350.org presents MOVING PLANET AUCKLAND –  a Day to Move Beyond Fossil Fuels

People of Auckland are gathering for a day of action to show our concern about the state of the planet and send a message to our leaders that we want action on climate change Saturday 24th September: the day of the All Blacks/ France game!

Dress up as your favourite fossil fuel alternative. Let’s create a visual spectacle of human wind turbines, electric train drivers etc. Or keep it simple and decorate yourself with the unifying symbol for the worldwide Moving Planet day: arrows to symbolise moving away from fossil fuels.
Those that are biking are meeting on at 11am at Wynyard Quarter playground for a moving planet bikeride. All those with two (or one) wheels are welcome to join.

Non-bikers will join the riders at 1pm at QEII Square on two feet, skateboards, tricycles, roller skates or roller blades.  We will march together up Queen Street to demonstrate together how much we need action on climate change- it a message to our leaders and peers that this IS important!
We’ll finish at Albert Park, where we will have a picnic, with vegetarian food available to purchase.

There’ll be music and kids entertainment too.
Come join us and show your support for New Zealand to move beyond fossil fuels – make your voice heard!

Times:
11.00 Gather at Wynyard Quarter at the playground
11.30 Bike Ride
13.00 All gather at QEII Square
13.30 March
14:00 Arrive at Albert Park for picnic/food/music/fun times

Submission on Auckland Unleashed, the Auckland Spatial Plan Discussion Document by Grey Lynn 2030: Transition Community

About Grey Lynn 2030: Positive Vision, Practical Action

Grey Lynn 2030 is a participatory community organisation that facilitates and supports local focus groups working towards a positive, connected, sustainable, resilient community through practical action.

We take our terms of reference from the international Transition Town movement which encourages local communities to respond to current environmental and economic challenges with positive solutions that tap into the skills and innovation available in the local community. There are currently 55 Transition Town groups throughout New Zealand.

Grey Lynn 2030 has over 1200 direct subscribers to regular updates, we host monthly meetings and have active focus groups promoting community gardens, traffic calming, waste reduction, regeneration of local streams and a range of innovative activities that contribute to the community. We also have a lively website and over 2200 Friends on Facebook. Our steering committee is run by 5 volunteers.

Grey Lynn 2030 is based in Grey Lynn, Auckland, encompassing the surrounding neighbourhoods that are in the west side of the Waitemata Local Board area (including Westmere, Ponsonby, Freeman’s Bay, Herne Bay and St Mary’s Bay).

The Big Picture

Grey Lynn 2030 recognises the important role of spatial planning and the once in a lifetime opportunity provided by the Auckland Plan to set a strategic direction for Auckland.

Grey Lynn 2030 strongly supports the vision to make Auckland the most liveable city in the world and we believe that this will only be possible if the Auckland Plan responds to the challenges of climate change and the end of cheap oil. The Plan must take into consideration the impact of changing availability and prices of oil. The Plan must recognise the central place of the environment as underpinning the quality of life, economic and social wellbeing of Auckland and the limited timeframe available to take decisive action.

Just as many local communities are transitioning to meet these challenges, the Auckland region as a whole must transition to become more resilient, sustainable, connected, compact and efficient.

Recommendations:

• Undertake an oil sensitivity analysis on the 30 year Plan to the effect oil prices rises will have.
• Integrate reducing dependence on fossil fuels across the goals of the Plan
• Strengthen moves to a low carbon economy across all policies

The Goals

An Auckland Plan that recognises the critical role of the environment will be best placed to achieve all goals that flow from the vision of Auckland becoming the most liveable city in the world.

It is not possible to achieve the goals in the plan if they are worked on in isolation. For example the carbon emission reduction targets within the people and environment section of the plan, are not achievable if isolated from the kind of economic activity we want to support or the kind of infrastructure being developed.

Grey Lynn 2030 supports reference to our unique connections with our land and water, green space, environmentally friendly living, strong rural values and connections and the protection of our ecological and culturally significant landscapes, our distinctive volcanic cones and lava fields, coastal, marine and bush areas.

However the eight goals currently proposed for the Auckland Plan fail to adequately address environmental issues. There are no goals that provide for Auckland’s unique natural environment and biodiversity. Consequently there is no goal that encompasses ecosystem functioning, biodiversity conservation or the value of protecting elements of the natural environment.

