Category: The New Joneses

The ocean is essential to our life on earth.

It provides food for the world and livelihood to more than 4 billion* people.

It gives us the beaches we love, play + live on.

It regulates our climate + absorbs huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere.

Seeing first hand the impact of our actions on biodiversity in the bay, Sheree wants us to aim for zero waste, avoid single-use plastics + Recycle Right.

Only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled. We need to dramatically reduce the amount we use.

Not only is the plastic ending up in our oceans and environment. It’s ending up in US.

Yup. On average, we ingest about one credit card’s worth of plastic a week.

Recycle right + precious resources can be made into something new.

Recycle wrong + we waste the resources that made the packaging in the first place.

Recycle Right with ‘four bins’.

1: RECYCLING = paper/cardboard. glass. tin, hard plastics (milk cartons etc.) Keep these empty, dry, clean + UNBAGGED (no plastic bags ever in recycle)

2: FOOD SCRAPS – Do everything to keep food scraps from the bin.

Some councils accept food scraps in the food + garden organics (FOGO) bin. Check yours.

Set up your compost or worm bin to keep these nutrients from landfill where they harm (creating methane, a toxic gas) + get them into the soil where they heal. (Healthy soil draws more carbon out of the atmosphere.)

3: SOFT PLASTICS – Scrunchable Chip, lollie + cereal packets go to the supermarket soft plastics bin to get made into new things! Drop at Redcycle bin at selected supermarkets. redcycle.net.au

4: LANDFILL – Aim for this bad-boy to be your smallest bin. It’s the stuff we can’t reuse (polystyrene, broken crockery, ceramics, pyrex used tissues, nappies, wipes)

TIPS:
– “It’s only one straw!” said 8 billion people…everything counts.

– Avoid single use packaging. Remember your reusable bag, coffee cup, water bottle.

– Make it easy with 4 separate, clearly labeled bins (as above.)

– Keep recycling loose. Never bagged.

– Textiles in good condition go to charity, repurpose OR landfill.

– Flatten cardboard to maximise space.

– Food + liquids contaminate other stuff in the bin. Empty containers first.

– E-waste (electrical + batteries) start fires! (Check council, Officeworks or supermarket for drop-offs.)

– Look for packaging that’s recyclable, reusable or compostable;

PS: If in doubt, leave it out. We can’t unscramble the egg, so avoid “wish-cycling” (wish-cycling is doing it wrong + wishing the magic recycling fairy will separate it for you. She won’t.)

For more check cleanaway.com.au

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Tony’s worked in coal for 40 years.
Now he’s calling for us to leave fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) in the ground and switch to renewables. How?

1/ Choose banks + super funds that don’t invest in fossil fuels.

It’s one of the biggest positive actions we can take.

Call your bank and super fund today.

Ask if they invest your money in fossil fuels.

If they do, switch to one that doesn’t.

Many banks have committed to getting out of coal, but still fund gas.

Gas is a dirty fossil fuel.

What’s your bank’s stance on GAS?

Take the Bank Rank.

acf.org.au/bank_rank

With UniSuper we can look forward to a future worth retiring for, that doesn’t cost the earth.

unisuper.com.au/greatersuper

2/ Switch to a greener energy company
Like Momentum Energy – 100% owned by Australia’s largest renewable energy generator, Hydro Tasmania.

Whichever power company you choose, the energy you get is pretty much identical.

So support our clean energy future by choosing one that scored 4.5 stars in Greenpeace’s 2022 Green Electricity Guide.

Want to go one greener?
Add in GreenPower when you sign up (Momentum offers up to 100%).

Switch now to support renewables.
Call 1800 627 228
Learn more

3/ Consider switching to a carbon neutral telco.

BELONG is Australia’s 1st certified carbon neutral mobile and internet provider (at no extra cost you.)

So you can surf the real wide web, while caring about the real wide world.

Learn more

Because there’s no TikTok on a dead planet.

NB: Humanity’s goal isn’t offsetting carbon emissions.

