Crafting Change: Sustainability Week at Selby College

This week, the Our Zero Selby team had the pleasure of joining Selby College's Sustainability Craft Week, bringing a touch of "Craftivism" to the students. Throughout the week, we hosted free mini Craftivism events, providing all the materials needed to create meaningful green hearts. Whether students were seasoned sewers, were giving sewing a try for the first time or preferred using textile pens, everyone was able to participate and express their thoughts.

So, what exactly is Craftivism? It's a gentle form of activism that uses crafts to engage with climate change in a positive way. We worked with students to create green hearts with banners, expressing what they cherish and fear losing to climate change, all as part of the Craftivist Collective's #ForTheLoveOf campaign. This activity sparked thoughtful reflection and opened up important conversations about protecting our planet.

Beyond the crafting, we had lovely conversations with students about their current eco-friendly practices and explored small, impactful changes they could make to reduce their carbon footprints, at home, in everyday life, and through their chosen courses. We discussed practical steps like switching to eco-conscious beauty products—a vital consideration both personally and for those pursuing careers in the beauty industry—choosing to walk or cycle for short journeys instead of driving, actively reducing single-use plastic consumption, and enhancing their recycling efforts. We discussed the things they'd miss if they were lost due to climate change, reinforcing the importance of taking action now.

Sustainability Craft Week itself was a vibrant and exciting event, where students explored eco-friendly creativity through hands-on activities. Using recycled and donated materials, they crafted sustainable art and home decor, developing green skills and connecting with like-minded peers. It was a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a more sustainable future.

We were thrilled to receive this feedback from Claire and Anne, Pastoral tutors at Selby College:

“This has been a busy week that students have thoroughly enjoyed and engaged with. It was nice for the students to have a hands-on lesson. Thanks so much for giving your time to support us at this event.”

Thank you to Selby College for inviting us to be a part of this inspiring week!

If you’d like to take part in a free Craftivism session, or you’d like to book a session for your school, college or community group, or event a group of friends, please contact Claire at claire@upforyorkshire.org.uk or call 01757 201111.