Climate change is something on the forefront of all our minds and a topic that is being widely debated right across the world.
Today, the Havering Daily, met Nolly from Havering’s branch of Extinction Rebellion to talk about the serious issues happening across the world.
‘We formed in May this year and have a group of about fifteen regular members. Our main aim is to spread awareness of climate and ecological change throughout the borough.
‘Sadly there are a lot of ‘deniers’ here in Havering and we have received a lot of abuse from them. People assume that we are all brainwashed and often talk down to us or abuse us.
‘We are trying to educate people on important issues such as the use of single use plastic. We would like to implement a borough wide programme for schools to help people learn about pollution and the main causes of it.
‘People assume we don’t want the use of any cars in the borough, that’s not true, It’s about proportion, walking when you can and using the car when you have to. We aren’t saying to never use your car.’
Nolly recently had difficulities outside Havering town hall when she was protesting about climate change.
‘One councillor came up to us and began saying that climate change did not exist. Councillor Durant approached us and said that he did not believe that there was a climate change and that the earth needs levels of carbon monoxide for us to breath.
‘We were quite shocked at his views but used to deniers. There is a lot of ignorance out there in the borough, that is why we are keen to educate people as much as possible.’
Nolly changed her life when she came across Extinction Rebellion protestors in London. Her views changed and her way of living changed dramatically as her and family, including both of her children are now vegan.
‘I began to look at how we were living and I looked into animal farming and the impact it is making on our society. I watched films such as ‘Dominion’ and others liked that, that made me cry and from the day after we went vegan including my two children.
‘My two boys are keen vegans, it’s hard with school meals to cater for vegans. The key is education and teaching people about key aspects such as single use plastic and things like wet wipes that people often believe are degradable but instead land up in the ocean.
‘People are often scared of vegans and don’t really understand why we are making these changes in our lives. We need people to look at the climate and ecological changes happening on our planet and look at what they can do to help.’
The Havering Daily spoke to Councillor David Durant and asked him for his views on this matter.
He said ‘I believe climate change is an elementary scam. There are many things that determine climate change. Carbon monoxide is essential to the earth, we need it to breath. Man made emissions are minute.
‘It an old religious creed to shout things like ‘the end of the world is nigh’. They are believers without looking at scientific evidence.
‘Even Noah said ‘it never flooded like this when I was a boy.’ These people are a corporate green sales team.’
The next Havering Extinction Rebellion meeting is on Friday the 13th of September at the South Hornchurch Community centre. at 6.30pm along Nelson Road.