Quotes

A selection of quotes from people who have got involved with ClimateXchange.

Oxfordshire ClimateXChange

Feedback from some of our participants, Nov 2007

"...there's something I don't yet fully understand about your approach which is encouraging, enabling and, importantly, light-hearted where appropriate, that just helps me get and stay on board."

 

"ClimateXchange is the best thing since sliced bread. I had no idea it had a limited lifespan and very much hope that it will continue. It's making a real difference!"

"Climate-X has achieved four almost unprecedented things in Oxfordshire. First, it has become the "go-to" organisation in the county . . . amazing given that it has only been around just over a year. Second, it has sowed the seeds of change outside of Oxford City, encouraging activity in towns and villages that prior efforts didn't seem to reach. Third, it has brought together the academic expertise in the University with popular action, allowing the wider public access to a combination of accurate information with terrific communication devices that make it easy to engage new audiences. And finally, it has managed to do all of this in a way that inspires and brings together the already extant groups, largely because of the extraordinary spirit of collaborative generosity that has marked the project from the beginning."

 

"Climate Xchange has been a real support in helping us to run sessions at our youth group enabling our young people to become more informed and proactive in their approach to climate change. I hope you that you will be able to support us in the future.  We would love to have you back."

Banbury Woodcraft Folk

"CXC is the only climate change organisation, so far, to entice me to an all-day event. The last couple of years are cluttered with good intentions on my part which came to nothing, but there's something I don't yet fully understand about your approach which is encouraging, enabling and, importantly, light-hearted where appropriate, that just helps me get and stay on board.  When I made it to your HQ I got the best exposition of the science I've yet witnessed, which unlike those of other more famous specialists didn't depress the hell out of me. Plus a  well-structured day and more ways of connecting what I already do and love with the cause.   Wow!"

 

"I couldn't have got things started here without the support of ClimateX and contacts I've made through ClimateX ClimateX has made an environment group possible in East and West Hendred by:  Making visible to us lots of other groups and activities around Oxfordshire which have inspired us; helping Wantage and Grove Green People screen An Inconvenient Truth, where several of us from East Hendred saw each other and realised we had a common  concern; helping us do our own screening where we rounded our numbers up to 20 interested locals.  I'm still always checking out ClimateX for news and support and I want to publicise our activities in the future through ClimateX because networking with similar groups is so helpful and encouraging..  I hope to make full use of all the resources of ClimateX in the future too, particularly the website and the networking opportunities."

"My thanks for such a great talk last Monday. In the past we have had several speakers talk about climate change but there is no doubt that Max was the best. He managed to pitch it at just the right level and having those video clips really made it for the students. I was really sad to hear that your set up may close. I hope for all our sakes that you are able to continue working in this field."

King Alfred School

"Climate X Change is excellent - it has been a good resource of information, support and encouragement for us in reducing our carbon footprint. The website is particularly good. The links which have been forged have been timely and have stopped many of us reinventing the wheel within our small community groups.  Many thanks."

"I met the chair of the Oxfordshire Economic Partnership, on Friday. The most important thing he said was that if we are going to engage people we have to market our interests to them as professionally as possible - excite, incentivise and make people feel good about engagement.  I think that is exactly what you are trying to do - probably better than any of the rest of us.  To me that is the crucial argument for keeping Climate-X going - you are reaching people who would not have engaged otherwise and in the process showing a way forward to some of us grey depressing boring environmentalists."

Chair, Environment Committee, Oxfordshire Partnership

"Members of The Midcounties Co-operative have been inspired by the positive approach by ClimateXChange.  A real buzz has been created through working with ClimateXChange , providing the motivation for many of our members to organize their own activities to help defend the environment.  Colleagues of The Midcounties Co-operative have also engaged with the enthusiasm and have started implementing new practices into the work place because of this. We hope to continue working closely with Climate X Change in the future. 

