As someone who spends a lot of time immersing soul and senses in the forest, convinced that our symbiotic relationship with trees extends beyond the dynamics of oxygen and carbon dioxide to something more spiritual, I was delighted to stumble across the recently established Bind Collective.

This online platform raises climate change awareness through creativity in beautiful and brilliant ways, accepting submissions of all forms of creative work, from poetry to film, art to music. 

The platform is co-founded by Ella Duffy, a former Foyle Young Poet who has since collaborated with The Poetry Society in working with students and young writers. She set up the collective with Flo Carr, an arts marketing professional who specialises in audience insight and development. Flo is passionate about the importance of the arts in affecting social change and works to break down barriers to attendance and widen access, as is Ella.

"Creativity plays a huge role in the fight against climate change. Artists have the power to inspire and engage with a single image, poem, film or score," Ella and Flo tell Write Out Loud. "Through inviting contributors to share creative work examining environmental issues, bind encourages reflection, research and action, strengthening the fight against climate change."

"We hope that bind will ignite new conversations on climate change; fusing art and science in rousing and innovative ways", they say.

Personally, I enjoyed composing a poetic-folk song for Bind written from the perspective of a shard of ice lodged into a crack in the mountainside, desperately trying to claw its way out from a situation that is too late to amend. However, submissions can explore any environmental topic or issue you would like, be it rising sea levels, the threat against bees or renewable energy - the possibilities are endless.