After more than 2 decades working on climate, sustainability and social justice I’m getting more hopeful and optimistic. Why?

1 - because I rarely have to explain those words anymore (when I started I was asked if ‘biodiversity’ was a type of washing powder)

2 - because there are SO MANY people (especially young people) working, marching, inventing and changing what they can, and sometimes what everyone thought they couldn’t

3 - most big brands have finally realised they might be victims of climate and social breakdown and have decided to do something about that

4 - ‘alternative’ tech from 20 years ago - especially wind and solar energy - went mainstream at speed even I didn’t dare dream of

5 - issues like meat consumption and air travel where thought ‘off the table’ in policy and public negotiations. Now they fill the debate

6 - the ‘justice agenda’ now encompasses climate, race, gender, environmental and social justice. We thought ‘sustainable’ was going to be THE word. How much better that it’s justice!

7 - ‘first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win’ - I remember being ignored. Fighting it better

8 - it feels like we stand at a crossroads. It’s unsettling, thrilling and quite scary. The path has forked and straight on is no longer an option. Never in the last 2 decades have every decision felt as important. Change is possible

9 - our problems: wildfires, brutality, inequality, deforestation, hurricanes, ice loss, sexism and racism are seen. They are really seen. (Not by everyone all the time, but by enough and more than ever before)

10 - more and more people realising that living more fairly and environmentally might be better for them. And more and more people realising that working to make the world a better place is much more satisfying than complaining about it!

Twitter might not be the most upbeat place sometimes. But social media CAN and SHOULD be part of the solution.

Hope you’re having a nice day