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Story of Terrassa, Spain
“I remember waking up and feeling disappointed with the world. I remember watching the news and trying to understand the damages we’re causing to the environment for selfish reasons. I wanted to act but I didn’t know how. At that time I was only a child. The years were passing but the fear and the anxiety hasn’t stopped.” Carolina Tito, a member of Greenfluencers Terrassa.
In the summer 2022 southern and central Europe experienced unprecedented heat waves from early July to September. The EU reported 53 000 excess deaths in July and widespread droughts exhausted the continent. It was evident that climate change was present – and that there was work to be done for Greenfluencers, a group of activists in the 215 000 inhabitants city of Terrassa, located next to Barcelona.
Before summer 2022, Greenfluencers had already been working with climate related advocacy and awareness rising online in a wider European context, since the beginning of 2020. The start of their existence was shaky, as the pandemic moved the hands on European cooperation on climate matters to the web. On the other hand, going online and not meeting people forced them to rethink how you can do actions locally, but as the restriction measures were constantly tightened and loosened, they decided to stick with online activism.
When the Covid restriction measures were finally lifted in 2022, the group started a thorough discussion, what was their raison d’être in the post pandemic world, where activism was no longer possible only in the web.
It was obvious that there is a need for climate action, as in Terrassa, the action to tackle climate change and environmental problems was almost non-existent. They also wanted to do something more than raise awareness on Instagram, but at the same time the whole question of climate change felt overwhelming, scary and huge.
One thing that gave the group hope and power to continue their work, however. It was the group itself and the people in it. As Léa Laffitte, one of the activists explains: “When you are in front of this big problem that concerns the whole world, you wonder, can I change these things, or can I change these things on my own? It’s so big and you get scared. You don’t feel that you have the power to change anything and it’s what this is about. The thing was, to create a group, where these single persons could feel more powerful, when they are surrounded by other people – like us. And to give the confidence to the people that they can actually do something, change something on their own. Little by little.”
The members of the Greenfluencers in Terrassa had the will to continue working for climate action, but they weren’t sure what their message would be for the rest of the society. The core group, Marina Pérez Sanleandro, Carla Bueno Jové, Carolina, Léa, Anastacia Margouta, Clara Cazorla Martinez and Angi Saula Lloveras sat down and talked about everything. They discussed possible actions and needs that their community had for their kind of group, but they couldn’t get their heads around their core message. They wanted to start serious discussion and dialogue in the community of Terrassa on climate action, but their point of view was unclear. In the end, the group started to discuss what was the driving force in each member to act for the climate.
For Carolina, the feeling of disappointment had stuck with her since her childhood. For Léa, it was her childhood on her family’s farm in France. She had grown up in an environment where they cared about the products we bought, ate and how they were produced. When she grew up, she began to question the environmental issues in the society. For Carla, it was a documentary film: “Some years ago I watched a documentary about climate change where they talked about how the ice melting in the poles, created by global warming, is gonna affect us in many ways. I remember being very shocked, and after that I started to look for more information about the topic.” For Angi it was news: “It was some years ago that the news of climate change and environmental disasters hit me. I started to be more conscious about all the wrong things that humanity was doing to the earth. I felt small and anxious because what I was doing individually felt like it wasn’t enough for me, it was impacting my daily life as I was judging every step I took: Is this sustainable enough? Should I have done it differently?”
What was common in each of their stories was a feeling of disappointment or anxiety. The group started to think, would that be enough for their core message? In front of the image of an apocalyptic future, individuals feel hopeless, anxious and scared. But when people come together, they start to have hope and feel stronger.
Were there other people, who were feeling this eco-anxiety too?
During past years scholars, mental health practitioners, educators and climate activists have defined eco-anxiety in different ways. The American Psychology Association (APA) describes eco-anxiety as “the chronic fear of environmental cataclysm that comes from observing the seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change and the associated concern for one’s future and that of next generations”. Many activists see it as a rational reaction because environmental challenges are threats to our long-term security.
