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Definitions
Below is a list of definitions and terminology frequently used across my platforms, in order to help those just entering the sorts of conversations I cover who may need help to understand things more clearly.
Accessibility – The ability to make something easier to access or understand.
Activism – The consistent involvement and action as away of achieving political change or a goal.
BIPOC – Black, Indigenous, People of Colour
Climate Action – Actions taken to mitigate, reduce or avoid the risks of the Climate Emergency, whether it is on an individual, collective, economic or political scale.
An example: Avoiding flights and participating in protests are both forms of climate action.
Climate Anxiety – An alternative term used for ‘eco-anxiety’, the fear and anxiety caused by environmental concerns, damage or disaster.
Climate Crisis – The alternative term used for ‘climate change’ in order to articulate the severity of the global crisis we are experiencing.
Climate Emergency – Another alternative term used for ‘climate change’ in order to articulate the severity of the global crisis we are experiencing.
Climate Grief – Grief caused by the loss of environmental destruction and the Climate Crisis.
Climate Justice – The term used to emphasise the fact that the Climate Crisis is an ethical and political issue that requires justice, rather than something that is simply about the environment and nature.
Colonialism – The act of a country being dominated, exploited and taken over by another. Full definition here.
Consumerism – The social and economic system that encourages and increases the consumption and purchasing of goods.
Direct Action – Using forms of public protest and demonstrations to achieve political change or a goal.
Disproportionately – When something is out of proportion or far greater or smaller than something else.
An example: The Climate Crisis disproportionately affects the Global South.
Divest – The act of getting rid of or removing something, usually in relation to the fossil fuel industry and its ties with business and finance.
Eco-Anxiety – Fear and anxiety caused by environmental concerns, damage or disaster.
Ecocide – The deliberate destruction of nature and the environment.
An example: Fossil fuel companies continue to commit acts of ecocide by contributing to pollution.
Eco-Grief – An alternative term for ‘climate grief’ caused by the loss of environmental destruction and the Climate Crisis.
Ethics – The moral principles behind a certain activity, generally relating to human/animal exploitation and justice.
Ethical Fashion – Fashion that puts moral principles (generally relating to human/animal exploitation and justice) at the forefront.
Fast-fashion – The business model used to produce cheap clothes on mass, at the cost of environmental, ethical and social exploitation, at fast consumption and manufacturing speeds.
Examples of fast-fashion brands: Boohoo, Missguided, Next, New Look, H&M, Pretty Little Thing, Primark, SheIn, Topshop, ZARA
Global Heating – The alternative term for ‘global warming’ in order to articulate the severity of the impacts it has.
Global North – The term used for countries in Europe, North America and parts of Asia to showcase the difference in development, politics and wealth.
Global South – The term used for countries outside of the Global North that have lower rates of development and wealth, caused by the exploitation of countries in the Global North.
Greenwashing – A form of marketing that gives the impression a person, business, cooperation or organisation is more environmentally conscious than they really are.
An example: A major fast-fashion brand heavily promoting a small range of ‘organic’ clothes to distract from the fact they have to yet to tackle the full impact of their business model and manufacturing as a whole, making consumers believe they are doing more good than they really are.
Indigenous – People and communities which originated from a certain place.
Intersectionality – The way of articulating, demonstrating or identifying the ways in which different social and political identities cross-over and combine, providing different advantages and disadvantages across society.
Slow-fashion – The business model used to produce or consume clothing, considering environmental, ethical and social issues, usually at a far slower consumption and manufacturing rate compared to fast-fashion.
Social Justice – Justice that distributes opportunities, wealth and privileges across the whole of society.
An example: Climate justice is social justice because acting in the face of the Climate Crisis requires radical action across the whole of society.
Solidarity – Acting alongside, with or in agreement with others who have a common interest or goal.
Sustainable Fashion – Fashion that puts sustainability (the ability to sustain natural resources or the well being of people and the planet) at the forefront.
Sustainability – The ability to sustain something (e.g natural resources or health) rather than depleting or exploiting them.
System Change – Tackling the root and inextricably linked causes of a problem (e.g the Climate Crisis) rather than just the eventual problem itself.
People to follow
Below is a growing and ever-evolving list of accounts, people and groups I recommend following who all cover a wide range of topics. The short descriptions are a mix of self-defined titles and general summaries.
