As COP26 officially begins, the team at Willow Den Scotland are reminded of our passion and dedication not only to the children that attend our outdoor nursery but also of our responsibility in ensuring that our world is a safe and healthy place in which we can rewild childhood and connect children to the beauty and wonder of nature.
What is COP26?
The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Two overarching goals are to secure global net-zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach and adapt to protect communities and natural habitats. Natural habitats are the foundation of Willow Den outdoor nurseries – they are the spaces where children can thrive, grow, learn. They are places that children can learn to take care of, in the heart of their own communities. For this very reason alone, healthy natural habitats must exist in order to be able to provide these spaces for children, and so our responsibility in doing this is intrinsically linked to our personal responsibility to our environment.
Making a change – understanding our impact on the planet
We may understand some of the impacts we have on our world simply by living our daily lives, how much more informed will our future leaders be by starting this journey at nursery? Take time to think about what we do, why we do it, and what we can do better for the planet and for us. These can be small things with a big impact; understanding what our own carbon footprint is, the reality of recycling, looking at alternative energy sources. At Willow Den, we all possess a shared passion for implementing a more sustainable approach to our daily lives, however, we also recognise that this sustainability can not be achieved by a minority. The tangible change will occur when the majority of us are able to live a well-rounded life that both fulfils us, yet does not adversely affect the beautiful world in which we live.
Teaching our children about the world we live in
The COP26 Summit could not have come at a better time. With Willow Den’s Spartans site opening soon, the team are feeling inspired by the unity and compassion we are seeing towards the Earth, and the commitment to do better that is shared among so many nations across the global stage. It is an incredibly exciting time to be outdoors, and we are in awe that so many people are understanding the importance of nature and supporting changes that will undoubtedly protect our ability to provide a healthy, natural space where we can rewild childhood and ensure children have the opportunity to love nature for years to come.
Read more about the COP26 summit, here.
