Nothing says winter in Wānaka quite like goggle tans at work, the thrill of waking up to fresh powder on the hills or the endless ski boots tucked under tables across the lakefront every weekend. Whether locals, visitors or seasonal travellers, Wānaka is filled to the brim each winter with mountain enthusiasts living life in ski pants – and yet, it’s easy to take our winter landscapes for granted.
Climate change is an ever-looming threat to the outdoor winter activities we love so much, like skiing or snowboarding, which require a stable climate, clean air, and clean water. Mountain people especially are acutely aware of the impacts of climate change on our alpine environment: perhaps one of the areas we feel the difference most. We see snowlines rising every year, glaciers receding, spring skiing arriving in the middle of the season. And it’s not slowing down.
That’s where Protect Our Winters Aotearoa (POW) comes in. Part of a wider global movement, POW Aotearoa exists to bring together the winter sports and outdoor community in the name of meaningful climate action. Through education, advocacy, connection, and a mutual love of our winter playground, they’re helping locals protect the places and seasons we love.
POW began in the United States in 2007, when professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones noticed how quickly the mountains he loved were changing. “He was really concerned and wanted to join a movement to address climate change,” the team at POW Aotearoa explains, “but found there wasn’t one that connected passionate outdoor people like himself.”
So, Jeremy founded Protect Our Winters to fill that gap, and it’s since grown into an international movement with over 130,000 supporters, spanning outdoor experiences in all seasons. That also includes a New Zealand arm, which launched in 2019 and is proudly based here in Wānaka.
So, who is POW? They’re a community of outdoor enthusiasts, athletes, scientists, partnering businesses and individuals taking action to advocate for policy solutions to climate change. POW believes that our love for the natural environments where we live, work, and play, calls us to stand together to protect them: now and for the future.
At the core of POW Aotearoa’s work is a clear and motivating goal: “to help passionate outdoors people become climate advocates through educational campaigns and community initiatives.”
As the team explains, “POW provides the platform, the tools, the resources and the community connection to make climate advocacy easy, relevant and fun.” Throughout their work, POW especially tries to encourage civic engagement to create systemic change, which is where the most effective action often comes from.
With a focus on how we can improve in our local communities, POW is involved in a wide range of areas, from citizen science and glacier awareness to transport solutions and local elections.
“We’ve been advocating for better public transport, especially in the Southern Lakes, connecting Wānaka and Queenstown,” the team says. Transport emissions currently make up 47% of the Queenstown Lakes District’s total emissions – far higher than the national average of 17%. The team at POW believe addressing these emissions is critical to preserving our environment and economy, and has challenged local leaders to do something about it.
They’ve also been encouraging people to explore Aotearoa’s disappearing glaciers, highlighting both their ecological importance and their symbolic role in the climate conversation. “This year is the International Year of Glacier Preservation,” they explain, “so we’ve been encouraging our members to head out and check in on their local glacier, contributing to citizen science, and raising awareness of their downstream importance.”
This year, POW also launched a ‘Stoke the Vote’ campaign to encourage winter lovers to vote for candidates supporting climate action in local elections. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that voting is one of the most effective ways individuals can influence climate policy.
“Voting is a really powerful individual action,” says the team. “It can make a really big difference, especially right now at the local level.”
A big part of rallying together in the name of climate action is running local events that focus on community connection, shared passions, and shared concerns. “Climate action is more fun with others who share your interests,” says the team.
Over the last year, they’ve run gear repair workshops, film screenings, Strava challenges, quiz nights and more events across the motu (island). Coming up in Queenstown and Wānaka, POW is running sunrise skins up Treble Cone and POW days at Cardrona. You can check out their event page to stay up to date on more positive climate action events taking place in our region.
POW is a community-led charity founded by members, which means your individual and collective support makes a big difference. By becoming a member of POW, you’ll add your voice to hundreds of others who care about keeping winter just the way we like it. Membership is open to all, and local events are a great way to connect with others who care about protecting our climate and mountains.
“The more members we have, the more impact we can have with our civic engagement and educational events,” says the team.
POW is also keen to connect and partner with local businesses, helping them become advocates for keeping winter cool whilst supporting POW’s vital work. These partnerships create opportunities for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to climate action and engage their customers in meaningful environmental initiatives.
If you’d like to support POW’s mahi, consider becoming a member of POW Aotearoa or attending an upcoming event. And if you’re passionate about protecting our own backyard here in Wānaka, donating to Love Wānaka also supports local initiatives focused on environmental restoration, education, and long-term resilience.
Together, let’s protect what makes our winters so special.
