Join the Dots… Climate change is tearing us apart.

-- THIS EVENT HAS ALREADY OCCURED --

Thursday 20th of February 2020 6:00 pm

This event is part of the slf2020 National Sustainable Living Festival.

Joining the Dots… healing the divide.

The climate change conversation is moving from barbeque chat about the weather, to kitchen table conversations about “how will we pay the mortgage next week?”

At the 2019 ‘climate election’, voters again chose to put the economy before action on climate change, despite growing support for renewable energy and other forms of carbon emissions mitigation.

Why?

Many households are struggling to make ends meet. There are now almost two million Australian families in mortgage stress. How do we include everyone in the climate and ecological emergency discussion as the effects of deep adaptation strategies start to impact the economy?

The emergence of Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion has driven the corporate sponsored climate denial machine into overdrive right now, increasing polarisation around climate change and its causes.

As the economy continues to contract, the divide over climate action may widen, fuelled by misinformation from right wing media who will blame renewable energy for high power prices and job losses. The next financial crisis will further widen the schism and erode faith in our institutions and our political system. Worse still, it may undermine years of environmental activism and community building.

The antidote may be to educate the public about why their prosperity is in decline, why its global, and why economists are at a loss to explain it.

Using current and historical data, we’ll join the dots between issues that appear disparate and unrelated, like housing affordability, increasing energy prices, low interest rates, precarious employment, household debt, and our epidemic of anxiety, depression and loneliness.

We all have a sense that our shared experience of ease and prosperity is diminishing year by year. We believe improving energy and economic literacy will help inoculate the public against divisive messaging from vested interests, and inspire the emergence of communities of trust, beginning at the neighborhood level.

The presentation will be approx 90 minutes followed by 30 minutes of questions and discussion.

Questions may be submitted in advance by emailing Phil on: philbethechange@gmail.com

Entry is free but places are limited. Tickets are available at Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/join-the-dots-climate-change-is-tearing-us-apart-tickets-91504126305?aff=eemailordconf&utm_campaign=order_confirm&ref=eemailordconf&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite&utm_term=viewevent

When
Thursday 20th of February 2020
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Where
General Assembly Melbourne 45 William Street 12a
Melbourne, VIC 3000

Contact
Phil Baulch
philbethechange@gmail.com
0417 554791

Event/Ticketing Links
http://www.slf.org.au/event/join-the-dots/?fbclid=IwAR1m4UrrjFRspCk0AUMkCcOw6RL1QLzGut9NTMOX95UjskwQ6jpQ66_P8Co
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/join-the-dots-climate-change-is-tearing-us-apart-tickets-91504126305?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Affiliated Groups
Transition South Barwon