Blue Sandford - Challenge Everything: An Extinction Rebellion Youth guide to saving the planet

When my publishers first approached me about writing this book, I had to think carefully. Im one of the coordinators for Extinction Rebellion Youth London and my primary aim in life is to draw attention to climate change and make the planet cleaner and greener. But the world does not need yet another case of greenwashing or virtue signalling: phrases that mean appearing to make efforts to cut your carbon footprint without actually achieving anything of substance.

In my research I came across so many awful examples of this. One of the most ridiculous was a blog that recommended the use of e-tickets for aeroplane flights to avoid wasting paper as if this could somehow balance out the pollution of the flight itself! It made me laugh and then want to cry... I was worried that this book might go the same way: that readers would feel theyd done their bit just by buying or reading it, without anyone having really changed their behaviour. In this way, I felt that maybe it could even do more harm than good.

Often, greenwashing is unintentional. People put all their efforts into small well-known things like recycling, while overlooking different changes that wouldnt take a lot more effort but would have a much bigger impact. Of course, every little helps and I dont want to be dismissive about anything thats a step in the right direction.

Recycle, compost, bring your own bag, cycle, walk, dont take cabs, make eco bricks (if you dont know about these, look them up!), turn down the heating and air conditioning, turn off the lights, turn off the tap, use a refillable water bottle, use a menstrual cup, dont fill up the kettle, use ecosia as your search engine, buy local, etc, etc.

These things are important, especially if we all do them, but they can sometimes just absolve guilt and give people a justification to carry on living carbon-intensive lives without really challenging themselves.

After a lot of thought, I decided that I cant take responsibility for whether people read this book and then do nothing. That responsibility lies with YOU. Every small choice we make as individuals can add up when an army of people make the same decisions. But also think about the actions that will get the biggest and best results.

And dont take things for granted CHALLENGE EVERYTHING. That means challenging big business and your government and, most of all, challenging yourself to act now and save the planet.

I hope you enjoy this book. I hope it makes you think, and I hope it makes you want to challenge the status quo, change the world and save all our lives.

WE ARE A GENERATION THAT HAS NEVER KNOWN A STABLE CLIMATE AND THAT WILL BE DEFINED BY HOW THE WORLD RESPONDS TO THE CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL CRISIS.

XR YOUTH

Extinction Rebellion (XR) is an international apolitical movement that uses non-violent direct action and civil disobedience in an attempt to persuade governments to act on the Climate and Ecological Emergency, halt mass extinction and minimise the risk of social collapse.

XR was launched in the UK in October 2018 by Roger Hallam and Gail Bradbrook, along with other activists. In November 2018, five bridges across the River Thames in London were blocked in the first large-scale action. In April 2019 the group held its first large demonstration in London. Over 11 days, many of the citys busiest areas were brought to a standstill. Over a thousand non-violent protesters were arrested for disruption.

Since this first major action, the movement has grown very quickly. There are now about 130 Extinction Rebellion groups across the UK and more all around the world. In October 2019 XR held the International Rebellion, with disruption occurring in the UK, the US, Germany, Australia, Belgium, Spain, New Zealand, Holland, France, Austria and elsewhere.

XR is by its nature decentralised. Anybody who believes in the three core aims, and follows the ten principles, can act in the name of XR:

Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.

Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.

Government must create, and be led by the decisions of, a citizens assembly on climate and ecological justice.

We have a shared vision of change creating a world that is fit for generations to come.

We set our mission on what is necessary mobilising 3.5% of the population to achieve system change by using ideas such as momentum-driven organising to achieve this.

We need a regenerative culture creating a culture that is healthy, resilient, and adaptable.

We openly challenge ourselves and this toxic system, leaving our comfort zones to take action for change.

We value reflecting and learning, following a cycle of action, reflection, learning, and planning for more action (learning from other movements and contexts as well as our own experiences).

We welcome everyone and every part of everyone working actively to create safer and more accessible spaces.

We actively mitigate for power breaking down hierarchies of power for more equitable participation.

We avoid blaming and shaming we live in a toxic system, but no one individual is to blame.