Recommendations:

• Ensure goals support and reinforce each other e.g. prosperity based on innovative, sustainable practice
• Identify, or utilise key shifts within the Auckland Sustainability Framework across the goals of the Auckland Plan so that they are shared across all operations and lead to integrated outcomes
• Include a new goal “An Auckland that protects and enhances its diverse natural environment and the integrity of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems”

The Environment, Waste and Climate change

Environment and waste:

We strongly support the priority to protect Auckland’s natural environment and become an eco-city. However the eco-city approach must be made broad enough to drive the whole environmental strategy for Auckland.  In addition we recognise that the eco city model is largely an urban model and that 90 % of Auckland is rural.  Therefore we ask that the eco-city model be extended and adapted to include rural areas and communities.

The protection of elements of the natural environment such as waterways, soils, landscapes, natural character, terrestrial, freshwater and marine biodiversity and the maintenance of ecosystem function must be encompassed by the high level goals.  And that these goals must be regional.  The natural environment does not recognise distinction between urban and rural areas of the region.

We are in favour of the Council’s aim to create a network of wildlife corridors across the region, and to enhance our parks and open spaces, protect streams and harbours from further pollution, and reduce our waste to landfill by 40% through gaining more control over the waste stream and encouraging local responses to waste minimisation (such as community compost facilities at the Wilton Street Community Garden and at Kelmarna Organic City Farm and through initiatives led by the Grey Lynn 2030 Waste Away group).

We support the regional extension of the Waitakere eco-city vision – joining the Waitakere Ranges to the sea through Project Twin Streams.   Within our own area we would like to see the volcanic cones reconnected to the harbour through natural stream corridors, local streams day-lighted (Coxs Creek, Edgars Stream) and sensitive coastal areas restored (Coxs Bay).

The effects of climate change, increased production costs and food shortages are already having a significant impact on global and local food prices.  The preparation of the Plan gives Auckland the opportunity to identify and protect the resources required to support future regional food production.  Given the predictions for Aucklands future population growth, and current dependence on transport, we also encourage the Council to consider the benefit to the city environment of encouraging more local food production (for example through community gardens and, school gardens, protecting rural land, soil and water for environmentally responsible farming, etc.). Urban trees must also be fully protected.

Within our area we have a number of community facilities that could support further urban food production– Kelmarna Organic City Farm, Grey Lynn Community Garden and the Wilton Street Community Garden. We also encourage fruit tree planting on Council land (Francis Street Orchard currently in development) and residents making use of the road side berms to grow trees and plants.

Recommendations:

• Support local waste minimisation such as local composting facilities
• Localising and owning our transfer stations, establishment of a network of local resource recovery centres.
• All Auckland events on public land to be Zero Waste events.
• Extend Smoke Free to include all public open spaces and parks to reduce cigarette litter contaminating our harbour and waterways and killing wildlife
• A focus on Auckland as a world class city with world class waste and recycling systems such as EPR and CDL
• Council support and accreditation for businesses that recycle, minimise carbon emissions and waste.

Climate Change

The Council has set an aspirational target of reducing Auckland’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2025. We support this and also encourage the Council to set a long-term target of reducing our emissions by 90% by 2050.

However the plan doesn’t provide sufficient details on what the likely impacts of unchecked climate change will be over the next 30 years in terms of sea-level rise, flooding, food shortages and extreme weather events, and how the Council plans to adapt to these.

• The response to the impact of climate change is extremely vague (paragraph 299). The Plan needs to be clear about avoiding new investment in hazard areas, and spatially identifying areas for planned retreat and for defence.

Grey Lynn 2030  supports the identification of strategies to reduce carbon emissions including clean energy, efficient buildings, decentralised renewable energy, public transport, local food production and waste reduction, walk ways, cycle ways and urban planning to reduce need to travel, electric and low emission buses and vehicles, planting carbon sinks and reducing organic waste in landfills.

We commend having a bold and necessary goal within the Plan for emissions reduction. This will not be achieved without integration across the Plan.

Recommendations:

• Provide a clear and detailed plan for reducing emissions to achieve both targets for example through major investment in sustainable transport infrastructure and the use of more renewables to meet energy demand.
• Integrate reducing carbon-intensive activity across the goals of the Plan.
• Include contributing to a safe climate as part of  ’putting children and young people first’.
• Implement- Compact Urban Form- Transit Oriented Development (Intensification around transport nodes)
• Protect the MUL
• Identify areas of existing and potential food production and ensure that these areas and quality soils retain their productive capacity.
• Refer to the benefits of meeting climate goals rather that the ‘costs of action on climate change’
• Be transparent on what baseline year our goal is related to, not hiding it (is it 1990 or 2006?)
• Plan for an immediate reduction to vehicles on the road- 44% of Auckland’s emissions are from transport.

Transport and Infrastructure

Transport

Grey Lynn 2030 strongly supports option three for Auckland’s future transport infrastructure. We believe that a heavy investment in improving our rail, bus and ferry systems is a key factor in making Auckland the most liveable city in the world. Dedicated, safe, connected walkways and cycleways, including a link over the Auckland Harbour Bridge must also be considered an integral part of Auckland’s transport network.

