From spectator sport to mass participation? What should Extinction Rebellion do next?

So it feels like Extinction Rebellion risk switching off the middle ground. In other words, they might alienate those people who ‘get’ why climate change should be our number one priority, but don’t want (or don’t have the financial headroom) to protest on the streets.  The good news is that more people are thinking about socially, ecologically and financially sustainable ways to live and work. Could Extinction Rebellion capitalise on this, by encouraging everyone to make small changes, showing what we need more of (and less of) in response to the climate emergency?

For starters, how about Meat-free Monday one month, followed by Meat-free Midweek the next month – and a Meat-Free Month later in the year. Encouraging people to share their actions, in conversations with friends, family, colleagues and on social media, amplifies the scale of the protest, and normalises more sustainable behaviour. Thousands (millions?) of small actions multiply to make a big statement – to governments, companies and other citizens.

There’s more – other initiatives could include car-free weeks (make this ‘one day this week’ rather than a specific day, otherwise public transport won’t cope!), returning your packaging to the supermarket, no soft-drinks, no processed food, repair weeks etc.