New Zealand Carbon Reduction Action Groups

New Zealanders are becoming increasingly concerned with the effects of global climate change. The release of greenhouse gases is resulting in changing weather patterns, increasing sea levels, the loss of natural habitats and the destruction of our environment.

Carbon Reduction Action Groups (CRAGs) are a practical way that all people can do their bit to help save our environment.

CRAGs are groups of citizens who have come together to find ways of reducing their personal impact on the environment by reducing the amount of carbon they emit into the atmosphere.

I want to give people a way to reduce their impact on the environment and to do so in a way that allows them to work together with other members of their community to achieve that end.

The scheme works when groups of people come together and measure their personal carbon emissions, they then agree on a target for the group to reduce their emissions by and work to reach that target.

CRAGs set levies for members who go over their target and the group decides on what those levies can be spent on, from outfitting the worst emitter’s home, to carbon offsetting schemes, to other carbon reduction activities.

CRAGs are free to decide how they should run and what they should aim for, the most important thing is that they get people to think about how they personally can take steps to reduce their impact on the environment and promote sustainable ways of living.

CRAGs are beginning to establish themselves in communities right across New Zealand. More information about Carbon Reduction Action Groups can be found here: http://nzcarbonreduction.googlepages.com/