Over the last few years, communities across the country have been getting together to help their community understand and take action on climate change, and to call on their political representative to take the lead. What wonderful folk they are!
We thought we’d share some of their trade secrets with you in the hope you too will band your community together in the name of climate action. Because we all know, many hands make light work and together, we can make a real difference on climate change.
But don’t just take it from us. We want to hear what you’ve been up to in your community. We want to know what Climate Action Groups across Victoria have been doing to engage their communities on the path to a safe climate. What projects work, what doesn’t, what do people respond to? Let’s share our ideas to create a super-toolkit of activities that new groups (and some older ones looking for inspiration) can use to get going.
Here are our suggested activities that we’ve seen work really well with Climate Action Groups across the country. What do you think?
First up, you need to engage your community and grow the numbers of people taking action in your area – the more the merrier right?
- You can give presentations about climate change and how people can get involved in your local area. Probus groups and Rotary groups are often looking for presentations. School communities, church groups and even local business groups are often interested in climate change, and in what community groups in their area are doing.
- You can hold an event or creative campaign to engage new groups of people. For example, you could organise for all the Primary Schools in your area to paint onto a banner solutions to climate change that they want to see. Sew these banners together, and present it to your local MP with a letter from the schools calling for greater action on climate change to protect the future of these children.
- You can run a petition in your local area. Start your own petition, or use one developed by another group.
- Host a public meeting, inviting along keynote speakers on climate change that will interest people outside of your members. Advertise this through your networks, local media or posters and flyers in your area.
You’re up and running? Then give these activities a crack…
- Visit your local member of Parliament. Face to face visits are very powerful as they demonstrate how you, the constituent, feel about this issue. Remember, you don’t need to be an expert on the issue to have an opinion that your representative should listen to.
- Write a letter to the Prime Minister, the Premier and to Ministers responsible for climate change and energy policies, but don’t forget your local MP. Letter writing is another extremely powerful tool, especially if your letter is in your own words. If you and your members feel strongly about an issue, the more letters your MP receives on the topic, the more they will understand that they need to do something about it
- Write at letter to the editor. Keep your letters short, sharp and witty and they’ll have a much better chance of getting published. Local newspapers can be really influential, so don’t forget to write to your local paper. Why not tell them about what you are doing to reduce your greenhouse pollution, and challenge your representatives to do more?
- Call Talkback radio. Talkback radio reaches a huge audience so it’s a good opportunity to spread the word about why Victoria should get serious about reducing emissions and making the shift to a clean energy future. Remember, you don’t have to be an expert to have an opinion.
- Have local community groups and local councils pass a resolution on climate change
- Leaflet local residents on a specific issue, or look to help out other groups who might be leafleting in your area
- Host a social event like a trivia or film night
- Protest or rally
- Create a human sign
Advice on how you can pull such activities off is in our Climate Action Toolkit. Check it out now
Got another idea that isn’t listed? Share the love and post your suggestions right here…
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