I’ve been working behind the scenes assisting The Youth Climate action group and liaising with our FFN group and Conservation council trying to distribute Climate Action Now signs prior to the Federal election.
Firstly, congratulations to Zoe Pentin, Bianca and the Youth Climate Action group in your wonderful organisation of the recent student climate strike in Bega. The event was well organised with a risk assessment completed and safety sorted too. Thanks to Robyn and Steve Kesby, Lotte Erickson and Pam Owen as Climate Marshals for the event. Thanks also Peter Skelton for your mobile microphone and speaker.
The highlight I believe was the passionate student speeches and the obvious deep concern and anxiety that they all feel about climate inaction. I feel incredibly proud of Zoe and her team but also really sad that they can’t just be young people enjoying life and having fun.
It was also wonderful to see that there were many adults at the strike in-support of the students.
Zoe and Bianca organised the climate strike in association with the School strike 4 climate group who were coordinating these strikes across many of the major towns and cities in Australia. It was fantastic to see the likes of Bega listed with Sydney, Melbourne, Lismore and other significant Australian cities and towns.
‘Climate Action Now’ stickers below will be available for free from the Switchfoot cafe in Pambula soon. The Conservation Council are sending us a large box via Eva at Switchfoot Boardstore Pambula so go along and ask for one and display it please, ideally in a really visual place. How wonderful will it be to see these signs up in shop fronts, on cars, caravans and homes?
With the up and coming Federal election about to be called there has never been a better time to highlight the climate crisis and make sure that climate issues are front and centre in the minds of voters.
Real Climate action is needed NOW.
We need deep, sustained and immediate emission reductions THIS DECADE if we have any hope of keeping warming to 1.5 degrees. That means, we have to start now. This is the critical decade.
So great is my climate concern that I participated in-the online Getup session whilst on the road last week. Jo Dodds attended representing the Bushfire survivors for Climate action group as did other concerned Getup supporters. The discussion looked at what can be done in Eden Monaro area, a bellwether seat to ensure the candidate is an advocate for strong climate actions. Please contact Getup if you’d like to support them in their climate activities prior to the election.
I’m often told that I shouldn’t be political as I’m the Convenor for SJA Forces for Nature Group… my answer to that is…..
“It’s not political to want clean drinking water, clean air and a healthy environment… it’s common sense.” When you come to understand that everything is connected, that you are a part of nature, defending the natural world becomes an act of self-defence.
Our FFN group has also been supporting the Ben Boyd Light to Light community Action Group, who have asked: “if your concerned about the commercialisation of National Parks then help stop this inappropriate development in the Ben Boyd National Park. NSW National Parks plans to build extensive urban accommodation complexes at Mowarry Point and Hegarty’s Bay within Ben Boyd National Park. More information about who to write to is outlined in a recent email sent out to all SJA members and advertised on SJA Facebook.
Although not there in person, I’m still working hard behind the scenes as I believe that nature underpins everything on this planet. Without a healthy ecosystem we have nothing… we are guaranteed to have more extinction, more health issues, more bushfires and devastating weather events. Let’s hope that we can turn this around?
Wendy Wait
SJA Convenor FFN group