Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

Do you have sheep or cattle which you would like to graze on paddocks alongside Kelmarna Organic City Farm in Herne Bay?
There is currently approx 1.3 ha, which includes six fenced paddocks, of pasture for grazing.
If interested & you have queries please contact:
Lynn Green greenly@xtra.co.nz
Kelmarna Community Garden Trust Inc
P 376 6376

In the heart of cafe culture it seems only fitting that we share our good fortune and once a year help others.  The Oxfam Coffee Break is raising money and visibility to the ideas of Fair Trade.

Coffee brings the Transition Town movement in to a delimma – acting and buying locally? I have not seen too much coffee growing in Grey Lynn. If peak oil means that everything gets more expensive I can imagine the people of Grey Lynn giving up quite a lot of other things to keep that boat arriving with the java! As my friend who was a hippy in the 70′s said, Transition Towns is the same all over again but with better coffee and the internet.

My view is that if you are going to drink coffee at least give the  coffee growers in the developing world who make it a chance to earn a decent living. So do what Oxfam says, “make a difference and help fight poverty – one cup at a time”

Some Grey Lynn locals are holding the

Oxfam’s Biggest Coffee Break at the Grey Lynn Community Centre on Thursday May 14th from 10.30- 11.30

Last year over 7,000 people – from Gore to Kaitaia – took part in Oxfam’s Biggest Coffee Break 2008, raising awareness and money to help struggling growers to work their way out of poverty.

Come along and have a cup of delicious Atomic Fairtrade coffee or Trade Aid hot chocolate with other people in the area.

If you would rather just gather a group of friends at home or can’t get out of the office, contact Oxfam’s Biggest Coffee Break online now to organise another event. Oxfam will send you all the things you need to run an event. Or call Oxfam on 0800 400 666

If you want to help out on the day please contact suzanne.kendrick@gmail.com

I have to say my Earth Hour was not that successful. We had planned a family dinner at my parents house. I knew dinner would be all finished by 8.30 and had imagined us chatting around the table in the candle light.

Bud (my Dad) had different ideas.  I explained to him what Earth Hour was and suggested we turn the lights off at 8.30.” Bugger Earth Hour”, he said,  “I’m watching the League”

At least he watched it in the dark

Here are some photos of what cities around the world got up to for Earth Hour

Interested to see the  New Zealand Science Book Award has Hot Topic: Climate Change and the Future of New Zealand by Gareth Renowden (AUT Media) listed in the finalists. The winner will be announced by Richard Dawkins (via a video link) on May 15th in a special event at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival.  These festivals and awards are excellent for reminding you of books that you have been meaning to read.

If reading books is not your thing, check out Gareth’s Hot Topic blog . This is an excellent climate change blog that really does bring the issues close to home. Reading books clearing is Garth Renowden’s thing. There are some excellent book reviews on the site as well.

Here’s a clip to get you interested

Carbonscape, the New Zealand company working on making charcoal from a microwaving process discussed here and here on Hot Topic, has just announced that they are one of only five companies to make the shortlist in a global competition, the Financial Times’ Climate Change Challenge.

The competition seeks the most innovative solution to the effects of climate change.  The winner, to be chosen by Financial Times readers and a panel of judges will receive a US$75,000 prize, sponsored by Hewlett Packard, to help bring their service to market. I notice Richard Branson, IPCC Chair Rajendra Pachauri and Jonathon Porritt among the eight judges.

Are you interested in helping the campaign to Get Across the Harbour Bridge by bike or on foot? Here is the request for help Grey Lynn 2030 has been sent.

Greetings GetAcross supporters,

Thanks to all who completed our survey (over 2,000 of you did). The key result was 75% saying “yes” to a demonstration march if the NZ Transport Agency do not allow Mike Lee’s idea of a trial on the Bridge.
True to form, the NZTA dismissed the idea, so it’s time to get our marching boots ready!   We’re planning the demonstration march for Sunday morning 9am, May 3rd, 2009, starting at the Westhaven end of the Bridge.

Can you help make it happen?
Come along to a preparation meeting on March 31st, 7:30pm until 9pm at the Main Hall, Freemans Bay Community Centre (52 Hepburn Street, Ponsonby).

We need volunteers to help with:
Press releases and media
Flyer design and distribution
Liaison for other organisations (Eg: Greenpeace, Green party, etc)
General administration and tasks

Also you could make a small donation to help with costs (printing, meeting room hire, etc.) by internet banking to the GetAcross bank a/c: 12-3057-0824362-01 (Walk Auckland, ASB Wyndam Street)

Learn more at www.getacross.org.nz and post your comments at:
http://www.ridestrong.org.nz/RS/groups/get_across_the_auckland_harbour_bridge-_have_your_say/default.aspx

Thank you

I read Keith Ng on the Public Address blog this morning having a rant about why get involved with Earth Hour. He suggests there is no need to bother. So if you forget about it, load up some energy efficient light bulbs at home or give some to your friends. And if you can’t afford to buy energy efficient lightbulbs, I have some good news from the council below.

It is a long and (quite funny) post but he makes a good point…

Go buy an energy efficient lightbulb and spend Earth Hour with the lights on watching TV – you’d come out ahead by a long, long way. Better still, take an hour’s wages and buy energy efficient bulbs for people who don’t have them. That’d actually be worthwhile.

Just further to the Earth Hour promotion. In support of Earth Hour, Auckland City is helping to distribute 10,000 energy saving light bulbs (compact fluorescent lights) to the Auckland community. These are Ecobulbs and are being supplied by a NZ company called EnergyMad (they are not being purchased by Council). 500 bulbs are being delivered to each community library to distribute.

The bulbs should be available from Community libraries from Thursday 26th March, morning onwards (and will continue to be available until they run out). The limit is 3 bulbs per person.

These bulbs use 80% less electricity, and last around 10 times longer than ordinary incandescent light bulbs. As most people will probably know, they do contain a very small amount of mercury, however information about this is located at the link below. I note that the mercury in most dental fillings contains up to 50–100 times the mercury of an Ecobulb.

http://www.ecobulb.com/nz/FAQs.htm#3A

Cheers
Keeping Auckland’s Future Bright…
Brent Bielby
Senior Sustainability Policy Analyst