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Community action/Argyll and Bute

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The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Argyll and Bute.

Argyll and Bute
Scotland
UK
Europe
Cosmolocal
  • News Stop Climate Chaos Scotland reports on community ownership of renewables, and how data-centres might knock us off our climate targets, Daily Alternative (Feb 01, 2026)
  • News ‘You don’t get to aim big when you are somewhere small’: A teenager’s fight to end single use plastics on her Scottish island, theguardian.com (Sep 24, 2025)
  • News Perth decided as location for launch of the Scottish People’s Meeting, peoplesmeeting.org.uk (Sep 09, 2026) — We are delighted to have Perth as the home for the launch of the Scottish People's meeting: it is a beautiful city right in the heart of Scotland with excellent facilities. Most importantly there is a very strong commitment from Perth and Kinross Council to making the event a success
  • News A "Scottish Artists Minimum Income" scheme is to be piloted as soon as practicable [The Skinny], Daily Alternative (Sep 01, 2026)
  • News Denmark’s three-day democracy festival that attracts over 65,000, electoral-reform.org.uk (Jul 30, 2026)
  • News Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low, theguardian.com (Oct 15, 2026)
  • News Ardingly Reservoir falls below 20% as drought persists, BBC News (Oct 14, 2026)
  • News A growing movement for perennials could play a key role in future food security, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Oct 08, 2026) — In the wake of this summer’s drought and rising energy costs, there is renewed interest in perennial crops
  • News Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
  • News Reclaiming the streets: the architects clawing back Europe’s car-centric spaces, theguardian.com (Sep 09, 2026) — The European Prize for Urban Public Space’s shortlist highlights projects helping people cope with climate crisis
  • News We’re the mayors of Paris, Milan and Phoenix. The heat crisis has us all facing the same question, Emmanuel Grégoire, Giuseppe Sala and Kate Gallego, theguardian.com (Sep 07, 2026) — Our three cities are learning from each other about how to protect residents. These climate policies are also public health measures
  • News Hunter Valley community group wins landmark high court climate change case over coalmine, theguardian.com (Oct 07, 2026) — Ruling on Mount Pleasant coalmine shows ‘we cannot continue to dig up coal … and pretend the consequences have nothing to do with us’, group says
  • News Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
  • News Fifty Billion Seedlings: Can Ethiopia Replant Its Ravaged Forests?, e360.yale.edu (Oct 01, 2026)

Networks and sustainability initiatives

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  • Isle of Gigha, community website about the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust, community groups, projects, events, volunteering and local news. added 09:49, 1 January 2025 (UTC)
  • Mull and Iona Community Trust, dedicated and passionate locally based organisation focused on improving the quality of life for the residents of Mull and Iona.

UK and international events

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UK events

  • Event Nov 9 - 15, 2026 (Mon - Sun) — Living Wage Week, livingwage.org.uk
  • Event Nov 13, 2026 (Fri) — Kindness Day UK, Nov 13 annually, aiming to increase the value of kindness in society as well as increase the amount of kind acts that take place, making kindness a greater part in our daily life, kindnessuk.com
  • Event Nov 15 - 21, 2026 (Sun - Sat) — Road Safety Week, brake.org.uk
  • Event Nov 21 - 29, 2026 (Sat - Sun) — National Tree Week, The Tree Council's annual tree celebration. People across the country planting thousands of trees to mark the start of the winter tree planting season. "Trees and hedgerows are some of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against climate change.", treecouncil.org.uk

UK community action events

Global or international events

  • Event Nov 05, 2026 (Thu) — Media Liberation Day, Change the Media, Change the Future, mediarevolution.org
  • Event Nov 13, 2026 (Fri) — World Kindness Day, Nov 13, annually, highlighting good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness for good which binds us, randomactsofkindness.org
  • Event Nov 15, 2026 (Sun) — World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, third Sunday in November each year, worlddayofremembrance.org
  • Event Nov 16, 2026 (Mon) — International Day for Tolerance, Nov 16 each year, fostering respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human, unesco.org
  • Event Nov 19, 2026 (Thu) — International Men's Day, Nov 19, annually
  • Event Nov 27 & 28, 2026 — Buy Nothing Day, en.wikipedia.org
  • Event Nov 27, 2026 (Fri) — Citizen Friday, actionism.space

2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events

Cosmolocal discovery club

Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.

