New Year, New Volunteers
As the planet called Earth embarks on its latest rotation around the Sun, a new group of volunteers embark on their very first rotation with 2050.
You might think that this new cohort would be a little more haggard than previous volunteers at the start of their 2050 journey following a year of Zooming, but there we all were, peering into cameras and out of screens on induction day, excited to tackle the challenges of the months ahead. Even the peculiar icebreaker, which sent us all running for the nearest book, shoe, ladle, glass or toothbrush was a nice reminder that we are all getting there, in our own ways and at our own pace.
2050 prides itself on the diverse backgrounds, skills and experiences of its volunteers, so it was exciting to get to know some of our new recruits in more detail. We spoke to four of our newest volunteers to see what they’ve been up to before joining 2050 and how they feel about the prospects of the upcoming year.
*
Our first interviewee, Rhona Smith, grew up on the Isle of Coll in the Hebrides, and now works as a Grants and Development Officer for Mary’s Meals International in Glasgow. She joined 2050 as part of the Policy sub-group which aims to enable young leaders to influence systemic change on climate action by engaging our generation in the political decision-making process.
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I’ve lived in the Hebrides, Stirling, Edinburgh and spent a term in Vancouver, Canada but I now live and work in Glasgow. I work as a Grants and Development officer for Mary’s Meals International, a charity who deliver school feeding programmes in 19 countries across Africa, Asia and South America. Working in the international development sector, I’ve learnt so much about the interconnectedness of food security and climate change as well as the role that education, gender equality and poverty alleviation play in tackling it.
Why did you decide to volunteer for the 2050 Climate Group?
I have an environmental background, having studied geography and then gone on to obtain a Masters in environmental sustainability. I joined 2050 because I wanted to meet and collaborate with like-minded people to influence policy and tackle climate change.
What drew you to the Policy sub-group?
Something I’ve found challenging since ending my studies is keeping informed and up to date with all things policy as it doesn’t form part of my current job. Being part of the policy sub-group was an excellent opportunity for me to directly engage in politics.
What has been your impression of the 2050 Climate Group so far?
2050 is made up of loads of talented and passionate people from a crazy variety of backgrounds, I’m excited to get to know everyone and I’m certain I can learn a lot from the other volunteers. I can already tell this is going to be a really busy year for the Policy sub-group and I can’t wait to get stuck in.
How do you see the role of young people in the fight against climate change?
Young people are driving the struggle against climate change. Empowering and enabling them in any way possible to take action will give the world a fighting chance in preventing the very serious impacts of climate change.
What are you hoping to gain during your time with 2050? Is there anything you are especially excited about?
I’m excited to get stuck into writing consultation responses and (because I’m a data nerd) getting involved in surveys of the leaders network. I’m also looking forward to putting my organisational skills to good use and getting involved in organising and participating in some of 2050’s events.
*
Known as Ola to the rest of the team, Aleksandra Kaleta-Pyrek is a new volunteer on the YLDP sub-group, which works to create and deliver an intensive annual program equipping young people with the vital knowledge and skills they need to take action on climate change. Originally from Poland, she moved to Glasgow to embark on a course of further study in 2014, and now works as a Service Designer for the Scottish Government.
Tell us a bit about yourself!
After I graduated with a degree in interior architecture, I moved to Scotland to study furniture design and craftsmanship at one of Glasgow's colleges in 2014. I was focused on interiors and woodworking but quickly realised that I would like to keep this as a hobby and design for sustainability. I ended up studying again and graduated with a degree in product design from the Glasgow School of Art, where I focused on biodegradable materials exploration for outdoor products, the role of sustainable tourism through storytelling and the awareness of the importance of the human impact on the environment and thus on our health.
Currently, as a service designer, I contribute to the development of our public services through a user-centred, collaborative and sustainable approach.
What drew you to the YLDP sub-group?
As a service designer, I saw an opportunity to use my co-design and organisational skills in planning, organising and designing for young people and supporting the whole organisation.
However, I am super interested in other sub-groups and would love to contribute to their work in the future, engaging in politics with the Influencing Policy sub-team. I am also interested in 2050 Climate Group work in Malawi that I would like to support. There are so many opportunities!
What has been your impression of the 2050 Climate Group so far?
Frankly, I’ve just met a bunch of positive, passionate and kind people and I hope to get to know them more. It is so motivational to see how many people care about our planet and our future.
What are you hoping to gain during your time with 2050? Is there anything you are especially excited about?
I am hoping that we will deliver a fantastic programme that will empower, equip and enable young people to take local, national or global action. I hope I can stay with the organisation for longer and contribute to other things. Also, networking! We have many amazing people here so who knows what opportunities might lie ahead of us. I am even thinking about collaborative projects or a start-up.
Have you learnt anything about climate change during the pandemic?
2020 was set to be one of the hottest years on record. We experienced sea level rise, flooding, storms, wildfires, melting of glaciers and more. However, despite how much we are polluting this planet during these hard times, I still hear positive and hopeful news. For instance, solar power saw a major breakthrough by harvesting invisible light, scientists ran an artificial sun at 100 million degrees for 20 seconds (an important step towards sustainable fusion power), researchers found a way to turn CO2 into jet fuel and a new enzyme was created with the potential to break down plastic bottles in hours. And on a personal level, I learnt that we as humans definitely can change our future ways of working and living for a more sustainable and balanced future. Working from home became possible for many during the pandemic. Local holidays became a popular alternative to going abroad. And I joined 2050 Climate Group so I am sure I will learn a lot!
