whakatane newsletter november 2011

HOPE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE

Monday 14th November
7pm
Eastbay REAP
Pyne Street, Whakatane

Refreshments available - Koha appreciated

Hope in a Changing Climate - Jackson Hole Forest Film Festival WINNER -  Run time 28 mins. This documentary has been produced by the Environmental Education Media Project (EEMP), an organization dedicated to placing ecosystem restoration at the center of the global discussions on climate change, poverty and sustainable agriculture. Trailer HERE..






SYNOPSIS: It is possible to rehabilitate large-scale damaged ecosystems, to restore ecosystem functions in areas where they have been lost, to fundamentally improve the lives of people who have been trapped in poverty for generations, and to sequester carbon naturally. This approach has been dramatically proven on the Loess Plateau in China, the highland area spanning some 640,000 square km in north central China. Shot on location in China, Ethiopia and Rwanda, the film features a diverse collection of interviews, from world leaders such as president of Rwanda HE Paul Kagame, to local people telling their own stories. The film is presented by John D. Liu, pictured left, an environmental filmmaker and ecological field researcher who has produced and directed documentaries for CBS, National Geographic and the BBC.

OIL SPILL UPDATES

Keep up to date via http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz

Also some good information through the Facebook grapevine at MV Rena Information Clearing House - A group to collect and distribute information about the MV Rena with an emphasis on our Bay of Plenty and East Coast environment and investigative reporting.

FOUND OILED WILDLIFE? If you are out walking the beach and see any oiled wildlife (birds, seals etc) please call 0800 333 771 to report it. Please leave a detailed message if you don’t get through to somebody. If you have time, please stay with the oiled animal to ensure it is not disturbed or injured by dogs etc. If the animal moves please try and record where it goes. DO NOT touch or pick up the animal, as the oil is toxic. Do not try to clean up oil or animals yourself unless you have received relevant training, as the combination of oil and the dispersant makes for a very toxic sludge.

IF YOU ARE KEEN to help out, please call 0800 645-774. Alternatively, please email the response team at iccrena@gmail.com with your contact details and what you can offer. Help is also needed with wildlife observations - there are official forms to record data - then email to renawildlife@boprc.govt.nz. Officials are talking about the cleanup taking months, so it'll be a big effort.

Rena response handout 3 per A4 sheet HERE...
Rena response handout, single HERE...

SEAWEEK 2012 One Ocean - Too much Love? explores the wide variety of different uses, passions, and expectations of the sea and their impacts now and into the future. The official website www.seaweek.org.nz has the events held last year, and further info about seaweek. We offer an opportunity to  promote your group event/activity on the official Seaweek website and thru local media FREE. If you are a business, we welcome your participation, and ask if you could offer the community a seaweek discount or deal. It would be awesome to see the variety of activities as was in last years programme.  We also welcome sponsorship to assist with Seaweek promotions with newspaper advertising, and the Seaweek Did you know? series - radio promotions of quirky sea facts.  To make good use of promotion time we ask that you have your events and activities registered by 3rd February.  Seaweek is a fabulous way to celebrate tangaroa, our moana, our sea, especially in the light of recent events which has brought our communities affinity to this precious taonga - treasure to the fore front.  Let me know if you are keen to be involved, or to offer feedback, further queries, feel free to contact Trudi Ngawhare  - tngawhare@doc.govt.nz

OTHER NEWS

NEW BOOK -  Fleeing Vesuvius - NZ Edition: Responding to the Effects of Economic and Environmental Collapse was originally published in late 2010 in response to Ireland’s economic collapse. Its 27 authors are now joined by by 12 New Zealand contributors, making this book a compelling tool for all thinking New Zealanders concerned about the future.  It confronts our multiple crises, analysing the many aspects: the financial crisis; the urgent need for food security; the enormous challenge of dealing with climate change, and the looming scarcity of essential resources such as fossil fuels – the lifeblood of the world economy.   Fleeing Vesuvius puts forward solutions that involve changes to our economy and financial system, but they go much further: this substantial, wide-ranging book also looks at the changes needed in how we think, how we use the land and how we relate to others, particularly those where we live.  For more information on the book, visit the Living Economies website.

