We Stand With Protect Our Winters
Protect Our Winters is a charity that aims to ‘to accelerate the transition to a carbon neutral society.’ They come at it from an outdoor enthusiast perspective, working with skiers, snowboarders and climbers. We are one of the first hillwalking groups to join with them. We’ve signed up to be part of their ‘Winter Guardians’ programme, alongside 22 other university groups.
Education
We will be running Carbon Literacy training throughout the year. We want to help our members understand the causes of the climate crisis and its implications, particularly on the outdoors community. We also want to show our members what they can do to get involved. To learn more, check out the Protect Our Winters wesbite.
Engagement
As a club, and as individuals, we will work to reduce our carbon footprint and make sustainable decisions. You need a lot of kit to be safe in the highlands - ice axes, waterproofs and boots all require a lot of energy to produce. We aim to engage with this issue and look for alternatives, whether this is sustainable brands, or second hand items.
Structural policy change is also part of POW’s mission. In practice this means student strikes, petitioning the uni to adopt green practices, or divesting from polluting industries.
Awareness
We want awareness for the issues, awareness for POW, and awareness of what can be done to tackle the climate crisis. Part of this will involve raising money for POW through events like pub quizzes, challenges, competitions and film screenings.
This list is not exhaustive. If there are climate related events, perspectives or issues you think are not getting enough attention, please let us know. This isn’t about ‘the right way to do things’, but how we can collectively improve and learn from each other. Reach out to Alex Zawalnyski with any questions or suggestions.
Why Is This Important?
The climate crisis is perhaps the most important issue facing our generation. The climate is important to EUHWC because we see the effects of our changing climate every time we head out into the highlands. Whether it is winter arriving later every year (often not for as long), or the effects of deforestation in the highlands, climate change has already caused significant changes in Scotland.
If this isn’t something that interests you, it should. Climate is the one force in our lives that affects everyone, regardless of circumstances. This is not a political issue or a matter of opinion; it is nothing less than a necessary process in protecting our biosphere.
For many members of EUHWC, our trips might be the first time they visit the Scottish hills, and the first time they climb a munro. By working with POW, we can understand the impact of our carbon heavy lives from the beginning of our enjoyment of the hills.