Mid-Counties Co-operative

"Thank you for all the excellent work you have been doing.  As a result of your start-up meeting, we now have an energy saving/green issues group in our building that meets on a regular basis.  We have "green notice boards" on 2 floors and have shown films and have had activities for energy awareness week.  It is great to have your team behind us on this and to know that we can call on you for ideas and resources. It is super to receive your regular emails of relevant events locally and as a result I went along to the meeting and screening  of "An Inconvenient Truth" by the Kidlington group.  I learnt about this because you publicised it.  You have really got groups organised and enthused and raised the profile of energy awareness and environmental events happening locally. I think that it is very important to have your group to support and encourage us and to help with ideas and resources. You have started the ball rolling but I think you need to continue keeping the whole network going and to send out gentle reminders to the groups to ensure continuity and to keep things moving in the right direction. Thank you for all your hard work"

 Oxford University Clinical Trials Support Unit

 

"Yikes, I didn't realise it wasn't permanent!!  I couldn't speak more highly of your organisation, for the openness and help you have provided to ECO-St. over our first 6 months of business.  You have been a wonderful source of information, contacts and support, and long may it continue.  I spoke at your 'Green Business Conference' at Harwell a couple of weeks back, and I felt that was an enormously useful event for the business community to raise awareness of the environmental issues."

ECO.St Ltd

"ClimateXchange is carrying out important work in spreading the message about climate change.  This is encouraging and helping people consider the  environment and take actions to protect it.   It is vital that this message is put across in as many different formats as possible.  ClimateXchange is providing an excellent service in doing just that." 

 Green Accountancy Limited

"I feel I've come late to a timely, exciting and obviously fruitful project. In a very short time, ClimateXchange has uniquely caught the local imagination, connecting experts and enthusiasts so together they can explore new, practical and fun ways to tackle this complex challenge. Long may it continue - for all our sakes"

 

"Rather late in the day to tell you how valuable I have found the work being done, and being enabled to be done, by ClimateXChange. There are lots of organisations working on climate change but all with their own agenda.  As the topic is so all embracing it is clearly not one that can be tackled by that well known "one size fits all".  This is where ClimateXChange has the edge:  CXC enables you to do what you believe can be done.  This is so good when the group you might feel able to work with doesn't quite fit one of those other preset agendas.  I am probably not alone in having been rather slow and timid to get going.  I really do hope that, having done so much good work to get things started the plug is going to be pulled just as the depth of water in the bath is looking useable! Yours, most appreciatively"

 

 "Good, innovative and a high profile.  I found the meetings with everyone saying what they are doing very helpful.  Good practical things and good networking.  I'd hate to see all the momentum stop.  I think that the collaboration with COIN is very good."

 

"The only thing really I know about climateX is the day I did clowning at your Climate Creatives event.  This for me was hugely valuable and I hope there will be many more similar events." 

 

"There is plenty of publicity about the effects of climate change, but very little practical advice, beyond simple changes that can be made (which most people are now aware of) such as fitting energy efficient lightbulbs, and turning thermostats down. The strength of the ClimateXChange website is in providing actual case studies and practical examples of what businesses and individuals are doing, and contact details for organisations that can provide assistance.  Raising awareness is the first step in carbon reduction. ClimateXChange does this and more."

Environment Manager, Unipart

 

"When the reports from IPCC show even more clearly that human activities are changing the climate is not the time to close ClimateX. As we race towards a carbon dioxide concentration of 400ppm, every opportunity must be taken to generate public support for and involvement in measures to combat this rise. ClimateX has shown that it can engender interest in climate change and promote local initiatives to involve the public."

 

"In a relatively short time Climate X-Change has made strong connections with local community groups and has been an engaging and inspiring force. We look forward to the opportunity to work more closely with you in future."

Sustainable Energy Team, Oxford City Council

"ClimateX is really great - even though I live & work in London it has much of interest to me.  It has lots of high quality original content on the website & in the newsletter that I don't see elsewhere.  I particularly like the old school type design of the website, which makes it look v friendly!"

London

"Although I live in Scotland, it has been inspiring to be kept informed of all the activity being organised and taking place in Oxfordshire. Here in Scotland, whilst there is quite a lot of activity around this issue, it certainly isn't as well co-ordinated. Without someone taking on this role, all the hard work put on by campaigning organisations and volunteers can be wasted if there is a poor turn out from the public."

Scotland

"ClimateXchange seems to have made a great start as a catalyst to get people motivated about climate change"

Cornwall