Last month, Greening Wymondham held a workshop entitled “A Butterfly Future?”, with UEA Philosophy Professors Rupert Read and Catherine Rowett (ex Green MEP) and Derryn Ellingham, facilitator. Interested Wymondham residents packed Abbey Hall, including representatives from the Catholic Church food bank, Wymondham Abbey, Wymondham Nature Group, Town Team, U3A, current and prospective Town Council councillors and many others. The idea was to engage people’s minds and imaginations in the truth of our climate predicament, and for each of us now to become the adults in the room. We are experiencing warmer surface air temperatures and droughts as well as flooding in our area, and this will worsen as we continue to exploit our planetary resources. Biodiversity loss increases. The health of our planet reduces and with it, our wellbeing. Imagine how we can transform our systems, so we thrive and live lightly on the Earth.

People wanted to talk about these issues:

• How and what do we tell our children?

• Is growth really necessary?

• How can communities work together on energy, food waste, food supply, water conservation, tree planting, biodiversity?

This is what came up during ensuing discussions:

• People are hungry for truth. The end of the “TheTrick”, now on Netflix, is particularly relevant today. Don’t let more time slip by.

• Community groups can work together to be part of something much bigger.

• Take action in our workplaces, schools, communities.

• Explore local energy, accept onshore wind, use 100% renewable energy.

• The lack of infrastructure for renewable energy is a problem. Do we need to accept electricity pylons? Heating: heat the person, not the space e.g. heated seats, infrared heaters

• Water conservation: collect rainwater throughout the town, wash less, wash clothes less, use permeable paving to prevent flooding

• Extend ‘No Mow May’ into ‘No Mow Summer’ to increase biodiversity

• Enjoy tall grasses and wildflowers.

• Watch the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show for new ideas about weeds.

• Grow more local food

• Plant unused spaces with edible plants

• Plant orchards and nut trees

• Talk to MPs, town and county councillors, attend council meetings

• Ethical Investments can exclude new fossil fuel extraction.

Wymondham has so much potential. We could appoint a green futures officer and create a community hub for groups and community enterprise. We can have a happy and sustainable future.