Our Lives, Our Future ~ Remember To Vote On May 6th

From floods in Winchester district to fires in Australia, the climate emergency is a global problem. Do you know that some of the solutions are waiting to be discovered in our local communities? Local elections on 6th May are an exceptional opportunity this year to ensure our District and County Councillors start to take efficient climate action. These are the people who decide how to help local people in their daily lives–such as by improving public transport, reducing air pollution, and creating green spaces. Councillors can also deliver initiatives to help us take action. Some local communities are waiting to be given the opportunity to tackle this climate and ecological emergency. Last summer, after the first lockdown, a digital media project run by Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) discovered that people are keen to have more opportunities for “active travel” ie safe cycling routes and pleasant places for walking. They also want to buy fresh locally produced food in their local shops in towns and villages. A growing demand for information about how to recycle more materials and create less waste also emerged. Who will help us do these things? Would you believe that about 70% of people in the UK do not vote in local elections? Yet 2021 will be the biggest ever series of council elections in England, due to the pandemic. Who will lead your community during the next few years? Who will get your vote? Here are a few topics you might like to ask candidates about, although you are the local expert. You know local concerns and issues and what your community needs for healthy, fair, fulfilling and secure lives in a warming world. Who will help businesses create “green” jobs in your area? Who will ensure new homes are built, homes that will need little or no energy to heat? Can solar panels be installed to power electric cars and new businesses, as well as old? The climate emergency is much more important than party politics and we need councillors who are prepared to work with other parties for the common good of our communities. Who leads by example? For further information, take a look at www.winacc.org.uk and Are council elections important? | Climate Action (takeclimateaction.uk)