Tag: Leith Collective

COP26: Leith Collective’s Sara is One Step Greener ambassador

●      With 100 days to go until the UN climate change summit COP26, 13 ambassadors are encouraging the country to follow their green footsteps and play their part in tackling climate change

●      The first tranche of ‘One Step Greener’ ambassadors include Edinburgh’s Sara Thomson of The Leith Collective

●      Nation to nominate everyday climate leaders to be part of the 26 ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors who symbolise the best in UK climate leadership and whose stories will be showcased at the crucial summit in November

People from across the country will have the chance to showcase their stories at the major climate summit COP26 in Glasgow, as a search for everyday climate leaders gets underway today (Saturday 24 July).

In the lead up to COP26 with less than 100 days to go, the UK Government is calling on people from all walks of life to join the ‘One Step Greener’ movement on social media by sharing how they are doing their bit for the environment, championing climate leaders in their communities, and inspiring others to follow their lead. Whether big or small, one or many, green steps around the country can culminate in a large collective impact in helping make Britain a more sustainable and greener place.

The nation will also be able to nominate people in their communities who they think are making a big difference in the fight against climate change. They will have the chance to become ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors and showcase their stories at COP26 this November – which aims to be the most inclusive COP ever. 

Those nominated could be family members, friends, colleagues, community leaders or entrepreneurs: anyone who is taking action to tackle climate change and inspiring others to follow in their green footsteps.

Leading the charge are 13 inspiring people, announced today as the first ambassadors for the ‘One Step Greener’ initiative, who will be launching the search for another 13 extraordinary individuals ahead of  COP26 – making 26 everyday climate leaders in the UK to mark the 26th climate summit of its kind.

The ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors will come from all walks of life in their pursuit of a greener future, as they come together with government, businesses, community groups, schools, and citizens in taking steps to tackle climate change. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “The UK has made huge strides towards a greener future, with new records in renewable energy and new targets for slashing emissions. But there are also thousands of people across the country doing their bit too, from embarking on green careers and building sustainable businesses to reducing their use of plastic and taking part in conservation projects. 

“We can all do our bit to help tackle climate change. That’s why we’re challenging everyone to go one step greener in the next 100 days and win the chance to become an ambassador ahead of COP26 in Glasgow this November.”

COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma said: “In my many meetings with ministers and governments around the world we discuss the big changes which urgently need to be made to tackle climate change.

“Setting ambitious emissions reductions targets, supporting developing nations, and protecting nature are all vital if we are to keep temperatures from rising above 1.5C.

“But there is a role in tackling climate change for everyone, and it is heartening to see all parts of society embracing their responsibility to safeguard our precious planet, no matter how big or small a step.”

The Leith Collective founder Sara Thomson said: “I couldn’t be more delighted to be named a One Step Greener Ambassador ahead of COP26. This is a great opportunity to tell us about what you, or someone you know, is doing to be one step greener. It could end up with you joining us to help tackle climate change at COP26.”

World leaders will meet in Glasgow with the aim of agreeing how to tackle the urgent threat of global climate change. The UK is working to prevent global temperatures rising above 1.5C and to protect the planet and people from the intensifying impacts of climate change, which unchecked will lead to further catastrophic flooding, bush fires, extreme weather, and the mass extinction of species. The UK has been leading the way and shown that green growth is possible. The UK was also the first country to commit to reduce carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 and is on course to be the fastest G7 country to decarbonise cars and vans by 2030.

British female racing driver Alice Powell has become one of the first ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors. Yesterday, Powell arrived in her ground-breaking Envision Virgin Racing Formula E Car racing car which is redefining the green future of motor sport.

There she met with the Prime Minister’s Spokesperson for COP26 Allegra Stratton to discuss her involvement as an Ambassador for the ‘One Step Greener’ initiative. Alice and the Envision Virgin Racing team will also host COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma at the London ePrix, an annual race of the single-seater, electrically powered Formula E championship.

The ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors have been announced today to cover all parts of the UK and include:

Dame Jackie Daniel – NHS Trust CEO

Dame Jackie began her NHS career as a nurse before moving into management and has been a Chief Executive Officer for 20 years leading a range of acute, mental health and specialist trusts. 

She was appointed as Chief Executive of Newcastle Hospitals in March 2018 and since then, the Trust has retained its outstanding CQC status and became the first NHS organisation to pledge to reach Net Zero Carbon.

She was recently named as one of the top five chief executives of the year in the HSJ awards for 2021.

Dame Jackie Daniel said: “COP26 will be a defining moment in the global effort to tackle climate change and I am honoured to be named a One Step Greener Ambassador.

“Climate change poses a major threat to people’s and the planet’s health which is why the NHS in England has committed to become the world’s first carbon net zero national health system. I hope I can encourage the public to do their bit to protect our planet as well as nominating others who are going One Step Greener.”

Hugo Chambers – Sustainable Sourcing Manager and Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Sainsbury’s

Hugo’s job at Sainsbury’s is to help reduce the impact of our food on the planet, whether that’s lowering the carbon footprint of products such as coffee or cheese or ensuring the palm oil in their products do not contribute to the deforestation of tropical forests. Outside of work, Hugo also tries to make greener decisions where he can such as cycling to work and trying to eat a more healthy and sustainable diet.

