1) Gecko 2008 ENVIRONMENT SEMINAR SERIES

 Seminar 1

"Inside the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS): Reflections on the emission reducing potential of New Zealand's new emissions trading scheme"

Who:         Geoff Bertram www.geoffbertram.com

When:        12-1pm, 23 September 2008

Where:        Cotton Seminar room CO304

 

Geoff Bertram is a senior lecturer in economics at VUW and has written extensively on energy and climate change issues.

 

 
Seminar 2

"The State of the Environment or a State of Denial?
New Zealand freshwaters in crisis

Who:         Mike Joy

When:        12-1pm, 3 October 2008

Where:        Cotton Seminar room CO304

Mike Joy is a senior lecturer in environmental science and ecology with the Institute of Natural Resources at Massey University

http://ecology.massey.ac.nz/staff.html
http://www.3news.co.nz/News/Scientistwarnswhitebaitunderthreat/tabid/209/articleID/70510/cat/41/Default.aspx
 

 
 3) We would like to draw your attention to a one-day symposium to be held on Friday 14 November at the Intercontinental Hotel, Wellington.
 
Climate Change and Security: Planning for the Future will look at the  potential impact of climate change on societal upheaval and conflict.  Topics to be discussed include:
 
Climate Change and Security: Why is it on the Agenda and Why Should it be? (Graeme Pearman)
 
Does Climate Change Qualify as a National Security Issue? A Canadian Perspective (Margaret Purdy)
 
Climate Change and Human Security in the Pacific Islands: The Potential for and Limits to Adaptation (Jon Barnett)
 
Climate Variability and Conflict: The Importance of Early Warning (Marc Levy)
 
Climate Change and Security: The Defence Component (Jim Rolfe)
 
Further information, including registration details, is attached.
 Kind regards
Maureen
 


5) James Samuel coming to Wellington - national co-ordinator for
Transition Towns Aotearoa
 
On the 24th of September James Samuel is coming to Wellington. He
lives on Waiheke Island and is the national co-ordinator for
Transition Towns Aotearoa. While in Wellington he'll be giving a presentation on
what all the Transition Town groups around the country are up to.
After this a World Cafe will be held (you can check out
http://www.theworldcafe.com/ if you want to know about those
processes, or you can just turn up and be pleasantly surprised). If
you are curious about what Transition Towns do then this will be a
great opportunity to find out.
7 - 9.30pm at the Centre for Global Action (3rd story James Smith
building on the corner of Cuba St and Manners Mall):
 
7 ~ 8pm James "National Trends and Lessons Learned"
8 ~ 8:15 Question time
8:15 ~ 9:15 World Cafe (discussing "What would it take for Transition
Towns to really take off in Wellington?")
9:15 tea and mingling
 
6) Jury says: Direct Action Justified To Stop The Climate Crisis!
Today is a historic day for the climate change movement. A UK Crown Court jury effectively ruled that taking direct action, breaking the law, and even property damage are all justified in the course of stopping catastrophic climate change.
The trial was regarding 6 Greenpeace activists - who were arrested in the course of painting an anti-coal message on the smokestack of the Kingsnorth Power plant in the UK. They were charged with causing £30,000 (US$53,000)  of damage, and facing serious legal repurcussions for their noble actions. This was one of a series of direct actions taken against the Kingsnorth Power Plant over the past year.
The trial included top climate scientists like NASA's James Hansen testifying to the urgency of stopping coal, and the damage that is already being caused by runaway emissions.  Witnesses talked about greater damage being done to ice-dependent communities and species in the Arctic and Antarctic, and the impacts rising sea levels will have on island countries like Tuvalu. A top environmental policy adviser for the UK government even said there was "a staggering mismatch between what we've heard from government and what we've seen from government in terms of policy".
Today, the jury ruled in the activists' favor, agreeing with the defense's argument that justified the action "due to an immediate need to protect property belonging to another."  The quote from one of the charged activist sums it up well:
"When 12 normal people say it is legitimate for a direct action group to shut down a coal-fired power station because of the harm it does to our planet then where does that leave government energy policy?"
 
Let's take this energy, momentum, and precedent back to our communities!
 
Other good climate change blogs are:
http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/
 
from Carl
 
7) Kia Ora all,
 
Sorry this is going to be a long email but please take a couple of minutes and read on.
 
Just thought I would bring you all up to speed with what is happening with the VUW approved and signed off VUWSA student vege garden.
 
