Want to save the world? Go off-grid
I AM a supporter of Extinction Rebellion’s climate protest, but instead of protesting with the masses in London, I have taken my three children — Ivy, 12, Soul, ten, and two-year-old Osho — two dogs and two hens to set up camp in the woods for a fortnight. We have gone back to basics. I create rustic hazel structures for weddings and events, so I know how to build a fine, large bender — a traditional woodland workers’ dwelling that has a low impact on the countryside. For two weeks, we are living away from the crowds, the mayhem, the 5G headaches, travel and stress. We have gone back to nature, cooking on an open fire. We don’t have any electricity and we won’t be using the car. I would love to have a horse, but I’m not ready for that yet. My two older children are homeschooled, so they are continuing with their studies. I am running craft workshops and gatherings around the fire for people who could not make it to the London protests. This is a starter project to prepare for next year, when I plan to move out of my on-grid council house and build a gypsy-style wagon from scratch, taking to the road with my family on a round-the-coast adventure. I will be running single-use plastic workshops, crafting collage and upcycled junk pictures, planting trees, blogging the journey and making a TV documentary about our travels. ELLIE SUMPTER, Nailsworth, Glos. I AM a believer of climate change, but, instead of pointless protests, how about these three suggestions: Everyone should be limited to a maximum of 1,000 miles air travel each year (with a passenger air tax applied for every extra 100 miles). Instead of travelling to meetings around the world, businesses should use video conferencing. And get rid of your second family car unless it is electric. Adopting such measures would go some way to stopping the pollution of the planet. PETER GOODMAN, Plymouth, Devon.