#84: What Would Archimedes Do?

On finding leverage points for change

Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!

Recently I met someone who felt dejected about climate change. They said, “Why would I do anything? My emissions mean nothing! The world will burn anyway. Why try?”

When I feel this way, I find this quote helpful:

“Give me a place to stand on, and a lever long enough, and I will move the earth."
- Archimedes

Archimedes may have lived a thousand years ago but his statement about leverage is still pertinent - we all have some capacity to shift the earth. The trick is in working out how to best apply it. 

My favourite version of this quote was obviously created by the wonderful People of Reddit

For example, yesterday we ran a workshop in Te Whatu Ora because one of our readers got in touch and offered her space to us. Alongside giving us a free venue for us to run workshops, she takes the train everywhere, is advocating for changing train times to line up with shifts, opts for vegetarian catering, and limits her overseas travel. All areas she has immense leverage over.

So how do we find our points of leverage? There’s this lovely concept from Nature Energy (via Prof Kim Nicholas) of the 5 ways we can have leverage. 

• Investor (move your money 💸)

• Consumer (buy less, local, ethical)

• Organisational participant (every job is a climate job)

• Citizen (vote vote vote)

• Role Model (people are watching 👀)

Each of these ‘angles’ are powerful in that they have leverage over the system. And maybe one day, together, we can move the earth!

What can we do today?

The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was the call to submit on more agricultural emissions delays. It was awesome seeing all your emails come in. Deadline is tomorrow (Wednesday 6th)!

🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Free polluter credits are getting unseasonable

• The Emissions Trading Scheme allows some companies to pollute for free. This includes companies who burn fossil fuels to grow cucumbers and cut flowers out of season - not exactly a critical reason to be burning fossil fuels. What’s more, this scheme was originally intended to phase out these credits by 2030, but they have now removed this plan entirely! So it’s important we join the new campaign to end free credits for polluters.
  Action: Sign the petition to end free credits for polluters today

🐇 If you have 15 minutes: Owl your friends to enrol

• Didn’t get a letter from Hogwarts this year? Uhhh, we mean, the Electoral Commission? Turns out it’s election season soon and that train will leave the station with or without you and your owl. So make sure you’re enrolled to vote, and get three of your friends enrolled too!
  Action: Check you’re enrolled to vote and give them the right street address for their owls

💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: Get a new front lawn decoration

• Know someone who has a fence or lawn near a busy road? Our non-partisan Vote for Climate campaign aims to make climate change a key election issue, starting with adding a voice for climate to the many signs we’re seeing in public spaces these days. This helps remind people that the root issue that we’re all facing is a changing climate, which impacts all other issues.
  Action: Share Vote for Climate with 3 people with visible properties, and ask them to put a sign on their property

In case you missed it!

• Auckland, 6pm tomorrow: If you’re feeling a little low on hope & motivation this week, tomorrow we have another Auckland Climate Festival event in the CBD - a panel on turning climate anxiety into climate action! Tickets ($7-$15) are nearly gone so grab yours today!

  

  Look at our panelists! There’ll also be food, drink, small breakout groups, and a sound bath meditation 😌

---

That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this beautiful website where you can find out your own climate superpower! 

See you next week,

Emily & the Climate Club team