All for Climate April Update 🌎
In this newsletter 👇🏾
1. In the spotlight: collective Black Flag Medical 🚑
2. Upcoming events to join ✨
3. Harvesting Wisdom has begun 🧙
4. What it means to be a climate fiscal host
5. Ways to reduce your carbon footprint 🌱
6. Video of the month 🎥
7. Quote of the day 🧡
Hello, again, people of Earth! 👋
This newsletter is not your typical boring update - we have some juicy stuff to share. We're talking about a group of superheroes who are tackling a humanitarian crisis head-on, plus we've got some fantastic events for you to attend and a super fun way to get your carbon footprint under control (yes, it's possible to have fun and save the planet at the same time!). So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and get ready to be blown away by what All For Climate has been up to! Let's go! ☄️
1. In the spotlight: Black Flag Medical 🚑
These dedicated individuals make a difference by providing life-saving medical supplies and humanitarian aid to medics and medical field hospitals operating in austere environments, especially in Ukraine.
🎯Their mission: To help those affected by the current conflict situation, providing essential medical supplies to the front lines of the conflict and bringing hope and healing to communities in need.
🔥What sets Black Flag Medical apart? Their unwavering commitment to providing medical supplies to those who need them the most, no matter the circumstances.
They have a team of compassionate and dedicated volunteers who have a personal connection to the situation in Ukraine and are driven by a desire to make a difference in the world.
What are examples of essential medical supplies? 🏨
Some of the medical supplies that Black Flag Medical deliver are haemostatic gauzes, emergency blankets, compression bandages, nasopharyngeal airway tubes, chest decompression needles, oximeters, tactical medical backpacks and trauma shears.
What inspired Black Flag Medical to start this incredible work? 👀
The collective was inspired by the founders' Ukrainian family, who were directly affected by the current conflict situation. They began their work by partnering with a local Ukrainian Society to make deliveries of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and other humanitarian aid to Polish destinations near the Ukrainian border.
Since then, Black Flag Medical has made three trips to deliver aid to the Ukrainian people and has provided transportation for a Ukrainian refugee family relocating to a central European country.
What's next for Black Flag Medical? 🔮
Their vision is to expand the amount of medical aid they can supply, focusing on personal first aid kits for combat personnel, field-ready blood transfusion kits, and civilian training in advanced trauma techniques.
They aim to establish local networks of trained medical first responders who can provide life-saving care and support those in need.
What is Black Flag Medical's greatest accomplishment? 🏆
Their ability to make a real difference in the lives of people who are in need. They have provided essential medical supplies to those on the front lines of the conflict, and their work has brought hope and healing to communities in need. They are truly an inspiration and a shining example of what can be achieved when people unite to make a difference.
FACT OF THE DAY: Black Flag Medical faces challenges, including intense police repression and government infiltration. But they remain committed to their mission and are not backing down from making a difference in the world.
Find out more about what they've done and who they are
2. Events to join! 🗓 #savethedates
Resilience Academy - Burnout Prevention and Recovery.
Activism burnout can occur when individuals who are involved in social justice or activism experience exhaustion, cynicism, and a sense of hopelessness as a result of their efforts. It can include feeling emotionally drained and decreased motivation to continue their work. The resilience academy will explore other types of burnout and share stories and tools to prevent this from becoming something we need to recover from.
Date: 26th of April
Time: 7pm (CEST) / 1pm (EST)
Location: @all4climatedao Twitter Space
Regens Unite
An IRL (In Real Life) gathering for co-ops, DAOs, climate activists, artists, and citizens to meet, establish new relationships and unite in a community house in Brussels. Definitely check out the dazzling programme!🔅
Date: 26 - 27th of May
Location - Brussels
The Enchanted Village
The Enchanted Village programme is filled with hands-on workshops where you will learn how to grow your own food, improve your health and design and build your own home. They will also have inspirational talks and roundtable discussions on how they can fund and scale regenerative solutions across the UK and beyond. 🌱
Date: 6th - 9th of July
Location: Selgars Estate, England
Promo code for the All for Climate community: A4CEnchanted2023 (mention this in the application form)
3. Harvesting Wisdom has begun!
The All for Climate Academies is here to foster peer support among our members and collectives. Learning from each other can be almost magical, and All for Climate ensures this happens through its Academies. Our Harvesting Wisdom series is a way to facilitate just that!
The first edition of Harvesting Wisdom took place on April 6! We discussed fundraising through Grants, such as the EU mobility grants and the Climate Emergency Fund, with two amazing guests:
- Zbigniew Janczukowicz, who is directly involved in the "Climate for All" project (developed by All for Climate and 4 partner organisations), gave us a hands-on introduction to the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes of the EU, how they can help fund the work of our collectives, and his most relevant tips and best practices!
