A new Australian podcast documents the role which the Climate Emergency Declaration campaign played in shaping public opinion about the climate crisis in the small country town Castlemaine in Victoria.
The 48-minute podcast episode titled ‘Close To Home’ is produced by Rob Law and Kyla Brettle. It is the first episode of their new podcast series, ‘End Game’.
The podcast contains recordings from meetings and discussions in the local council mixed with quotes, contemplations and interviews with residents about the town’s struggle to acknowledge they’ve got a climate problem.
“Declaring a climate emergency is about embracing the cactus,” said Rob Law. “By telling this story about Castlemaine’s declaration journey we wanted to show how the climate emergency is reshaping our relationship to ourselves, each other and the world.”
“I have been struck at how many people around me are staring into their fears, acknowledging the underlying anxiety and finding a way to become more involved in collective climate action. In developing End Game, Kyla and I have been able to explore many recurring themes from those we meet and talk to. One theme is that being involved in local collective action is a much more powerful source of hope than individual action, offering the perfect antidote to feelings of futility and hopelessness. It means breaking through comfort zones, challenging the way you think, coping with more losses than wins, but ultimately it can bring a unique peace and joy from troubled times. We all have our niche, our role to play, our skills to provide, whether we are new to this space or many decades in. How do we create more space for more people to find their own way to step into creating a better world?”