Our Goal
Futureenergy.org is dedicated to establishing a sustainable energy future> for the world.
Our Creed
Failure is not an option.
Our Campaign
We seek to achieve our goal through conducting the following activities: marginal seat campaigns; public education; support of industries and products moving in the right direction and influencing policy development at government and community levels.
Our Rationale
Achieving Change
Futureenergy.org realises that there are two key levers that can be used to achieve change, namely political and economic levers.
Political Campaign
We run long-term marginal seat campaigns in key electorates, designed to put pressure on Liberal, Labor and the Greens to adopt and implement sustainable energy policies. We aim to lift the profile of climate change and energy issues in the media and community, so that no political party can ignore them.
Economic Campaign
We run public education campaigns designed to encourage people to use clean green energy and technology.
Campaign Tools
Futureenergy.org uses campaign tools such as public education, protests, and media, to direct political pressure and to change consumers’ spending habits.
Unique
Futureenergy.org believes we are unique in Victoria, as no other environmental organisation is running a sustained and targetted political and economic campaign at a grassroots level on the issue of climate change and energy.
Politically Effective
Most major environmental groups* spend their time lobbying, working with government processes, or conducting public education campaigns.
Governments love nothing more than having environment groups spending their time on process or lobbying as it means the groups are spending less time in the electorates changing the way people will vote.
Likewise education campaigns without a direct call on people to change the way they vote will mean little to the political parties.
For those groups that do run politcal campaigns, they often are: under resourced; very short term; adhoc; misfocussed in the wrong areas; failing to send any message to voters about how they should actually vote; allowing fear of funding cuts to temper their message; allowing the political biases of their staff to influence their message; or are merely tokenistic, such as putting up web sites that are not promoted beyond their own membership.
All futureenergy.org campaigners have strong political backgrounds. Futurenegy.org understands the importance of running strong, long term, targetted campaigns in key marginal seats that are designed to put pressure both major political parties.
*In recent times The Victorian Wilderness Society has been an exception to this rule.
Top
Our Campaigners
Adrian
Matthew
Natasha
Top
Supporting us
Like any organisation we have limited resources and your support would be most welcome. There are several ways in which you can assist our campaign: change your personal behaviour or give us direct physical or financial support.
Personal Action
Much of this web site lists ways you can change your own life or take action to help stop the climate crisis and support a sustainable energy future. See our action pages or other pages such as the energy efficient houses or transport for more information.
Physical Support
Futureenergy.org is reliant on volunteer support to help conduct our marginal seat and public education campaigns. See our Getting Involved section below for more information.
Become a futureenergy.org supporter
For $50 ($10 concession) you can become a supporter of futurenergy.org. Your contribution of $50 will help us conduct our public education and marginal seat campaigns. In return you will receive a quarterly newsletter and know you have a good team working for you. Email: [email protected]
Become a donor
It costs thousands of dollars to run effective marginal seat and public education campaigns. Currently the futureenergy.org campaigners are funding the majority of the campaign. We would welcome any donations to help us meet these costs. We are currently in the process of incorporating and setting up a bank account. Prior to us setting up our bank account, we invite any interested donor to contact us and we can arrange for you to pay our printer directly. Email: [email protected]
Top
Getting Involved
Marginal Seat Letter Boxer
To run our marginal seat campaigns and public education we are reliant on volunteer support. It takes many hours to leaflet a marginal seat. The more people we have involved, the quicker and more often we can do this.
Leafleter
From time to time futureenergy.org runs street actions handing out information to the general public.
Stalls
Futureenergy.org attends a variety of events to promote our issues. Potential exists to develop this program further. People wishing to help would be most welcome.
Web Page Updater
We are looking for a person who is capable of updating our web page every one to two days with news items and new links.
Other
Perhaps there are other ways you can think of to support the campaign. Email: [email protected]
Becoming a campaigner
If you are interested in climate change campaigning and like the look of futureenergy.org, we would be happy to meet with you to discuss the possibility of you joining our team. Email: [email protected]
Coming Up
Futureenergy.org is currently developing a support package for young environmentalists based at schools. The package will contain materials for distribution and ideas for projects that the students can undertake in the school, home or local community.
Top
Contacting Us
If you wish to contact us please feel free to send us an email and we will get back to you.
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Top
What we have done to date!
Futureenergy.org has only been going since November 2003, we all work on the campaign in our spare time.
Stalls
Futureenergy.org has run stalls at public events. A number have been run in conjunction with Nuclear Free Australia.
St Kilda Festival Jan 04
Big Day Out Jan 04
Rainbow Serpent Jan 04
Sustainable Living Festival Feb 04
Moora Moora Feb 04
Brunswick St Festival Feb 04
Street Work
In the lead up to Christmas futureenergy.org distributed 1,000 leaflets over a number of lunchtimes, highlighting concerns about climate change and trade issues.
Coming Up
Public and School Talks
Marginal Seat Campaigns
Futureenergy.org is identifying a number of marginal seats on which to focus campaigning efforts in the lead-up to the next state and federal elections. We have already begun work in the seat of Hawthorn by distributing 20,000 leaflets in the area over the Christmas period. Hawthorn is held by the Liberal member Ted Baillieu who is the loudest political opponent of wind power in Victoria. Watch out for more news on marginal seat campaigns.
Wind Power Rally No. 1 (on November 15th, 2003)
In four short weeks futureenergy.org organised 100 people to gather on the steps of Victoria’s Parliament House and call on the Bracks Government for the continued support of renewable energy such as wind and solar, as an alternative to fossil fuels such as coal.
yong child holding wind mill at rally democrat senator Lyn Allison speaking at rally
The greatest success of the rally was gathering the public support of most major environment groups for wind power: Friends of the Earth, Moreland United Students Environment Collective, Environment Victoria, World Wide Fund for Nature, Nuclear Free Australia, Greenpeace, The Wilderness Society, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Australian Democrats, The Australian Greens.
Read a selection of speeches
Pictures from the wind rally
Top
Home