- Trish Price, who has been involved in writing and successfully raising funds from the Climate Emergency Fund for Scientists Rebellion, one of All for Climate's most active collectives, shared her wisdom and tips for grants such as CEF, encouraging more collectives to take advantage of such funding opportunities!
A dedicated channel for Harvesting Wisdom now lives on our discord server! This channel exists for you and your collective. Join in, and let us know what we should focus on next so you can benefit the most from All for Climate, connect and discuss with like-minded individuals from all around the world, share your own wisdom, learn about our upcoming events and... find the hottest tips on fundraising for your collective, from our first Harvesting Wisdom call!
4. All for Climate is a climate fiscal host!
But what does this mean?
We recently posted a thread on Twitter with an update on our work as a Climate Fiscal host, the impact our collectives have made, the challenges we face, and what’s on the horizon. It's worth sharing it here as well:
- Being a Fiscal host means we provide a legal #safespace for grassroots movements to get active without setting up their own legal entities. We provide the ability to keep their finances tidy, receive donations, and apply for grants. We make activism accessible! 🤝💰💻
- Our #impact comes from speeding up the process for people to get organized and supporting them in receiving funds in a #transparent and accessible way. We are a back-office which means our collectives can focus on their work and ideas rather than administrative details 💼 📝
- We provide a bridge between system changers and the #oldsystem. This means we do ask financial questions to keep everyone safe and legit.
- Another challenge is sending #money internationally. Governments, state politics and banks make it really hard to move funds where it is needed. Once you experience this, you realise how unfree we are. 💸
- Our work is fluid as #water. We've grown immensely in just 3 years, and our work has become a full-time job 🌊 We've helped people to apply for bigger grants, and we've opened up new payment methods. We've also expanded into #crypto, which has been challenging due to regulations🚦📈
- The A4C #Academies are next 🏛️ We can offer much more than just legal- financial help, and we need to find ways to unlock the expertise hiding in all collectives. From #Burnout prevention to pioneer positive use cases for crypto and show the world its potential. 📚💡
- To sum up, All for Climate is a decentralized global climate movement for independent active citizens. Whether it's a road being built through a forest or protesting against the disruptive projects arriving in an area, we're here to help! 🌍🤝🌿
This thread was crafted with the help of Leen Schelfhout, Marco Bear and Adriana Gonzalez.
5. Planet-Saving Shenanigans: 7 Challenges to Try with Your Squad for a Greener Future! 🌏
- Green Party Challenge: Host a "Green Party" with your friends, and see who can create the most eco-friendly decorations, food, and drinks. Assign a point system for each sustainable choice, and the person with the most points wins a prize. 🌱
- No Shower Challenge: Challenge your work colleagues or team to go a week without showering and see who can last the longest. Make sure to set some ground rules, such as wearing deodorant and washing your hands, to keep things hygienic. 🛀🏾
- Bike to Work Challenge: Start a "Bike to Work" challenge with your work colleagues or team, and track your progress throughout the month. The person who bikes the most miles wins a prize or gets to pick the next team outing. 🚲
- Vegetarian Potluck Challenge: Host a "Vegetarian Potluck" challenge with your friends, and see who can create the most creative and delicious meat-free dish. Assign a point system for taste, presentation, and sustainability, and the person with the most points wins a new pot! 🧑🏾🍳
- Green Smoothie Challenge: Have a "Green Smoothie" challenge with your friends or work colleagues and see who can make the best-tasting smoothie using only sustainable and locally sourced ingredients. Have a blind taste test and let everyone vote on their favourite. 🍉
- Lights-Out Challenge: Host a "Lights-Out" challenge with your friends or work colleagues and see who can go the longest without electricity. Assign a point system for creativity, such as using solar-powered lights or candles, and the person with the most points wins a scented candle. 🕯
- Reusable Cup Challenge: Start a "Reusable Cup" challenge with your work colleagues or team and see who can collect the freest refills from coffee shops in a month using their reusable cups. The person with the most refills wins something from the team! ☕️
Remember, reducing your carbon footprint doesn't have to be a drag. Let's have some fun while also doing our part to help the environment! 🌎
6. Video of the month 🎥
The video "Grieving for Earth" by Jack Harris explores the emotional toll of the climate crisis and the importance of allowing ourselves to grieve for the Earth. Harris discusses the feelings of despair, anger, and helplessness that can arise when facing the enormity of our environmental challenges. He emphasises the need for individuals to acknowledge and process their grief and the importance of coming together in a community to share and support each other through this difficult time. Harris offers suggestions for taking action and finding hope amidst grief, including engaging in environmental activism, spending time in nature, and connecting with others who share a deep concern for the planet.