Firstly if you do not know where the site is, it is the planter box outside VUWSA (VUW Kelburn) - Julie M's office window up to far end of Joel's office window. Not the biggest piece of land but something that we can utilise.
 
So far, we have received nothing but positive support and praise for the idea. We have taken advice from someone far wiser, far greener fingered than ourselves, and they have advised we initially plant carrots, silver beet, radishes, spring onions, parsley, rosemary and basil. These are all hardy crops, with relatively low maintenance and planted neatly will look aesthetically pleasing when the veges grow.
 
WCC have pledged their support, we have been invited to apply for a grant from WCC which myself, and Rachel Meadowcroft (GECKO) will be working on in due course. On top of which Cr Celia Wade-Brown Wellington City Councillor Environment Portfolio Leader, Mark Farrar Senior Advisor, City Communities WCC has pledged their positive support for the idea. Among suggestions from Celia, we have been asked to contact the Greater Kelburn Progressive Association asking fro help with seedlings, tools and advice.
We have all so been put in touch with the manager of the Berhampore Nursery.
 
The Nursery produces:
100,000 native plants for revegetation projects throughout the City
600,000 annuals for colour in bedding displays
200 large grade trees
25,000 trees and shrubs for general use and Road Reserves.
The Nursery uses Integrated Pest Management to reduce sprays. All sprays are low toxicity.
I suggest we try getting out an appeal via the media for tools. If indeed any of you have an old fork or a garden implement in need of a new home, we would gladly accept any such donations from exec, staff and friends alike.
 
All so suggested that with VUWSA exec input via appropriate channels the garden and the looking after of become a VUWSA Environmental Officers task within their remit. Next week, with full cooperation and support from VUWSA President and VUWSA exec, a press release is written for the inaugural digging and planting in the next few weeks.
 
That's it but I think we have a real chance here of leaving a legacy for students because if VUW deem this initial small scale project to be a success then VUW will potentially open up bigger tracts of land where veges will be able to be grown and possible market days be held in e.g. the quad. Selling good quality veges to our students at very affordable prices.
 
Any input, ideas or anything you think we have overlooked please reply to myself, Rachel Meadowcroft meadowrach@student.vuw.ac.nz  Mark Newton (VUWSA Environmental Officer) newtonma@vuwsa.org.nz . Thanks for your time – that is me over and out.
 
Regards,
Jon McQueen

--
Gecko
Victoria University's Environmental Group

 Changing Cultures in Latin America seminar

            Friday 26th September, 10am-5pm

            Council Chamber, level 2, Hunter Building, Victoria University, Kelburn Campus

 

Victoria Institute for Links with Latin America invites you to an international seminar exploring cultural change in contemporary Latin America

 

10.00 am to 5.00 pm, Friday 26 September 2008

Council Chamber, Level 2, Hunter Building,

Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington

 

Admission open to all at no charge but registration is essential

Email: Rachel.Carter@vuw.ac.nz; Tel: 04-463-7433

Earth - the movie

Hutt South Greens have the premiere showing of this film in the Hutt Valley on Wednesday 24 September at the Lighthouse Cinema, Petone.

Time: 7.30  nibbles, Film starts at 8 o'clock.

Tickets $20.00.

Do come and support the Greens plus see an amazing movie. Tickets from Ginny Horrocks, ph 5628381 or email: "Virginia Horrocks" <vjhorrocks@gmail.com>,

 

EARTH

 

The journey of a lifetime.

 

New from the BBC Natural History Unit, compiled from over 1,000 hours of footage and 250 days of aerial photography, filmed in 200 locations worldwide and five years in production with 40 specialist crews.

 

In the Artic, a Polar Bear family wakes to the first sunlight of spring.

Will they find food before the ice melts?

Half a world away, an elephant and her calf share precious water with a pride of lions.

Will their uneasy truce last?

For the final leg of the journey, we follow a humpback whale mother and her calf

She must keep her calf safe on their 6,000km migration to Antarctica

Spectacular camera-work gives unprecedented intimacy to the natural world, from the cheetah, to the polar bear, to the great circle of life and the seasons which turn it.

Pictures like these on the big screen are just not to be missed - Earth is gorgeous, and will make you fall in love with the planet all over again.


 Zapatista Solidarity Film Night

at HAPPY (Cnr Vivian & Tory Sts) @ 630.
This month they will be screening 'Atenco: Break the Siege' which will be followed by a discussion on current political prosoners in Atenco
Koha entry.