By Lisa Tuck, Area Coordinator, AYCC Albury Wodonga
It is the younger generations in this region that will suffer the brunt of human induced climate change and will be dealing with its consequences in the years to come. Personally, I have been interested in environmental issues and sustainability for quite a long period of time, yet up until recently I lacked the confidence and scientific and political knowledge to take my passion further. However, upon studying climate politics at La Trobe University Albury – Wodonga, I am now one of a growing group of local youth who have decided to act on our concerns about climate change to establish a local chapter of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC).
As a chapter of the AYCC we are part of a national youth run organisation of over 70,000 members with a mission to educate, inspire and mobilise young people across the country to take active action on climate change. The AYCC is apolitical and aims to work with local, state and federal governments across Australia to develop environmentally friendly policies and to educate youth about the importance of sustainable living.
We want to give a voice to young people in the Albury – Wodonga area who are concerned about climate change, environmental and sustainability issues. In doing this, we are empowering a generation of climate concerned youth to take responsibility for their futures. Along with this, we wish to encourage and inspire young people from across the region to engage in sustainable practices and to live lightly.
In 2012, our main campaign is Repower Australia, which seeks to lobby the Federal Government to invest one hundred percent of revenue from the carbon tax into renewable energy sources. To assist this cause, the AYCC Albury-Wodonga branch will be organising a series of Repower events aimed at lessening the carbon footprint of organisations in the border region whilst reducing their business costs as a result.
In addition, our local AYCC branch has organised sustainable clothing and book swap events at the La Trobe University campus, held a stall at the Albury-Wodonga Farmer’s Market and Hume Building Society Sustainability Market on the 31st of March, and planned an upcoming trivia night featuring a keynote speech by La Trobe University international relations lecturer Dr Ben Habib. On behalf of the AYCC, I greatly encourage local youth to get involved in working towards a more socially just and sustainable future.