THE NEW ECONOMICS PARTY You can listen to this excellent fifteen minute interview on the money system HERE... This is a very clear exposition of the monetary system and fractional reserve banking. He also touches on timebanking and other form of alternative currencies as well as the Occupy movement. Raf Manji is a former London investment banker who moved to Christchurch and founded the independent policy development space, the Sustento Institute.

TIME BANK HUI - Whakatane, Mon 7th Nov 2011- Come and meet Toni Boynton, the new coordinator, and share the Pot Luck Lunch on Monday 7th November at Pou Whakaaro, 40 Te Tahi St, Whakatane between 12noon and 1.30pm. If you bring a plate to share you will earn a time credit, so we hope that you can make it and meet Toni. Check out the new website at www.eastbay.timebanks.org

RIVER DOG - Screening at RIALTO CINEMA in Tauranga, at 8.15pm on Mon Nov 14th (hmmmm... same night as our Green Screening!). Film followed by discussion and Q&A  with Dr Russel Norman MP (Green Party Co-leader and Green Party Spokesperson for Water, Climate Change and Finance).  Facilitated by Dr Ian McLean (environmental biologist, ornithologist and Green candidate for Tauranga).  $10 per ticket - bookings at Rialto phone 07 577-0445

FATHERS & SONS - encouraging and insping men across the Eastern Bay of Plenty as they raise their sons to become great men. Details have changed for the Going Wild Weekend (Fri 25th Nov) so check the information HERE....

PLENITUDE ECONOMY  - This fun animation provides a vision of what a post-consumer society could look like, with people working fewer hours and pursuing re-skilling, homesteading, and small-scale enterprises that can help reduce the overall size and impact of the consumer economy. Narrated by economist and best-selling author Juliet Schor. Learn more at http://www.newdream.org .

TRANSITION CULTURE “Worldwide, communities and initiatives spring up who transition to a culture of strong sustainability and harmony with the natural world. What is it that makes them tick?” Curated by Christoph Hensch, in NZ

TRANSITION UPDATE from Rob Hopkins in the UK HERE..

SURFING THE WAVES OF CHANGE - If you found The Powerdown Show series a really useful resource, you'll be keen to know that the Cultivate Centre in Ireland are back with a new film 'Surfing the Waves of Change'  This 9 minute animation uses surfing as a metaphor to introduce the concept of community resilience.

The Koanga Institute has over 700 lines of heritage seed in its collection. Many of these are available for sale, to members. They rely on the support of members, as in many cases, it is not an economically viable business to grow these seeds. They grow them in order to keep them alive, and to ensure that they still exist for future generations. Sign up!

WHAKATANE HARBOUR CARE GROUP - Sat Nov 19th - 9am to 11.30am. Tea/Coffee at 10am. Meet at the Model Railway Station. Work is mainly pulling grasses and climbers from native plants to release the native plants we wish to retain. Please wear strong shoes and if you have some gardening gloves they will do.  We will have some disposable gloves if needed. If the weather is fine and sunny please wear appropriate sunhat, glasses and sun block. If the weather is raining then the event will be cancelled.  For more info contact Sue Greenwood on businesstax@xtra.co.nz. or on 027 283 8718

WHAKATANE HARBOUR CARE GROUP: Planting bees for Keepa Road have been cancelled AGAIN... this time because cows are grazing in the area to be planted.  OUTRAGEOUS!!!!  It's River Dog all over again.  I understand a solution is being worked on. For more information from Sue Greenwood - businesstax@xtra.co.nz,  or phone 07 307 1435/027 283 8718

BIRD RESCUE for injured and sick birds- please contact Sue Greenwood on 027 209 0567. 