We would like the Council to prioritise completing the Central City rail link, rail to the airport and a rail link by tunnel to the North Shore within 30 years.

We believe this is the best option because it will give Aucklanders more transport choices and help meet the challenges of climate change, oil prices, energy efficiency, pollution and congestion.  Reduced private vehicle arising from Option 3 use will also provide considerable economic benefits to the region, as a result of improved health, social and community well being.

However, we are concerned that even in this third option the Council is not being ambitious enough. Given the challenges and anticipated costs of climate change, obesity, poor health, rising oil prices, air pollution and congestion we believe the Council should also consider:

• changing our land use patterns to enable Aucklanders to make better transport choices (for example, providing for more local employment, mixed-use zoning, and removing harmful planning regulations such as minimum parking requirements that result in huge areas of unproductive land and reduced housing affordability)
• improving the bus network to make it more efficient (for example, by developing a radial grid of bus services and allowing free transfers from one service to another)
• Making cycling and walking safer and more enjoyable and investing in Travel Demand Management Programmes to achieve a significant shift to walking and cycling (e.g., 50% of trips by foot and cycle by 2040)
• Extending and speeding up the delivery of the Regional Cycle Network (currently due to be completed no sooner than 2026)

Infrastructure

We believe the Council should look into ways of making better use of the waste, water and energy systems we have before investing in major infrastructure upgrades. Efficiencies in the use of landfills, water, and energy infrastructure could be achieved through such measures as encouraging recycling of organic waste, fixing leaking water pipes and encouraging passive solar design in new buildings.

We also believe the Council should make fixing the leaks in our storm water system and installing a filter to collect litter priorities to avoid further pollution of Auckland waterways and harbours.

Water-sensitive or low impact design features should be implemented along paved roads and car parks to reduce the amount of stormwater run-off and the burden on the stormwater reticulation. Rainwater tanks should be encouraged in many parts of the city to reduce run off and increase the self sufficiency of properties.

Housing & Urban Design

Housing

We support the proposal for most development to occur within the current Metropolitan Urban limits and to intensify Auckland’s compact urban form. This approach doesn’t require expensive infrastructure and has less environmental impacts. This will provide greater not less housing choice, be less expensive in infrastructure provision, be more sustainable, less energy intensive, leave a lesser carbon footprint and provide a better quality of life based around town centres.

There are ways in which the Council could act to improve housing affordability within a compact urban form:

• change the parking regulations so that, rather than requiring new developments to provide a certain minimum number of parks (as regulations currently do), allow parking to be shared between a number of buildings and uses, and encourage direct pricing of parking when demand is high. This will lead to much less land being wasted on unproductive uses and encourage sustainable travel;
• work to involve more third sector (e.g., not for profit) organizations in building affordable housing, providing long-term rental housing and in developing alternative ownership and funding models to facilitate security of tenure for both owners and renters;
• ensure that when the Council identifies land outside the city boundary for re-development that these developments are centred on major public transport links (e.g., the Western rail line, the Southern rail line, the Northern Express busway) and that the public transport is provided before the development is occupied by residents;
• Provide incentives for ‘brownfield’ redevelopments rather than greenfield, to balance out the higher economic risk profile for developers involved in the former.

We also urge the introduction of inclusionary zoning to require developers to provide a minimum proportion of affordable housing in their developments.

Urban Design

We support the strong emphasis placed in the Plan on improving the built environment of Auckland and ensuring good urban design. We believe this is a positive step forward. We support the Council’s proposals to:

• identify a hierarchy of town centres which will help to guide appropriate levels of development in each area, recognising that one approach does not ‘fit all’;
• remove barriers to the redevelopment and rejuvenation of local ‘mainstreet’ centres, so that local residents can have their needs met within walkabale distances;
• discourage the development of new ‘megamalls’, or the expansion of existing malls, as they undermine local shops and promote the use of private vehicle transport;
• introduce minimum sustainability criteria for new buildings such as rain colleciton tanks, solar heating; Commercial and apartments to include waste & recycling systems, onsite composting;
• ensure that major buildings and developments are reviewed by an Urban Design Panel;
  require resource consents to include a design sheet outlining minimum standards for sustainable design criteria;
  make streets into public spaces that are used for recreation, rather than just for transit, through good design, public art, more use of shared space, and speed reductions and other traffic calming measures;
• incentivise the development of grid street and pathway networks to make travel by foot and cycle more attractive;
• increase access for disabled persons;
• preserve our built heritage, cultural landscapes and archaeological sites through creating a well-integrated Heritage Plan, and giving it appropriate status to ensure a high level of protection;
• Ensure that a Heritage Plan equally recognises and protects heritage and cultural landscapes and land use, including rural landscapes and streetscapes along with built heritage.
• introduce “redevelopment” authorities which would mean that major sites could be developed to a very high standard of urban design.

