Sally Giblin says her former corporate self would never have imagined she would one day be reclining in public as a multicoloured mermaid to highlight the amount of plastic waste in the world’s oceans.
Giblin was 40, with a seven-year-old son, when she returned to Sydney from living and working in London in 2019 to find the city shrouded in ash and smoke from the black summer bushfires.
Suddenly, the urge to be more climate active became overwhelming.
“I think once you are confronted with the reality of our climate and biodiversity crisis it’s impossible to look away,” Giblin says.
She soon left behind her corporate career as a fashion buyer and management consultant to find a job that could “bring purpose and work together”.
Not everyone can afford to quit their job to pursue their passion. But whether your idea of climate activism involves signing petitions, door-knocking, meeting pollies or blocking roads, the good news is that in Australia there are now climate groups geared towards almost every age group, profession and demographic.
Here’s where to start if you want to take action.
Find your tribe
In 2022, Giblin joined Parents for Climate, which facilitates meetings with like-minded parents, and takes actions such as writing to state and federal MPs.
She recommends finding a group with shared values as a useful first step.
“There are so many groups out there – no matter what your identity is you can find ways to tap into a like-minded community,” she says.
Climate Action Network Australia lists more than 150 groups that are actively campaigning on climate action, many of which welcome volunteers.
These include groups made up of doctors and veterinarians, surfers and divers, farmers and musicians, as well people from different locations or religions.
Gilblin’s advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the range of groups out there and the scale of the problem is first to immerse yourself in positive climate content such as the Australian documentary 2040 and climate solutions website Project Drawdown.
She also suggests making positive changes in areas where you already have passion or confidence (for example, if you love food, start by tackling food waste).
Make a career change – or bring your work skills to activism
While most people won’t need to jettison their careers in order to get active – for some their work can be the biggest obstacle.
Annica Shoo, now a lead environmental investigator at the Australian Conservation Foundation, chose to leave her role in the public service because she felt disempowered and even complicit in environmentally dubious practices.
“It was irreconcilable to perform my duty to obey, and perform my duty to be factual, honest and evidence-based. The fact is that Australia is a hotspot for species extinction and that we were and are still not doing enough to prevent catastrophic climate change,” she says.
However, she says there are many ways to make a meaningful contribution without having to upend your career.
“You might donate. You might show up to a protest or sign a petition if you can. You might volunteer one day a week. You might blow the whistle (with appropriate legal advice), or you might be simply and radically performing your duties at work.”
Giblin says it’s useful to consider what skills you can transfer from the office to the climate space, as many groups have varied needs.
‘I wish I had started earlier’
Growing up in Mount Gambier, in regional South Australia, there were limited opportunities to get involved in activism, says 15-year-old Gomeroi woman Jazmin Bingham.
She also encountered the stigma that being active on climate issues was considered a bit weird. But as an Indigenous person, she was acutely aware of threats to the environment.
“I had a lot of my own battles – as a First Nations person I struggled a lot with my cultural identity. Country is culture, and when country is sick, mob is sick,” she says.
“When my passion and concerns grew for the climate, I thought this isn’t too much of an option. I can sit here and do nothing about it and regret my decision or I can give it a shot and try to do something about it.
Bingham started her own Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) group in her home town, and recently travelled to Canberra to meet with 33 federal MPs in two days including the minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen.
Her advice for other young people or anyone wanting to get involved in climate activism is to take the risk of moving out of their comfort zone and get involved.
“One key motivator for me is seeing all the other young people showing their drive and passion. It shows that young people are keen to fight for a fair and just future, and if we show up we can make the real change happen.
“Come along to a rally, attend a meeting or whatever pops up.
“Taking the risk as a climate activist has been the best thing I have done in my life. To be honest I wish I had started earlier.”
james norman 