Lately I’ve been very apathetic about my engagement with the world. You might know the feeling. It’s difficult to feel like anything is worthwhile when we see bombed out apartment buildings in Lebanon, urbicide in Gaza, widespread hurricane destruction across the southeastern US and coal mine after coal mine expanding with political support in Australia.
Doesn’t it all get to be too much some days?
Well, yes.
But then, in the depths of this apathy, our Climate Club photographer extraordinaire emailed through some photos. They caught my eye; they seemed to tell a story.
Staring at the ground, we only see each individual dying leaf. But amongst them are green shoots. As we raise our eyes we see flickers of green and a vibrant lush tree above.
Some days we might feel like a hollowed out husk, being crushed underfoot, but on those days, we can look up and see the abundance of life, action, and activism taking place around us.
A recent article by Tim Winton tells this story so eloquently. He talks of ‘sorrow and buried rage’, stemming from our imprisonment in a cage built by politicians collaborating with the fossil fuel industry:
“The entities that enclose and occupy our lands and waters, exploit our fossil fuel resources and distort our polities, are largely foreign. Most of the resources they exploit are the common property of sovereign peoples. The resultant products are exported, the profits siphoned offshore. Like the imperial powers of old, these corporations cultivate vassal governments and rely on local functionaries to maintain control. They have a massively disproportionate influence on public policy. No group of citizens, however large, wields such power over their own government.” Tim Winton, The Guardian
Our task, then, is clear: we must reclaim power over our politicians from these corporations. History shows us it's possible – the huge changes achieved by movements across the globe, from women's rights to civil rights to pro-democracy movements, prove that collective action can create meaningful change.
We can take inspiration from those movements. But we can also find motivation in our everyday surroundings. Even when we feel like that fallen leaf decaying underfoot, we can look up and see countless vibrant leaves above – each representing individuals and groups striving for positive change.
Check out this week’s actions and be part of that vibrant canopy of change-makers.🌱🌱🌱
What can you do today?
Last issue’s most clicked link was the climate kids explainers. Starting with the question ‘Why are we still digging up fossil fuels?” (great question!) these videos are great to share with kids and adults alike. Here’s the first video if you missed the chance to share them last time!
🐝 If you have 5 minutes:
Pacific Island leaders have spoken out powerfully against the Albanese government’s choice to continue supporting the fossil fuel industry. The Australia Institute - like many others around the country - is also outraged with the Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s decision to approve three new coal mines. Add your voice to theirs!
Action: Help the Australia Institute reach 3,000 signatures by signing their petition demanding a stop to all new fossil fuel projects.
One of the drivers of continued fossil fuel expansion in Australia is support from the banks. Market Forces recently discovered that ANZ, NAB and Westpac have actively violated their climate commitments by arranging a massive $1.24 billion loan to climate-contaminator Santos.
Action: Use the Market Forces email text to let ANZ, NAB and Westpac know how outrageous it is that they are still funding climate destruction.
You may have heard of ‘Beetaloo’. This is a vast project aimed at fracking gas in the Northern Territory, potentially unleashing 2.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases. It’s unbelievable, but yes, even in 2024 this project still has corporate and government backing. This needs to stop; share your voice in the open letter.
Action: Sign Market Forces’ open letter calling on APA - Australia’s largest gas pipeline operator - to rule out developing any pipelines that would enable fracking in the Beetaloo Basin.
🐇 If you have 15 minutes:
The Gold Coast Council wants to hear from you! They want to know what you believe makes somewhere a good place to live, how you experience your local area, and what needs to happen to improve quality of life. Now’s your chance to let them know you care about climate and climate action!
Action: Share your thoughts on climate action in the Gold Coast community survey.
Parents for Climate Action are running a campaign called ‘Solar Our Learning’, which calls on state and federal governments to fund solar panels and batteries for every school and early childhood centre in Australia. You can help by printing out their poster to put up on noticeboards.
Action: Download and print the poster to put up on noticeboards around your community.
💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more:
Join Mackay Conservation Group for their 40th birthday celebration! Founded in 1984, Mackay Conservation Group has been at the forefront of environmental advocacy and conservation efforts in the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday region for four decades. Join this celebration to hear about their past achievements as well as be inspired about the future.
Action: Rsvp for the 'MCG turns 40’ celebration on October 12th, 6pm, at 156 Wood Street, Mackay.
Last minute action! Join Rising Tide at their national online info session. This zoom event will cover all your questions, from the accommodation to the kayaks, the food to the festivities.
Action: Rsvp to get to the link to join Rising Tide’s information session zoom TONIGHT! Wednesday 2nd October, 6:00pm-7:15pm AEST
Do you need a dose of good news? Well, I did some searching and found that the World Economic Forum had a few amazing ones! They provided 7 and I have put them all in because they are so good. Read on and feel those green shoots flowing back through your soul:
Global renewable energy capacity hit 50% growth in 2023, its fastest growth rate for twenty years
The European Union has voted to criminalize the most serious cases of ecosystem destruction, becoming the first international body to do so.
As global wind generation capacity increases, seven countries are now fully reliant on clean renewable energy for their power needs.
The number of nature-based policy announcements from governments around the world has doubled in the past year, a study by the Inevitable Policy Response forecasting group says.
With 165 turbines harvesting wind power in an area of the North Sea equal in size to 64,000 soccer pitches, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, Hornsea 2, is operating at full capacity.
A landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) finds in favour of an association of 2,500 Swiss women that the Swiss government’s inaction to address climate change violated their fundamental human rights.
Renewables are set to account for more than 90% of global electricity expansion over the coming years. Global renewable power capacity is predicted to increase by 2,400 gigawatts between 2022 and 2027.
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action.
See you in two weeks
Robyn
plus Malcolm, Ron and Jan - The Climate Club Qld team
We live, work and play on the lands of the Yuggara and Turrbal people in and around Meanjin - Brisbane. We pay respect to their Elders, past and present, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded - always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
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Let’s stick to climate, shall we? The wars in Gaza and Lebanon are entirely the fault of Hamas and Hezbollah (and the Houthis in Yemen) and would be over immediately if the relevant parties surrendered their weapons, returned the hostages from Gaza and stopped firing rockets etc at Israel, and at shipping in the Red Sea.
We live in difficult times.
😏
Jan
Robyn, I think you and I have been feeling similar this week! It is a lot. Sending you a hug and thanking you for your lovely reframe, and actions to keep us moving in the right direction. xo