After examining the idea, Greenfluencers felt this was their story and the message for others: “join us, we feel it too”.
“We discovered that there’s a lot of people who want to change things and want to act somehow related to climate change, but there was nothing, you could join or there was no place to meet to talk about these topics, and to plan things.” says Carla, “So, I think that it was needed to have a group of people, who we felt the same, who wanted to do things together.”
“We encourage people to embrace the negative feelings and to transform them into positive actions.”, adds Marina, one of the primus motors of the group.
The group decided that they want to create a forum, where people can come together, discuss and think together about the burning issues in Terrassa on climate matters. Greenfluencers were expecting that their core audience and participants would probably come from other youth, but they also thought that the question of the climate is a concern of everybody.
As they didn’t have a clear agenda for local and political action yet, but wanted to examine the phenomenon together with other people, they came up with an idea to interview other citizens of Terrassa about their feelings regarding Eco-anxiety and climate change for a video. And as this was a concern of everybody, they wanted to create a story where people from children to grandparents would get their voice out and heard.
They had also been mostly working online before 2022 and knew that they would need to get the word out for other people in the community of Terrassa that they exist. The group designed an action plan including activities from meeting politicians to critical bike rides and cleanups, which culminated in a launching event, where they would present the story they had created together with other concerned citizens of Terrassa.
“We need other people like us.” says Marina, “We need to unite with other groups like us. Otherwise we are just small groups around the city, who don’t know each other. We might have similar goals, but if we want to really be heard by the environmental department, we need to join with the rest.”
“It would be very good to arrive into more political space, so we would have discussions with politicians to make things bigger and to create change. But also for now, the objective is to send a message to people that it’s a good idea to find people like you and create action.”, Carla adds.
So the plan was to get people interested and study the phenomenon together before starting a process of a dialogue.
The first thing, that the group did, was examining the phenomenon of eco-anxiety with other citizens of Terrassa, from children to grandmothers. The video was an important tool for the Greenfluencer in creating community and as a discussion opener in their events and online.
For subtitles, please click the “cc” icon on the lower right corner of the video player.
When you want to invite people into your movement, it’s crucial to keep the threshold of joining low enough and be as welcoming as possible.
There is definitely something special in the way the Greenfluencers are working. They don’t claim to know everything or have an action plan that would help to solve all of the problems in the community regarding climate matters. Instead they care and are interested, what people are saying in their group and around them. They are able to hold space for people and each other to create common understanding, what are the key issues they should start to work on.
After working out their action plan, they got themselves in to a business. First they needed to see who was out there in Terrassa working with climate issues already. They mapped other actors, which they found few and started to discuss about possible future coordination. They also were invited for a meeting with the environmental department of the municipality of Terrassa.
In the meeting Greenfluencers introduced themselves and their team, but it turned out that the first meeting wasn’t as fruitful as they had expected. There was clearly a need from the municipality’s side to create more action in climate matters, but the group realised that even though, their goals were compatible with each other, the means of working were quite different and the municipality said directly, that they didn’t have resources to help Greenfluencers.
“We found that the way of working of the environmental department of the municipality of Terrassa is some how outdated and that’s why they don’t reach people as well as they would like to.”, explains Marina. “They are going to the streets and knocking people’s doors. It’s quite inefficient, as Terrassa is a very big city and there’s only 4-5 people working on this. They also send letters to people’s post boxes. Who reads letters nowadays?”
Greenfluencers decided that for the moment, it was better to work on a grassroot level. As they needed to get people interested and to join, they got active in the social media and organised a cinema night on climate issues before their launching event.
“It would be improvement to see people becoming more active citizens. Meaning that they start participating more in the city and have this mindset of let’s do this together. Even if it’s something little, like participating on an activity, or in a debate or in whatever we, or any other organization organizes.” Marina continues, “And also when this environmental movement starts growing, we are in some way able to put pressure into politicians.”