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Building a Secure Cycling Network, Cyclehoop, The Power of Cycling
Authors: European Cyclists' Federation and Content With Purpose, 3.36 mins.
Date: 2026-09-15
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When will the drought end?
Authors: Tom Edwards, BBC London, 3.07 mins.
Date: 2026-08-26
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The Route Forward
Authors: Cycling UK, 6.13 mins.
Date: 2026-09-22

Community action/United Kingdom/Cycling activism, Community action/South East England/Saving water / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism

Argyll and Bute video

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Tiree - This is Community Wealth Building
Authors: Scottish Community Alliance, 3.44 mins.
Date: 2025-11-18
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Tayvallich rewilding journey Barrahormid
Authors: Highlands Rewilding, 1.34 mins.
Date: 2024-11-05
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World Rewilding Day 2024
Authors: Seawilding, 1.34 mins.
Date: 2024-03-20
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Meet the community restoring their temperate rainforest for biodiversity and recreation
Authors: FSC UK
Date: 2024-02-05
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Farming for the future with Samara Johnstone
Authors: Nature Friendly Farming Network, 6.07 mins.
Date: 2023-11-16
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Tayvallich Initiative - Community Hopes
Authors: Tayvallich Initiative
Date: 2022-09-23

Land activism

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  • Tayvallich Initiative, Community ownership for affordable housing, local jobs, sustaining land and community

Gigha community buy-out

The problems created by private landlords came to an end in March 2002 when, with help from grants and loans from the National Lottery and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the islanders purchased the island for £4 million. They now own it through a development trust, the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust. 15 March, the day when the purchase was finalised, is celebrated as the island's "independence day". £1 million of the financial support was in the form of a short term loan. The money to pay this loan back was largely raised by selling Achamore House (but not the gardens) to Don Dennis, a businessman from California. Dennis operates a flower essences importing business and a boat tours company from the house, which is also rented out as a bed and breakfast business.

An additional £200,000 was raised by the islanders through various fundraising ventures, allowing the loan to be paid back to the Scottish Land Fund on 15 March 2004. Since the community buyout, several other private businesses have opened, providing a boost to the local economy. The island's population and economy have begun to recover as a result of these activities.

Community energy

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Gigha wind turbines

The Heritage Trust set up Gigha Renewable Energy Ltd. to buy and operate three Vestas V27 wind turbines, known locally as The Dancing Ladies or Creideas, Dòchas is Carthannas (Gaelic for Faith, Hope and Charity). They were commissioned on 21 January 2005 and are capable of generating up to 675 kW of power. Revenue is produced by selling the electricity to the grid via an intermediary called Green Energy UK. Gigha residents control the whole project and profits are reinvested in the community. In 2016 two batteries were added to the system.

Trees, woodland and forest

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  • Bute Forest, owned by Bute Community Land Company, added 20:48, 23 December 2024 (UTC)
  • Ardura Community Forest, Mull and Iona Community Trust, mict.co.uk

Coastal community activism

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  • Seawilding, based at Loch Craignish, Argyll, the UK's first community-led native oyster and seagrass restoration project. Video: Seawilding channel on youtube.com

About Argyll and Bute

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Argyll and Bute (Scots: Argyll an Buit; Scottish Gaelic: Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd, pronounced [ɛrˠəˈɣɛ:əlˠ̪ akəs̪ ˈpɔ:tʲ]) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and covers the second-largest administrative area of any Scottish council. W

See also

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UK news, Cosmolocal news, UK topic, Global topic

Page data
Keywords Sustainable community action
SDG SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
Authors Phil Green
License CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language English (en)
Related 0 subpages, 1 pages link here
Redirects Argyll and Bute community action
Views 13 page views (analytics)
Created February 20, 2024 by Phil Green
Last edit September 16, 2026 by Felipe Schenone
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