Within our area we have identified roads that should be reconsidered as boulevards or avenues rather than just corridors for cars.  For example the re-design of  Great North Road between Ponsonby Road and Surrey Crescent and Richmond Road as “complete” streets would enhance the local character of this historic area, slow the traffic, provide for safe walking and cycling to local schools and shopping areas  and reduce the environmental impacts of what are currently vehicle dominated roads.

We therefore strongly support investing in the amenity of our streets and open spaces with a complete refocus away from roads just for cars.

Caring for People and Building Strong Communities

We support the strong priority placed on improving the well-being of children, reducing inequality, and building strong, inclusive communities that value ethnic diversity and are accessible to the disabled.

We particularly commend the Council’s goals around reducing inequality. Auckland has greater disparities between the poor and wealthy than any other city in New Zealand. International research shows that income inequality leads to poor social outcomes that affect everyone – such as increased rates of child abuse, obesity, mental illness and crime, all of which have widespread social and economic costs.  By taking measures to reduce inequality the Council may well also improve the well-being of children living in Auckland. While many measures to reduce inequality are not the responsibility of local government, one important way the Council can help to reduce inequality is by increasing the supply of high quality, affordable housing. This will reduce over-crowding, facilitate better long term engagement with education and health services, and make it easier for low-income Aucklanders to live with dignity.

We strongly support this strategic priority of strengthening and supporting diversity and the specific proposals within it. The inclusion of community development, community events and the fostering of diverse cultural expressions is required to make the world’s most liveable city for all citizens.

The Economy and prosperity based on sustainable business practices

The goal for “Auckland to be an internationally competitive, prosperous economy that benefits all Aucklanders through a step change in exports and internationalisation” is only achievable through development and implementation of strategic priorities that recognise that a transition to a resilient, sustainable, low carbon, “green” economy is essential to future prosperity.

The section on People and the Economy appears to have been written with no regard to the interaction of prosperity being linked to sustainable development and supporting goals.

Key aspects of a “green” economy that can drive prosperity include:

• Economic regeneration and social enterprise
• Support Buy New Zealand made and local Farmers and craft markets
• Localisation as economic development
• Community Asset ownership, social procurement and local tendering
• Fostering green research, education and training

A ‘Can do’ council should give preference to and make it easier for those businesses and communities that want to do their part to contribute to an eco-City. There are many learnings that can be taken from Vancouver’s plans to become the greenest city in the world by 2020 through specific strategies to develop a “green” economy.

Recommendations:

• Include ‘based on sustainable practice’ within the economic goals. Economic activity not based on sustainable practice will create further costs down the line.
• Include policies that reward those businesses that have a positive (or reduced negative) impact on our environment, and penalise those who do not.
• Incorporate strategies for developing a  “green” and local economy

We would welcome any opportunity to talk to this submission.

Grey Lynn 2030 Streering committee

This is our draft submission which will be finalised by 31 May. If you have any comments please email greylynn2030@gmail.com

Please use any aspects of the draft to submit your own comments on the Auckland Plandiscussion document.

You can have your say by:

Emailing to theaucklandplan@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

On the Facebook Discussion page

You can post your comments to: Freepost Authority 237170, Auckland Council, The Auckland Plan, Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142.

Or complete the online form (note the questions on the form do not cover all aspects of the discussion document)

Further reading

The Auckland Plan – Auckland Council’s website

EDS submission

Greens submission guide on the Auckland Plan

All over Auckland working bees are happening with the community taking the lead on climate solutions. There are almost 6000 work parties registered world wide. Find out about the huge number of events in Auckland here to get involved in a fun familyday of action.

Where do you plan to be? At Shed 1 , 101 Halsey Street, Viaduct Harbour from 10am – 4pm you can take part in two different work parties

Get Growing Auckland

Growing your own organic food is great for you and great for the planet. We want to show Aucklanders how easy and enjoyable urban gardening can be and challenge them to give it a try.

Come along to:

• Plant a seed to take home
• See creative container gardening displays
• Hear from experienced urban gardeners
• Learn about how you can upcycle materials for a truly environmentally friendly garden
• Win prizes
• + more!

