What we do
Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle is the group behind Climate in the Pub, a regular gathering to hear excellent speakers in a social setting. But we do much more to promote action on climate change at local, state and national level. In 2018, we won Most Outstanding Environment Group in NSW, an award presented by the Nature Conservation Council.
Collaborate with other groups on climate campaigns
Present member views in person and in writing
Talk to the community about climate issues
Inform and exchange ideas at Climate in the Pub
Our strategy
Engage with our community to consult and inform them about climate issues
Encourage active participation in the democratic process at all levels of government
Collaborate with other groups on climate issues
Emphasise positive alternatives whenever campaigning against particular policies
Act to grow and strengthen CCBR as an organisation.
Our tactics
Communicating through our website, through social media, through an email newsletter, and by word of mouth
Holding regular public meetings to spread information and to build CCBR's membership and following
Present our views by communicating with politicians and business leaders, in submissions to enquiries, and by reports to the media.
Campaigns
Individuals can change their habits and behaviours to minimise their carbon footprints - but we need to act together to make change to policy. CCBR works with other organisations on short and long-term campaigns to pressure our political representatives and other institutions to act as strongly as the science tells us we must.
We support national and local campaigns on specific climate issues, promoting rallies, meeting and lobbying politicians and corporations. At election time we compare the climate policies of parties and local candidates. Take a look at the campaigns we are currently working with.
Climate in the Pub
We meet each month in a local pub, currently The Merton, 38 Victoria Road, Rozelle. On the third Wednesday of alternate months we have our highly successful series of “informed, informal conversations with involved people”, featuring excellent speakers. Check the Climate in the Pub page for an idea of previous topics, and for a link for recordings of some sessions.
On the second Tuesday of the intervening months, we hold a Climate in the Pub Meetup, where we welcome new people and existing supporters to get to know each other and to contribute ideas. We’ll usually have a theme for discussion, with the emphasis on sharing ideas that lead to action.
Both meetings begin with the chance for you to buy a drink and chat to others from 6.30 pm, with formal proceedings starting at 7 pm. You are welcome to buy a meal beforehand, or join others at a shared table after the event. Events are free, but we welcome a contribution to pay for the costs in mounting these.
To find out what is coming up, subscribe to our Event Calendar, Newsletter, follow us on Facebook or watch out for our posters in the area. Or check this website: Climate in the Pub or Climate Meetups.
... and what we've done
Climate Change Balmain-Rozelle has been around since 2005. We've got history - but more recently:
17th September 2016: We gathered for photos at Ballast Point Park, calling on AGL to go Fossil Free.
21st August 2016: We had a stall at the Footprints EcoFestival, where Kate handed round her "Ugly Food" soup, we collected signatures on petitions calling for a Climate Energency to be declared, and calling on AGL to shift to renewables faster.
19th April 2016: We attended Leichhardt Council's "Climate Conversations", where Tim Silverwood spoke about throwaway plastics' effect on marine life. At our stand we asked "what does it take to make it?" about everyday objects: think before you throw things out. Also, with the election coming up, we asked people to fill in thought bubbles saying "I'm voting climate in 2016 because..."
14th November 2015: We handed out nearly 2,000 flyers about the People's Climate March to people in Balmain, Rozelle, Lilyfield (Orange Grove), Annadale, Leichhardt and Glebe.
17th October 2015: CCBR members Kate Marcus and Angela Michaelis presented a "Fridge First" workshop at Annandale Community Centre as part of Leichhardt Council's "Treading Lightly" and the statewide "Love Food Hate Waste" programs. Encouraging people to use leftovers from the fridge to make new, appetising meals (thus saving money and reducing waste), Kate & Angela demonstrated their recipes - producing a meal for all the participants to enjoy afterwards. Like an earlier session at Strathfield, the session was booked out well in advance.
9th June 2015: Our first "Climate in the Pub" meeting at the Three Weeds, where 29 people met with our guests from Solar Citizens, and discussed the growth of, and challenges facing, rooftop solar PV electricity.
3rd June 2015: We handed over our petition calling for a Renewable Energy Target for NSW - undiluted, undelayed - to Balmain MP Jamie Parker at NSW Parliament House. The petition had 798 signatures, and another 303 online.
30th April 2015: Our What About Paris meeting (jointly with Balmain Institute) was packed out to hear John Connor CEO of The Climate Institute explain Australia's role in international climate talks leading up to Paris in December 2015, and the task in front of Australia to reduce its emissions enough to match international efforts to limit warming to 2 degrees.
18th April 2015: CCBR had a stall at Leichhardt Council's "Our Solar Future" launch at Leichhardt Town Hall. First opportunity to collect signatures for our RET petition.
March 2015: Handed out nearly 2,000 election scorecards outlining the Balmain candidates' responses to our questions on climate change policies. The leaflets were generally very well received.
28th February 2015: Joined the last day of the Walk for Water from Bridgewater Park, Rozelle, to Parliament House and then Hyde Park. Jamie Parker and Verity Firth both addressed the walkers as they set off.
23rd February 2015: Hosted Coal and Health Forum jointly with Balmain Defenders at Glebe Town Hall.
14th February 2015: Out in force at a forum at the Balmain Institute to quiz the election candidates for the seat on their environmental credentials.
5th November 2014: CCBR held its AGM, electing new office bearers and a committee of 7!
1st November 2014: Stall at Petersham EcoFest
24th August 2014: CCBR had a stall at the Leichhardt Council Footprints EcoFestival at Whites Creek Park, Annandale. For the first time we demonstrated a full-size solar PV panel powering a selection of domestic LED lights, with Gavin & Warren on hand to explain them. In another first, Kate made soup (for over 100 people!) from "reject" vegetables: the pieces that supermarkets consider too unattractive to sell, and would otherwise be bullodozed into greenhouse gas-producing landfill. Nice soup too! And we surveyed over 140 people on whether they had considered solar PV for their house, and what the problems were. Plus the always fascinating concentrated solar thermal model from BZE.
26th March 2014: CCBR had a stall at the recent "Sustainable City Living" forum hosted by Leichhardt Municipal Council. It was the first opportunity for us to talk about some of the new initiatives we are getting started on - from Food waste and composting through to Solar PV and LED lighting, not to mention our low-carbon kitchen ideas. They are all aimed at finding ways for local people to get involved in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Watch out for more, much more about this in the weeks and months to come.
