Issue #51: New Year, new habits

On making a habit of climate action

Jan 16, 2023

Mōrena, happy Tuesday and happy new year!

We hope you found some moments of reflection and rest over the last couple weeks, and we are really stoked you’re here to kick off 2023.

A photo view down onto a waterfall surrounded by trees and bush, with a double rainbow at the bottom in the spray of the waterfall. — Dhanya’s photo of the Kerikeri Rainbow Falls from her holidays! 🌈🌳

This year is a great chance to build a habit of consistent climate action, after an intense last year in global politics (with some big wins for the climate), and with our own general election coming up this year. Whether you’re new here, or a seasoned activist, we can all do our bit to lend our time and skills where we can.

Here’s a neat guide on some tips for forming habits!

What can you do today?

The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was our Climate Club starter pack!

🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Blow away the hot air

Last year, the NZ government backed a “precautionary pause” on deep-sea mining. Since then, seafood company Sealord has taken the opportunity to present an alternative plan which undermines ocean protection.
Action: Ask Oceans Minister David Parker to reject Sealord’s plan
Horizons Regional Council are planning to allow the building of a waste-to-energy pyrolysis facility in Fielding. While pyrolysis is a form of chemical recycling, it has been shown to emit nine times more greenhouse gases than mechanical recycling, and this isn’t the time to get locked into a long-term contract with such a process.
Action: Call for the Council to decline this consent to discharge to the air with these two petitions

🐇 If you have 15 minutes: Direct the directors to take direct action

Due today: A bill that amends how a company should make decisions is currently at the select committee stage, and is taking submissions until end of day today (Tuesday 17 Jan). The current wording only permits company directors to consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors (when it’s kind of a given nowadays, given climate change and consumer pressures). One of our readers, Doug, has shared his submission which urges stronger accountability for directors to take ESG factors into account.
Action: Use this as a template to submit on the Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill

💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: Make art, not petrostate wars

Pōneke/Wellington: GenZero Wellington are holding an art competition with the theme of “What if we made art, not the climate crisis?”, open to anyone in the Wellington region. The winning images should show what a climate-safe future looks, feels, or sounds like to you, and will be displayed on billstickers across Pōneke.
Action: Find out how to enter here!
Due Monday: The Crown Minerals Amendment Bill is at the Select Committee, and it’s a pretty short bill but could be a huge step forward for the phasing out of fossil fuels in Aotearoa. Currently, our mining legislation requires the government to encourage fossil fuel expansion (crazy!). This bill would update those laws to allow the Minister to choose (and therefore decline) whether they permit new mining or not. Unfortunately we don’t have a template for this one, but we’d encourage you to have a read and to write even a short submission if you have capacity, particularly to encourage a complete phasing out of fossil fuels in line with our 1.5C commitments!
Action: Support legislation that allows faster phasing out of fossil fuels with a written submission
(ETA) Action: Use 350 Aotearoa’s 5 min guide to make a submission!

Save the Date

March 3rd, 2023: See you all at the global climate strike organised by Fridays for Future!

Climate Club