GETTING STARTED WITH #REPOWER

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1 GETTING STARTED WITH #REPOWER #Repower is a movement of Australians working together to power our country with energy from the sun and wind. Together we re taking on the big polluting companies and demanding our elected representatives step up and lead a fair transition from dirty fuels like coal and gas to clean, renewable energy. This document will help you start a Repower Action Group in your community. It contains information about the #Repower campaign, plus some sample resources for getting started. There are more copies of the materials and stickers available today for people who are keen to get their local #Repower campaign started straight away. WHAT IS #REPOWER? We can t keep powering our lives with polluting fuels from the last century. It s time to repower our communities with clean, renewable energy from the sun, wind and water. So let s get on with it! Repower is a new national campaign calling for Australia to transition fairly from dirty coal and gas to 100% renewable electricity by It recognises that climate change is already here, and that we can t wait for our federal government and the big polluting energy companies to lead. It s up to us, right now. Coal and gas pollute the air we breathe and the water we drink. They overwhelm our planet s physical systems, threaten our reefs and harm our communities. It s time to move on from these dirty and dangerous fuels. The solution clean energy Just as people invented antibiotics and the internet, we re always discovering better ways to meet our needs. We can repower Australia with energy that doesn t harm our planet or our communities. We can completely transform how we use and generate energy. We ve done it before. We re doing it now. Rooftop by rooftop, communities across our country have taken the lead. Today, one in five households are capturing energy from the sun on their rooftops. Some 23 million solar panels are harvesting sunshine. That s a panel for every single person in the country. And yet more than 79 percent of NSW s energy still comes from burning dirty fuels like coal and gas. Why? Caption goes here. We want the transition to be fast and fair. Together, we can make it happen. The challenge By digging up and burning coal and gas, big polluting energy companies are damaging our climate and our lungs. 1 RepowerNSW.org.au

2 The barrier For too long, big polluting companies have had too much power over our elected representatives. They ve been spreading misinformation and corrupting our democracy, trying to keep us handcuffed to the energy sources of the past. In turn, some politicians have joined them, running scare campaigns to sabotage the transition to clean energy. Our federal government is refusing to lead and make a national plan to manage the transition to clean energy. And here in NSW our Government is failing to support the renewable energy boom. Less than 7% of our electricity comes from solar and wind - placing us right at the back of the renweables pack. HOW #REPOWER CAN HELP People power creates change in Australia. On issue after issue, we ve seen how grassroots campaigns and organised communities can change the political debate from the ground up. Renewable energy has overwhelming popular support across the country. It s time for everyone, everywhere to demand our elected representatives listen to the people. Communities everywhere are already showing the way. Households, businesses and local institutions like schools and hospitals are installing solar. It s time for our Government to take the lead. Climate and environment groups are drawing attention to the damage pollution causes and the need for clean renewable energy. Repower isn t trying to replicate this work, but amplify it under a shared banner, and turn it into unstoppable political pressure. #REPOWER IS CALLING FOR AUSTRALIA TO TRANSITION FAIRLY FROM DIRTY ENERGY TO 100% RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY BY Together, we are more powerful. So the campaign has one big shared goal: #Repower is calling for Australia to transition fairly from dirty energy to 100% renewable electricity by What s happening in New South Wales? NSW has abundant wind and sun, and a commitment to get to net zero emissions by Yet our Government has no plan to reach this goal and our climate can t wait until 2050 for our coalfired power stations to close. To reach that goal, the Berejiklian government needs to get on with passing legislation and committing to build large-scale wind and solar farms. Local Repower campaigns can build community pressure for these things in the lead-up to the 2019 state election. 2 RepowerNSW.org.au