Bring the kids. We’re planning some fun activities

350 Big Bike Fix Up

Between 10am and 4pm this Sunday 10th October Shed 1, 101 Halsey Street on Auckland’s stunning Viaduct Harbour there is a huge fix-up happening and a whole lot more:

Tonzu sausage sizzle and Kokako Organic refreshments available at the venue in support of the Grey Lynn School cycle trail project. All Good bananas will be handing out fairtrade bananas between 11- 2pm.

The Big Bike Fix up has been made possible with support from the Road Safety Team Auckland City Council, Cycle Action Auckland, Tumeke Cycle Space, Adventure Cycles, T.Whites Bikes, Nextbikes, AvantiPlus Waitakere, Cycle Store and Castles Marquee Hire.

Make a day of 10/10/10 by bike
Devonport – HANDS On sustainable living skills fair
Mt Eden  – Community Garden Working Bee

Find an action near you or start your own one. Over 6500 now registered worldwide http://www.350.org/en/map#/map/-36.847385/174.765735/10

We are taking steps towards 10th October when Aucklanders and citizens around the world will be showing we are ready for climate solutions through actions in our community.

Come along to be part of the conversation, start a work party or join an action.

Details:
Wednesday 28th July
7:15pm for a 7:30pm start, 8:45pm finish.
Garden room, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, Auckland
Free entry

We will be watching the inspirational film ‘Carving the future’ [25 mins] which tells a story through the eyes of four young New Zealanders taking local action and leading the change in different communities in New Zealand. There will then be the opportunity to share and explore ideas for local action for the 10/10/10 Global Work Party (for more info see www.350.org).

An action could be something you are already working on that you would like to get more people involved with, it could be an idea you have, or you may have energy to support others. (check out the almost 1200 events already registered globally here including the Big Bike Fix Up in Auckland)

In attending, you are being asked to put aside what you think someone else ought to be doing, and be open to discussing with others what your potential contribution or ‘ingredient’, for a local event or to enable wider action, might be.

This event is co-hosted by EcoMatters Environment Trust (contact: Carl Chenery) and Grey Lynn 2030 (contact: Pippa Coom)

As a transition community we are strongly opposed removal of any conservation land from Schedule 4 protection to enable exploration or mining to take place.   We do not therefore support the government’s proposal to remove the following areas from Schedule 4:

• The Inangahua sector of Paparoa National Park
• The Otahu Ecological Area in the Coromandel
• Parakawai Geological Area in the Coromandel
• The additional seven areas in the Coromandel Peninsula totalling 2,574 hectares
• 705 hectares of the Te Ahumata Plateau are on Great Barrier Island

Moreover, we support the addition to the existing Schedule of the 12,400ha of conservation land that now qualifies to be in Schedule 4.   We believe that marine reserves, national park additions, scientific, scenic and nature reserves should automatically be added to Schedule 4 once gazetted to ensure ongoing protection from mining and exploration activities.

We also oppose the  intended mineral survey of vast swathes of additional land including Northland and Stewart Island (Rakiura National Park), Mt Aspiring National Park, areas of Northland including Waipoua Kauri Forest and inland Nelson as depicted on the MED website.

We believe that any mining in conservation areas will be damaging to New Zealand’s clean and green international reputation which underpins billions of dollars of economic value and countless jobs in tourism, agriculture and other sectors.  This reputation would be harmed irreparably by allowing mining in our conservation estate.   Mining is not a sustainable activity and we believe that the long term economic value of our green image outweighs the short term ecomonic benefit of mining.

The quality and pure reputation that NZ enjoys has built up over many decades with significant investment is essential for New Zealand’s well being.  This reputation offers the best advantage and opportunity for enhancing our economic strength rather than the highly inefficient extractive industry that cannot serve New Zealand in a world moving towards clean and renewable technology and industry.

We call on the government to follow an economic vision for the 21st century that plays to the strength of our clean and green reputation and meets the challenges of climate change.  This includes abandoning all plans to remove conservation land from Schedule Four or allow mining therein, and committing to a 40% by 2020 emissions reduction target.

Grey Lynn 2030 Steering Committee

Hello Grey Lynn 2030ers

Nothing to do this weekend?- there is plenty on in our community starting with Art with Love 2009 – Richmond Road School’s annual public art auction

The Gallery will be open during the weekend from 11am -4pm. Coffee supplied by Coffee Supreme
Auction is being held on Tuesday 10 November at 7pm, viewing from 5pm.
check out the website for more details www.artwithlove.org
Richmond Road School 113 Richmond Road Ponsonby, gallery entrance is on Douglas Street.
Queries email ange@artwithlove.org

Grey Lynn 2030 Monthly community meeting Wednesday 11 November
We have another monthly meeting coming up next Wednesday. Keeping it quite low key this month and thinking about what we can get up to in 2010. If you have a good idea for a local project and want to raise it and get some other like minded folk to get involved here is your chance to speak up and present to the group.

