Carbon Capture and the Youth Environmental Service

Last month, Harry Grosvenor attended a photography event looking at photography as a method to raise awareness on the local issues young people encounter relating to the climate crisis.

Here is his review:

“Photography is not a strong point of mine, but as climate change and the environment are huge passions, I jumped at the opportunity to take part in Carbon Capture. The event used participatory photography as a method to raise awareness on the local issues young people encounter relating to the climate crisis. The overarching aim of this exercise was to gather information that may shape the introduction and growth of the Youth Environmental Service.

The idea behind the Youth Environmental Service is to target 18-24 year olds and connect them to the environment by employing them in nature-based projects. This may be planting trees, building natural flood defenses, or conserving our marine environments. The project will have widespread benefits including: providing young people with employment, working towards solving a number of environmental issues, improving the mental health of those involved and introducing them to other like-minded individuals.

Climate Effects Road Trip

Armed with my prompt relating to the climate crisis and its future effects, I set off on my merry way across the Suffolk coast to take some photographs!

First, I visited Dunwich, to capture the coastal erosion that washed away a once great medieval port. Traversing through the wooded coastal footpaths I experienced the soothing effect that just being around nature instantly brings. Calmed, and having documented the haunting story of Dunwich’s last grave, I moved on to Sizewell beach.

The proposed site of the Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station is what I had come for, and following a fresh beach walk, is what I had pictured.

The final stop along my Suffolk coast road trip was Old Felixstowe, where I had gone looking for protective action against climate change and the stilted houses located there. I walked from the car park along the sea wall, just taking in the fresh air.

The whole trip made it clear how large an effect being around nature can make to someone’s mood and how much of a benefit it brings.

Carbon Capture

The event itself displayed our photographs in the Whitworth Gallery, Manchester. Where a number of carefully devised workshops explored our experiences taking the photos and our collective experiences of the climate crisis in general.

The workshops really encouraged participation and discussion from all the participants. Concerns and motivations were openly shared and I personally found it extremely reassuring that a number of other young people share the same climate anxiety that I do.

Overwhelmingly, everyone involved expressed a desire to stay in touch after the event with a channel for communication and dialogue opened. The full-event totally reinforced that yes, the climate crisis is terrifying, but with support and by working together it becomes a bit more manageable and ultimately beatable.”

Dunwich’s Last Grave: The last surviving grave stone of a medieval cemetery placed atop coastal cliff. All-bar-one of the graves have fallen over the eroding cliff face and old bones still occasionally weather out of the cliff onto the beach below.

Stilted Houses: One of the few pictures I took showing possible solutions rather than onrushing concerns. As sea level rises and coastal flooding becomes a bigger and bigger risk, will we see more new builds elevated like this?

Sizewell C Site: A proposed new nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast. Planned a stone’s throw away from the encroaching sea, the project’s approval has been subject to much public debate and controversy since approval.