Who are you? What’s your relationship to Wandsworth?

I am Amy Charuy-Hughes, born and raised in Tooting Bec. I am an environmental campaigner and author of Your Planet Needs You! An Everyday Guide to Saving the Earth.

I actively campaign within Wandsworth as Refill Wandsworth, a City to Sea not-for-profit campaign. The campaign aims to tackle the plastic pollution problem by working with local businesses to reduce their use of single-use packaging and instead encourage the use of reusables. At the same time, the scheme encourages and supports the general public to use their reusables and to challenge and question businesses who overuse single-use packaging. My role is to sign up and support local businesses whilst spreading the message to consumers across the borough.

When were you first aware of the climate crisis?

It was a balloon released into the air which first triggered my curiosity, as the balloon floated away I wondered where it was going and what would happen to it. This curiosity led to much more research and investigations into the damage the human-race is having on the environment. When I discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch it made me think a lot, I was saddened but also amazed at what I was learning.

This led to more and more findings and the release of my published book, Your Planet Needs You!

Coming from the world’s second most polluting industry, the fashion industry, I have always been surrounded by fast-fashion more-so. In my younger years I wondered about the environmental effects of the fashion industry, it concerned me thinking about just how much fashion we go through on a daily basis. Upon reflection, I wish I acted sooner on my thoughts instead of getting wound up in the fashion industry. However, I no longer work in fashion, but it is still very much a part of me, but now only sustainable fashions.

How do you feel about climate change?

I am noticing more and more people talking about environmental issues, sustainability and becoming more aware of their surroundings. This is encouraging as the more conversations we have, hopefully more people will join us in the fight against climate change by adopting a slower lifestyle, consuming less and making more informed buying decisions and importantly by using their voice by signing petitions and attending protests such as the Climate Strike.

How can we come together to encourage climate action?

Through conversations, and by championing greener living. Things need to be made easier, more accessible and cheaper for more people to get on board.

It’s encouraging to see so many smaller groups within the borough who come together to talk about ways they can encourage greener living locally in their area. Such as Transition Town Tooting, Plastic-free Putney, Beautify Balham and Refill Wandsworth. These small groups of residents are working together to do everything they can to make the borough greener and cleaner. With the help of Wandsworth Council a greener borough can be achieved as there are so many individual people backing this cause.

We know that in 2019 Wandsworth Council declared a climate emergency and from this the council has produced an action plan. The council aims for the borough to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to be the greenest inner London borough.

Emissions urgently need to be reduced across the borough to reduce noise and air pollution. The council needs to encourage more people to use their own energy and public transport to travel around when possible, instead of using private cars. Local school kids should be walking to school, the amount of traffic around schools is shocking. How about introducing bike schemes to children to encourage biking to school?

I would like to see Wandsworth Council encouraging greener living with our outdoor open spaces, with the planting of native trees and more general waste and recycling bins to tackle litter pollution. Litter-picking could be encouraged in schools, the council could provide schools with pickers to educate school children in the attempt to deter them from littering, for example.

Wandsworth Council needs to start a food waste collection service. In addition, recycling needs to be improved, the council needs to provide residents with clear information about how we can recycle correctly. The recycling services in flats, especially those owned by the council, need to be improved, with more and larger bins.

Fly-tipping is a major issue across the borough, the council needs to crack down on fly-tippers, whilst making it easier for residents to responsibly dispose of large bulky items.

These are only a few points the council needs to do in order to address the climate crisis within our borough. They already know what they need to do, they said it themselves during the online Climate Summit in November 2020. The council has the power to do things and to inspire residents to do their bit, they need to ensure they meet their target to be carbon neutral by 2030.

How do you imagine our future?

Bleak to be honest. Unless governments and large corporations start to lead change and implement laws which will protect the environment. To do so, we as individuals must continue to be actively involved in the fight against climate change and continue petitioning and protesting, spending our money wisely and investing our money in greener banking, pension providers and energy providers. By doing this, as an ‘everyday’ person we can use the powers we have to fight for a greener, cleaner and more sustainable future for generations to come.

To find out more about Amy, to join the Refill Wandsworth voluntary team and to purchase Your Planet Needs You! visit her website at: www.greenerwithamy.com