In June 2019 the UK government set a legally binding target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Two-thirds of Britons agree that the planet is in a climate emergency. Schoolchildren in the UK and around the world have taken to the streets to voice their growing alarm. Museums, big and small, must play their part in addressing climate change if they are to stay relevant to their visitors.
4-8th November 2019 is the UK’s second Green GB Week; a week of events and activities inspiring businesses, schools, colleges, universities, community groups and charities to take action on tackling climate change. MDNW is making the pledge that, during Green GB Week, there will be a Carbon Literacy workshop running within 40 miles of every Accredited museum in the North West.
Our full day workshops, delivered either by MDNW staff or our network of Carbon Literacy trainers, are open to any staff, volunteers or trustees in any Accredited museum (or museum working towards Accreditation) in the North West, or any staff from a recognised organisation that supports the museums in our region.
If demand for our workshops in Green GB week outstrips the number of places available we also pledge to put on additional workshops to meet that demand.
The workshop dates are:
- Monday 4th November, People’s History Museum, Manchester FULLY BOOKED
- Tuesday 5th November, Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery, Carlisle
- Wednesday 6th November, Lancashire Conservation Studios, Preston
- Wednesday 6th November, Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere
- Friday 8th November, Pyramid & Parr Hall, Warrington
To book a place on any of these click on the date of the workshop.
Since 2016 MDNW has been working with the Carbon Literacy Project and is one of only four organisations to be recognised as a Carbon Literacy Training Organisation. We, and our network of trainers from museums across the region, have run the training to nearly 300 people. We have also given advice to other sector support organisations and museums across England and Wales wanting to roll out Carbon Literacy themselves.
The Carbon Literacy project aims to give 1 million people a day’s worth of Carbon Literacy training.
The workshop will give you an understanding of what climate change is, the scale of its effects, and how museums fit into the global, national and local picture to address climate change. You will become Carbon Literate by making an individual pledge, and an organisational pledge to take back to your museum, of what you can do, and is in your power to achieve, to make a significant difference to your carbon footprint.
In the words of a previous delegate, ‘Carbon Literacy is about understanding what I actually need to do, where I can get help to do it, actually doing it and seeing that I’ve done it.’
Museum Development North West 