We told you so is never a helpful reaction to catastrophe. Yet we’ve known for decades that warmer oceans will bring more rain, more storms, more extreme weather patterns. The recent catastrophic rain is surely evidence of what we can no longer ignore: the climate is changing – and so must many aspects of our lives, starting with where and how we live.

Alternative ways of living for this changed world is the topic of our first webinar of 2023 on February 8. Degrowth scholar Anitra Nelson explains the benefits and challenges of creating smaller and more efficient living spaces that are ecologically sustainable as well as convivial.

Two books published in 2018 give the breadth of her thinking: “small is necessary: shared living on a shared planet” and “Housing for Degrowth”.

Anitra is an activist scholar affiliated with the University of Melbourne’s Informal Urbanism Research Hub. Her webinar is at 7.30, Wednesday February 8. Here’s the link:
https://www.ourclimatedeclaration.org.nz/food_housing_neighbourhood_self_sufficiency

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Our Climate Declaration is anxious to promote this year’s round of Climate Action Grants in honour of our founder, Jeanette Fitzsimons. These are for projects involving activists under 30 years, the age group with whom Jeanette had an especial affinity and for whom the climate-changed future is a reality.

Last year we awarded three grants to:

• Waiheke High School for a project to reduce and recycle waste.
• Earth Action Trust Auckland for their zero waste education programme and social enterprise with young, new New Zealanders.
• Bruce Mahalski to run a competition for schoolchildren to make climate-themed posters, involving hundreds of school children. The posters were exhibited in shop windows, galleries and museums.

To support this year’s Grants programme please find donation details at our website: www.ourclimatedeclaration.org.nz. Donations qualify for a tax refund.

Ngā mihi nui
Pat Baskett and the team at OCD