The Five Lines
Live Below the Line is a call to action to reimagine an equitable world and do things differently. How do YOU imagine ‘living below the line’ to create a more just and sustainable world?
Live Below the Line Reimagined
Each line represents a critical area where poverty can create barriers. By tackling the different challenges created by poverty through the five lines, together we can challenge the problematic portrayal of poverty and come to a more nuanced, multifaceted understanding of injustice.
THE FIVE LINES
TECHNOLOGY
In today's interconnected world, we cannot imagine life without technology. It has become an essential tool for social and economic development. But those who live below the poverty line often cannot afford a computer or internet access, making it difficult to access education or job opportunities. This can lead to a cycle of poverty and exclusion from the benefits of modern technology, perpetuating a widening ‘digital divide’.
Put your phone down and donate old devices for recycling, give up recreational use of digital devices (bye bye Netflix), or use social media to advocate
WASTE
Which bin does this go in? The waste is piling up. Poor waste management contributes to pollution and hurts our planet and its diverse ecosystems. The impact of waste impacts the poverty line dramatically, from climate refugees to likelihood of disease.
There is no time to waste: make a compost bin, upcycle and thrift your clothes, avoid plastic pacakging, host a beach clean up, or limit your waste to 2kg a day.
ENERGY
Access to energy is a fundamental human need, and yet, it is a luxury for many living in poverty. Energy poverty is not only the inability to access reliable energy, but also the use of unsustainable fuels and limited access to modern energy services.
Flick that light switch and enforce a daily power outage in your home, divest your superannuation from coal and gas, use public transport
or wash your clothes by hand.
SHELTER
The inability to access safe and adequate housing is a major barrier that perpetuates poverty. In many cases, low-income families and individuals are forced to live in overcrowded, unsanitary, and unsafe conditions that pose risks to their health and well-being. Sleep and security are vital for health and well-being and everyone should have a safe place to rest.
Look at the roof over your head and write to council about hostile architecture, give up furniture and bedding, volunteer with a homelessness organisation or sleep in a tent with only blankets and a torch
FOOD
Food insecurity is a significant aspect of poverty. For millions of people around the world, access to sufficient, safe, affordable and nutritious food is a daily struggle. Live Below the Line's original focus on eating on $2 a day was meant to raise awareness about the difficulties of food insecurity, but this is only one aspect of a much broader issue.
If you are hungry for change go plant-based, donate to a food bank, only buy locally and sustainably sourced food products, or support a community garden.
Where do you draw the line?
So, where do you draw the line?
