A group of ‘ordinary local residents’ came together last week to discuss how they could tackle Climate Change in Midsomer Norton and the Somer Valley, and have decided to call a public meeting at the old Council Chamber at the Hollies in Midsomer Norton on Monday, 18th November at 7 p.m.

The organisers of the meeting wanted to give an opportunity for local people to talk about how they feel about the Climate Emergency and after just an hour’s debate, last week’s discussion came to three main conclusions.

Firstly, that whilst experts and campaigners have made us aware of an impending climate catastrophe, unless we change our ways, for many of us, there is a real danger that the result is actually a feeling of ‘Eco Guilt’, giving us the excuse to put the whole thing out of our minds and pretend it is not happening.

Secondly, of course, whilst we all admire eco warriors like Greta Thunberg, when the subject actually requires us to make inconvenient changes in our own lives, it can be a different matter. When one person attending the discussion last week suggested that the level of crisis really justifies us instantly banning all plastic use in Midsomer Norton and buy everyone in the town a bamboo toothbrush, the initial reaction from the room was – ‘this simply isn’t practical’. But it was then pointed out that we need to make difficult changes like this in our lives, as otherwise, what is the point of token gestures?

Further discussion revealed that the majority of those present felt that people needed to be able to respond at different speeds. We need local ‘warriors’ to lead the way, inspire us and drive change – but for those who can’t drop everything and become a vegetarian overnight, help and support is needed to get them started. This last point is interesting in that this new group is probably more for people beginning to face up to their impact on climate change, rather than your average eco warrior who is already ahead of the game and likely, at best, to find the level of discussion frustrating, and at worst, turn off those who are just waking up to the issues.

Thirdly, what are the changes that people in Midsomer Norton and the Somer Valley could actually be making to combat the feeling of hopelessness, guilt and avoid them switching off? What can the average resident do in Midsomer Norton to make a difference, however small, to reduce carbon emissions? In turn, these needed to be specific, be started today, and be achievable and measurable – all making it possible to feel that people making an effort are really making a contribution.

So, what can you do? In ten minutes, the group suggested dozens of ideas – here are a few:

• Replacing traditional light bulbs with energy saving ones, each saving 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Better still, adopt a rule that you only leave lights on in rooms you are using.

• Drive less – walk using local footpaths into town, bike, or take a bus instead of using the car or car share – saving one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you do not drive.

• Recycle more – we can save one ton of carbon dioxide per year by recycling 50% of our household waste.

• Eating less meat or choosing wisely – meat production produces huge amounts of carbon.

• Use less hot water, as it takes a huge amount of energy to heat water. Using less hot water by taking shorter and cooler showers and washing your clothes in cool or warm, instead of hot water, would save more than 500 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

• Adjust your thermostat – turning it down by just 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

• Switch-off electronic devices when you are not using them – turning off your computer, TV, stereo etc. could reduce thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year and cut your electricity bill.

“After an hour’s discussion, it was agreed that the solution was to invite local people to an initial gathering to try and encourage as many residents as possible to begin making small changes and follow through with ongoing support, to grow and expand this over time,” said B&NES Councillor for Midsomer Norton Redfield Ward, Paul Myers, who arranged the discussion in response to growing requests from residents asking what they could, and should, be doing to address climate change.

If you have not yet really started making any changes in your life to help the environment, or if you have, and are interested in finding out more, why not go along to the meeting on 18th November? For further details, visit Facebook: Midsomer Norton Climate Change ACTION Group.