Cycling from the Highlands to Holyrood to highlight green issues and climate change
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A group of friends is set to cycle from the Highlands to Holyrood to highlight green issues and climate change to MSPs.
They are planning to set off from their home village of Farr tomorrow, Covid-19 restrictions permitting, and are hoping to reach their destination either next Friday or Saturday.
In the event they cannot make the trip south for any reason they still intend to take their message around the Highlands, covering a similar distance overall.
Organisers Kristina High, a 46-year-old consultant anaesthetist at Raigmore Hospital, and Philine Van Der Heide, a 52-year-old consultant paediatrician also at the hospital, will be accompanied by their children for the journey – 11-year-old Lente Robinson, 10-year-olds Olly and Freya Baraclough, and Heather Robinson (8).
Ms High said: "We will be cycling from Farr to Holyrood to show our commitment to sustainable travel and to raise public awareness on the need to live sustainably.
"We are at a stage as a species on our planet now where we are using resources to the detriment of all other species. We are producing waste in the form of products that will not decompose for a very long time, and in the form of gases that are changing our climate significantly."
She said that concerns had been raised by scientists for decades – but the effects were now being felt in the form of extreme weather together with a reduction in biodiversity.
"The future as we think we know it now hangs in a delicate balance. If we don’t change how we live our children are going to suffer hardship that many of us have not had to endure.
"We owe our children the chance of a happy future on our planet."
Ms High said she was pleased that the younger generation were so concerned about the environment and added: “I’m proud that our children have taken this on as a concern, and that they’re willing to take action on such big issues.”
They are hoping to speak with MSPs from the Highlands, as well as those from the constituencies they will be passing through, and so far they have had a good response.
Ms High said: "The response has been impressive. I’ve contacted a number of MSPs and they have all responded. Some have been unable to commit any time to speak with us, but a few have been very positive and have offered to meet us."
So far these include new Highland MSPs Emma Roddick and Ariane Burgess.
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