Outdoors People for Climate needs your help
Australia seems to be experiencing more catastrophic floods and bushfires which the majority of the world's scientists put down to climate change. One organisation Outdoors People for Climate wants to make a difference.
Damon Angelopulo of Outdoors People for Climate takes five with Great Walks.
GRW: What is Outdoors People for Climate?
Outdoors People for Climate, or OPC, is an Australia wide grassroots organisation working to engage with people who love the outdoors to raise our voices and take action on climate change and protect what we love. We’re supporting individuals to get active by providing information, resources and actions that make it easier to make a difference.
GRW: Many Great Walks readers are concerned about climate change but feel quite powerless. Do you understand this position?
Of course! That’s a pretty normal feeling. Climate change is a truly global issue, and it's complex. I think the good news though is that there really are so many different ways we can contribute and have a real impact. We don’t all need to stop driving or become a vegan. We should take action and support solutions in a way that works for us. A great first step is learning more about the issue.
How can people get involved in Outdoors People for Climate?
The best first step is to sign up to our email list and if you’re active on social media can also follow us there. That way, you’ll discover important actions that you can take with us, actions like writing to your Member of Parliament or having effective conversations about climate change. Also, our website is full of more information and resources for those who want to learn more about the issue, or how they can get more active. We're a completely volunteer run organisation, so people can also volunteer their time or donate.
Some people may perceive Outdoors People for Climate as a political organisation. Would this be true?
That’s right, OPC has a political focus. It’s clear that we won't be able to solve climate change without strong ambition from our political leaders. OPC is non-partisan, which means that we are not biased towards any particular political groups. Aligned with other climate organisations, we’re asking all parties to adopt climate policies that are in line with what the science tells us is required to meet the Paris Climate Agreement.
Do people have to get political to create positive outcomes for Climate Change?
Actions that are more individual-orientated, like buying renewable energy or cycling to work, are important, absolutely have a positive impact and can help connect us to our values. It's clear that because of the scale and urgency of the issue, we also need to focus on community-level and systemic change.
We shouldn’t be intimidated by this though because there are so many ways to raise our voice for climate solutions. We can talk about climate change with our friends and family. We can prioritise climate change when we vote. We can let our banks know that we don’t want them to invest in fossil fuels. People can be surprised to discover just how big their sphere of influence is as a community member and a citizen. People who love the outdoors are poised to really give back to the places we love by grappling with this issue and as a bushwalker I think that’s really wonderful.
More info: outdoorspeople.org