2009 Events and actions in Wellington

64-year old walks THREE sets of 350 km

Wellington resident, John Silvester, has walked 10 kilometres every day for 35 days and has a personal rule to be "out the door by four" every morning. He started his walks after hearing about the climate action group 350.org.

The 64-year-old walked 10 kilometres a day from mid-August onwards, making his way from his Mt Cook home to the Evans Bay Yacht Club and back again .

 

 

Friday 16 Oct - March on Parliament: "10-20% Pure New Zealand"

On Friday 16 October at noon, Victoria students and friends marched from the university to parliament where to deliver a new brand to parliament in the form of a huge postcard with 10-20% pure on the front of it. 

The vibrant crew included  dancers, music and was full of colour and life.

Sun 11 Oct - 350 craft and t-shirt working bee

Spend your Sunday morning creatively, and help make 350 stuff for 24 October Festival. Bring any kind of material that needs a make-over: T-shirts, sheets, carton, wood, scissors... and anything (or anyone) else you'd like to bring along or use.

Where: Motu offices, 97 Cuba Street (overlooking bucket fountain) from 11am (till how long you want)

Contact: Rhylie - rhylie350wgtn@gmail.com

Monday 5 Oct - Poster writing session

Help get the posters ready for getting out and about Wellington. We have lots of posters and need some helping hands. Potluck snacks/dinner.

Contact wgtn@350.org.nz

 3 Oct - 350 Wellington Launch Party!!!!

That was an awesome party in San Fran Bath House with some fantastic gigs of local bands like 

  • Why: To launch the countdown to 24 October, the International Day of Climate Action (and to have some fun!).
  • When: Saturday 3 October, doors open 8.00pm
  • Where: San Francisco Bath House

Tree Planting on the City to Sea Walkway

On Saturday, 3rd October together with volunteers of the South Environmental Association we planted 350 native trees on the City to Sea walkway near Island Bay. 

From Restoration Groups

To visit this site, take the walking track at the northern end of Frobisher Street or alternatively, walk about 500 metres south of Quebec St. [Kingston].

For more information, contact Ron Eckman 387-7051 or 021 351-595.

 

 The 350 Clean-Up - "Reclaim Our Beach"

On Saturday 19 September, a large group made a start at cleaning up the 100,000 pieces of rubbish on the Evans Bay Beach and foreshore, adjacent to the first roundabout on Cobham Drive. This clean-up was held during Conservation Week in association with climate change action group 350.org and Blue Wellington (the local marine conservation network). It was great. Keep on a lookout for the next attempt.

cleaning up

Photos by Dominika Zielinska

 

Petone Beach Clean-up!

Sunday 30 August, 10am-noon, Petone foreshore (meet at playground)

Ship for World Youth New Zealand (SWYNZ) organised a beach clean up on Sunday 30th August along the Petone foreshore. 

 

Cycling for 350, the climate, cycle safety awareness and FUN!

Saturday, August 22, 2009 - 11.45am

Approximately 150 of us demonstrated the (zero-carbon) power of the pedal as well as our adeptness at forming giant numbers visible from great heights (this time the roof of St John's, maybe next time space).  As a bonus we found out how fast Christina could run up and down scaffolding and how surprisingly difficult it is to use a megaphone. Oh, and I think the mass of cyclists taking in a ride from the waterfront to the Basin Reserve and back might have caught some attention too...go figure.

Waterfront cyclists

In addition we got to meet Anton Schmitz and Malcolm Frazer, two mechanically-minded pedalists who have been building their own bikes. Anton must have failed metal-shop or something though, as he's made his bike entirely from bamboo. This super-sustainable plant makes his cycling truly zero carbon, as he has also cut out the emissions from the mining and processing of metal and manufacturing of his biking. Alas, Anton and bike were headed overseas shortly after the ride, but Malcolm is open to talking to anyone interested in similar endeavours. Get in touch with him at malxnz@yahoo.co.nz.

A final shout out to those who made the ride and especially mountain biker Kashi Leuchs for inspiring the event and Cycle Aware Wellington and Frocks on Bikes for your continued promotion of safe cycle lanes, low-carbon transport, and high fashion cycling. It's true, if you burn 350 calories of ice cream rather than 350 litres of petrol, you'll look even better in that frock.

Age of Stupid - Movie Night Fundraiser

Thur, 20 August - 6.30pm, Paramount

If you couldn't make it for the fundraiser, you can still head to the Paramount to see one of their regularly scheduled screenings. Check out the synopsis below.

Meanwhile, a big thank you to those who were part of the sell-out crowd! You helped raise $2242 for 350, which is going towards an amazing 24 October event.

The Age of Stupid is a 90-minute film about climate change, set in the future. Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite (In The Name of the Father, Brassed Off) stars as a man living alone in the devasted world of 2055, looking back at “archive” footage from 2007 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

 

18 August - a massive human 350 sculpture!

On Tuesday 18 August, between 11am and noon at Kelburn Park, a human 350 sculpture was formed, supporting the goal of 350 parts per million as the stabilisation target for the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere ...

350 Human Sculpture

Initiated by students and staff from the Environmental Studies Program at Victoria University, 250 staff and students formed the number 350.  The Dominion Post even got in on the action – check out their article: Environmental studies students formed a giant "350" at Kelburn Park in Wellington during a global call to cut carbon emissions.  

"Sign here" - 350 Sign making workshop

On Saturday 15 August, 350 Wellington organised a signmaking workshop in Alexander Wright's Wellington Woodworks Workshop for people to make their own sign to spread the word on 350.

Keep on the lookout in Wellington for artistic creative 350 signs! (Or make your own!)

Signmaking at work

Img: a group of enthusiasts reusing old pieces of wood, glass and windows to raise awareness for climate change (click on photo to see more).

Planting in Manawa Karioi

On Sunday 2 August, we planted 350 plants at Manawa Karioi Ecological Restoration project (Tapu Te Ranga Marae). We planted a wide variety of natives to occupy different environments and boost biological diversity at the site. Resident ecologist Peter Russell explained why biodiversity is important and how protecting and restoring it helps address climate change.

Group photo with plants

Img: Group photo with plants (click on photo to see more photos)

Manawa Karioi was set aside as “a place of peace and inspiration” by Bruce Stewart and supporters of Tapu te Ranga. It is a place of utmost beauty and serenity. If you could not come and you have not been here before please go and visit!