Climate change – it’s a real thing. And a big deal too!
Comedian Tom Sainsbury introduces Carol, a newly passionate climate change advocate. So there I was, sitting on my Flaxmere Hardwood outdoor lounger, appreciating the sea views from our front yard, when suddenly there was an earthquake! I got straight onto the phone to my husband Bruce, who was off playing golf, to see if he had survived. But he tells me he didnt feel a thing. So I rang around the neighbourhood Janet across the road and my friend Wendy a block over. Turns out, none of them felt anything either. So I thought to myself Ive finally gone mad! It was a long time coming, but its finally arrived. Bruce came home because I was so rattled. He did a little investigating and discovered a huge part of the cliff along our property front had fallen into the water. We got the insurers involved but was told it was a result of rising sea levels and climate change. And I thought, what the heck? READ MORE: * Comedian and councillor: The Sainsbury brothers' contrasting careers * Here's why Paula Bennett is grateful for Tom Sainsbury * 'Snapchat dude' Tom Sainsbury plays the fool Cos, of course, Id heard that phrase bandied around. Climate Change this, Climate Change that. But I didnt know much about it. Turns out, its a real thing. And a big deal too! I was gobsmacked. There I was, on my settee in front of the fire, trawling through the interweb on my tablet, reading all these articles. It was a real wakeup call. Bruce and I investigated rebuilding the cliff, putting in a retaining wall, but it was a structural impossibility. And to make matters worse, the cliff would keep eroding until our house collapsed into the sea! Now, I was not having that. So I got to researching. Turns out there are a few everyday things you can do to combat climate change. I bought a Leaf car immediately. Unfortunately it doesnt have enough battery life for me to drive to visit my grandchildren. So I take the diesel SUV when I want to go and do that. I dumped all of my appliances and replaced them with the ones with good star ratings. My washing machine has four and a half stars, which is fantastic. It doesnt hold as much laundry, unfortunately. But because its just me and Bruce now, we dont have that much washing to do. We swapped out all the lightbulbs for those energy efficient ones. I drew the line at putting them into our vintage chandelier, though. Honestly, we put them in and it was an absolute travesty. Bruce and I now do Vegetarian Mondays. We usually swap out the beef for fish or chicken. We tried growing our own vegetables but, unlike my sister Sue, I dont have a green thumb. We managed to get three tomatoes from six plants this summer. The mint has taken off, though, and I use that whenever I can. Obviously we have our annual trip to the Mediterranean. Last year we did a soft cheeses tour. Then Covid-19 came along and ruined this years trip. But international travel is a real guzzler of fuel. And too much fuel burning is bad for the environment. So next year were going half the distance. Were off to Sri Lanka for a tea tour. And finally Ive made Bruce bike to work. Hes semi-retired so its only three days a week saving on petrol, but every little bit helps. And its helping him with his myriad of health conditions too. So yes, I was getting a bit doom and gloom by it all. But, you know me, you cant keep me down for long. I reckon if we all pull together and make a few small changes, the rest of our property wont fall into the sea. Much love, Carol. * Tom Sainsbury is a comedian, writer and actor. See more of his characters at https://www.facebook.com/tomsainsbury6/