TWELVE ACTIONS
THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
1.
Join our group to share ideas and inspiration, connect with projects that are already running, and support each other through our grief.
Parenting is more than biology. It's about embracing, protecting and nurturing young people and the places we care about. Come check us out, we would love to meet you.
3.
Local councils
What does your ideal climate-friendly hometown look like? More active transport, more livable streets, better ways to minimize waste? Your council wants to hear from you. Submit on the plans, write to your local councillors and get in front of your council to tell them what you want to see happen.
5.
Support youth-led and indigenous groups
Pacific Climate Warriors, School Strike For Climate and Te Ara Whatu are all doing amazing work that needs to be lifted as much as possible. Support could mean getting involved directly, sharing posts and events in your network or simply educating yourself about where they are coming from, and why the youth and indigenous climate movements are so important.
2.
Trees play vital role in pulling carbon out of the atmosphere. Connect with your local groups like Conservation Volunteers or Forest and Bird to help out with their planting programs.
4.
Write to your MP
Share your concerns about climate change and ask your MP what they are doing about it. Make it a weekly action! Find the contact details for your MP on our resources page here.
6.
Our major banks have lent over $21 billion to fossil fuel projects since 2015, despite publicly supporting the goal of keeping global warming below 2º. This report by 350 Aotearoa can get you informed, so you can take your money out of fossil fuels.
8.
Connect with your local community
Being involved in positive change in your own community can be empowering and fun
too! Community
gardens, clothes and
produce swaps, taking control of waste - every community will have its own thing going on, and you can always start something yourself!
11.
Talk about it
There are lots of ways to make your hopes and concerns heard, and start important conversations. Tell companies what you want them to do better. Grab some chalk and take a message of climate action to the pavement (or your local playground!). Ask one
person you're close to how climate change is affecting them. Engage with others about climate change in whatever way you can think of, and see where it takes you. Email us at hello@parentsforclimatenz.org to learn more.
7.
A search engine that uses profits generated by ads to support community projects and plant trees around the globe.
9.
Switch your power
It's easy to choose green electricity. Two of the greenest options: Ecotricity, which is both 100% renewable and carboNZero certified; and solarcity, which offers a subscription service to solar panels with no upfront costs.
10.
Eat more plants
According to the latest
IPCC report, eating less
meat and dairy is one of
the most effective ways we can reduce our carbon emissions. Veganism isn't
for everyone and that's okay. Try aiming for 50 - 65g of meat per person per day (about 1.4 - 1.8kg per week for a 4-person family), fill your plate up with colourful veggies, learn to love
legumes and discover delicious new recipes.
12.
Make lifestyle changes
Individual actions alone won't get us out of this mess, but they are vital to moving us forward into a sustainable future. Avoid becoming overwhelmed by focusing on one small, achievable change at a time.
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Learn more about reducing your waste, and consider home composting if you don't already.
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Choose more sustainable clothing and avoid fabrics with a high environmental impact. Even better (and cheaper!) is to buy secondhand.
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Invest in reusable water bottles and containers and refuse single use plastic when out.
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Aim to use your car less frequently: this resource by Auckland City Council has some great suggestions.