It’s to stop burning the fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) fuelling climate change.

It’s gonna take us all, ya’ll.

#FundOurFutureNotGas
#GetOffGas
#supportrenewables

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Educating girls is one of the most powerful, yet overlooked, tools we have against climate change.

If you do ONE THING, make this it!

For the cost of a coffee a day, you can support one girl’s education.

Supporting girls’ education through non-profit organisations like One Girl is one of the simplest and most effective solutions to the climate crisis.

How does educating girls help reduce the impacts of climate change?

By investing in girls’ education, we unlock their creativity, power, resilience and leadership.

Educated girls stay in school longer, marry later and ensure their girls are educated too.

Educated girls are empowered to make better choices for themselves and their communities.

Educated girls are changing the world.

Today’s girls are tomorrow’s mothers, leaders, scientists, campaigners and politicians.

Educating girls brings 132 million (currently excluded) people to the table to actively participate in climate solutions.

Educated girls are transforming economies, societies and the planet.

Join the climate change movement by educating a girl.

Got Netflix, Amazon Prime, Stan, Binge, Disney AND AppleTv?

Why not cancel one and support OneGirl instead?

onegirl.org.au

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Want to know the mood of the muppets on climate change?

Randy tells it straight.

He wonders how we got so disconnected from nature, the plants, animals + planet which we are part of.

This bird watcher, plant, planet + animal lover wants us to protect plants + animals in their homes by changing how we live in ours.

How?
He wants us to get off gas, go all-electric + support renewables.

Why?
Electrifying everything (our cars and homes) and powering from renewables is the fastest way we can decarbonize, save money + the future of our people + planet.

What’s wrong with gas?
Gas is a dirty, polluting fossil fuel.
Any fuel we burn pollutes our air, harming us, our environment, the plants + animals.

Getting off gas is big part of our renewable energy transition.

How to go all-electric?
Go solar.
(Rooftop solar is cheaper than grid electricity.)

Swap gas stove for induction.
(electric cooking is cheaper + removes harmful gas stove pollutants from the air that can cause respiratory illness.)

Swap gas hot water for heat pumps
(heat pumps use 1/3 to 1/4 the energy to heat the same thing with fossil fuels)

Choose reverse cycle aircon to heat + cool.
So energy efficient. Cool cool cool.

Insulate. Retro fit to plug draughts. Double glaze.
With these improvements we require less energy to cook, heat + cool our homes.

Check out what these totes brainiacs have to say on the all-electric revolution:
rewiringaustralia.org

Questions about electrifying your world? This FB group has the answers.
facebook.com/groups/MyEfficientElectricHome

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‘Biodiversity’ is the variety of creatures – from the biggest (like whales), to the smallest (like bacteria in soil) + their essential, inter-connected role, making life on earth possible.

A healthy biodiversity is essential for our mental and physical health. Doctors even prescribe “time in nature” for conditions like high blood pressure, anxiety and depression.

A healthy biodiversity provides clean air + water, healthy plants + soil required to grow the food we eat.

It also regulates the climate. A healthy biodiversity (like varied birdsong) can increase life satisfaction as much as an income increase! *

Messing with biodiversity messes with all life on earth.

Every little bit is important.

Native plants are the life support system for the biodiversity that supports our life on earth.

So how do we nurture biodiversity?

1: Notice nature everyday
Notice nature nearby. Like the purple bush outside your window…that’s home to the bees, that pollinate the flowers, that produce the seeds, to plant the tree, to feed the people…

Once we notice it, we’re more likely to nurture it.

2: Give a Native Plant.
Avoid the plastic, wrapping + waste of other gifts.

For birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, give something that heals rather than harms!

Google “native nursery near me” + ask for local natives, indigenous to your area.

Natives save time, money + resources.(they need little maintenance, pesticides, or water.)

