#165: Every email counts
On saving our winters, one action at a time
Mōrena, and happy Tuesday! I hope you had a wonderful long weekend.
It’s a short week, but we still wanted to shout out some local wins - 350 Aotearoa staged a nationwide climate protest, and the Otago Regional Council has budgeted $250k to plan for Wānaka public transport, a first for the city! Amazing mahi from everyone who signed the Protect Our Winters NZ petition or sent through a submission.
It’s a reminder that through collective energy and action (and doing all these newsletter tasks 😉), every bit counts.
So this week after you’ve completed your actions below, come back and tell us how you got on - we’d love to know how you’re making an impact!
What can we do today?
The most-clicked link last week was the petition to get VUW to divest from fossil fuels!
🐝 5 minutes: Opt for Option 1!
The Emissions Trading Scheme is meant to reduce emissions - yet the Climate Change Commission is now consulting on a proposal to raise the cap by reintroducing more carbon credits into the market. This weakens the scheme’s effectiveness by easing pressure on emitters, undermining price signals, and devaluing the auction mechanism designed to drive emissions down.
Action: Use our handy 5 minute email template / submission guide to oppose adding more credits!
🐇 15 minutes: Get Watts amped up ⚡️
Simon Watts is the Minister of Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for Local Government and Minister of Revenue – all at once! With his combination of portfolios, he has the power (pun intended) to push for electrification and decarbonisation. This is why Rewiring Aotearoa has nicknamed him “Simon Megawatts,” and launched a campaign to convince him to prioritise solar investments and accelerate electrification lightning-fast.
Action: Use this email template to Send Megawatts a message
💃🏽 30+ minutes: Resist the RSB
The Regulatory Standards Bill (RSB) is open for consultation - and it’s bad. It puts corporate profit over environment and makes it clear that new laws being made must prioritise private profit over the welfare of people.
Action: Submit on the RSB using the Greenpeace submission guide or the Hāpai te Hauora submission builderWant to brainstorm how to expand the climate message to other social circles, or have a yarn with people who also care about the planet? Euni, a 350 Aotearoa volunteer, has set up an online / in-person discussion group for people to come and share ideas.
Action: Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland / Online: Email them to join the new Climate Justice online discussion group
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this video of our latest #ClimateClubChallenge promoting buying second-hand instead of new.
See you next week,
Emily & the Climate Club team
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