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There is no right or wrong way to start up a new Climate Action Group. If you'd like to know how BREAZE started out, you can read about the History of BREAZE. Some of the ways we’ve found successful are listed below. All you need to do is decide what will work best for you and your situation and go from there.
1. Start with your friends
Lots of Climate Action Groups start by a group of friends getting together and deciding that they want to take action on climate change. Often these groups start with a meeting of between 4 and 10 people at someone’s house, to talk about what they think they might like to do about climate change in their area and how to lobby their local politicians to take action. Once you get talking you’ll find there are lots of ideas, and heaps of energy. When you’ve decided on a couple of tasks, it’s time to get moving. Set the next meeting date for a couple of weeks down the track, and report back on what you’ve been doing. You might want to set up an email list to share information between meetings. Some groups want to keep it small to begin with, while others are happy to invite in new members from their networks or local community right away. Just remember, if you are going to claim that you represent the local community, you need to provide opportunities for new people to get involved.
2. Hold a public meeting
One of the most effective ways to get a good community focused CAG up and running is to hold a public meeting on climate change. Get together an organising group (two or three people may be enough), book a date, book a hall (your local council, church or school should be able to help you out), and book an experienced speaker on climate change (Environment Victoria or other environmental groups will be happy to help you out). Promoting the event will be the part that involves the most work and you can do this through local papers, community newsletters and distributing posters. After your speakers have presented, propose to the audience that a local Climate Action Group be formed. You’re sure to have a few people sign up, and many more will put their name down to be contacted by email when you are next doing something in the community. Set the first meeting date, and there’ll be no turning back.
3. Write a letter to the paper
One successful Melbourne based Climate Action Group got started when the now Convenor wrote a letter to her local paper on climate change. This person was convinced that she couldn’t be the only person in her area concerned about climate change, and in the letter invited anyone else who wanted to see greater action to reduce greenhouse pollution to join her at a local cafe the following week. About 10 people showed up at the cafe, and the group has continued to grow, with over 100 local people now on their email list.
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