WHAT A YEAR 2020 HAS BEEN…
What a year 2020 has been… We really hope you and your loved ones are all well and have managed to get through these difficult times relatively unscathed. For many this has been a time to reflect upon, and perhaps reassess, many of the things that until now we have taken for granted. There cannot be a single person who hasn’t, in some way or other, been affected by this global crisis and the huge impact Covid-19 has had on all our lives. Perhaps when this pandemic has passed we will return to a new normal that is no longer about social distancing or hiding behind masks, but can be more about a unified world that is better equipped to work towards a more sustainable future.
Personally, I have tried to make the most of the time that I have had at home with my family over the past few months – attempting various lock down projects together (some more successful than others!). I am excited to share one such project with you in this newsletter. Read on to find out more about our Aquaponics lockdown project.
Looking forward, 2021 holds an opportunity for us all to continue to rethink how we can do things differently in the future, particularly in the way that we work. 2021 is going to be a hugely important year to make actions for better energy & sustainability. The UK is hosting COP 26, The United Nations has launched the ‘Race to Net Zero’ and we all have a role to play in supporting our organisations to deliver this.
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing” (Walt Disney).
Christmas wishes to you and your families and here’s to happy, healthy New Year. Please do get in touch if you would like to discuss getting more involved in 2021 in any way.
Reflecting on 2020 and looking forward
At the start of this year we had a number of exciting projects on the table but as Covid-19 began to hit this started to have an impact. By early April, most of our main projects had been shelved and, with the boys permanently at home, we were forced to furlough ourselves.
For us, home schooling didn’t really work with two very energetic young boys… So we focused our efforts on setting up various lockdown projects and trying to stay fit and healthy. Teaching new skills has been the theme for 2020 for me which I find hugely rewarding. Separate to the business, I’ve continued tutoring industry colleagues doing training with the Energy Institute, acting as a visiting lecturer and project supervisor for City University’s Energy & Environmental MSc programme and have been helping to guide the Energy Conscious Organisation initiative (“EnCO”) lead by ESTA.
We see 2021 as an opportunity for a new start for all of us. This year has reinforced that we all need to be able to work better virtually together whilst still working in person when we are able. Online training has also become huge. We’ve been wanting to do something more to help join us up as a community, to support each other, for a long time now. We think expanding the Big Green concept virtually could be a great way of doing this and the time to do this is now.
We honestly believe that all of us can make a big difference, develop our skills and find it hugely rewarding for ourselves as well as our organizations. By working more closely and virtually together and increasing the reach and diversity of people involved, we can build an online community where we can all learn from each other.
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