What has kept you sane during lockdown?
As an avid hiker, I used to go a lot up to the Highlands. During the pandemic I think I discovered all the most beautiful places in Glasgow and around it which I didn't even know existed! I think I am sane mostly thanks to these local walks and exercise.
*
The Leaders’ Network sub-group was lucky to welcome Sofia Koukoura to the team this year. Though she has previously been involved with some of 2050’s events, Sofia explains why she was keen to take her enthusiasm further and become a volunteer and what she is planning to work on this year.
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I work as an engineer at ScottishPower Renewables, developing solutions that improve wind turbine performance, which aim to reduce the cost of renewable power generation. I like living and working in Glasgow, which seems to be growing into a big hub for climate action. However, my passion for climate change and renewable energy grew a while ago, when I was living in my home country Greece, where there is plenty of solar and wind potential for reducing carbon emissions, yet sadly lignite is a big part of the electricity mix. When I moved to Scotland I started working as a researcher at the University of Strathclyde and I received a PhD in wind turbine predictive maintenance. I really enjoyed my time in research as I travelled a lot for conferences and placements, including two summers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado US. I still work closely with academia through guest lectures and various research projects. I’m also passionate about science communication and I enjoy being a STEM ambassador.
Why did you decide to volunteer for the 2050 Climate Group?
I’ve been following 2050 Climate Group’s activities for a few years now and have attended some past events. 2050 always stood out to me due to the level of enthusiasm and professionalism of people who run it. Furthermore, the charity’s mission focuses on education and empowerment of young people regarding climate action; this aligns largely with some of my own professional and personal missions.
What drew you to the Leaders’ Network sub-group?
The Leaders’ Network is a great initiative started by 2050 that brings a lot of like-minded people together, supports their ideas and has so much potential to expand even further. I would like to be more active in this network and collaborate with others in interesting projects that help tackle climate change. I also think I’m good at spotting people’s talents and finding bridges that connect them with others.
What aspect of the fight against climate change are you most interested in? Is there anything you are keen to focus on this year?
I believe that a lot of subject matter experts have done great work to push the boundaries of their respective field and develop solutions for climate. What I’m interested in seeing now, is intersectional solutions that bring everyone’s opinions to the table. We need government and industry to collaborate in this. We need policy that guides both social behaviour and technological growth towards sustainability. At the end of the day, we just need to talk a little bit more to each other about climate and work together on the just transition. I hope that this year I can encourage some of these discussions and collaborations through 2050.
What are you hoping to gain during your time with 2050? Is there anything you are especially excited about?
During my time in 2050 I hope I can evolve and help others evolve on this challenging, yet exciting journey to net zero. I’m very excited about COP26 coming up in Glasgow this year! I believe I joined 2050 in a very interesting year for climate action; the need for a post-Covid green economic recovery aligns with the new pledges that need to be declared by countries after the Paris Agreement. Also the legacy after that event will probably have a very positive impact in Scotland’s sustainable transformation.
*
Chloe Campbell joined 2050 as a volunteer for the Summit sub-group, the newest of 2050’s sub-groups, working to organise and run a youth summit aligned with COP26. She has spent time living and working abroad in both Cambodia and Amsterdam and studied Politics and Sociology at the University of Glasgow.
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I am currently a member of the Project Delivery Team for Energy Saving Trust, an organisation working to address the climate crisis through decarbonised, decentralised energy systems. Although at the moment, my work is not particularly climate focused, I am part of the small team delivering the Scottish Government's Tenant Hardship Loan, a COVID-19 response scheme for individuals struggling to meet their rent under the national restrictions. I am really enjoying being in this fast-paced, reactive environment and am learning so much about the complexity of government policy making.
Why did you decide to volunteer for the 2050 Climate Group?
Giving young people the tools to represent and empower themselves through climate action at all levels has never been so important. I found the breadth of work that 2050 produces to be inspiring, and wanted to be a part of the change that this group is making.
What drew you to the Summit sub-group?
At university, I was heavily involved with ‘Successful Women at Glasgow’, a society using speaker events to platform the successes of women and non-binary people. Not only did I come away from these events feeling empowered, I also developed a deeper understanding of how to take action on gendered inequalities in both my personal life and wider society.
That is what drew me to the Summit sub-group. Events like the Summit helped me to understand that I am capable of taking action on issues that I feel strongly about. The opportunity to create an event that facilitates peer-learning in young people, inspires climate action, and amplifies the youth voice in efforts to create a just and sustainable society was too exciting not to be a part of.
What aspect of the fight against climate change are you most interested in? Is there anything you are keen to focus on this year?
I am keen for the Summit to explore how intersectional the effects of the climate crisis are, and the importance of framing this emergency as a human rights issue as much as an environmental one. I see climate justice as being best understood by acknowledging the reality of climate injustice, both in Scotland and globally, where certain places and people are disproportionately experiencing the physical impact of climate change. Hearing from those who have always been on the frontline of climate action, but who have been excluded from decision making, is something that I believe demands focus.
What has kept you sane during lockdown?
Rediscovering my love of reading has definitely kept me sane. I am currently reading ‘Americanah’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and would definitely recommend! Next on my list is ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer, and I am looking forward to learning about ecological connection and human-nature relationships through the combination of Indigenous and scientific knowledge.
If you want to learn more about any of our volunteers, you can visit the ‘Our Volunteers’ page on our website.