To read Sheridans EJ blog click here.

Name: Sheridan Piggott.
Age: 34
Location:  Milford, Derbyshire.
EJ statement: "I am a non-car owner for environmental reasons".
Sheridan says: “Raising awareness of the effect of our everyday actions is a key part of being an EJ activist”.

Background
Sheridan qualified as a solicitor in 1999, specialising in employment law, but soon moved to work in the voluntary sector – working for the Citizens Advise Bureau (CAB) and law centres.  In 2003 she started her own business, Northern Star Training, which provides training and resources in employment rights and responsibility and aims to encourage better ways of working.

In 2004, Northern Star started taking on work with more of an environmental focus including the setting up of employee volunteering events in South Yorkshire.  In the summer of 2006 Sheridan project managed ITVs ‘Big Clean Up’ in Sheffield and became a cycle trainer for Derby City Council. 

Most recently Sheridan received funding from a consortium of environmental organisations in Derby to manage a pilot project called ‘Choose Cycling’ that promotes cycling and sustainable transport in Derby.  Over the next few months she will ask 100 adults to swap 2 car journeys a week for cycling, walking, bus or the train … An interesting challenge!

EJ Activism
Sheridan was introduced to environmental justice through a course run in collaboration by Capacity Global and Friends of the Earth Scotland (FoES).  The concept captured her interest because of the way it combines social justice and the environmental movement.  Fortunate enough to obtain funding from the Derbyshire Community Foundation she attended the three day course - link.

Within the huge world of Environmental Justice she has a particular passion for working to change the UK’s car dependent culture as it has so many negative effects on the environment and quality of life. She also works to help a local community group campaign against a large housing development that has been initiated in her village.

The Bigger Picture
Environmental Justice links the big modern environmental issues to the small actions we all take on a daily basis.  The most visible part of the problem is the development of large housing estates with little or no consultation with the people who live there, the motorway built through the poorest district of town, the incinerator, the supermarket built on the outskirts of town. 

The less visible problems are the traffic fumes that drift from the motorway into a small child’s front garden; she can’t play anywhere else as there is no recreational space.  Or maybe it’s the twelve families all forced to leave their homes by compulsory purchase orders to make way for the shopping centre that everyone has to drive to (not to mention the local retailers that struggle to survive).  The way we respond to development is also very important – the small actions we take add to and support the problems.

Sheridan explains – getting into a car to drive a few minutes to the shops increases carbon dioxide emissions, which contributes to climate change, which is having devastating effects on some of the poorest parts of the world. Buying food from a supermarket like Tesco supports corporate monopoly practices such as low prices for local suppliers, poor working conditions in developing countries and it leads to the clone town effect that has taken the heart out of many of our country’s towns.

Advise to New EJ Activists
1) Find an area of injustice that really moves you – perhaps one that affects your local area or workplace and get involved – write a letter or join a group.

2) Think about how your everyday actions can make a difference. Turn off all the power in your house at night, buy at local stores, bank ethically, leave your packaging in Boots, ask the local café if they will install cycle stands, most importantly, don’t buy any more stuff …

3) Read books like Tescopoly, save cash and save the planet, subscribe to the Ethical Consumer, watch an Inconvenient Truth (then give it to all your friends!)…

For more information on Environmental Justice training or to get involved please contact: ejactivists@capacityglobal.org.uk