The Climate Change Festival ran from 31 May to 8 June 2008 in Birmingham. Alongside the events, exhibitions, ideas and fun, 1,500 people signed pledges to reduce their own carbon footprint by 100kg over the next 12 months; over 1,000 local schoolchildren turned up to learn about climate change and their home city; 2,000 plastic carrier bags were exchanged for bags for life; 100 items of IT equipment were recycled at one stall – and 160 people took part in a mass tai chi.
Every age has its challenge. Ours is climate change. We need to scrap the talk of gloom and sacrifice, and find new ways to create a greener, smarter, fairer and more beautiful city. That’s why we started with a festival.
Birmingham, pioneer of the industrial revolution, has helped to lead a low-carbon revolution by hosting the first climate change festival in June 2008.
What will this revolution lead to? Beautiful squares and attractive liveable streets. Cleaner air. Easy walking and cycling. Large trees, shading streets and buildings. New markets, investment and jobs in green technologies.
Energy efficient homes and offices that are much cheaper to run. Easy access to local networks and services.
Life sounds pretty good in a well-designed, sustainable city.
Organisers and sponsors
The festival was organised by Birmingham City Council and CABE, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment - the government's champion of well-designed buildings and spaces.
The festival was supported by BeBirmingham, Advantage West Midlands, Crest Nicholson and E.On, with additional support from The Green Bus Company and Amey.
Document main content
From the festival blog:
- Festival finale looked to the future
-
It was the final day of the climate change festival, which ran for a week in Birmingham, which captured its essence. Music, dancing and mass tai chi.
- Schools go green for the day
-
Thursday 5 June 2008 was the UK’s first-ever green day for schools and included visits from Dame Ellen MacArthur and Joan Ruddock.
- Putting a positive glow on climate change
-
Chris Williams from Birmingham Friends of the Earth gives his thoughts on the climate change festival.
-
The biggest hole ever dug in Birmingham
Ken Shuttleworth, designer of London's Gherkin and Birmingham's The Cube, led a guided tour of Birmingham while sharing his thoughts about the city.
-
Jonathon Porritt argued that at last we have a chance to bring our cities alive again through a very-low-carbon make-over. To transform them into places where people love to live.
-
Monday 2 June and Tuesday 3 June
Walks and talks, the Rotunda, Glenn Howells, University of Birmingham, green roofs, the CUBE, Make Architects.
-
Free-running launch, the pylon centrepiece, plasticine at Claystation, photographic exhibition, 14 festival framing benches for Birmingham, March of the Penguins.
-
The stunning art installation at the heart of the festival. A steely reminder about climate change right outside Birmingham Council House.