Timaru and Waimate District Councils have collaborated on World Environment Day to launch a new resource for helping people lessen their impact on the climate and deal with some of the increasing effects of climate change.

To coincide with World Environment Day, Timaru District Council and Waimate District Council have released ‘Personal Responses to a Warming Planet’, available to download for free at https://timaru.govt.nz/climatechange or waimatedc.govt.nz/climate

The short guide gives practical everyday advice on issues such as transport, food and running your home, and includes links to additional sources of reputable information such as Government agencies and university websites.

It’s a friendly and easy to read guide, with original illustrations from noted New Zealand book-illustrator Polly Rabbits.

Later in June a printed edition will be available, priced at $5 from Timaru libraries and service centres, and the Waimate Council reception.

Timaru District Council Climate Change Advisor, Rhys Taylor said that the guide was in response to calls from the public for advice on how households could adapt to and mitigate climate change effects.

“UN World Environment Day (5 June) themes this year are climate change, drought and restoration of nature,” he said.

“Last year in our Action for Climate Change public workshops we were being encouraged to assemble information on how households can adapt to climate change impacts such as drought, fire or floods, and also to reduce – or ‘mitigate’- their carbon emissions which contribute to global warming.

“The guide, a collaboration by climate change advisors working at both Timaru and Waimate Councils, is a simple and straightforward guide that can help people start their sustainability journey.

“As individuals it feels good to do less of the bad and more of the good for the planet, but as well as taking steps at home people can do their part by encouraging enabling legislation, making financial investment decisions and encouraging their local and national politicians to support international agreements to speed the process.”