Category Archives: Action

350 Copenhagen Vigils

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There are a number of 350.org inspired Copenhagen Vigils being held around Melbourne. Details here.

Local events include (current at time of posting):

Vigil in Melbourne

12 December 2009 – 9:00pm – 9:30pm
Come and join the GetUp Melbourne team and other like-minded people for a candle-light vigil. We will be assembling at 9pm on the 12th to show we care. We want a Fair, Ambitous and Binding agreement at Copenhagen, so come to City Square and have a FAB time! Bring posters, signs, and of course, candles.
This will mark the end of the day of action, with the Walk Against Warming happening during the day.

Vigil in Northcote

12 December 2009 – 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Carols in All Nations, All Nations Park, Northcote
Bring a picnic, your best signing voice and celebrate Christmas with your community. Featuring Massed Community Choir, market and more. This year, as part of a global candlelight vigil we will be asking all attending to light Candles for Copenhagen. Candles available for purchase or bring your own.
Main Program (including Reflection on the theme of Climate Change) from 8pm.
Why not travel green? Walk, ride or catch Tram 86, the train to Northcote Station or Bus 508. Bike Valet will be available thanks to Human Powered Cycles. Don’t forget your bike lights!

Vigil in Coburg

11 December 2009 – 5:00pm – 11:00pm
We’re combining the candle light vigil with a street christmas party, market stalls, live music and circus performance EXTRAVAGANZA. Market stalls, music and candle light vigil on friday night. fun, games, market stalls all day saturday.
We’re inviting all our neighbours AND enviro aware creative types from around Melbourne. Free tastings of micro brewed beer available.

Also, via Avaaz, some festive singing for the one and only Martin Ferguson MP

Time: Friday, December 11 at 09:00 AM
Venue:: In front ot the offfice of Martin Ferguson MP
Place: 159 High St Preston, Preston, State of Victoria, Australia
Host: Petrina Barson
This will be a singing vigil outside the office of Martin Ferguson MP, federal member for Batman and minister for resources. We will be there all day from 9 to 5 singing (really easy) modified Christmas carols (“we all want ambitious targets… and we won’t go until we get some, we won’t go until we get some…) to get the message through to our local MP that the pressure’s on from his constituents and their friends that we want real action at Copenhagen. Come along whether you think you can sing or not (!), come for part of the time or all of the time. Please indicate when you sign up what time slot you plan to come for.

Higgins Byelection: Vote Climate

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higgnsimageHiggins by-election – an historic opportunity – Thanks to the drama unfolding in Canberra, the climate crisis has been thrust front and centre in the by-election happening this Saturday. The Vote Climate campaign is non-aligned and urging voters to vote based on the different parties’ climate change policies.

To help distribute Vote Climate flyers at the polling stations on Saturday (5/12) contact Jane -mortonj@ozemail.com.au or 0419 870 507 or sign up at http://www.climateactioncentre.org/higgins

Update: A fantastic experience helping out at the booth. A few entertaining moments. Highlight was definitely meeting the other people manning the booth for the various parties. Pity about the result, a little disappointing, but still a worthwhile day. Quite inspiring!

Ride Planet Earth

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Ride Planet Earth bike ride, Sunday 6 December, 1pm, Melbourne Museum car park (Nicholson St, Carlton) andride to Edinburgh Gardens (St Georges Rd, Nth Fitzroy). Music and speakers after the ride. See www.rideplanetearth.org

Update: Perfect day for a ride. Turned a few heads on Brunswick Street. Thanks to the organisers!

Photos follow…

Renewable is Do-able

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renewabledoableOrganised by Beyond Zero Emissions and Save Solar Systems.

What: Public Meeting

Renewable is Do-able Public Meeting
We have organized a public meeting to alert the wider community to the fact that renewable energy is available right now, and it is up to our leaders to show the foresight to commit the framework that penetrates the dated social and economic barriers that renewables contend against in Australia.
We have a tremendous line up of speakers that include:
- Rob Gell, environmental geographer and television weather presenter
- Mark Ogge, facilitator of “Zero Carbon Australia 2020” report, Beyond Zero Emissions
- Clive Hamilton, bestselling author of ‘Scorcher – The dirty politics of climate change’, candidate for Higgins, and director of the Australia Institute.
A question time will follow where the public can ask questions of the speakers directly.

When: 6.30pm, Thursday December 3

Where: Fitzroy Town hall, 201 Napier St, Fitzroy

Importation of Illegally Logged Timber

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Highlighted by WWF Australia.

