Voices For Change is a groundbreaking history of environmental activism across the UK since the early 1970s, revealed in first-hand testimony by those who were most closely involved. 

This volume highlights the lived experiences of generations of environmental campaigners engaged in a wide variety of protests, projects, and policy in the UK from the seventies and beyond, from grassroots actions in local communities to the leadership of major national organizations. 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 recognized appear here, alongside some of the most high-profile, such as Jonathan Porritt, Caroline Lucas, George Monbiot, and Swampy. Together, these voices highlight the achievements and the challenges of activism across more than fifty 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.