The locals shaping our future
Futuremakers are everywhere. This month brought news of more voices calling for a sustainability revolution, more ways to adapt to and avoid the changes to the climate coming our way.
Some were inspired by books, others by natural disasters or just the simple realisation that it feels better to do something than rail against those who aren't.
On Australian beaches, urban school yards and farms in the tropical north, Futuremakers are gathering to make a difference. All believe it's a grassroots movement worth fighting for and, well, a bit of fun too.
Sue Lewis, a former Sydney school teacher, joined a merry band of parents and other unlikely agitators to put a stop to Australia burning coal for energy.
Jan Cameron, the president of Australian Women in Agriculture, faced a three year drought and watched the tropical rainforests near her north Queensland dairy farm wither until that fateful day in March when Cyclone Larry arrived.
Orthopaedic surgeon Matthew Nott was reading Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers when ferocious 42° summer winds blew off Tathra Beach, on the NSW south coast. It was a day he'll never forget.
Whether it is a change in the weather or a shift in understanding, these three Futuremakers are among thousands pushing for solutions to our looming climate change crisis.
Solutions come in the form of breeding sturdier cattle and replanting rainforests, swimming frozen lakes for publicity, rallying 3,000 locals for a beachside protest, galvanising principals of inner city schools to make way for solar power and, in whatever way they can, bringing on the sustainability revolution.
Urban renewable
Sue Lewis and the Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle group, have a vision. It's to see all the roofs of schools across their inner western Sydney peninsular, glint with solar panels.
Kogarah Council in Sydney has embraced alternative energy sources and installed solar panels in some buildings. Is your council supporting clean energy?
© WWF-Canon/Adam OSWELL
They've been given $40,000 worth of panels and inspired offers of help and admiration from fans across Australia.
"It really helps to have creative thinkers in the group - we've got a Kilowatt Count Challenge so people can boast about how they're cutting their energy and we're taking our banners to protest the use of coal when we can," says Sue.
They are also rounding up the merchants of Balmain's main drag, the upmarket Darling Street, to provoke a street-wide uptake of green energy.
"It is about our right to say no to a future fuelled by coal - everybody has that right. Everybody can say no," says Sue.
Adapting for an age of reason
Jan Cameron says the best way to cope with the cyclones of the future will be in the form of replanting hardy native species in "shelter belts" and flood-proofing farms. Breeding tougher dairy cattle with "good legs and feet" will help with further deluges like the one she is still experiencing months after Cyclone Larry hit. "The challenges to adapt and tidy up are all around - we lost power for 10 days, it hasn't stopped raining for months and we've lost about 10% of our milk production," says Jan.
Snapped like twigs - Cyclone Larry wove a path of destruction through north Queensland.
© larinalou
"Yet a few months before the cyclone we had had three failed wet seasons and they were putting dams in on the tablelands - people would have thought you were crazy doing that up until then."
The erratic weather is teaching farmers more about what is to come and valuable lessons for the future. "We found that pine trees are a disaster because they snap like twigs, no one will be planting trees along fence lines again because they take down the whole fence and really it's native shrubby trees and rainforest species as protection that are going to be our best bet."
Beachside blessings for a better future
After Matthew Nott's fateful day at the beach he spent three weeks on the phone calling lawn bowling fans, rural fire brigades, school groups, theatre staff and sports collectives. More than 10% of the Bega Shire turned up one Sunday to create a human sign spelling 'Clean energy for eternity' which dissolved and reformed to spell 'Imagine'. The story went around the world and the local ABC radio station's website received thousands of extra hits as others searched for Bega's impressive display of people power.
"It was The Weather Makers that inspired me this summer, it says so clearly what we are facing that I decided I would give it my all," says Matthew.
"Getting 3,000 people to turn up to the beach is just a start. We're looking at large scale art installations, bumper sticker campaigns and lots more local action."
Matthew's power to persuade even saw him and a mate swim six kilometres of Lake Jindabyne last week during a snowy southerly gale as an "awareness raiser".
"I guess its all about getting people to wake up; it's about getting the town to talk about these issues and it's about local councils and MPs in this marginal electorate knowing what the community really wants - clean energy, reducing consumption and getting on with it now," Matthew says.
"We're going to have some fun with all of this but we're serious too - this is about our future."
Your story
These are just three of the many great stories about Futuremakers around Australia. Perhaps you are, or know, of someone making a better future?
Tell us your story - we'd love to hear from you.
How you can help
Here are three simple things that you can do to help create a better future:
- If you're haven't already, sign up to become a Futuremaker
- Recycle your mobile
- Start a group or volunteer