RAW MILK CONSULTATION Section 11A of the Food Act 1981 allows for farm gate sales of raw milk i.e. up to five litres of raw drinking milk to be sold direct from farmer to consumer on the dairy farm to people who will consume it themselves or give it to their families. MAF is inviting submissions on the issues raised and options presented in the consultation document.  The closing date for submissions is 5th Dec 2011. The consultation document can be found on MAF's food safety website at:
http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/consultation/. It would be great if as many people as possible write to the Ministry with your views on the provision of raw milk and how onerous (or not) the process needs to be for our friendly farmers.

FOOD BILL Johanna Knox has created a Facebook page following developments on the Food Bill, including mention of the Raw Milk consultation.  More HERE...

KIA ORA GAZA - TRIP POSTPONED - Kia Ora Gaza will join an international aid convoy to the Gaza Strip as soon as they can.  The 1.5 million Palestinians unlawfully imprisoned in Gaza desperately need our practical solidarity, humanitarian aid and our help in breaking the Israeli siege. You can still donate towards the $50,000 Gaza Appeal.  More HERE..

OCCUPY! (GLOBAL CAMPAIGN) and MANY other places -  "We want a return to real democracy, a government by the people for the people & an economic system that works for 100% of the people." MORE -  Occupy New Zealand  Occupy Auckland  Occupy Wellington  Occupy Christchurch  Occupy Otago
BEYOND MONEY - "Devoted to the liberation of money and credit, and the restoration of the commons"  Read Thomas L. Greco's latest newsletter, and perspectives on the OCCUPY movement. 

OCCUPY - 11.11.11 Occupy The Streets. Occupy The World - Global call to action this Friday -  If you are involved locally with any non-violent action, do let us know! Otherwise, you can show your support for those continuing with the movement HERE..

COMPETITIONS & CAMPAIGNS

Win EACH MONTH with ORGANIC EXPLORER New Zealand. All you have to do is: “Like” OE's Facebook page and be in the monthly draw to win. Go in the November draw to WIN a 1 hr lesson and a Day Ride at one of the Kate Tapley Horse Riding Centres in Canterbury valued at $320. The Kate Tapley horse riding centres teach and apply the principles of natural horsemanship. Prize drawn 31st November.

Order your copy of ORGANIC EXPLORER HERE....

 

 

COMPETITION - From Transition Culture, UK.... So our question is, can you think of a term that could be used to represent the ideal aspects such as Sustainable, Resilient, Social, Community-based or Local? It can be a new made up word, an acronym, whatever… Please post your suggestions on the website below, and the one we like best will be chosen on Friday 18th November and will win a signed copy of ‘The Transition Companion’.  MORE... 

GREENPEACE CALENDAR This year's Greenpeace calendar features beautiful pictures of endangered animals, stunning landscapes and brave activists. All images were taken by Greenpeace photographers in the field and help tell the story of our work on behalf of our planet.  Each month features a successful campaign that you helped to make possible and a reminder of what still needs to be done.  Plus we've included monthly eco-tips to help you green your own life. Order your 2012 calendar online HERE...  or call 0800 22 33 44 to order by phone.

GREENPEACE CAMPAIGN - Vote for the best Volkswagen subvertisement - It’s now three months since we launched our Volkswagen campaign to turn Europe’s biggest carmaker away from the dark side and stop lobbying against critical climate laws. We’ve had an astonishing 80 films submitted to our VW film competition, where we asked filmmakers to make a one-minute ‘subvert’ exposing the real VW. We need you to help pick a winner - Vote Now! http://films.vwdarkside.com/

EXULT - FUNDING WALLPLANNER - including: A list of major funders and their funding rounds; Awareness and Appeal Dates for various organisations; Information about people, products and services that can help you with your fundraising efforts. You can get a free copy of the Funding Wallplanner by subscribing to Tonic Magazine, or you can purchase copies of the planner for $10 each. To purchase a planner, email tracy@exult.co.nz.

 

 

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