In 2026, UNISON’s Year of Green Activity will bring together UNISON members from across the UK to focus on climate action, sustainability, and the role of workers in building a greener future.
For more information on what is happening nationally click through to UNISON's national site https://www.unison.org.uk/events/tag/year-of-green-activity/
Year of Green Activity
Roadshow Dates 2026
All Roadshows will be 11.30 am – 2 pm
East Lothian Community Hospital
Tuesday 10th March 2026.
St John's Hospital
Friday 20th March 2026.
Comely Bank
Wednesday 6th May 2026.
Little France Campus
Wednesday 3rd June 2026.
Midlothian Community Hospital
Wednesday 8th July 2026.
Western General Hospital
Wednesday 5th August 2026.
Lauriston Buildings
Tuesday 22nd September 2026.
Waverley Court
Friday 9th October 2026.
Royal Edinburgh Hospital Wednesday
18th November 2026.
The aim was simple: before people will act on climate change, they need to understand why it matters to them and why it is a trade union issue.
The STUC Just Transition session explored what climate change is, how we got here, and who is really responsible. Too often the discussion focuses on individual behaviour, making us feel like the problem is caused by us not recycling properly, or not switching to the recycled paper packaging option at the supermarket. When the reality is that the biggest emissions come from the wealthiest households and the wealthiest and largest corporations. In Scotland, the top 20% of households produce more emissions from flights alone than the bottom 20% produce in their entire yearly carbon footprint, and this trend is continued across the developed world.
We also discussed how political decisions shape the crisis. Military activity and warfare release huge amounts of carbon, yet these emissions are often excluded from national reporting. At the same time, ordinary people are told to make small lifestyle changes and made to feel like they are the problem, whilst global leaders continue policies that worsen the problem.
For trade unions, the key point is clear: climate change is a working-class issue. Those who contribute the least to the crisis will face the greatest impacts, from extreme weather to increased pressure on public services like the NHS.
The session also created useful connections. At the meeting I introduced STUC Just Transition to our regional officer and the branch lifelong learning representative, so this galvanising message can reach more UNISON branches. We hope this will lead to further political education sessions returning to our branch and helping build awareness and organising around climate justice across UNISON.
Thank you,
Tamzyn Macfarlane - UNISON Lothian Health
For more information on STUC Just Transition project visit https://www.stuc.org.uk/projects-just-transition/
For more information on YOGA visit https://www.unison.org.uk/events/tag/year-of-green-activity/
Our Environmental Officer Tamzyn Macfarlane launched UNISON’s Year of the Green Activity (YOGA) in NHS Lothian, with our first roadshow of the year at East Lothian Community Hospital on the 10th March 2026.
We met some fantastic staff and would like to thank everyone for warmly welcoming me and my fellow UNISON colleagues, as well as extend a special thank you to our East Lothian convenor Jordan Millar for their support. It was great to see so many pledges of Green Activity that will continue to make a difference moving forward. There was lots of interest at the stall from staff, visitors, and patients alike, showing that we are taking the issue of climate change seriously and standing up for all of us.
Through raising awareness, including posters highlighting existing carbon mitigation schemes within the NHS, we had valuable conversations, particularly noting that many staff were unaware of the importance of returning used asthma inhalers to pharmacies. We also shared practical tips, such as improving bin positioning to help reduce non-clinical waste being disposed of in clinical waste bins.
We also captured some great photos with Tamzyn’s handmade photo frame representing YOGA, helping to celebrate everyone’s involvement and commitment.
Visit the Picture Wall below to see the pictures from the Roadshow and other YOGA events.
Year of Green Activity 2026: Roadshow 2 at St John’s Hospital
The second roadshow of UNISON’s Year of Green Activity 2026 national campaign took place at St John’s Hospital. It proved to be another inspiring and engaging event, and as such we would like to extend our sincere thanks to Margaret McFarland, Michelle McFarlane, and Angela Howard for their warm welcome and support in hosting the roadshow. Their enthusiasm helped create a positive and collaborative atmosphere for all staff to get involved.
It was encouraging to see such strong engagement from staff across the site. Many colleagues made meaningful pledges to support greener ways of working and living.
These included commitments to:
· Stop buying bottled water
· Continue using public transport
· Reduce single glove use where appropriate
· Make use of electric vehicles
· Consider environmental impact when making purchases
These pledges reflect a growing awareness and commitment to reducing carbon emissions within our workplaces.
During discussions, staff also highlighted a concern about excessive heating in one area of the hospital, where windows cannot be opened. This is an important issue, particularly as we approach the warmer months. Staff have agreed to raise a DATIX report to escalate the concern and seek a resolution before summer temperatures increase.
The visit also gave us the opportunity to enjoy the excellent canteen facilities and food on site, a reminder of the importance of supporting local, sustainable services within our workplaces.
We here at UNISON would like to thank all staff at St John’s for their enthusiasm, ideas, and commitment to making a difference.
Every action, no matter how small, contributes to reducing our environmental impact and building a more sustainable future for all of us.
We look forward to continuing the journey with future roadshows as part of the Year of Green Activity 2026.
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