Voice Your Future workshop: Harness the power of writing to your MP with Climate Writers

Climate action is a collective effort that we can all be a part of.

One way you can take effective climate action is by communicating and advocating with your local representatives. Local MPs value the opinions and views of their constituents and as your community's representative they want to know what's important to you. A great way to communicate your views with them is by writing to them, but where to start?

The Climate Writers team are here to bust a few myths about writing to your local representative: you don't need to be an expert; you don't need to be an amazing writer; and you definitely don't need to do it alone.

At this workshop, Climate Writers will teach you in an easy way:

· Why contacting politicians is the most effective lever for systemic change

· How to write a letter to a politician

· Climate topics to write about and letter writing templates

· How to reflect on and communicate your personal story and connection to climate change

All attendees are asked to bring a laptop to participate in this workshop.

Climate Writers is a non-partisan grassroots community that empowers the average Australian to become lifelong advocates for the environment and their local community.

After feeling powerless about the government’s inaction to climate change given the bushfires and floods in 2020/2021, they trained as facilitators under Climate for Change to teach everyday Australians what they can do about climate change. In April 2022, the urgency of the climate crisis compelled them to shift from hosting conversations about climate change, to carving a space for dedicated action.

This community has since grown entirely through word-of-mouth to 200+ attendees, of which 75% had never written to a politician before. It starts with events like these that empower the average Australian on how to take effective climate action.

Having sent 400+ emails to date, Climate Writers have had:

• Policy wins on topics we've written to politicians about: e.g the passing of the Climate Change Bill, stronger rules on the Safeguard Mechanism, banning of native forestry logging in Victoria and more...
• Contributions to a policy paper requesting a youth advisory council to the NSW Net Zero Commission, currently being actioned by MP Penny Sharpe's(NSW Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Enviro) team
• Meeting with MP Chris Bowen (Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy) to discuss Labor's climate policies after Annie wrote to him about opposing fossil fuel exploration.
• Group meeting with MP Jenny Leong (Newtown) after Marlene wrote to her on the NSW State election. Jenny connected us with other local climate non-profits, and hosted us in NSW Parliament.
• 1:1 meetings with local MPs / Councillors to ensure climate action is top of mind e.g Tim James (Willoughby), Paul Fletcher (Bradfield), Charishma Kaliyanda (Liverpool), and Dai Le (Fowler)
• Publications in local papers
• Countless responses from local MPs / their teams who are reminded about everyday people wanting climate action

ALL SOLUTIONS HOUSE EVENTS HERE

Socials:

Instagram: @climatewriters 

Website: www.climatewriters.community

Location details:

University of Technology Level 5, Zone A adjacent to Great Hall Building 1/15 Broadway Street Ultimo NSW 

Enter through the ground floor of Building 1,take the elevator or escalator to Level 5 where Solutions House will be hosted for the day.

To see all events happening at Climate Action Week Sydney 2025 CLICK HERE