Voices for Change
An oral history of the environmental movement in the UK, 1970-2020
Toby Butler (Author), Toby Butler (Author), Felix Driver (Author), Felix Driver (Author), Barbara Brayshay (Author), Barbara Brayshay (Author), Chris Church (Author), Chris Church (Author), Jeremy Iles (Author), Jeremy Iles (Author), Oli Mould (Author), Oli Mould (Author), Saskia Papadakis (Author), Saskia Papadakis (Author)
Voices For Change is a groundbreaking history of environmental activism across the UK since the early 1970s, revealed in first-hand testimony by some of those who were most closely involved. It highlights the lived experiences of generations of environmental campaigners engaged in a wide variety of protest, projects and policy during this period, from grassroots actions in local communities to the leadership of major national organisations. The book draws on a unique archive of one hundred in-depth life-history interviews with environmental campaigners involved in action on a wide range of concerns, from conservation and transport to energy and climate change. It situates the experience of activism biographically and historically, exploring the role of family, region, class, ethnicity, gender and generation in the lives of participants in the key campaigns of the period. The voices of campaigners whose contributions have never been widely recognised appear here, alongside some of the most high-profile, including Jonathan Porritt, Caroline Lucas, George Monbiot and Swampy. Together, these voices highlight the achievements and the challenges of activism across more than 50 years, revealing diverse and unsung stories from the movement. Through this focus on life stories, the book provides a vital resource for today’s environmental activists, throwing new light on the diverse origins, forms and impacts of their campaigns.
List of figures
List of abbreviations
The authors
Biographies of 101 environmentalists
Preface
Introduction
1 Historical overview
2 Beginnings
3 Mobilising
4 Working from within
5 The front line
6 A diverse movement?
7 Sustaining ourselves
8 Voices for change
Index
DOI: 10.14324/111.9781806551774
Number of illustrations: 18
Publication date: 01 November 2026
PDF ISBN: 9781806551774
EPUB ISBN: 9781806551781
Hardback ISBN: 9781806551750
Paperback ISBN: 9781806551767
Related titles
Voices for Change
An oral history of the environmental movement in the UK, 1970-2020
Voices For Change is a groundbreaking history of environmental activism across the UK since the early 1970s, revealed in first-hand testimony by some of those who were most closely involved. It highlights the lived experiences of generations of environmental campaigners engaged in a wide variety of protest, projects and policy during this period, from grassroots actions in local communities to the leadership of major national organisations. The book draws on a unique archive of one hundred in-depth life-history interviews with environmental campaigners involved in action on a wide range of concerns, from conservation and transport to energy and climate change. It situates the experience of activism biographically and historically, exploring the role of family, region, class, ethnicity, gender and generation in the lives of participants in the key campaigns of the period. The voices of campaigners whose contributions have never been widely recognised appear here, alongside some of the most high-profile, including Jonathan Porritt, Caroline Lucas, George Monbiot and Swampy. Together, these voices highlight the achievements and the challenges of activism across more than 50 years, revealing diverse and unsung stories from the movement. Through this focus on life stories, the book provides a vital resource for today’s environmental activists, throwing new light on the diverse origins, forms and impacts of their campaigns.