3: Go wild! Build up biodiversity in our homes, backyards and balconies:

– Provide nest boxes or water bowls for thirsty birds;

– Host an ‘air bee n bee’ for bees to shelter in;

– Plant local native grasses or flowering shrubs, providing a sanctuary for ‘the little things’;

– Keep cats inside making tiktok videos, instead of outside terrorizing local wildlife;

– Leave old stumps, trees and logs (providing wildlife a place to nest, rest, eat and grow);

– Share your biodiversity wins on the socials. What wildlife has paid you a visit?

Google “Gardens for Wildlife” in your local council area for more tips.

See Zena’s exhibition Emu Sky at Melb Uni Old Quad until July 30, 2022.

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From the ancient Greek meaning ‘affairs of the city’, politics, is basically, getting involved in how our world works.

Yet, loads of us say “I’m just not into politics.””

Getting involved (or ‘politics’) = using your voice to build a better world.

You can get involved in ‘politics’ without fighting your Uncle at Christmas.

Linh’s been getting involved (or politicking, without being a politician) for more than half her life!

She wants you to get involved too.

There are loads of ways to do this.

Get informed.
Find out who is your local representative.
What are they doing about climate change?
Call them.
Email them.
Let them know what you think.

The politicians are our representatives.
How are they representing you + the things you love?
Not knowing this, is like outsourcing your life to someone you know nothing about.

We vote for politicians to make decisions for us.
Let them know you want action on climate change.

Attend a rally.
Do something to improve your community, your apartment block, your school or work place.

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Tom + Jasper represent more than 260 past + present AFL + AFLW footballers who want to do more to tackle climate change.

From grassroots to the elite level, climate change is already impacting the sports we love.

Tom says we don’t have to look far to see the devastation climate change is already having on Australians + our sports.

Extreme heat is putting our health at risk, floods are destroying sports fields, while the black summer bushfire smoke forced Tom’s team to train indoors.

Tom + Jasper want sporting clubs + codes to rapidly cut carbon pollution by changing the way they build venues, travel, use renewable energy + cut out waste.

They want us to do the same, in our lives, our homes + workplaces.

Tom + Jasper want us to GET STARTED.

Have the climate change conversation with a mate.

“Its about progress, not perfection” says Jasper.

“We need all of us doing it imperfectly. Not some of us doing it perfectly.”

Download the free “Tick off Ten” checklist here.

Stick it to your fridge.

Tick ‘em off

Let’s get this done!

Want to chat better with buddies about climate change?
This crew have you covered:
climateforchange.org.au

Tom + Jasper acknowledge, Aussie rules football – the game we love and that has given us so much – comes from Marngrook, a First Nations game.

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Aussies currently throw out one in five bags of groceries ($2,000 to $2,500 per household) every year.

Food scraps in the bin to landfill create methane – a toxic gas 20x worse than the emissions from our cars.

We gotta keep food scraps from the bin and get them back into the soil.

This makes healthy soils to grow more stuff. Plus, healthy soil draws more carbon out of the atmosphere. This we need to do pronto!

So:
Shop to a list.
Get a kitchen caddy (any old container will do).
Get a worm farm (we dig www.wormlovers.com.au).
Get a compost bin.
Get some chickens.
Learn the difference between ‘best before’ + ‘used by’.

Got a blender?
Wizz scraps with water for a disgusting ‘sludge smoothie’ + dig it back into the soil.
Got a dog like Katy does?
Feed them the leftovers.

No garden?
Live in an apartment?
Google to find out your local council options for organic waste.
Give your scraps to neighbours, friends or family who can get those nutrients back into the soil where they belong.

Do everything you can to keep food scraps from the bin + get that stuff back into the soil.

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We’re in the business of repairing our world.

What’s your business?

Do you have a platform to share The New Joneses Road Trip series?

Do you work in a council, organisation, university, school or community group looking to engage more peeps?

If so, get in touch at hello@thenewjoneses.com

Our content’s free, funny and showing us all how to be part of the solution.

We want everyone watching, laughing and ‘doing the things’.

Because, champions, there’s no Planet B…

Love,

The New Joneses

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