SHEP Earth Aware seeks to educate the community to raise awareness to the series of human activities contributing to the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Our organisation is committed to promoting a sustainable way of
living so we can leave this world in a condition that the next
generation and the generations after that can survive in. We promote
lifelong learning by hosting talks, seminars, conferences, actions
that promote a love and understanding of the interconnectedness of
all things in the natural world. We look at our local environment
and ask how can we protect it, we look at global justice and how
our actions affect the lives of so many others.
Over the last five years we have held monthly public talks free of charge on all aspects related to the natural environment given by local and national experts in various fields. We encourage debate and discourse . We host field trips to increase our understanding of our native habitats. We have organised with collaborators, conferences on the themes of global justice and climate change and public health. We continue in this time of Covid-19 to collaborate with various organisations to disseminate information and reach an ever increasing audience and continue to provide talks on how we might change our world for the better, this time taking advantage of the power of the internet to conduct our work through webinars with international speakers.
SHEP Earth Aware has also set up the Elders for Earth initiative in 2019 to empower many adults who are concerned about climate and environmental issues to join together to make their voices heard by people in power.
Resources needed
Presently a digital communication avenue, expert speakers and an engaged audience
Evidence of success
No scientific measurement yet however,
- In 2019, organised the Cork Conference on Intergenerational Climate Justice. A panel of climate activists were present with more than 200 people participated, made up of equal numbers of teenagers and older people.
- In 2020 won the IPB Pride of Place Award for the SHEP Earth Aware and Elders for Earth initiative in category – Community Climate Action Initiative as well as winners of Cork Environmental Forum’s category – Community and Voluntary Award.
Difficulties encountered
building capacity, maintaining public interest, identifying sources of funding, finding volunteers
Potential for learning or transfer
We encourage people to explore any subject we highlight by providing them with a pack of reading material with related articles, tasks, actions points, films and other media that they can explore at their own time. We encourage people to participate in public opportunities to voice their concerns or express their ideas, for example we set up a group to examine the draft City Development Plan, an open invitation went out to our mailing list and anyone who wanted to was invited to respond by meeting, discussing and formulating a group response submission.
Tags: Awareness, Biodiversity, Citizens, Community, Education, Empowerment, Engagement, Environment, Good practice, Green, Nature, Society, Sustainable, Well-being
