Page 9 - BPW-UK - E-news - Edition 109 - February 2023 with BELFAST AGM 2023 Flyer_Neat

BPW Europe:

Green and Sustainable

Working Group

When I received the invitation to register for the
BPW Europe’s Green and Sustainable working group
meeting held virtually on 16 January 2023, I was delighted to learn that after a long
time of not being able to get together the group was now having a fresh start mak-
ing new plans for this year. Perfect timing to join!

Twelve women from seven different countries (Austria, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Spain,
UK, USA) discussed the group’s main activitiy which is centred around Earth Day –
nd
a global event celebrated each year on 22 April to raise awareness of the need to
protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations. The first Earth Day was held
in 1970. With this focus BPW seeks to promote the message of sustainability and
encourage individual responsibility and action in women. This is done by inviting
women around the world to join us in making pledges to Mother Earth to improve
sustainability in our lives for the year ahead. It can be anything, big or small chang-
es, personal or professional, from deciding to renounce plastic bags, to changing di-
etary habits – it’s just important that the pledge is something one intends to follow throughout
the year, and that it’s shared on social media to increase the motivation!

It is planned to build up BPW green teams in every country and organisation over
the next years to deliver the message. Siiri Puttonen from BPW Estonia who led the
Working Group meeting encouraged each country to build on their inputs from last
year and share the stories with all BPW clubs worldwide – under the motto “Women
are changing the world”, although people of all genders and ages are invited to par-
ticipate.

Also other activities were discussed, such as a hybrid event on sustainable food and
science on 22-23 February in Trieste organised by the Italian team, or to intensify
the coordination of lectures and discussions on sustainability in various countries.

It was a very inspiring meeting with lots of energy in the (virtual) room to position
BPW as the driving force to save the planet. We owe it to our children, and some-
times it feels like we are running out of time…
Ros Horsley