Hugo Chambers said: “My passion for protecting the environment is central to the work that I do, which is to help reduce the impact of our food consumption on the planet, whether that’s by helping to reduce the carbon footprint of products, or ensuring that palm oil in our products doesn’t contribute to the deforestation of tropical forests.

“I hope that as a One Step Greener Ambassador, I can help inspire and encourage people up and down the country to lead healthier, more sustainable lives as the UK gets ready to host COP26 in November. Who are you going to nominate to be a One Step Greener Ambassador?”

The full list of 13 are Sara Thomson (The Leith Collective), Dame Jackie Daniel (NHS), Alice Powell (Envision Virgin Racing), Hugo Chambers (Sainsbury’s), Jasmine Allen (SSE), Toby McCartney (MacRebur), James Lloyd-Jones (Jones Food Company), Emer Rafferty (youth environmentalist), Ade Adepitan (Paralympic medalist and TV presenter) , Max La Manna (low-waste chef), Rob Thompson (Odyssey Innovation), Ash Dykes (adventurer and extreme athlete) and Buffy Buroughs (Green Gathering Festival).

Nominations will close on 1 October and the final 26 ‘One Step Greener’ Ambassadors will be announced on 7 October, 26 days before the crucial summit begins.

Call to action: Nominate by visiting here.

Ready to re-home a Christmas tree?

More than 50 Christmas trees have been donated and are now ready for collection, following a community-wide appeal by Ocean Terminal and The Leith Collective to ensure no one misses out on having a place to leave their yuletide presents this year.

The Gift a Tree initiative launched last month aims to find new homes for artificial trees no longer needed and following a period of quarantine – and a quick inspection by Santa – the trees are available to any family, for free, to bring a bit of extra festive cheer into their living rooms.

There are also a limited number of baubles and other decorations that have been kindly donated alongside the Christmas spruces.

The collection point is from The Leith Collective store on 1st floor of the shopping centre, open 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday and 11am-5pm Sunday.

Michelle MacLeod, General Manager at Ocean Terminal, said: “People in the community have been extremely generous and I’m delighted that we have so many trees that can now be re-homed with a new family.

“Every little helps and this form of recycling does everyone some good. The trees have been kept under COVID safe conditions and are ready to bring a bit of joy into a new home.”

Sara Thomson of The Leith Collective, added: “Giving a helping hand to another family and helping to recycle surplus trees and unneeded decorations is a great way to support the local community.

“I would like to thank everyone who has made a donation – we now have 50 trees ready to be re-homed and re-loved.”

Secret Santa at Leith Collective!

SECRET Santa – a stalwart of the festive workplace – is sadly something else that we’ve had to put aside in these changed times. How will we cope without receiving a plastic doo-dah from (maybe) Barry in Sales or something that looks a bit rude from (maybe) Margaret in Purchasing?

Well, worry no more – The Leith Collective is helping to maintain the mystery and enigma that is Secret Santa AND ensuring it’s plastic free and one-of-a-kind at the same time as managing the whole process (on Santa’s behalf)!

Continuing with its mission to rid the world (starting with Edinburgh) of single-use plastic, The Leith Collective works with over 150 local artists, crafters and makers to deliver the most stunning pieces – all recycled, upcycled or created plastic-free.

Simply choose how much you want to spend on your Secret Santa gift, provide a bit more info about the recipient and Catherine, gift curator at The Leith Collective and officially approved by Santa himself, will select the perfect Secret Santa gift for your friend and /or colleague. Once we’ve chosen, wrapped and stored the gift, we’ll send an email to the recipient to tell them to come and collect their pressie!

The air of mystery is maintained, and no plastic cheapness needs to be wrapped up for George in Packing!

Secret Santa is ready at: https://www.theleithcollective.co.uk/secret-santa

The UK’s first ever plastic-free shop of its kind, right here in Leith

The Leith Collective leads the way in making 2021 the year of going green

As far as New Year’s resolutions go, to become the UK’s first ever plastic-free shop of its kind is quite an ambitious one. But local business owner, Sara Thomson, is determined to kick off 2021 in the most environmentally friendly way possible, and she’s hoping other businesses will be inspired to follow suit.

Sara is the founder of The Leith Collective which showcases the work of more than 120 artists and makers from all over Scotland, brought together by a common aim to reuse, recycle, reclaim, and resell items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill. As of 1st January 2021, The Leith Collective will ban all new plastic in its Edinburgh store.

However, it is a task that has proved to be more difficult than first expected according to Sara: ‘There is plastic in so many everyday things – things you would never have imagined contain plastic; it can be incredibly deceptive. So we’ve had our work cut out for us researching and sourcing alternatives.’

From re-imagining their visual displays and finding upcycled and biodegradable packaging, right down to the finer details such as switching to non-plastic sticky tape and barcode stickers, they’ve thought of everything.

