Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!
We talk a lot about having climate conversations here, particularly with the elections coming up (6 days until the voting period starts, and 18 days until Election Day!). But what if you feel unqualified and just downright nervous to talk about climate change? Maybe some of you are climate scientists brimming with facts, but more likely you’re just an ordinary concerned citizen taking on a pretty technical subject. What gives you the right to speak at all? (If you’re feeling your heart beat faster and your shoulders up around your ears, you know the point I’m trying to make).
Imposter syndrome is real - I still feel a twinge of it when I get a question from a coworker or write one of these newsletters. But your qualification for caring and advocating for the environment is as simple as the fact that you live here.
Here are some common thoughts you might have, and our encouragement to you:
I’m not a climate expert: Climate change is a technical topic, but the basics can be summed up pretty simply. Find quality straightforward information (such as…our general election guide or these scorecards) and admit what you don’t know. Most important is listening and asking kind, open-ended questions when you meet someone who is sceptical about climate policy. If you live in Aotearoa, you have the right to speak about your lived experiences here and your take on climate change.
I’m unprepared: We actually have political conversations all the time - every time we comment on the cost of living, or an experience at the hospital, or our worries about the weather, we’re already talking about climate change and poIicy. Climate conversations are just that - conversations - they’re not big speeches or monologues.
People will get annoyed with me: People tend to be more open to talking about climate than you may think! But for best results, I find it helpful to start by asking people about their own values, and then talking through how those match up with the climate policies and behaviour changes that will reduce emissions.
The last thing I’ll say is that just by being you, you are the person that the people around you are most likely to listen to (such as your friends, whānau, and co-workers), over politicians, media, and randoms on the internet. This makes you uniquely qualified to have these chats. People who may otherwise scoff at politics or avoid these conversations are more likely to listen if you have a personal connection to them.
So, your mission (if you choose to take it 😄) is to talk to three people who may not have been going to vote, or new residents who may not know they’re eligible, or people who are overseas and may forget (or are unaware that it’s now super easy to vote online from overseas!), this week. This can even be through a quick instagram share or dm, whatever works for you! It all makes a difference:
And remember there are people on national television, every day, saying the most nonsensical things - so why shouldn't you speak about your everyday experience and thoughts?
What can we do today?
The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was the Kiwis in Climate open letter, which is now closed and will be made public soon! 💌
🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Will EU or won’t EU
We’ve got 6 days until early voting starts on 2nd Oct (and 1 day until overseas voting starts tomorrow!). The Triple The Vote initiative by ActionStation is one of the most promising actions we have for ensuring a government that actually believes the science on climate change.
Action: Send a message to three friends who may not vote this year and remind them to vote! You could send them our election guide or our overseas voting guide to help.At the end of the month, the European Union is planning to put an ex-Shell employee, Wopke Hoekstra, in charge of climate action for the EU. It’s a massive role, and Hoekstra’s background and lack of climate experience will make it difficult for us to meet our climate targets.
Action: Ask the EU to consider climate experience when appointing their climate commissioner
🐇 If you have 15 minutes: An apple (email) a day keeps the greenwash away
Spread the word about how people can vote for climate action this election!
Action: Print out some A5 Vote For Climate flyers and drop them in mailboxes on your way home. Or we can deliver you some for free, just fill out this form.Wellington City Council is consulting on street upgrades in Berhampore, Newtown, and Karori. It’s a chance for better roads for all road users, but because it might affect car parking, there could be opposition.
Action: Use these submission guides to have your say on new bike, pedestrian and bus lane upgrades in Berhampore and Newtown & Karori by 8 October.Apple has released a greenwashing sustainability video while being notorious for their planned obsolescence (things that are designed to slow down and malfunction after a few years, rather than designing for longevity). Their business model is still inherently incompatible with a finite planet.
Action: Write to the CEO of Apple asking him to remove the video and support the right to repair movement
💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
Safer speeds get us to safer emissions as well as, you know, saving lives! Lower speeds on many streets makes cycling and walking safer. Christchurch Council has a Draft Safer Speeds Plan which suggests reducing speeds for a healthier, more vibrant city.
Action: Submit on the Safer Speeds plan by October 25th
In case you missed it!
Auckland: Join the Vote for Climate march, one week before elections at 1pm Saturday 7 October in the CBD!
Wins!
Some massive people-powered, local wins that many of you will have been part of this week!
Otago Regional Council votes to divest from all fossil fuel investments, joining Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch (partially divested), and Waikato City Council.
Yesterday, Dunedin City Council voted to adopt an awesome, ambitious Zero Carbon Plan 2030, thanks to a long campaign from climate justice advocates, and support from you all.
Waikato Regional Council has approved seven massive new projects from the Climate Emergency Relief Fund. Hamilton is going to have 29 new cycling, public transport, and end-of-trip facilities in just nine months, a huge win for this historically car-dependent region 🎉 Props to Bike Waikato and all of you who emailed in.
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this new Take the Jump campaign which is Aotearoa-based!
See you next week,
Dhanya & the Climate Club team
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Stepping back from the fray, I went to the recent Beyond Degrowth Aotearoa conference and wrote up my reflections about the prospects for social change here: https://pushingthelimits.substack.com/p/where-does-degrowth-fit-in