I frequently find myself fretting over the fate of the future. I’m a pessimist by nature, you see. But, New Year (yes, February still counts), new me and new resolutions: I will be optimistic.
Despite the sheer excitement I felt/feel towards the conception of my column, The Impact Review (welcome; thank you, thank you), I spent a while umming and ahhing as to how I might kickstart. Then, I had an epiphany, if you will, as one tends to after a moment of writer’s block-induced rumination. Typically, said epiphany was fashionably late to the party, but, as the saying goes, better late than never.
I’d been visiting my mum in Suburbia and was rushing through town in pursuit of a train that was soon to leave. The sun kissed the nape of my neck, fledgling birds and light aircrafts echoed in the distance (I always feel weirdly nostalgic when I hear this sound and I wonder why given I’ve never flown a light aircraft) and the air smelt warm. That sanguine Spring-has-sprung feeling was palpable via every sense. (Usually, I might add something along the lines of ‘spring… too early… global warming…’ but I won’t).
It must have been about half a decade since I’d walked this particular route. Where once sat the high street brand ‘New Look’ was a new store called ‘Zero’, an educational community space that strives to drive local community-led climate action. I promptly pressed on, nodding along to Madcon, “Put your loving hand out, baby,” missing the green man by seconds. I poked the button, repeatedly, noticing an Extinction Rebellion sticker on the pole. As I succumbed to the wait, inconvenienced but smiling, an electric double decker hummed passed. On its side, it read: “Next stop, Sustainability.”
It wasn’t the time to delve into the nitty gritty of the omnibus’ claims, I had seven minutes to walk nine and buy a ticket. But, the collective sightings of ‘Zero’, the sticker and the electric bus under the blue Eastertide skies invoked a skip in my step. There are copious efforts taking place, some of which I will introduce in this series, that lend reason for hope.
I suppose the moral of my slightly long winded story is that there is much to be optimistic about in terms of climate action. As Suzanne Lee, co-founder of BioFabricate (look it up) recently told me: “This is just the beginning.” Maybe we can do something a little more ‘columnist’. Channel my inner Carrie Bradshaw. Sex and the CC (climate crisis). ‘I couldn’t help but wonder, is this only the beginning of critical action tackling climate change?’
The spirit of which forms the basis of ‘The Impact Review’ series, which will introduce exciting, novel and unheard of prospects, innovations and conversations across fashion and further. Whilst keeping it short, sweet, and undoubtedly optimistic, this column will (hopefully) inform and inspire you as to the happenings that are paving the way for a better future. A biweekly flavour of food for thought. And, by the way, I made the train!