Sustainability stories - New Zealand MM
Anthony Maturin, Wellington, New Zealand MM
What prompted you to make this change/take this action?
Call it a Concern, or much prayer and reading on the subject, whatever, but really the intuitive knowledge that it is the right and essential thing to do.
What did you do?
Amongst other things - Wrote to City Council election candidates asking for their views – results, some very encouraging, some unresponsive, one complete idiot!
Wrote to New Zealand Landcare Research complaining that they failed to use any RFI figure in their carbon calculator – rather feeble reply.
Wrote to our national bank suggesting that one of their advertisements gave the impression that long distance air travel is perfectly acceptable. Possibly made a point.
Started a Climate Change group in our Meeting. But although little interest from the Meeting, we meet once a month and conduct discussions by phone and email in between times. Are active in trying to impress upon New Zealand Friends the urgency of the situation.
Held quite rewarding Climate Change awareness discussion at New Zealand Summer Gathering, though too many still ignore the issue.
Main success I think has been, together with one other Friend to get minutes passed through local and Yearly Meetings which has resulted in YM adopting a minute stating that New Zealand Friends would assume responsibility for emissions caused by members attending Quaker meetings overseas (FWCC etc.). We suggested that buying offsets is not a feasible option that the need is for reducing carbon footprints in our own lives. For example, so many Friends becoming vegetarian for as long as it takes to “pay for” the CO2e tonnage of the travel. We have more work to do to get greater acceptance of the latter point. And much more work in bringing home the value – Climate Change wise - of a vegetarian diet, especially here in New Zealand where nearly half of our national emissions come from farming. That of course is also a political and trade issue which we will engage in.
Any words of advice to others considering similar activity?
I think that Clive Hamilton’s point in his book, “Requiem for a Species” about the need for going through the stages of grief for the Planet, to anger, to action is a valid one to put in front of people. As well, we tend to pussyfoot around too much, too much waffle when we could be calling Friends to take seriously our responsibilities. In times of danger more useful to face the bitter truth than listen to sweet lies.
I honestly think that we should rewrite/update the Testimonies, which were written long before Climate Change became a recognisable issue.
Bawl, swear, stamp around the room, but persevere!
Do you have any next steps planned?
Heaps!
We’d love to hear the story of you or your meeting too. Just email sunnivat@quaker.org.uk and tell us about it.
