Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change

Meet the team – June

June 16, 2010 at 8:54 am morelandclimategroup Leave a comment

Every month we’ll be getting to know a new CAMer and putting them through their paces with our 20 Questions.

And in the month of June, who better to meet than Jane!

1. Likes
Russian doorstop novels, leatherman multi-tools, cooking with spices, bushwalking, Melbourne, sleeping in.

2. Dislikes
The pressure to own the latest cool gadget, amusement park rides that spin you around, chokos, those people who come to your door trying to get you to change electricity providers.

3. What do you do?
Right now I’m finishing off some studies, being a parent to two small children, and starting up a small business. Yes, I’m way too busy.

4. What’s your background?
I grew up in Sydney, moved around a fair bit including stints in Cairns and the Blue Mts, fell in love with Melbourne and wouldn’t live anywhere else. My work background is mainly in communications, though I’ve worked in a variety of fields.

5. What’s your biggest fear about climate change?

Apart from the more obvious problems I think the potential for massive social unrest is really frightening. The USA and Britain are already planning for climate war scenarios. That’s terrifying.

6. What action would you like to see happen on climate change?
Massive investment in renewable energy; an end to fossil fuel subsidies; transition to a steady state economy; a societal shift away from acquiring more and more stuff, and towards a society where we shed the label of ‛consumer’ and take back our identities as citizens.

7. What do you like most about Moreland?
A wonderful mix of friendly unpretentious people from many diverse backgrounds, all peacefully living alongside each other. Great coffee and so many fantastic places for food and cooking ingredients. The kind of place where the local festival decorations includes crocheted rugs wrapped around trees (presently in Coburg Mall). Love that so much.

8. Funniest CAM story?
I was doorknocking in Brunswick and this one house had a locked security screen with the front door open, so I could see straight down the hallway to the back door. This very old, very frail woman insisted on hobbling very very slowly from her back garden, down this endless hallway to the front door. She spoke not a word of English.

The whole time she was asking me if I could speak Italian and I was trying to tell her not to worry about coming to the door. I didn’t want to be rude by leaving when she was walking towards me, so I just stayed there until, after what seemed like an eternity, she finally reached me and we established that, yes, she didn’t speak English, and no, I didn’t speak Italian. Funny in retrospect. At the time? Awwwkward.

9. What have you done to live a more sustainable life?
Two major things I do is to eat very little meat, and to keep my consumption level as low as possible. That means thinking carefully about every purchase, buying things only when I really need them, and buying either secondhand or really good quality items that will last. I’m also making more things myself, like skincare products and foods like bread and ice-cream that you would normally go out and buy. And lastly, I try to scale things down – I live in a very modestly sized house, and drive a small car when it’s not feasible to catch public transport.

10. What do you like about CAM?
When you are concerned about something as daunting as climate change, it’s easy to feel isolated and powerless. But CAM gives such a sense of solidarity, working together with people who have similar values and doing something productive. It’s also such a great way to become really connected with the local community. And it’s surprisingly fun – even the monthly organising meetings are good for some laughs. I read recently about some research showing that people who are politically active are happier as a direct result. That seems pretty right in my experience.

11. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
I’ve no idea. I’m so indecisive I would need several months to even start thinking about it.

12. If you were the leader of the world what’s the first thing you would do?
Cut fossil fuel subsidies.

13. What song would you like played at your funeral?
Nick Cave – Little Janey’s Gone. That should get ‛em crying. And then, at the end, a bit of a laugh (google the lyrics).

14. Which dead person would you most like to have a drink with?
I don’t want to have a drink with a dead person. Yuk!

15. If a movie was made of your life who would you like to play you?
Janeane Garofalo. She has the same sardonic sense of humour. But she looks a lot like a close friend of mine. So that would be weird.

16. Red or Blue?
Purple

17. What keeps you awake at night?
Fear of the world my children might inherit.

18. What are you reading at the moment?
Wicked. Yes, I’m late to jump on that bandwagon – they’ve already made it into a musical! I picked it up at an op shop the other day when looking for a fun read.

19. Where is your favourite place to eat?
In my kitchen slash dining room with my two boys.

20. What’s your favourite drink?
I’m a traditionalist. Coffee without the frills. Or a decent red.

Entry filed under: 20 Questions. Tags: Brunswick, Climate Action Moreland.