To put those figures in context, the average UK person currently has an annual carbon footprint of around 13 tonnes.<\/p>\n
But can one woman\u2019s efforts really make a difference? I caught up with Sarah before she set off and asked what she hoped to achieve from her efforts?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very aware that me just cycling instead of say, driving, isn\u2019t actually making a huge impact on its own but I hope that, through the concept of the whole tour, I can appeal to people\u2019s conscience, about how they travel and think about how they get to venues.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso the programs that I\u2019ve chosen, especially the solo program, is music that I think is just incredibly beautiful and inspired by the elements. I\u2019ve got a piece that is called The Weathervane which sounds really tumultuous and I think it is just perfect for the instability that we\u2019re experiencing at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
A love of the natural environment and simply being outside provided the inspiration for Sarah to look for alternatives to the standard way of touring. And this concert series isn\u2019t her first such experience.<\/p>\n
\u201c I like being outside, I notice a lot of things, and I notice when they\u2019re not there. That worries me a lot. It\u2019s that simple, really.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast summer, I cycled to a concert instead of flying with the rest of the ensemble. The conversations that I had along the way were great. It can seem like we feel we\u2019re a minority, until we speak to somebody else, and then we realise that most of us are actually really concerned about what\u2019s going on. By cycling I\u2019m showing that this alternative way of touring is out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Via Instagram, Sarah will also be documenting the tour and observing how the country is changing with the climate. She\u2019ll also be linking up with some RSPB reserves along the way including at Flamborough Head where she hopes to experience the nesting puffins to highlight their plight.<\/p>\n
On the practical challenges<\/p>\n
How can a single bike be packed with essentials for two months of travel never mind a large, delicate viola da gamba instrument?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all all on my bike, I\u2019m completely self supported. I\u2019ve done some trial runs like around the Midlands, and then also, I cycled around in Cornwall and checked everything worked \u2013 there\u2019s quite a lot of hills there!<\/p>\n
\u201cSo my gamba goes on one side of my pannier rack, my tent (because I\u2019ll be doing some camping as well) on the middle. I see it as my house \u2013 so the back is, like my kind of sleeping arrangements and clothes and everything. Then at the front I have my kitchen and my office and my repair shed, and then essentials on the handlebars. That\u2019s just everything I need.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you want to see Sarah perform, the full programme can be seen\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0and if you\u2019d like to support her with a donation, there is a\u00a0Ko-Fi page<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Sarah will be performing at Pianodrome in Edinburgh on 27 May at 7pm. <\/p>\n For more information and resources about flight-free travel:<\/p>\n Flight Free UK<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0educates the public about the climate impact of aviation, and gives information and inspiration for travelling by other means.<\/p>\n Scientists, academics, and members of the public who either don\u2019t fly or who fly less:\u00a0No Fly Climate Sci<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n A community of aviation workers and enthusiasts who care about the future of our industry and our planet:\u00a0Safe Landing<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n A former pilot, Todd Smith speaks in a podcast by Sci4XR Pete Knapp,\u00a0here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n This article was first published by Sarah Hartley on the Northern Eco Substack<\/a> and is republished here with permission. Both Sarah and The Edinburgh Reporter are fellow members of Independent Community News Network<\/a> (ICNN) the industry body for independent journalism.<\/strong><\/p>\n
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