Positive Vision, Practical Action evening

Grey Lynn 2030 has a vision of a self –reliant, positive, resilient, vibrant, connected and sustainable community. This month  the focus groups are updating  on making this vision a reality through practical steps. The Grey Lynn Farmers Market is a great example of what amazing results come out of our monthly meetings and community engagement.

Please come a long to get involved and share your ideas with the current focus groups (Waste Away, Traffic calming, Edgars Stream Restoration, Community gardens, Green Screen, Local Government Relations) or to get new focus groups up and running. All welcome at 7.30pm at the Grey Lynn Community Centre

Wilton St Community Garden
We had a fantastic day on Nov 4th with the BNZ CLOSED FOR GOOD crew at the garden.

We managed to clear all the rest of the jasmine and load all the pile of garden waste off the site, filling the 10 cm bin (almost all jasmine root) and paint the fence. Lesson learnt here for home gardeners, jasmine is very invasive.

The day was fine, BNZ team were lovely, we had no accidents and we even finished early. Everything ran like clockwork thanks to our incredibly fantastic team of Wilton Street gardeners who worked so hard to make the day a success – especially Jacqui for juggling childcare and taking care of the fantastic catering, Margo who took the day off work, Sarah for getting the paint donated from Ponsonby Resenes and overseeing the painting.

Thanks also to all those who contributed lovely baking and the people who dropped by during the day to see how it was all going and have a cuppa. Thanks to GL2030 for the bin.

If you are up at the Farmers Market this Sunday, do come over and see us. We are just behind the Gypsy Tea Room and we will be there on Sunday morning.

Mandy

Waste Away Group
Auckland Freecycle

Do you know about Freecycle? In Auckland there are now 1120 members and we are wishing to grow further.

Can you get involved to keep good things out of landfills and helping out our community in keeping New Zealand clean and green. So when you have something that is too much hassle to sell, you don’t want to see destroyed by the scrap metalers in the inorganic and you have nobody to give it to. Freecyle is the thing.

Once you join, please tell your friends, boss, co-workers, family, neighbours about this way of parting with usable items so that somebody else can use them.
If you got only one person to join it would make a huge difference in expanding our purpose and making our community a cleaner place to live.

http://groups.freecycle.org/aucklandfreecycle

Grey Lynn Farmers Market

Nothing much to eat in the house? Never fear, the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market is here to entertain you this Sunday morning, plus provide you with all the fresh produce you will need for a delic\ous Sunday lunch and see you through the week to come.

Every Sunday but the last of the month the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market stallholders are serving you with a smile and story of their local produce. From meat and fish, to nuts and honey, to the freshest vegetables of all varieties, it’s all there. And to mark the beginning of summer, fresh strawberries will be available at the market this weekend.

If you have a surplus of fresh produce or seedling, remember you can bring it along to sell or barter at the Ooooby stall. It’s a real help if you can bag it up in saleable units before you arrive and pop your name and a price on the bags.

Save the date: the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market is hosting a Twilight Market on the last Saturday before Christmas, 19th December from 6pm to 9pm, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn.

We look forward to seeing you all at the market tomorrow.

From the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market Committee

Grey Lynn Festival
Do you love living in Grey Lynn?… Grey Lynn Park Festival needs local volunteers for the information tent and other areas of the festival
The festival is on Saturday 28 November at Grey Lynn Park..The festival has changed over recent years. It got very big and now the aim is to bring it back to our community. If you have been scared off by the crowds in the past it is quite different now. Note the lack of big name bands and big publicity. For those of you who have been in the neighbourhood a while it is a great chance to catch up with old friends.
There are the usual smorgasboard of stalls and activities going on through the day, there will be a surprise around every corner! Grey Lynn 2030 will be there in the community space with the community gardens, the Farmers Market and other local groups.

Visit the KidZone on the top field
If your child would like to have a children’s stall, we will have a free marketplace area especially set up from 10 -12 for traders under 13 please register beforehand!
And also we have a scarecrow competition, create a scarecrow, bring it to the Childrens Area Coordinator, Monique who will be in the ASB tent and then they will be judged and announced on the Whanau stage at 1pm

Just like the Farmers Market, it is good if you can bring cash and leave your car at home.

