WCC-3 Blog: Introducing Ellie

Over the coming two weeks, we will feature blog entries by the Global Changemakers attending the World Climate Conference WCC-3 in Geneva in late August/early September. We’re kicking off things with the last of the six to be selected.

 

 

 

 

Hi guys. I hope you are all well So I’ve been asked to write a short blog-shaped introduction to me, my background and what I do.  ‘Why?’ I hear some of you ask? Well, I’m lucky enough to be the sixth Global Changemaker to be attending the 3rd World Climate Conference in Geneva next month. Hooray!

 

A picture of me doing the Green Finger Pledge (I couldn’t find a normal picture). For those interested the thing I want to protect from climate change reads “Passion, Energy and Ability to Enact Change from the Grassroots”.

 

So a little about me and where I come from:
Well my name is Ellie (a good place to start I guess). I’m 21 years old and I was born in little tiny village in Suffolk (East Anglia, UK), where life was insular, happy and most of all pretty care free (at least in comparison to now!). I went to the local village school, then a local girl’s school and on to a state sixth form. I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life, I just took everything one step at a time and followed my natural interest in human geography.  Luckily I stumbled on the university and course I would eventually take; International Development Studies at the University of Sussex (south coast of England), which I have just finished (ahh!).

 

The view from my bedroom window from my home in Suffolk.

 

It was during my time at university that my eyes were opened to the world of environmental and social justice issues, that I found my true vocation in life, and that my life got interesting. Sussex, for those who don’t know it, is renowned for being a radical left-wing university (not that I knew that when I was applying) and I soon began campaigning.  Within my first term, just 10 weeks, I was heavily involved in the new and exciting environmental campaign happening at university, and from there my campaigning took on an endlessly exciting and diverse road.  In my three years, as well as studying and working a part time job I have campaigned on the environment and climate change, against nuclear weapons, for an increase in awareness about mental illness, against agrofuels, for free education for all, for peace in the Middle East and many other things in between. I’ve found myself in many bizarre situations, including being arrested for my part in non-violent direct action against a nuclear arms base, travelling around the West Bank to find out about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and camping outside airports and power stations as part of the annual Camp for Climate Action.

 

Me being arrested outside the Faslane nuclear base in Scotland and me by the partition wall just outside Bethlehem.

 

As a student campaigner I recently won the National Union of Students Higher Education ‘Student Unionist of the Year’ award for my contribution and efforts to campaigning (and particularly environmental campaigning) at both a local and national level – so you can trust me to drive for decent targets and goals during my time in Geneva.

Aside from my campaigning I have studied topics ranging from health and development to gender and development, but I have focused much of my degree research on climate change and development and the Middle East, giving me a braod-based knowledge of development issues and an appreciation of the impacts of relatively new phenomena (like climate change) on them.

Currently I work for the UK Youth Climate Coalition as the logistics manager for their Power Shift youth summit taking place in October, as well as a campaigns assistant for the Age of Stupid (http://www.ageofstupid.net), and now I’m part of the team going to Geneva!  I’ll be taking part in the ‘Climate Change and Human Health’ working group, and I’m really really excited to be able to combine the knowledge I got from my degree and from my time campaigning to be able to fight for the right of every man, woman and child to a healthy body and mind.