Protecting the environment can’t wait any longer.

The state of the environment impacts everyone; climate change and the destruction it brings worsens the various other issues we face, from food security to racial inequity to well-being. A community’s ability to thrive depends upon the climate and increasingly, the most devastating effects of climate change disproportionately affect folks who are already marginalized. We all have a role to play in taking care of the environment — from making ethical purchasing decisions, to demanding that the largest polluters be held accountable and fighting for policy to limit and reverse their environmental harm — and we are at a critical point in which taking environmental action cannot wait.

Protecting the environment

So that everyone can thrive.

Be the change in fighting for the environment by working through these simple steps. Take the actions, read the blogs, dig into the statistics, or attend a Vital Conversation event; each step you take will make a difference.

Amplify

Follow, engage with, and share the causes and organizations that you’re passionate about on social media. Help spread their message throughout your personal networks.

Use Your Voice

Speak up when faced with opinions or structures that downplay the importance of protecting the environment, or that perpetuate environmental harm. Ask elected officials, or candidates how they’re fighting for the environment, and against climate change. Ready to write to an elected official? You can reference this template to guide your communication. 

Show up

Find and attend local events, meetings, debates or marches that allow you to show your support by standing alongside those most impacted by the issues, along with others who care about fighting climate change. Showing up in solidarity with those who have lived experience, or those who are already doing the work of protecting the environment can help advance real change. Make signs, tell friends, and show up.

Share Your Resources and Time

Reach out, connect and support local organizations working to create a community that cares about and protects the environment. Donations and volunteer time are needed to help make change. Click here to see our full guide of local organizations and find one that you’d like to support. 

And stay in touch! Be the Change will be sharing additional, tangible actions that will make a difference in the lives of members of our community. Sign up for our special email list to be kept in the loop.

Know your Numbers

As time progresses, climate change will impact more and more citizens of London and Middlesex. Temperatures are increasing and severe weather events are more common. The most vulnerable in the community are at the most risk of climate change impacts. Reducing the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our community and improving resilience to this changing climate is a priority. 

Reducing Greenhouse Gas 

From 2019-2020 total GHG emissions in the City of London dropped 11% from 3,070,000 to 2,730,000 tonnes CO2e (City of London). This was due in large part to a shift in how citizens worked and traveled during the pandemic. Cycling, walking, and using public transit can all help to reduce vehicle emissions. From 2020-2021 we have seen a decrease in use of public transportation, with LTC ridership dropping 35%, likely due to an overall reduction in travel during the height of the pandemic, as well as COVID-related health and safety concerns (London Transit Commission). Since then, ridership rates have almost rebounded back to pre-pandemic levels (London Transit Commission). However, other forms of active transportation such as bike trips and walking trips per capita have remained relatively consistent over the past few years (Google EIE).  

Improving Resilience 

Decades old municipal stormwater systems were not designed to convey the amount of stormwater that is produced in a severe weather event. In addition, combined sewer systems, which carry rainwater and sewage in the same pipes, are easily overwhelmed, causing the water to bypass sewage treatment systems resulting in untreated or partially treated waste going into the Thames River. This has the potential to harm wildlife and affect the drinking water of First Nations communities downstream. The good news is, the City of London is replacing more and more of these combined sewers and reducing the number of bypass events. From 2018-2021 the length of remaining combined sewers decreased 14% (16.5 km -14.2 km) (City of London). From 2016-2018 there were 43 overflow and 80 bypass events with a total volume of 1,062,074 (m³) (City of London).  

Tree canopy cover and its shade play a critical role in reducing temperatures. While London is known as the Forest City, the city’s tree canopy cover is currently around 24% (City of London). The City’s goal is 34% tree cover by 2065. There are many benefits to trees including social, well-being, safety, environmental, and economic, but tree coverage is an equity issue. The lowest income and most marginalized neighbourhoods in London tend to have fewer trees and are unable to take advantage of their benefits (City of London). 

To calculate your personal carbon footprint visit Project Neutral London.

Want to dive deeper into the issue of climate change and the environment in London and Middlesex County?

Check out our London Vital Signs Data Hub for more data.

We recognize that we have blindspots; if we’ve missed an important message or if you’re aware of a statistic that has changed, please contact us and let us know.

London Leaders

There is so much knowledge in our community. This is a city full of activists, movement leaders, changemakers and lived experience experts and there is so much more to learn from them. Many are sharing their perspective on what’s next and building on the call for each of us to Be the Change.

Explore the diverse perspectives that provoke new thinking:

You’ve Taken Action.
But Don’t Stop There.

Change happens when people come together. Encourage those around you to take action. To help, we’ve designed these downloadable graphics that you can share on your own social media.

Click on the image to download.

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