3 HOW #REPOWER WORKS - THE BIG PICTURE Repower builds from the grassroots up to the state and national level. It s focused, coordinated and disciplined, but decentralised. No single group or organisation owns or controls the campaign, but it presents a united front (the most recent example of this kind of campaign in Australia is #StopAdani). Here s an overview of how it works at each level. #Repower your town / suburb Coogee What does it mean? Local communities organise and call on their state MPs to support action on climate change and renewable energy. We will turn community support in to ACTION. How will we achieve it? Local people working together in their towns and suburbs to: Build an unstoppable movement of people behind Repower! Celebrate local MPs when they become Repower Champions, Push for local institutions to get onboard with Repower. #Repower NSW What does it mean? NSW plays our part to ensure we achieve the national switch to 100% renewable electricity, starting with passing a plan to get do NSW s fair share. How will we achieve it? Active local Repower campaigns in key areas and across the state putting pressure on MPs to support #Repower. #Repower Australia What does it mean? Australia transitions fairly from dirty energy to 100% renewable electricity by How will we achieve it? Diverse campaigns and actions from organisations and grassroots groups across the country putting pressure on our political representatives to support #Repower. National movement coordination to join forces at key moments. 3 RepowerNSW.org.au

4 HOW #REPOWER WORKS - YOUR LOCAL CAMPAIGN The ultimate goal of Repower is to influence our New South Wales MPs to take real action to make Australia transition fairly to 100% renewable electricity by KEY DEFINITIONS... Repower Action Group A team of people working in their local area to call on their state MPs to support getting Australia to 100% renewable electricity by Repower Petition A petition that engages the community to draw out local people and institutions who support the Repower campaign goals. This is a great tool for starting conversations with your community. Remember 91% of people support renewables already - let s turn that support in to action! Local institution An organisation or business that is prominent in your local area and supports the goals of Repower. Examples include sporting clubs, RSLs, bowls clubs, shopping centres, schools, childcare centres, churches and hospitals but you choose who to approach! Get them on board to build pressure on your MP! Repower Champion A local MP that will champion clean energy in the community and in our Parliament. The goal of a Repower Actio n Group is to get your MP to become a Repower Champion. 4 RepowerNSW.org.au

5 SUGGESTED #REPOWER CAMPAIGN PHASES Repower is local and grassroots, so every campaign will be different. The following timeline is just a guide to help your team plan its activities. Having said that, we re more powerful when we work together, so the timeline includes a few big shared moments such as the Repower Week of Action. Form your Repower Action Group Develop an action plan Recruit more people to join you Build Repower champions within your community Get your local MP on board! Getting Started Form your #Repower Action Group Suggested activities Organise a time for your group to meet to decide on a name eg. Repower Lismore and develop an action plan. Your action plan could include your goals, specific actions you ll take to grow your group, and who is responsible for doing what. Set a regular time for your Repower Action Group meetings. If you d like a hand, we can help you develop your action plan. Jacqui on outreach@nature.org.au to arrange a time. People cr eated this problem and we c an fix it. Repower is a peop le powere campaig d n to chan ge Austra lia for the be tter. Join a #R epower A ction Gro u p! Credit: Rodney Dekker 5 RepowerNSW.org.au

6 WHAT SUPPORT CAN WE PROVIDE YOU WITH? Developing your action plan Need a hand developing your action plan or wondering what other groups are doing? Jacqui, our Network Organiser on outreach@nature.org.au Materials Stickers, t-shirts, flyers, petitions, reports and factsheets are all available to help you. Contact us if you d like a starter pack to kick off your Repower Action Group. Promoting your group and events We d love to help you connect with others in your community. Once you ve got a group ready, let us know and we ll invite other people in your area to join you. If you have a local Repower campaign event that you d like help promoting to local media let us know. Ongoing advice We re here to help you make Repower a big deal in your community. You can contact us anytime to help with advice, sharing ideas or to share how you are going. Contact Jacqui anytime on: outreach@nature.org.au HOW TO STAY IN TOUCH Caption goes here. Read more about Nature Conservation Council s part in the national collaborative Repower campaign at RepowerNSW.org.au Contact our Repower Team on outreach@nature.org.au 6 RepowerNSW.org.au