This spring we are voting for #oorfuture. The candidates we elect on 6 May will be responsible for taking action to tackle the nature and climate crises over the course of the next Parliament. We have joined forces with nature and climate groups across Scotland to encourage people to show how much they care ahead of next month’s election using #oorfootprint.
From supporting our mental and physical health on a weekend walk to helping to prevent flooding and contributing to the fight against climate change, nature plays a huge and often unseen role in our everyday lives.
For some, like Lottie from Glasgow, the benefits of being able to escape into nature have been made clearer during the pandemic. “Living in a flat without a garden, Glasgow Green is my closest big expanse of green space and I think I’d go mad without it!”
“I love to wander through the main hustle and bustle of the park, usually dog and people watching, and walk down along the river to clear my head.”
Jana from Aberdeenshire, uses her hidden walk down the River Dee to get away from city life, “My walk restores my sense of being and balance and inspires me to stand up and be loud to protect and conserve nature, wildlife and these amazingly special greenspaces – just as nature takes care of us, we must always in turn, take care of it.”
However, despite its importance in so many of our lives, nature remains threatened throughout Scotland.
Scotland represents 31% of the UK’s land, 59% of the UK’s coastline, and 61% of the UK’s seas and the Scottish Government is responsible for the legislation and policy which protects, manages and restores these spaces.
We cannot allow the next Scottish Government to continue to let nature down; time is running out to address the nature and climate crisis and the candidates we elect on 6 May will be responsible for keeping nature on the agenda over the course of the next parliament.
We need our candidates to commit to investing in and protecting nature across Scotland. From replanting wild forests with native species to developing a Nature Network to connect habitats in our rural and urban spaces and take advantages of the benefits which nature can bring. Only through collective action can we demand that our new representatives put nature and the climate on a path to recovery.
That is why ahead of polling day, we’ve partnered with nature and climate groups across Scotland to get the word out that #oorfuture is at stake in this election and encourage people to use #oorfootprint to stand up for nature.
Through the #oorfuture campaign, we are all encouraging you to share your ideas and concerns about nature and the climate and let candidates know what issues need to be a priority for the next Scottish Government. Whether you want to see action on fisheries or farming, transport, planning or education, now is the time to make your voice heard and call on our representatives take the radical action needed to protect our future.
Taking part is simple, just 1) share a photo on social media of your boots, wellies and footprints which represent your connection to nature and the climate, 2) let us know why it’s important to you in the post and 3) be sure to use the #ourfootprint hashtag! Tag friends and family members, candidates, parties or anyone you think should stand up for nature! To find out more about how you can get involved head to the #oorfuture page on medium.
This election we have so much to gain from supporting nature and everything to lose from continuing to fail it, let’s use #oorfootprint to vote for #oorfuture.