Develop your family action plan!
By Amanda Martin OAM, CEO AEGN
How did you celebrate World Environment Day on Saturday 5 June? I spent the morning harvesting honey from my new friends that now share our property – our bees!
The capacity of these tiny creatures to work together to make their hive sustainable over a long period and to produce a few side benefits like honey and pollination for our food crops hasn’t ceased to bring me great joy.
My next project is to add a bee hotel for our native bees.
Focus on the environment
The other thing we did was hold a family discussion on what organisations we will donate to this year.
While there are many important causes and hundreds of fantastic charities, we agreed that our giving needs to remain focused on the environment, and to those groups advocating for rapid action at a policy and local practical project level.
As you know, report after report lays down the dreadful decline in our environmental estate and earth support systems. One of the most recent ones is from the Fenner School of Environment and Society called Australia’s Environment 2020.
In some good news, our research also uncovered the fact that the next National State of the Environment Report is, for the first time, co-authored with First Nations scholars and experts.
Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.
This is our moment.
We cannot turn back time. But we can grow trees, green our cities, rewild our gardens, change our diets and clean up rivers and coasts. We are the generation that can make peace with nature.
Let’s get active, not anxious. Let’s be bold, not timid.
UN World Environment Day statement
So, what to commit to?
I was reminded of our mantra during the AEGN’s conference this year. It lays out the basis of a giving action plan.
We all need to RISE
- Recognise the urgency to find solutions to climate change and environment issues now.
- Increase giving, influencing, impact investing and action — go to the Project Clearinghouse.
- Seek effectiveness and equity in all your actions.
- Engage in hope by taking action now whether it be giving, buying organic, having a meat free day, shopping at your local farmers market, installing solar panels or buying an electric vehicle. What ever you choose to do will not only make a difference it will make you feel good too!
Our family have devised our own action plan based on this. What will you do? With so many terrific things happening there are no shortage of projects, organisations and ideas to fund.
Not sure where to start? Send me an email at amanda@aegn.org.au
Comments
The best antidote to despair is action
5 June 2021
Donations by Australia’s 50 biggest givers double in five years
11 June 2021
Leave a comment