Please come on down and celebrate the 25th gathering of our Festival

For any queries please either email Angela at greylynnparkfestival@gmail.com or call me on 027 202 9609

Auckland Energy Consumer Trust election campaign

Unfortunately Pippa didn’t make it to be on the AECT. The Citizens and Ratepayers group were the winners. Well done to Pippa for giving it a go.
What a lot we have learned! Thanks to those who voted and helped. Here is Pippa’s update.
www.pippacoom.co.nz

Other Local Events and Groups

New Zealand Youth Delegation

The New Zealand Youth Delegation are 12 passionate young Kiwis, working to ensure our climate policies look after the planet and people for generations to come. We’re heading to the United Nations Climate Change Conference this December, in Copenhagen, Denmark. . .

Join NZYD for an evening of fun!
Charity auction.. Fun and celebrations.. Drinks & nibbles.. Live entertainment!..
All funds raised.. Helping us get to Copenhagen.
Thursday 19 November. 6pm.
Freemans Bay Community Hall, Auckland.

Please R.S.V.P. to nzyd2009@gmail.com

NZYD is a charities registered organisation, under the umbrella of 350 Aotearoa.
Suggested koha is $5 – $10 per person. For auction items we will gladly accept cash, cheque, and direct credit.

www.youthdelegation.org.nz

Fly My Pretties Competition
I work for  Ecostore and couldn’t resist sharing this with you as unless you are on the ecostore mailing list you wouldn’t know about the Fly My Pretties tickets competition. (If you say Who? this is not for you) Ecostore are sponsoring the Wellington based Fly My Pretties musicians in their upcoming “Encore” shows in Auckland (Dec 4th) and Wellington (Dec 5th). The Encore Show features work from their beautiful new album ‘A Story’. There are 2 tickets for each show to give away. If you want to enter the competition, please click to enter.

City Vision Special General Meeting
When: Wednesday, 11 November, 7.30pm
Where: Auckland Horticultural Society Hall, 990 Gt North Rd, Western Springs (opp Motion Rd)

City Vision (the Green Party, Labour, Alliance and like-minded community independents) is the campaigning organisation for the broad left in the local body elections in the (existing) Auckland City. For information on our principles and policy see cityvision.org.nz.
You are warmly invited to this Special General Meeting. There will be reports on current issues, including the all-important regional re-organisation, and our progress in developing an organisation to fight the supercity elections in October 2010.
To facilitate the development of a campaigning organisation for the new Auckland Council in 2010, the City Vision Steering Committee recommends we establish a Campaign Committee to structure ways of working with other like-minded political and community groups across the region. We hereby call for nominations for the City Vision Campaign Committee for 2010. If you are interested or for more information, please contact Gwen Shaw, Deputy Chair, on gwenshaw@xnet.co.nz, 378 2188.

Grey Lynn Community Centre
The GLCC are looking for a new board member. Our Grey Lynn community Centre is a beautiful local asset. We have a small management committee who meet once a month. If you are interested in this please contact me suzanne.kendrick@gmail.com We would particularly like a younger person. Young to us means somebody in their twenties! We would like to see the centre used more on Friday and Saturday nights so if somebody has a good idea for a regular event please get involved.
Will need to get in touch this week so you will be ready for AGM on Thursday 19th November. All welcome to the AGM.

Pt Chev School Fundraiser – 6th November
Pt Chev Primary would love to see you and your friends at this fun night out in support of our school.
This is the major fundraiser for the year and is to raise funds for a new junior playground.

You need to get a ticket which includes:
A free Indulge embossed wine glass and carrier.
Access to the food market for free sampling and drinking.
Entry to the auditorium to watch four professional culinary and wine demonstrations.
The opportunity to buy some of the best food and wine NZ has to offer at reasonable prices.
Live music.
A fun night out with others from our community.
The chance to win a series of food spot prizes

Please go to www.indulgefoodfestival.co.nz or email indulgeptchev@xtra.co.nz

Pt Chev Transition Town Meeting
Next meeting is Tuesday, November 9 – Resource Room, Pt Chevalier Primary School, Te Ra Rd.

Don’t forget to bring something along to swap or give for market place if you can – not to worry if you can’t!

PT. CHEV TREASURE HUNT
A fun, free event for the whole family and neighbourhood
Sunday, November 8th , 1 – 4 pm, All over Pt. Chevalier
1 pm start at Pt. Chevalier Library – Finish at Coyle Park

Bring your family, friends and lively spirits and travel around Pt. Chevalier collecting clues that piece together an understanding of the suburbs amazing history and natural beauty.
You can choose a leisurely walk to find clues and surprises, go hard out on your bicycle or scooter to cover the distance, or just sit back amongst the hustle and bustle. There will be something for everyone to participate in and enjoy!