The launch turned out to be a success. Greenfluencers had kept noise about themselves and it all materialised in the event. The local media was there, the representatives of the mucipality were there, other climate actors were there and the general public was there.
They screened their video, discussed it’s thematics and possible future cooperation with the audience. The seeds of the growth of Greenfluencers in Terrassa were planted. It wasn’t yet a process of deep dialogue with grassroots level and the authorities on climate matters, but it was a start.
“We started something, that takes maybe months or years to understand, what it is going to be.” says Carolina, “We put together energy, a plan and a video story to start a movement in Terrassa. Our aim was to reach out to people, reach out to the younger generations, who are struggling with climate change and everything that comes with it. It’s the new reality we need to deal with and there’s so many youngsters, who are suffering from eco-anxiety and they don’t know about it. So we wanted to create a space, where they could join, share their thoughts , share their worries and to connect with each other and us.”
She continues, “It’s amazing that couple of us young people were able to create space for people who we don’t really know, but with who we are somehow connected. Its good to have good feedback from others, as it gives the project sense. We noticed that people do care and people really are suffering and this stuff is actually happening, so we are able to give us all a voice to talk about things.”
“Change is something, that doesn’t happen in two days.”, Marina adds, “We already did something together with other European youth and there I realised, how difficult it is to create change and make them join a movement. But now we see it clearer and are able to continue working.”
Dialogue can be seen as an act of negotiation and a process whre different stories intervene. The first important step is to define the message or create the story, the voice you want the others to hear. If you are not sure, what the story is, or where the process of a dialogue could lead, advocacy can be be a great tool in bringing various voices in to help to draw a bigger picture about what is happening.
Carolina
I’m Carolina. I am an environmental educator and I love nature (except for bugs). Unfortunately, from a very young age, the issues of climate change and natural disasters have led me to have anxiety about it. Some time ago I met the Greenfluencers group. With them we talk, complain and vent about the issue, so that we can then take action on the matter, either with a clean-up in the forest, or a flashmob in front of the town hall.
And you? Are you joining the movement?
I remember waking up and feeling disappointed with the world. I remember watching the news and trying to understand the damages we’re causing to the environment for selfish reasons. I wanted to act but I didn’t know how. At that time I was only a child. The years were passing but the fear and the anxiety(or what we today know as eco-anxiety) hasn’t stopped. The only thing that brought me hope was that someday, someone would have the courage to change the world. Now, as I’m standing today writing this I understand that the only people who really can do something are ourselves. The fact that there are so many of us willing to create changes is the one thing that motivates me to keep going so be a direct influence to the environment and their people.
Marina
I’m Marina, I’m 29 years old and I’m from Terrassa. I love nature, doing sports and animals. Combining everything is my favorite pastime! I am part of Greenflencers Terrassa because here I have found the space to share my concerns about climate change, but also to be able to contribute ideas to improve the city and carry out ecological activities and actions for the people of Terrassa!
I started to be concerned about climate change as a teenager but the concern grew over the years. I found myself alone with my thoughts for a very long time because at thome my mother didn’t have the resources to support me and between my friends there was no one who was part of any organisation or movement of any kind. So I assumed that my concern was not important and I dealt with it on my own for a long time.
However, as it grew stronger and also my positioning towards it, I felt the need to act and I had the great chance to start the project Greenfluencers from the beginning. Thanks to it I had the chance, for the first time in my life, to unite people for an environmental cause, and to feel supported and part of a group which can start to act together for a better future.
Anastasia
I am Anastasia and I am from Greece. I love dancing, travelling and spending time in nature. I joined the Greenfluencers group as I have met some amazing people that I can share my concerns with. This motivates me to contribute to the creation of a more sustainable world!
