From an individual perspective
ENVIRONMENTALLY MINDFUL
COP26 : OUR IMPRESSIONS OF THE GLOBAL MEETING IN GLASGOW
The decision to go to Glasgow was easy . I went for several reasons — to take part in the Glasgow Climate March , to visit the Green Zone ( including to see our friend ’ s exhibition , Polar Zero ) and to be a part of what was happening . The march was quite upbeat but ( at the same time ) very sobering , with speeches from young people about what they are dealing with in their poorer countries in Latin America and India , and with those from wealthier countries calling out their governments for their failings . The Green Zone was interesting and educational ; I recommend Wayne Binitie ’ s Polar Zero to see how art , science , and engineering have worked together to tell the story of the ice and CO2 from the dawn of the industrial revolution . (
www . glasgowsciencecentre . org )
The overall feel of COP26 was frantic ( everyone trying to meet someone , get to something , or get home again ), a huge security extravaganza and , finally , everyone I spoke to — journalists , engineers , hydrogen businessmen , climate activists — said something similar , that this COP was still only a beginning and that what happens in the next few days and into the following months may not be enough . So I guess I came away feeling everything is balanced on a very keen knife edge — good with not quite enough progress yet . ( Catherine R .)
From a business perspective
I work for Ecover , and we have a “ greenskeeping team ,” a team that manages sustainability metrics for our company . A member of this team was able to visit COP26 in Glasgow , and she shared her experience there . What I took away from her presentation was that , while the work going on inside the conference and the protesting going on outside on the streets were both
The 26th United Nations Climate Change conference , known as COP26 , was held in Glasgow in early November 2021 . several members of the AWCH Environmentally Mindful Club traveled to Scotland to attend the event .
important to push these matters forward , she thought that the media , while quite negative , was not spotlighting enough the fact that so many people were inside the doors trying to bring real change for the climate and our world . And that this should be an inspiration point : that there are SO many people that are working to make a difference . ( Shanan R .)
From a science perspective
Life on Earth emerged some four billion years ago and higher-order forms of life — plants , animals , and fungi — some two billion years ago . The basis of all higher-order life forms was the fusion of two separate microbial organisms through collaboration . The microbial universe is the basis for life on Earth and provides an ecosystem function to all higher-order life forms , which is
still not well understood . The microbiome and the ecosystem function and services that it delivers , in whatever environment in which it is present — soil or human gut — is the subject of intense scientific investigation and is providing a framework for us to better understand the impact of our era and how to moderate its effects towards a more sustainable future . ( Anthony Finbow ) ( Christine R .)
26 The Clubs within Our Club