Describing how it all started, Sara explained; ‘The idea came to me during Lockdown. It was amazing going for a walk each day and seeing nature flourish untouched, right before my eyes. Then came the stark contrast, seeing just how quickly single-use masks and plastic gloves were being discarded on beaches and roadsides, causing untold damage. I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing, I had to take action.’

Sara’s biggest hope is that other businesses will learn from her example and adopt a similar approach. ‘It’s not easy to find accurate plastic usage statistics because generally businesses don’t want to broadcast the fact they have a huge plastic waste problem. However, we just hope our pledge to become a plastic-free shop inspires other businesses to think about their own environmental impact and what steps they too can take to minimise their effect on the world around us.’

With this in mind, The Leith Collective is inviting local business owners to visit their store or get in touch via phone, email or social media where Sara will be happy to pass on any information that might help them in their own quest to go green – from ideas on how to avoid plastic and reduce waste, to tips on where to find the best alternatives.

Ultimately, Sara’s hope is that her New Year’s resolution inspires a new plastic ban revolution.

The Leith Collective can be found at RU65, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. Opening hours are Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 5pm.

Why it took a pandemic to open our eyes to the importance of sustainability

As demand for sustainable shopping alternatives increases, The Leith Collective prepares to come back even bigger than before:

Lockdown restrictions may be easing, but one person hoping the temporary pause in human activity over the past few months may prove to have a long-lasting, positive effect on consumer behaviour is Sara Thomson, founder of The Leith Collective.

The Leith Collective comprises more than 90 artists and makers from all over Scotland, brought together by a common aim to reuse, recycle, reclaim, and resell items that may otherwise have been destined for landfill.

Sustainability is at the heart of all they do, and their approach is proving popular with consumers whose eyes have been opened to the issue during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, The Leith Collective has moved to bigger premises in Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal to accommodate this increase in demand.

Commenting on the link between the coronavirus pandemic and the increase in awareness of sustainability, Sara Thomson explained: ‘I think there are a number of factors at play. Firstly, with shops and attractions closed, more people have explored their local countryside, and thanks to the reduction in traffic, wildlife has flourished and birdsong heard more clearly. All this has helped many people connect with nature as never before.

‘Secondly, with many people on furlough enjoying more time on their hands, we’ve seen a marked increase in hobbies such as gardening which naturally opens one’s eyes to sustainability.

‘Thirdly, the closing of the rubbish dumps may have presented some people with a stark realisation of just how much we throw away without thought. I believe it has no doubt spurred some people on to consider how many household items could potentially be repurposed.’

The Leith Collective is anticipating an increase in the number of customers wanting to embrace a more sustainable way of shopping and living as they prepare to open the doors to their larger premises today (Monday 13th July).

The all-new Leith Collective store features an outdoor area, with increased space to shop whilst safely socially distancing. The new shop location is just the latest way The Leith Collective has successfully pivoted in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

When Lockdown restrictions were first announced, The Leith Collective launched an online shop and offered local delivery throughout the Scottish capital. They then turned their attention to making a range of reusable masks, created using recycled material – designed to offer a sustainable alternative to disposable masks, with the added bonus that it would help keep their resident makers in business.

The success of this initiative has been tremendous – not only has it provided a genuine lifeline to many makers not eligible for government assistance, The Leith Collective was also able to donate hundreds of pounds worth of masks to children in care and care leavers, and give proceeds to the mental health charity, North East Edinburgh Counselling Service.

The all-new Leith Collective opens today (Monday 13th July) at RU65, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ. Opening hours are Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 5pm.

Leithers hoping to save the planet in just 6 minutes

Got a spare 6 minutes to save the planet? With a climate crisis looming, every second counts. So local Edinburgh businesses and artists are being invited to give just a few minutes of their time to share their top tips for sustainability at a special ‘Let’s Talk Waste’ event in the capital later this month.

Brought to you by The Leith Collective – crafters, makers, artists and business owners will come together on Thursday 20th February to discuss ways in which they are reducing their waste and making a difference.

Taking place at Ocean Terminal, the evening will feature a diverse range of speakers; from a craftsman who creates unique works of art from items otherwise destined for landfill, to an accountant who has transformed his office into a completely paperless environment.

The event is part of The Leith Collective’s ongoing ‘Plastic Resolution 2020’ campaign which aims to encourage people to reuse, recycle and upcycle everyday items.

‘Let’s Talk Waste’ event organiser and founder of The Leith Collective, Sara Thomson (above), said; “I’m a big believer that knowledge is power, and that by sharing inspirational stories and exchanging top tips in this accessible, easy-to-digest 6 minute format, everyone can learn something new, and together we can make a massive difference.”

EVENT INFORMATION

‘Let’s Talk Waste’ will take place at The Image Collective Gallery, Ocean Terminal, on Thursday 20th February, 6pm – 8:30pm. Refreshments will be provided.

Local businesses, artists and makers are invited to book a 6 minute slot at the event and share their top tips for reducing waste. Slots are free of charge but availability is limited. To reserve your spot email info@theleithcollective.com.

The event is free for anyone to attend but space is limited. To reserve your place head to www.facebook.com/leithcollective.