of dairy too. We owned a car, and whenever we felt we needed something, we usually went straight out and bought it. We now know that these things are setting humans down a path of unimaginable destruction. We’ve changed how we live, we just don’t do those things any more.