#151: A love letter to electrons

On the magic of electric machines

Feb 17, 2025

Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!

Imagine buying five smoothies, pouring out four, and drinking just one. Silly, right?

That’s what fossil fuel machines do. Petrol, diesel, “natural” gas, and LPG machines are not efficient. For example, cars: only about 20% of the petrol or diesel we put in is used for motion. The rest is converted to heat, smoke, and vroom vroom noises. Compare that to an EV: an electric motor converts 80-90% of the electrical energy into motion. It’s the same with other electric machines: heaters, cooktops, you name it. What’s more, electricity can be made right here in New Zealand, even as locally as our own roofs! We avoid all the fossil fuels used by fuel ships and tanker trucks to get the fuels to the pump – which amounts to 3.1 million tonnes of fossil fuels per year. Whether it’s circularity, waste, or embodied emissions, electric machines win every time.

image of a factory next to some minerals, with text saying "the total material needs of the energy transition is less than we already mine for coal in a single year." — Want to reduce waste? Go electric.

Swapping fossil fuel machines like cars, gas stoves, and gas heaters with electric machines, and powering them with solar means:

Cheaper bills: Rooftop solar has now reached a tipping point where it’s now the cheapest form of energy ever known to humankind.
Less toxic fumes: Getting rid of gas in homes mean less harmful pollution in the kitchen and less premature deaths.
Less infrastructure build: Most people already get electricity via the grid. The money or materials needed for a completely renewable system is far less than that required for fossil fuel expansions planned today.
Owning your power: Homegrown energy at your home, school, marae, church, or sports club means resilience and independence from fossil fuel corporations & fickle gentailer pricing.
More fun: Ever tried zooming uphill past traffic on an e-bike? Or accelerating in an EV?
electricorchardist
A post shared by @electricorchardist

Remember: we need to consume less overall, but the consumption we do need must be renewable, because it is so, so, so much better for us, our communities, and the climate.

What can we do today?

The most-clicked link last week was our poll – the correct answer was 60%!

Screenshot of last week's poll showing that if every adult in NZ went plant-based, the emissions saved would equate to taking 60% of cars and vans off road

🐝 5 minutes: Fight for free fares

Did you know students are paying up to $50 for public transport fares just to get to school each week? Today, Free Fares launched a new petition against newly proposed “private share” targets for public transports, which would lead to significant fare hikes across the motu, even going from $2 to $8 in Christchurch per trip. Public transport is a key solution to reducing our transport emissions, and fairness in giving people options to get around. People can’t afford yet another price increase to their daily lives.
Action: Sign & share the Free Fares petition before 31 March 2025

🐇 15 minutes: Save the Kiwis through your Kiwisaver

Is your money working to expand fossil fuels? Some of NZ’s biggest kiwisaver & investment funds and banks are still investing your hard-earned savings into insuring or lending to fossil fuel companies. Ethical funds often have better or equal returns than fossil-fueled ones anyway,
Action: Use Mindful Money’s handy tool to move your money
Bonus: Share Mindful Money & 350 Aotearoa’s new campaign with a friend

💃🏽 30+ minutes: Write some wrongs

The right to repair bill is having its first reading this week! That means now is the perfect time to email the Minister for Commerce and Consumer Affairs and ask him to vote in support of it. Being able to cheaply repair products would save time, money and emissions.
Action: Email Andrew Bayly asking for his support for the right to repair
There is a new climate essay competition for 25yo or under, deadline March 14, 2025, in memory of Rod Oram – a climate journalist and Climate Club reader.
Action: Enter the Rod Oram’s essay competition

Events

Online or Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Tue 18 Feb, 6:30pm: Come join the “Greenpeace survival guide for 2025” to discuss what can be done to protect the environment in Aotearoa in 2025 and beyond. There’s an awesome panel of speakers including special guest Iwi Chairs Forum Climate co-chair Mike Smith (of Smith v. Fonterra). RSVP for a seat in person, or watch the livestream.
Whakatū/Nelson, Thursday 20th Feb, 5:30-6:30pm: Join folks who are passionate about the environment for a monthly chat and a friendly drink.
Action: Find all the details here, Two Thumbs Brewery
Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington, 13th March, 5:30-7pm: Hear stories and insight from passionate speakers about how to get involved and make a difference in the climate space. And get involved with some free kai and good chats!
Action: Register for the event here, Two/Fiftyseven, Level 2, 57 Willis Street
21-23 March, Lake Hāwea: The fifth Future Whenua Summit is open for registrations. Celebrate innovative land stewardship, workshop ideas, and connect with sustainable farming enthusiasts over great kai at this stunning location near Wanaka. They are also accepting ideas & presentation proposals now!
Action: RSVP for Future Whenua Summit 2025

Wins!

Because of local campaigns making it clear we don’t want more mines, Australian mining company have surrendered 15 mining permits and fully left New Zealand. Yay!

That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this calculator we made at my day job, which shows you how much money & emissions you can save by swapping out your fossil fuel machines for electric!

See you next week,

Jenny & the Climate Club team

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