Local Campaigner Kedijah Eaves-O’Connor Shares How We Can All Do Our Bit to Protect the Environment

Have you always been interested in the natural world?
It has fascinated me my whole life. We used to go to the Peak District and Devon a lot when I was younger, so I've always loved being in nature. Of course, when you're younger, you don't really hear as much about climate change, you just appreciate it for what it is. 

What started your journey into working on environmental issues?
I studied geography, then started learning about the danger that our beautiful planet is in - that’s when I decided that I really wanted to do this as a career. So I moved to environmental science and, because I liked the nitty gritty of that, I went on to do a Masters degree in Environmental Leadership and Management. I wanted to use that knowledge that I had about the basics - soil, water - and put that into practice through leadership.

You work at Students Organising for Sustainability now. Tell us about that…
SOS was created by the National Union of Students back in 2019, and we've been an independent charity since then. We work on a range of programmes, projects and campaigns that kind of push forward climate justice - we really want to get students involved in sustainability and to get them leading on it. We also want to embed sustainability in all kinds of courses and degrees, and also in adult learning and early years as well. I work on a project called Green Impact, where we speak to different organisations and build them a toolkit of actions they can complete.

And you’re a Youth Trustee at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (NWT). How did that come about?
I was looking for a trusteeship, then I came across NWT and I thought it was perfect because I love nature, wildlife, the environment - and the role encapsulated all that. I get to work with another Youth Trustee and we run a youth forum, hearing ideas from young people across Nottinghamshire that we can put into action, which is great. Also, diversity is something that's really important to me, and within NWT that's something that I'm continuing to push.

Environmental issues are often seen as a white/middle class space. What would you say to that stereotype?
Looking at Extinction Rebellion and similar things, it's very in your face - you see people getting arrested and, as a black person or a person of colour, that can put you off. I think there are so many other ways to get involved where you'll still be able to make a big difference. If you're already really passionate about the environment, then consider doing that as a career - I think that's something that people and people of colour should strive for. We can take part in climate justice groups that are more about coming together, bringing ideas to the table and influencing others. It doesn’t have to be that stereotype of being radical.

If people can’t drop everything and go into the sector full-time, what else can they do?
Follow environmental groups on social media - there are loads of ideas being shared, or try veganism or vegetarianism maybe once or twice a week, reducing your waste and trying to recycle, reducing your emissions by walking where you can and taking public transport. There are loads of practical things we can all do, but it's also about what governments can do, and putting pressure on them. 

What are your hopes for the future?
I’d like to create an organisation to encourage more people of colour to get involved in the environment. The sector is the second-least diverse in the UK, after farming, so I’d like to try to change that, and grow more cohesion between everyone. All voices need to be heard to get the climate action and sustainability we need.

@sosukcharity