Bicycles (singles and tandems) can be rented on the day from Adventure Cycles in Pt. Chevalier. For more info contact them directly or adventurecycles@woosh.co.nz

New Farmers Market – Royal Oak Market – opens 22 November(14 Erson Avenue, Royal Oak).  As a Transition Town group we support local initiatives. We are very pleased to see a new market has sprung up. We hope the locals will get behind this market and be able to walk or cycle there.. The market is being hosted by CCS Disability Action, a not for profit organisation that supports people with disabilities.  Over 40 stall holders will be selling a variety of artisan foods and products – french pastries, olive oil, cheese, honey, fresh fish, fruit and veges, artwork, jewellery, ceramics, kids clothing and gifts.

Do we have any Food Co-ops in Grey Lynn?
If anybody knows of any Grey Lynn food co-ops could they contact Joel Hildebrandtjoel@earthsong.org.nz at Earthsong, so we can share information and cooperate between cooperatives.

Calendar of Upcoming Local Events

November
6 – 10th Richmond Rd School – Art with Love Public Art Auction
Sun 8th Grey Lynn Farmers Market
Sun 8th- Pt Chevalier Treasure Hun
Tue 10th – Pt Chev Transition Town Meeting
Wed 11th Grey Lynn 2030 Monthly Meeting
Sat 28th – Grey Lynn Festival 10 – 6

December

Not at all local but would looks good…

16th December Climate Camp – http://www.climatecamp.org.nz/
19th Grey Lynn Farmers Market Twilight Market

Have a great weekend. Also am trying out some new email software www.mailchimp.com
Can you let me know if the formatting is OK at your end?Thanks

Suzanne Kendrick
Grey Lynn 2030 Steering Committee
www.greylynn2030.co.nz
www.Twitter.com/greylynn2030
www.facebook.com/GreyLynn2030

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

Moa’s Ark Revisited: What we can do to switch the world back into more biodiverse and hence more sustainable working order?

David Bellamy has done heaps to promote the taonga (treasure) of our homeland Aotearoa NZ, so it is with great aroha and our deepest respect that we welcome this tall totara back on his “Moa’s Ark Revisited” tour during September 2009.

If anyone does not know what we mean by this, then get your friends and family together, turn off the TV station and instead view the four 50 minute episodes of his “Moa’s Ark” downloadable video.

Thanks to DOC and Air New Zealand for getting David back for the Whirinaki 25 celebrations. David was a key influencer in the revolt against state milling of the spectacular Whirinaki Rainforest. It remains today as one of his favourite places on our planet.

Read what he says in Seven Decades of Destruction – the value of old growth forest: balancing the cycles of our Living World.

We expect this will be a “report card” on how well we are treasuring and safeguarding our place, culture, and values.

David is always challenging. He loves working with young people (see Some Things Must Change video), making nature fun, helping us face the issues and take positive action.
8 September 2009

7pm – 9pm

Venue: Room OGGB4, Owen G. Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road

Contact: RSVP to contact@nexusnz.org
A Public Forum featuring David Bellamy and youth panel

From 6 to 17 July, the government will consult the public and businesses on an appropriate 2020 target on greenhouse gas emissions.
The govt is clearly trying to push something through without the public being given time to arrange appropriate representation at meetings.

Aucklanders, we are required on Tues July 7th at the Princes Ballroom, Hotel Hyatt Regency, at 7.30 – 9pm

Registration is required; see below.

For other centres please see the chart below.

What ever your views on climate change are, I am sure you will see that it is totally inappropriate for the govt to be trying to sneak these meetings through, yet again pushing the boundaries of democracy.

Blessings

Lisa Er

___________________________________________________

Dear Lisa

Here is today’s press release from NZ Climate Action Partnership (NZCAP) newly formed on 5th June following a Hui organised by the Hikurangi Trust in Wellington.

The main message is that the government has left an extremely short (5 working days) time between announcing and starting the public consultations on what NZ’s interim target should be in preparation for Copenhagen. The public should smell a rat. We need to get organised very fast.

It is extremely important that well informed and articulate citizens turn up in large numbers at the public meetings with the most recent science (March Copenhagen meeting of scientists and their summary report) and economic analysis (such as the Stern Report, Sinclair Knight & Mertz report for the NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development etc) ready to make a strong community voice heard.

ALSO : It is most important that people realize the need to register as stakeholders to avoid government gate keeping on this issue.

Registered stakeholders will receive an email containing further information related to the roadshow, as well as instructions to RSVP online.

The person to contact regarding registration is Anna Carter [Anna.Carter@mfe.govt.nz] Ph 04 439 7487

The Government press release is at : http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/public+consultation+2020+target+announced

The public meetings, which will feature presentations by the Government, will be held in nine centres between 6 July and 17 July: Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Napier and Nelson. Dr Smith will also hold meetings with business groups in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Hui are being organised in association with the Climate Change Iwi Leadership Group.

For Press Release please visit here