#137: Ch-ch-ch-changes

A crisis by any other name

Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!

The language of climate change has changed a lot over the years: it used to be global warming, then climate change, now you'll see climate crisis, climate chaos, climate emergency.

I leaned into the crisis framing for a while–it seemed dishonest to call it anything else. Climate change is an emergency; our discourse should treat it as such. However, I have recently shifted back to climate change.

Thinking about the change of climate change is really powerful. It can be overwhelming to think about, but our lives are going to change as a result of climate change–they're already changing, the existence of over three thousand people reading this newsletter is proof of that. Maybe leaning into the ways that climate change might change our lives and guiding it to be a change for the better, rather than sitting in the overwhelm of emergency, can make it easier to engage in the often slow, long term work of climate action.

With the Climate Club community, we’re all trying to contribute to this by highlighting the joyful, sustainable future that we can create together. 

What can we do today?

The most-clicked link last week was the Forest & Bird petition to ask the Environment Committee to pause the Fast Track bill.  

🐝 5 minutes: Clean up on Isle One

• Sāmoa's Marine Pollution Advisory Committee (MPAC) has confirmed that the HMNZS Manawanui has leaked 200,000 litres of oil, but there is currently no plan to send in a cleanup team, which remains on standby. The ship was carrying 950 tonnes of light diesel oil. 

  Action: Clean up the Manawanui spill

• Funding more frequent buses, better infrastructure, and improved access for growing areas is a key way for us to reduce transport emissions. This week, we have a wealth of local petitions calling for just that! 

  • Action: Call for continued funding for the Tawa On Demand bus service

  • Action: Ask our Transport Minister to help Christchurch get around faster and more sustainably

  • Action: Call for a pedestrianised George Street in Ōtepoti Dunedin  

🐇 15 minutes: Poly- poly- poly politician (Can you hear me?) 

• The Fast Track Bill is currently in the news because the big list of fast-tracked projects has come out, and the projects run a risk of exacerbating climate change. 
  Action: Use this template guide to email your MP about the fast track bill (and climate action in general if you like!). Bonus points for asking to meet them in person!

💃🏽 30+ minutes: This map is off track

• Online, 7pm tomorrow: 350 Aotearoa is launching an interactive map of the 149 proposed projects under the Fast Track Bill. Our very own Emily helped out with this map - join the launch and see for yourself if there would be any Fast Track projects in your area, if this bill were to pass. While housing developments and solar projects take headlines, the list still includes expansion of coal mining and seabed mining.

  Action: Register here (and maybe send a cheeky email to your MP with our guide above after attending!) 

• Online, 12pm tomorrow: The Workshop, the researchers behind many useful guides on how to talk about climate action, have a talk on how to help people engage in conversations around community planning for climate disruption. This is especially timely in light of the recent flooding in Otago.
  Action: Register for the Workshop’s workshop here

In case you missed it

• Reminder about the current Auckland Entrust election: let’s decarbonise our biggest city’s energy system!
  Aucklanders, due 25 October: Voting is now open. Check your mailbox for your voting papers, check out this campaign, and pop your vote in a postbox before 25 October. If you haven’t received anything in the mail yet, you can call 0800 666 030 or email iro@electionz.com.

Events

• It's Biketober! Check out the links for community events across Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch, and Otago. 

  • Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, Wed 23 Oct, 4pm - 7pm: Climate Club runs interactive workshops for your friends, team, or organisation and we’ve got one coming up this week as part of Auckland’s Biketober! Register here.

• Online, Thursday October 17th: The 2024 Aotearoa Repair Summit is a free online event hosted by WasteMINZ, where speakers will be discussing what is happening in the right to repair space in Aotearoa. Register here for the free event! 

• Wānaka & Queenstown, 29 Oct - 2 Nov, paid and unpaid: Wao is a local organisation that runs programmes & events to promote climate justice and a transition to a low-carbon future. Their upcoming summit brings together workshops and talks on climate action and systemic change. I (Jodie) am involved in two events so come along if you’re in the area! Register for the 2024 Wao Summit.

• Mike King is currently e-biking across Aotearoa to speak to communities about climate change and mental health. Have a look to see if there is an upcoming talk near you!

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That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this article in Newsroom about New Zealand’s largest Climate Fresk workshop, where we had 70 kindergarten teachers / participants, 7 Climate Club volunteers, and loads of fun! It’s a new record for New Zealand in terms of participants for this internationally-acclaimed workshop format.

See you next week, 

Jodie & the Climate Club team

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