This year Leeds Craftivists are asking you to make Sunflowers for Climate Justice!
We are focusing on the injustices felt around the world that are caused or made worse by Climate Change.
Why a Sunflower?
The sunflower has become a symbol of Climate Justice. This is because they are a hopeful symbol – they follow the Sun each day and are a beautiful bright colour. They are incredibly resilient plants; able to withstand high salinity and drought, requiring little fertiliser. Its seeds are edible and as they grow in so many eco-systems they can provide food around the world. They grow strong and tall, with their stem withstanding many weathers. Sunflowers remove toxins from the soil around them, for example they were used to clean the soil after Chernobyl. The Sunflower is a symbol of sustainability, adaptability and most importantly hope. Therefore they are our symbol for this campaign!
Get Involved
We are asking you to run a session with a group local to you. This could be the next time you meet up with your friends, a coffee morning, your regular craft group, a youth group or a scout or guide group. Whoever you have in your sphere will be perfect.
Everyone who takes part gets a free sunflower (in seed form) – apply for yours here:
The Campaign Ask
You may remember that at COP26, one of the key areas for discussion was loss and damage reparation for countries feeling the impacts of Climate Change most severely. Western countries have been the main contributors to Climate Change with our high carbon lifestyles but it is often the poorest nations that feel the worst impacts of our changing global climate. This is an injustice. Therefore, our ask in the Sunflower campaign is that the UK government keep the promises it made and live up to the leadership role it took in creating space to hear stories from around the world.
For information about Loss and Damages, here are a couple of links that will help:
https://www.icccad.net/daily-star-articles/what-did-cop26-do-to-deal-with-loss-and-damage/
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmintdev/1008/report.html
The Downloads
We would love to see your sunflowers – both crafted and grown! Email Emily with any photos you’d like to show us.
Finally, if you’d like to join us for one of our online or in-person Leeds Craftivists events, find out when the next one is on our Events page, or follow us on social media.