Nan ‘wanted to protect granddaughter’ but ‘had to be honest with her’
A nan said she wanted her to protect her granddaughter but realised she had “to be honest with her”.
Linda Bacon, from Southport[1] but now living near Sefton[2] Park, is an activist who is currently campaigning to ensure the next government takes the current climate for what it is – a crisis. The 71-year-old said she feels “very anxious” about the future of her seven grandchildren and as a result has had difficult conversations with the younger members of her family – including her 17-year-old granddaughter Yasmine Omar.
The activist told the ECHO[3]: “My granddaughter asked me about climate change and when it will have serious consequences for animals and people, I wanted to protect her and say ‘not for years’, but I had to be honest and tell her it’s happening now with extreme weather[4] and some animals becoming extinct due to climate change already.”
Linda, a mum-of-two, argued tackling the climate crisis would in turn help the cost-of-living crisis and would mean she and her husband David wouldn’t have to take measures to cut back on their spending.
The retired nurse said: “I’ve cut down on my heating, reduced the temperature and time the heating is on. I wear more jumpers now and I use the car much less. I bought a shopping trolley for the supermarket and walk much more. We’ve also had the loft re-insulated. We’re getting to a tipping point and politicians need to start taking this seriously or there won’t be anywhere back.”
Linda was amongst a group of local volunteers who unveiled a guerrilla billboard in her hometown, Southport, to “send a message” to local politicians on the climate. The billboard, created by campaigning network Greenpeace, warns candidates in the constituency to “listen or lose” – claiming of those who had an opinion, 68% of people in the area said they will vote with climate and environment in mind at the general election.
The volunteers are part of a growing army of climate voters, who have been mobilising across the country for Project Climate Vote – Greenpeace UK’s nationwide mass door-knocking programme. It aims to recruit one million climate voters ahead of the next election to force UK political parties to strengthen their plans to tackle the current nature and cost of living crises now, at the election and in years to come.
Greenpeace activist and climate voter Linda Bacon (Image: Lucy Cartwright)
This week, Greenpeace launched its organising programme in Southport with the ‘climate voters’ writing to political candidates requesting an urgent meeting to discuss the climate and to push for better climate policies in their respective party manifestos.
Greenpeace UK campaigner, Georgia Whitaker, said: “We’ve spoken to tens of thousands of people already about becoming climate voters and we are going to turn these numbers into a political force all parties will have to reckon with, especially in key marginal seats. We have to make sure that the next government listens to voters’ concerns on the climate.
“We urgently need a government that will insulate our draughty homes and prioritise renewables to get our energy bills down. This will help people struggling now by tackling the climate and cost of living crisis at the same time.”
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References
- ^ Southport (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Sefton (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ told the ECHO (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ weather (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ 10 best Liverpool schools ahead of primary school deadline (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Man fighting for life after being hit by car (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Sign up for the ECHO’s LGBTQIA+ newsletter (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Join Slimming World for FREE with this great offer (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)