Governments around the world make decisions every day that shape our future, often without the safety of our climate in mind. Because of this, there are plenty of things that seem to be out of our control - whether they are seemingly so or really are out of our ability to change - switching to an energy provider that sources its power from renewable sources is not one of them.
It's easy to get disheartened when governments aren't acting fast enough, especially in the case of Australia where our coal-loving politicians are not only multiplying but re-emerging (enter Barnaby Joyce, an infamous coal supporter, who has been newly elected Deputy Prime Minister). It's also easy to then leave it up to governments to sort their own mess out and just sit back.
But governments change when collectives of people start demanding change. Governments change systems when enough people stand for something. We've seen this in multiple civil rights movements throughout history. In the end, governments don't make change, we do.
We are consumers and through consumer power we have the ability to lay down the building blocks needed to create a safe climate - through every decision that we make and every dollar that we spend. This is true for the energy we consume. And as consumers of energy, we have the power to choose where our energy comes from.
How can I do this?
Change starts at home! One of the ways we can choose where our energy comes from is by switching to an energy provider who sources their energy from clean power.
If you're currently with an energy provider, see if they have an option to choose green power from renewables like wind and solar. There might be an additional charge but usually, they don't work out to be too much more.
So check your energy providers website or call them and they'll be able to tell you pretty quickly if this is something they offer. This is one of those things you could put off for years or you can just pick up the phone and it could be done within a few minutes!
What if my energy provider doesn't have a clean energy option?
If you're in NSW or Queensland, Australia, Enova Community Energy is an energy provider that is championing the transition to renewable energy and giving back to the local community. They are a women-led power company and half of their profits (after tax and reinvestment) go back into incredible initiatives to help curb climate change including 1 Million Women!
Every customer with Enova saves 1.9 tonnes of CO2 every year… that's the equivalent to planting 305,457 baby trees!
Enova has started localising Australia's energy system through innovative projects like microgrids and solar gardens, where it's leading communities to generate, distribute and share their own renewable power and in turn lower their costs. So if you're in NSW or QLD, make the switch today!
If you're not in NSW or Queensland, look into other programs near to you that are doing similar things! Or check out this blog on how to get solar power as a renter!
There are always options for change to start at home. Sometimes it just takes a little bit of research and taking the first step. We have the power to make positive changes. If we don't want our energy sourced from fossil fuels and we want our governments to listen, we need to show them we're ready for that change and we're taking matters into our own hands.
This blog post contains sponsored content. All revenue made from this blog post goes towards the work of 1 Million Women to empower women and girls across the planet to act on the climate crisis. Every brand that we work with offers products or services that actively help individuals to live with the least impact on the planet.