Letter to the Minister…

Tony Burke
Parliament House Office
PO Box 6022
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Minister,

I write to express my concerns about illegally logged timber being imported into Australia and to urge the Government to act.

I support the Rudd Government’s election promise to “ban the import of illegally logged timber”. I further support the Governments ultimate policy objective to ensure only sustainably harvested timber is used in Australia. As the Minister responsible, I urge you to fulfil this important environmental promise.

I am concerned that your commitment to this election promise has been lost among complaints that it is too difficult and excuses that Australia alone cannot solve illegal logging.

The Government should take this opportunity to introduce substantial reforms that will see an end to illegal timber being imported into Australia. It should also develop a clear timetable to ensure timber imports come from sustainable origins.

Any reform package the Government delivers must include two key elements:

1.      Legislation allowing only forest products that have been independently certified and verified as being legally logged to be imported.
2.      Legislation making it an offence to trade in illegally sourced timber products.

The reforms should cover all forestry products, including pulp and paper.

Australia imports illegal timber that is directly linked to biodiversity loss, human rights abuses and climate change. This is unacceptable. Please take the urgently needed action to stop it.

Kind regards,

Opt-Out of Printed Phone Directory Delivery

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A nice tip for reducing waste!

You can opt out from receiving printed those phone books (Yellow Pages, White Pages) that only ever seem useful for propping up things these days. Just send Sensis and email.

Print Directory Opt-out
You can choose not to receive specific Sensis directory print products by calling 1800 810 211, or emailing bookdelivery@sensis.com.au

More info here…

Fair Trade Fortnight

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Just saw something about Fair Trade Fortnight, which runs from May 2 to 17. More info at the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Also, a timely reminder about Fair Trade chocolate (given that Easter is coming up). There are quite a few options around now including… Alter Eco, Chocolatier, Cocolo, Green & Black’s Maya Gold, Heritage Fine Chocolates, and Scarborough Fair Foods.

Lastly, worth a mention is Etiko, with their Fair Trade sports gear and fashion gear.

Beyond Zero Emissions

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Beyond Zero Emissions is a Melbourne-based volunteer organisation focussed on helping us make the changes necessary to turn around the big-hulking-titanic-disaster-in-the-making that is climate change.

In their own words…

Our core goal is to facilitate the implementation of the social changes and technologies that will reduce the impacts of climate change and give our society, and today’s global ecosystems, a chance of surviving into the future.

We are involved in the following activities:

  • education
  • advocacy
  • corporate campaigning
  • political campaigning
  • network building
  • community campaign building
  • research
  • solution development

We differ from mainstream environmental groups by one very important point – we believe that we have already allowed climate change to go too far, and must act immediately to reduce our levels of greenhouse gas emissions to zero and below.

They are very action focussed, which is great for the many like myself who are unsure where to expend their energy in order to actually make a difference.

There are regular campaign meetings, monthly discussion groups, podcasts of their weekly 3CR radio broadcast and lots of other fantastic stuff.

An impressive effort. I’m looking forward to taking some time out to volunteer with them in the near future.

The Age of Stupid

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Released in the UK today(ish). The Age of Stupid presents a perspective from 2055, looking back at 2008 and wondering why we didn’t do anything about climate change when we had a chance. An interesting fusion of drama and documentary. Starring Pete Postlethwaite. The film is accompanied by the Not Stupid campaign, aimed at building activism prior to the Copenhagen summit at the end of the year. Fantastic idea. Here’s hoping it makes a difference!

Community organising and the US election

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The topic of community organising has risen more into prominence through the US presidential election cycle. Perhaps due to Obama’s past experience as an organiser, perhaps because Palin mocked that experience, or perhaps because of the role it plays in Obama’s campaign. At any rate, there has been some interesting writings around the intertubes on this topic. Those that I can remember/find are:

Al Giordano’s The Field – Lots of emphasis on the power/nature of community organising, including reports from ‘on the ground’. Not to mention fascinating general discussion on the election. Should continue to be interesting post-election as Al turns his focus to ‘organising the president’.

FiveThirtyEight – In addition to the awesome number crunching and insight provided by Nate Silver. This site also has been featuring a fascinating ‘On The Road’ series by Sean Quinn looking at the campaign organisations across the states. Also features some fantastic photos by Brett Marty. I am jealous of these guys!

Zack Exley at Huffington Post – A fascinating piece on ‘The New Organizers’, looking at the Obama campaign’s ground-game. This is only Part I, hopefully Part II materializes at some stage!

I wonder how these experiences could relate to Australia. There are many differences in the ‘way things work’ down here (for example, not having reverse phone number lookups) that make for a different environment in which to operate. Interesting stuff!