Alex's Story
Get Thinking
We now invite you to delve a little deeper and explore how this relates to climate change and what we can do as individuals and as a community.
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The good news is that our community has all the tools and knowledge it needs to avert the worst effects of climate change, so all we need now is for everyone to act!
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Food is often overlooked in the climate debate, but weaving more regenerative practices into farming is one of the best ways to heal the damage we have done to the planet and avert catastrophic climate effects.
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Alex is a fantastic example of the food revolution that is bubbling up here in Bude. His 3-mile loaf, with grain specifically chosen for its hardiness to local conditions, all grown, milled, baked, and sold within 3 miles, is a glimpse into a healthier and safer future for us all.
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With a bit of thinking and by coming together as a community we can find better ways of growing and eating.
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StormsAs temperatures increase, the amount of water that evaporates into the atmosphere increases and is released as extreme rain, hail and snowfall. Storms passing over warmer water absorb more energy, increasing wind intensity. In Bude this means an increased risk of storm surges and flooding. Numerous waterways in and around Bude put many of us in river catchments and we therefore need to think seriously about how we can adapt to flood risks. Floods damage not only our homes and livelihoods, but also impact on water safety. Our outdated drainage systems cannot cope with additional water flows, which leads to sewage being discharged into rivers, making its way onto our beaches at Crooklets and Summerleaze.
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Heat WavesIn the UK we now experience twice as many warm spells a year, as in the 1990s. In 2020, 2,556 heat-related deaths were recorded, a figure predicted to increase threefold by 2050. What may feel to some like a beautiful summer’s day can put others under extreme stress. People with underlying health conditions or over 65, as well as young children and those on low incomes are particularly vulnerable to heat stress as they are less able to adapt to the heat. But as temperatures continue to rise we are starting to see fit and healthy people being affected too.
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Extreme ColdWeather systems are highly complex, so although it seems strange, climate change also increases the risk of extremely cold weather events, as we saw in March 2018 with the ‘Beast from the East’, which brought icy temperatures and snow even to Cornwall.
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Droughts and WildfiresAs the climate changes, we’ll experience more rain falling but less frequently, which means more flash floods and more periods of drought. This combination of factors leaves us susceptible to drought and therefore wildfires, as land and vegetation dry out. Already we’re seeing changes – in 2020, Cornwall Fire and Rescue attended 80% more wildfires than the previous year.
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Water ShortagesBy 2050 water demand will outstrip supply as the population continues to grow and water availability reduces, according to predictions by the UK Committee on Climate Change. In the UK we use an average of 143 litres per day per person and water conservation is essential for reducing drought and wildfire risk.
Get Inspired
It is clear that all over the world we need to make big changes in the way our systems work in order to transition to a green economy. Sometimes all of this can feel overwhelming, and it can be tempting to not think about it, especially when it feels like our individual actions are pointless. But the truth is they are not. 60% of global emissions are the result of our personal choices.
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We have compiled some tips on what we can do individually and as a community to make the most impact – changes that not only reduce our contributions to the climate crisis, but also improve the quality of life for everyone in our area.
All of us have invaluable skills and knowledge that the wider community would benefit from. In fact, many of the ideas we’ve suggested below may have been instilled in you as children or might remind you of how things used to be in the past.
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StormsAs temperatures increase, the amount of water that evaporates into the atmosphere increases and is released as extreme rain, hail and snowfall. Storms passing over warmer water absorb more energy, increasing wind intensity. In Bude this means an increased risk of storm surges and flooding. Numerous waterways in and around Bude put many of us in river catchments and we therefore need to think seriously about how we can adapt to flood risks. Floods damage not only our homes and livelihoods, but also impact on water safety. Our outdated drainage systems cannot cope with additional water flows, which leads to sewage being discharged into rivers, making its way onto our beaches at Crooklets and Summerleaze.
-
Heat WavesIn the UK we now experience twice as many warm spells a year, as in the 1990s. In 2020, 2,556 heat-related deaths were recorded, a figure predicted to increase threefold by 2050. What may feel to some like a beautiful summer’s day can put others under extreme stress. People with underlying health conditions or over 65, as well as young children and those on low incomes are particularly vulnerable to heat stress as they are less able to adapt to the heat. But as temperatures continue to rise we are starting to see fit and healthy people being affected too.
-
Extreme ColdWeather systems are highly complex, so although it seems strange, climate change also increases the risk of extremely cold weather events, as we saw in March 2018 with the ‘Beast from the East’, which brought icy temperatures and snow even to Cornwall.
-
Droughts and WildfiresAs the climate changes, we’ll experience more rain falling but less frequently, which means more flash floods and more periods of drought. This combination of factors leaves us susceptible to drought and therefore wildfires, as land and vegetation dry out. Already we’re seeing changes – in 2020, Cornwall Fire and Rescue attended 80% more wildfires than the previous year.
-
Water ShortagesBy 2050 water demand will outstrip supply as the population continues to grow and water availability reduces, according to predictions by the UK Committee on Climate Change. In the UK we use an average of 143 litres per day per person and water conservation is essential for reducing drought and wildfire risk.
Get Sharing
Stories trigger more stories,
so we hope this has sparked some of your own memories and
provided an opportunity to reflect.
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Who taught you to grow or make food? Tell us about this experience and what did you learn?
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Was there a bakery where you grew up? What are your memories of it?
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Do you ever think about the true cost of your food; how it is produced and its impact on the planet?
Get Together
If you’re part of a local group and would like to explore this theme more through additional activities, then you might like to use our ‘Hands On’ toolkits. Contact Us to find out more.
Teachers wanting to use these stories in the classroom can download additional resources here.
Dive Deeper
Below are some useful resources to help you dive deeper into the science we’ve introduced in the ‘Get Thinking’ section.
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Regenerative gardening – what you can do at home.
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Work out the footprint of what you eat – use the BBC food footprint calculator to understand your food impact better
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Get Involved
Bude is already bursting at the seams with enthusiastic environmental groups and
great initiatives if you want to get involved with. Here’s a few:
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Keep an eye on Farm Carbon Toolkit, for Cornwall specific advice, on how you can get involved with citizens science projects, aimed at regenerating our gardens in conjunction with our farms.
Thank You
We hope our suggestions and advice leave you feeling inspired. Climate change can be challenging to think and talk about, so if any of your questions haven’t been answered or you need support or you have an idea you want to pursue, then please get in touch with the Bude Climate Partnership. We’re here to help you.
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This Toolkit has been developed by Storylines.
Storylines is a Community Interest Company who use the common language of story to bring people together to share, celebrate, learn and connect. Storylines supports organisations and communities to unearth and share their own stories through bespoke story projects, digital storytelling, education, oral history, workshops, interpretation,