Before leaving Greece I was not so informed about the topics of sustainability and I did not find the motivation to learn more things about it. I started to be motivated in joining Greenfluencers when I saw how committed and passionate the people were. I realised that ,by being in this team, I will learn new things and at the same time I will contribute to a bigger aim. Belonging in this team makes me feel that I can have a greater impact on this world!
Léa
I’m Léa, and I’m from the south of France. I’m the graphic designer of the group, and I really lov to talk! I am always motivated and full of energy to get involved in projects like Greenfluencers now. When I met the Greenfluencers group, I thought it was time to take the next step and be more active in this fight.
Having spent my childhood on a farm, my father being a farmer, I always grew up in an environment where we cared about the products we bought, ate and how they were produced. I continued to follow this same model as I became independent and began to question the why, and the environmental issues of our society. Through the Greenfluencers group, I met people who shared the same convictions as me, all motivated to create actions, to raise awareness for the improvement of our environment.
Carla
I am Carla, a calm girl but at the same time very eager to know what is happening in the world and around me, and always eager to meet new challenges. I’m a nature fanatic, so if you don’t know where I am, I might be climbing mountains. Cooking relaxes me a lot, and I love eating and trying new dishes, especially from cultures different from my own. At Greenfluencers I feel like I am part of a group with concerns similar to mine, and surrounding myself with people who want to change things, even on a small scale, gives me hope in the face of an increasingly pessimistic society with the future
Some years ago I watched a documentary about climate change where they talked about how the ice melting in the poles, created by global warming, is gonna affect us in many ways. I remember being very shocked, and after that I started to look for more information about the topic. Then it’s when I started worrying about climate change and started looking for ways to reduce my impact on the planet. Nevertheless, I always felt that I wasn’t doing enough and that I needed more ways to take care of the planet. Joining the Greenfluencers group has relieved my anxiety about the topic and gives me hope, because I am sure that when you fight as a group instead of an individual, your impact is bigger.
Angi
Hello! I’m Angi, 24 years old from Terrassa. I am passionate about stories, as well as listening and taking care of my surroundings. The concern, discomfort and helplessness I feel in front of the climate emergency and the future of our planet led me to Greenfluencers, a space with other young people where we can share and join together!
It was some years ago that the news of climate change and environmental disasters hit me. I started to be more conscious about all the wrong things that humanity was doing to the earth. I felt small and anxious because what I was doing individually felt like it wasn’t enough for me, it was impacting my daily life as I was judging every step I took: Is this sustainable enough? Should I have done it differently? With Greenfluencers I found a small community of people who also care and have respect for everyone and everything, so I found a safe place of wonderful people with whom I believe we can do good things and impact positevely, at least, the people who surround us, our families and friends, and each other.
Clara
I’m Clara, from Terrassa, physics student at the UAB. I like to read, dance and listen to music, mainly Catalan music. I really enjoy nature and I adore animals, this is where my concern for the future of the planet came from and becoming a vegetarian gave me the final push to take direct action against the climate crisis, joining Greenfluencers Terrassa.
Before joining Greenfluencers, I cared a lot about the planet and the massive impact our frenetic lifestyles have on the world around us. Despite the changes I implemented in my life to lessen my repercussions, I felt it wasn’t enough. I kept on seeing the Earth being destroyed while nobody seemed to care. That’s why I saw the group as an opportunity to find like-minded people who also had among their values avoiding the damage to the environment, as well as a way of reaching other people to join the cause. Being part of Greenfluecers gives me hope for the future and has made me realize the impact we can have as individuals when we work together.
“When you are in front of this big problem that concerns the whole world, you wonder, can I change these things, or can I change these things on my own? It’s so big and you get scared. The thing was, to create a group, where these single persons could feel more powerful, when they are surrounded by other people – like us. And to give the confidence to the people that they can actually do something, change something on their own. Little by little.”
Our projects are mainly funded by the Finnish government. The most important funding partners are the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as well as the Finnish National Agency for Education and the European Union.
An official partnership with consultative status has been established between UNESCO and the Peace Education Institute.