From 23rd-29th September, Jump will be joining organisations across the UK in celebrating the 17th annual Recycle Week. Used as a way to raise the profile of recycling and prompt us all to do our bit, this year’s theme is ‘Recycling. It’s in our hands’.
The year of the activist
It’s been a great year for activists. Sir David Attenborough raised the profile of plastic pollution, whilst Greta Thunberg inspired young people around the world to take action. However, this has come at a time when our planet is showing clear signs of being in crisis. In Europe we experienced a scorching summer, whilst fires devastated the Amazon and Greenland burned.
We need to take action – and now. That’s what this year’s Recycle Week message inspires.
How to inspire action beyond Recycle Week
The actions that we’re being asked to take this year are simple – rinse, crush, squash, sort and separate. We can all take these actions and by inspiring mass action we can make a real difference.
We believe in the power of these small actions. Over the summer, the University of Bristol were busy addressing our current climate emergency through their Be The Change programme. As a result of staff taking small, everyday actions, over 12,000 kg of CO2 was avoided.
The success of our programmes is based on three simple things:
- Make the actions achievable – whether that’s for an individual, a team or organisation. Think about what you want to achieve and break it down into smaller steps with a clear call to action.
- Report back on progress – lay out what your targets are and your progress towards achieving them. This regular feedback helps individuals and teams assess where they are and how they can progress.
- Reward success – recognise the individuals and teams that are driving change, and, above all, encourage them to share their stories with others.
