Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!
In the climate movement we often ask ourselves: what can I do? It’s certainly an important question (one which hopefully this newsletter provides some answers for). But as well as that, we should also ask: who are we doing it with?
Bill McKibben (the founder of 350.org) recently responded to a popular question: where should I live to avoid the worst climate catastrophes? His response zeroed in on human community:
We’ve come through 75 years where having neighbours was essentially optional: if you had a credit card, you could get everything you needed to survive dropped off at your front door. But the next 75 years aren’t going to be like that; we’re going to need to return to the basic human experience of relying on the people around you.
Basically, Bill points out that what matters isn’t so much where we end up, but with whom.
Capitalism so often tells us that we are alone, that it’s on us to protect ourselves and our families. We put unbearable pressure on ourselves to fix the existential threat of climate change on our own.
But that is simply not true: we are never alone. We are embedded in a local community whether we choose to be active in it or not. It’s also more effective to do things together: we can’t bear the challenge of climate change on our own. Not only is community the solution to the loneliness we might feel in the face of uncertain futures, it is also the most effective way to create the future we want. This means that building connections and supporting communities is as important as taking capital A actions.
So maybe you are not the person to lead a march to the steps of Parliament (few of us are). But maybe you can help paint a sign, bring some cookies to a community meeting, or temporarily fill in some duties for your mate who is busy finishing their thesis (thank you Climate Club team!). Keeping the group chat alive, checking in on friends and neighbours, building communities that care - these are incredibly important actions in our fight for a better future.
Maybe we need to reframe our question: it's less what can I do, but what do my communities need, what am I helping to build?
What can we do today?
The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was the email action to encourage NZ cities to adopt a Plant-Based Treaty.
🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Give the ocean a bit of a treat(y)
This week, the UN Environmental Assembly just adopted a wave of new policies around ocean protection and plastic pollution (YAY), so now is a great moment to remind our government to sign the first ever Global Ocean Treaty. It’s been agreed but individual governments need to sign it. Ocean sanctuaries protect ecosystems and allow them to rebuild, which is vital for carbon sequestration as well as the health of marine life.
Action: Call for Winston Peters to support the Global Ocean Treaty here
🐇 If you have 15 minutes: It’s not our first road-eo
TThis week the Auckland Transport Board reduced Katoa, Ka Ora, Auckland’s speed management plan for 2024 - 2027, to only 50% of its intended impact. The original plan got unanimous support from the Auckland Council Transport & Infrastructure Committee in December 2023, and adjusted speeds across 24% of the network. Reduced speeds = safer roads for all of us, and reduce carbon emissions. Win-win.
Action: Email the AT Board to return to the original plan. Even if you live outside of Auckland, if you visit the city or drive through it often, your voice matters!
Action, March 26th: Join the AT Board meeting (in person or online) with Bike Auckland to show your support
💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: House that for a weird policy
Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington: We know that warm, affordable, dense housing is good for both people and the planet. Reducing urban sprawl is key to reducing city emissions. Unfortunately, the questionable Independent Hearing Panel advised Wellington Council that we shouldn’t build more houses in Newtown.
Action, March 6th: Join the urgent “City for People” public meeting
Action, March 11th 5:30pm from Civic Square: Join the “Walk to Newtown”
Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington, Wed 13 March, 3pm: Interested in taking someone to court for climate inaction, but don't know where to start? Join this 4-5 workshop series to learn about litigation for climate action. You don’t have to be a lawyer!
Coromandel, Sat 16 March, 12pm: Karangahake Forest, conservation land & one of the top tourist attractions in NZ, is about to be mined for gold. What’s more, the new RMA “Fast Track” bill will mean that a Minister has full control over whether projects like these go ahead, with no input from the public.
Action: Join the in-person rally/picnic at the beautiful Karangahake Gorge
Save the date!
Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, 15 March - 14 April: Ecofest 2024 is a month-long celebration of sustainable living, with interactive workshops and activities for all ages.
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this infographic showing all the different ways you can get involved in the climate movement, just as you are.
See you next week,
Cathy & the Climate Club team
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Until we each reach a deep understanding that we NEED community and live from that it will remain a nice idea until there’s a crisis when suddenly it’s the only thing that matters, for a time.
I say this from a 4year daily experience of community in a small coastal place 40 minutes south of Dunedin, after living 32yrs in Sydney.
I came looking for community along with ideas about how to create it while house-sitting around NZ for 5yrs before choosing to buy a wee crib in this place.
I love cooking, so weekly for the first year, I shared food with the 10 other house residents in my dead end street, many of whom were bemused and told me I didn’t need to do this. I persisted and got to know each household through the conversations I had while they didn’t know them because of an attitude of ‘keeping to ourselves’.
Now I have 4 chooks whose eggs are a great community builder and 4yrs later 4 of us regularly share food from our gardens, our cooking, fishing.
I have bbqs and draw in other neighbours to hopefully slowly build the connections so we can pull together and share our resources, our skills and our time, all of which will be needed I believe in the the times ahead but which now bring a sense of belonging and happiness.
2 of my neighbours have told me I can ring them anytime day or night if I need help.
The fascinating understanding I’ve gleaned from this experience is that I don’t need to have anything in common with my neighbours other than a recognition I need them, in order to be in a heart-lived real community.
Have you seen the amazing mahi that Inspiring Communities does to support place based community building. They've got some really wonderful people involved - unsung heroes who get on and do stuff.
"Inspiring Communities weave connections and collaborations across sectors and communities.
We help make things easier for communities to work in locally-led ways – together. We believe that communities know best about what works for them and what they need to thrive."
https://inspiringcommunities.org.nz/