Locals worried about climate change and its impacts are being encouraged not to despair and invited to join with like-minded others to help address the global issue.
The Castlemaine-based group Central Vic Climate Action is gearing up to coordinate a range of community actions including this month’s upcoming public workshop in Castlemaine.
Group members like Castlemaine’s Trevor Scott said all were welcome to attend the workshop entitled Courage through Action: finding your role in the climate movement.
“In the wake of the election result, which was a shock to a lot of people, we feel like we have to ramp up what we’re doing,” Mr Scott said.
“We need to build it as a people movement so the workshop is about getting more people on side, getting people interested and getting people aware of the fact that if we want to do something about climate change we need to step up.”
Another group member Tim Read said people could sometimes feel uncertain about what role they could take on a personal level to address the big issue of climate change, and this month’s workshop aimed to help answer that question.
“There’s a whole variety of roles that people can play in the community,” Mr Read said.
“There are roles right at the front line. There are other roles that are supportive. There are other roles for creative people.”
The workshop will take place on Sunday July 28 from noon to 5pm at Castlemaine’s Botanical Gardens Tea Room and offers the chance to “get connected, motivated and inspired”.
It’s just one of a series of actions Central Vic Climate Action has planned for coming weeks as it continues to demand effective climate action from policy makers.
They’ve also organised a series of dining gatherings and are inviting everyone interested to join them for a meal and some discussion around climate activism.
The first dinner and discussion gathering is set for Saturday July 27 at Walmer, with others planned for Friday August 23 at Castlemaine, Friday September 27 (tbc) and Friday October 25 at Chewton.
In addition, the group is also looking at ways to support working adults to join with students who will be participating in the next big Global Climate Strike happening in Melbourne on Friday September 20.
More information about this month’s Courage through Action workshop at the gardens is available from Bernie on 0459 472 558 or bernard.tonkin@gmail.com