Activists & Content Creators
Aja Barber – Sustainable fashion stylist and writer
Asad Rehman – ‘All things bad’ activist
Benita Robledo – Ethical fashion
Black Girl Birding – Birder and founder of Black Girls Bird
Brown Girl Green – Environmental educator
Bryony Porter – Sustainable fashion activist
Céline Semaan – Executive Director of The Slow Factory
Climate Adam – Video creator and doctor of Climate Science
Climate in Colour – Climate education
Daze Aghaji – Climate justice activist
Demi-Colleen – Lifestyle and veganism
Dominique Drakeford – Founder of Melanin & Sustainable Style
Elie Gordon – Environmentalist and wildlife photographer
Elijah McKenzie-Jackson – Climate and social justice activist
Emma Slade Edmondson – Sustainable fashion consultant and writer
Emily Stochl – Climate and sustainable fashion activist
Fran Rockey – Founder of Black Geographers
Future Earth – Climate education
George Steedman Jones – Environmentalist and wildlife photographer
Helena Bennett – Intersectional climate and human rights activist
Immy Lucas – Intersectional environmentalist
Isaias Hernandez – Environmental educator
Jamie Margolin – Climate justice activist and founder of Zero Hour
Josephine Becker – Intersectional climate justice activist
Kenny Ethan Jones – Trans rights activist
Kevin J. Patel – Climate justice activist
Dr. Kiona – Curator of How Not To Travel Like A Basic Bitch
Leah Thomas – Founder of Intersectional Environmentalist
Marie Beecham – Anti-racism educator
Mikaela Loach – Climate justice and anti-racism activist
Momoko – Intersectional lifestyle and veganism
Natalie Davies – NHS doctor, zero waste and climate justice activist
Serena Lee – Veganism and slow living
Sumak Helena Gualinga – Indigenous climate justice activist
Talia Woodin – Climate and social justice activist and photographer
Tori Tsui – Intersectional climate justice activist
Vanessa Nakate – Climate justice activist
Venetia La Manna – Slow fashion activist
Wawa Gatheru – Environmentalist
Wednesday Holmes – Non-binary artist
Words from Robin – Intersectional climate justice activist
Xiye Bastida – Indigenous climate justice activist
Groups & Organisations
Autistic Climate Activists – A group of autistic climate activists
Black Geographers – A platform for Black geographers
Black Girls Hike UK – An organisation focusing on diversifying the outdoors
Black Lives Matter UK – The UK chapter of Black Lives Matter
Extinction Rebellion – A global non-violent-direct-action group
Fashion Revolution – An organisation focusing on the fashion industry
Global Justice Rebellion – A group of social justice focused climate activists
Intersectional Environmentalist – An organisation focusing on intersectional environmentalism
Jewish Youth Climate Movement – A group of Jewish youth climate activists
Nature is a Human Right – A campaign aiming to make access to nature a human right
Polluters Out – A youth led group targeting the fossil fuel industry
Remake – A global movement for sustainable and ethical fashion
Sunrise Movement – A US-based climate justice organisation
The Slow Factory – An educational foundation tackling climate and culture
XR Fashion Action – The fashion focused working group for Extinction Rebellion
XR Youth – The youth led chapter of Extinction Rebellion
Zero Hour – An intersectional youth led movement fighting for climate justice
Journalists & Writers
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson – Marine biologist
Bel Jacobs – Ethical and sustainable fashion writer and activist
Emily Atkin – Climate journalist and founder of HEATED
Eric Holthaus – Meteorologist and climate correspondent
Mary Annaïse Heglar – Climate justice journalist and co-host of Hot Take podcast
Peter Kalmus – Climate scientist
Tansy Hoskin – Sustainable fashion journalist and author
Whitney Bauck – Senior Sustainability Reporter at Fashionista
Newsletters & Podcasts
About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge – A podcast about anti-racism and racism in the UK by Reni Eddo-Lodge
Bad Activist – A podcast about imperfect intersectional activism hosted by Tori Tsui, Julia Gentner and Kisjonah
HEATED – A climate focused newsletter created by Emily Atkin
Hot Take – A climate focused podcast hosted by Mary Annaïse Heglar and Amy Westervelt
Pre-Loved Podcast – A podcast focusing on second-hand fashion hosted by Emily Stochl
Remember Who Made Them – A podcast series about the fashion industry and garment workers
The Yikes Podcast – A podcast focusing on climate and social justice hosted by Mikaela Loach and Josephine Becker
Books to read
A Harvest of Thorns (Corban Addison) – A fictional exploration of the unsafe working conditions and exploitative business model of the fast-fashion industry.
All We Can Save (Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine K. Wilkinson) – A collection of essays and poems written by women in the environmental space in North America.
Clothing Poverty: The Hidden World of Fast Fashion and Second-Hand Clothes (Andrew Brooks) – A book covering the second-hand economy and what happens to our clothes after we’ve worn them.
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things (Michael Braungart and William McDonough) – The manifesto behind the concept of Cradle to Cradle and a circular economy.
Me and White Supremacy (Layla F Saad) – A 28-day educational guide and workbook covering white supremacy.
Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire (Akala) – A memoir and analysis of race and class in Britain.
Stitched Up: The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion (Tansy Hoskins) – A political and sociological look at the fashion industry.
The Future Earth: A Radical Vision for What’s Possible in the Age of Warming (Eric Holthaus) – A positive and hopeful imagining of a ‘future earth’ about how civilisation could reverse and mitigate the affects of the Climate Crisis.
This is Not a Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook – A guide to activism by Extinction Rebellion, made up of a collection of essays from different activists, journalists and politicians.
To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World? (Lucy Siegle) – An expose on the fashion industry and the inhumane and environmentally destructive practices behind the clothes we wear.
Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race (Reni Eddo-Lodge) – A book focusing on British Black history and the link between class and race.