Evolve, Festival of Opportunities

Iconic Nelson festival gets a new look for 21st birthday

An iconic Nelson festival has a new name and launched a new website – in time for its 21st birthday.

The event formerly called Festival of Opportunities is now Evolve Festival. Check out the new website at www.evolvefestival.co.nz.

Evolve Festival will be held at Founders’ Park on 18 – 19 February 2012. It includes more than 70 workshops on health and wellbeing, food and market stalls, a kids’ zone, circus skills’ lessons, live entertainment and much more.

Evolve Festivals’ owners Chai and Bex Deva took over the event last year. They have relaunched it under a new name and logo after feedback showed the previous one was a mouthful to say, and too hard to remember.

“The name Evolve just felt right, and it more accurately reflects what the festival is about today,” says Chai. “Evolve festival is a chance for people to try new things and learn more about themselves through a whole range of interesting and fun workshops, seminars and activities.”

The couple say even though it has “evolved” they are keen to retain the essence of the event, which is New Zealand’s longest running festival for health and wellbeing.

“This event is something for Nelsonians to be proud of. To have this festival here is a big draw card for visitors, it’s the only one like it in New Zealand.

“It’s the only event that blends a health and wellbeing expo and festival in one. You can learn about and experience new things, have fun and celebrate – all in one weekend.”

In the past around 2,000 to 3000 people have attended the festival, however this year organisers are aiming for up to 5000.

“We have enhanced the festival and made changes so it will appeal to a broader audience.  There really will be something for everyone -from market stalls and live music, to learning how to make your own cleaning products and clay pizza ovens. There will be a fantastic kids zone and family area, and more than 70 interesting and fun workshops.”

For more information please contact Chaitanya Deva 027 570 9985. Photos are available on our website: www.evolvefestival.co.nz

The Festival features Bob at Large who featured on the Late Show with David Letterman juggling 3 tennis balls while riding a tall unicycle on a treadmill!

The Festival is comprised of five sites spread throughout Auckland City the BIG little City. Sites include Viaduct Harbour sites, Vulcan Lane, Downtown Westfield, Princes Wharf, and the Seafood Festival/Halsey Street.

The night shows at Market Square have been part of the Festival since 2003 and are a great way to socialise with friends whilst enjoying good outdoor dining in a fun and comical environment.

Acts for the 2012 Festival include:

-Victor Rubilar (Sweden/Argentina)
-Reuben DotDotDot (Australia)
-Hiyro (Japan)
-Blingling Bro’s (New Zealand)
-The Wally Show (Iceland/Australia)
-Bob at Large (USA)
-Lisa Lottie (The Netherlands)
-Nickey Fynn (Thailand/USA)
-Mickey J (Australia)
-Sir R Wolley (England/New Zealand)

Vote for your favourite performer with The People’s Choice Award: http://www.aucklandbuskersfestival.co.nz/peoples-choice-award/

For more information on the amazing spectacle which is The Auckland International Buskers Festival visit www.aucklandbuskersfestival.co.nz

The conference will celebrate the work of rural communities from all around New Zealand and provide an opportunity to explore the role that community leadership plays in sustainable land and water management. In addition the conference will examine sustainability in a broader commercial context, investigating how sustainable land management can make good business sense, both to farmers and the wider business community.

With landscapes under increasing pressure from commercial and recreational interests, the need to protect the environment and our native biodiversity has never been more important. The conference will consider the practical challenges associated with combining biodiversity enhancement projects with the commercial needs of primary producers.

Who should attend?

Delegates will share an interest in community led solutions to sustainable land and water issues:

• Farmers
• Landowners
• Landcare and community group representatives
• Iwi representatives
• Resource management professionals
• Land management staff
• Biodiversity and biosecurity professionals
• Local authority representatives
• Government representatives
• Members of the scientific community
• Researchers and tertiary students
• Agricultural and sustainability consultants

Different Perspectives

The conference aims to inform and challenge the audience by looking at landcare and catchment management issues from different perspectives.

One global perspective will be offered by Matthew Reddy from the International River Foundation who will highlight the Foundation’s work supporting river and catchment management projects around the world and the role played by the International River Prize. He will discuss innovative ideas such as twinning projects from different countries and identify opportunities for NZ river managers.

Among many local perspectives South Island farmer Doug Avery will speak about the Green Ribbon Award winning work of the Starborough Flaxbourne Soil Conservation Group and how they overcame the challenges of dryland farming, helping to build greater farm resilience. Doug will explain how he used Lucerne to enhance stock performance on his test farm. He will also discuss the value of events and fieldays to rural communities and the important role they play in spreading the word. Farmers can really benefit from keeping an open mind… willing to take the lead and explore innovative solutions.

Speaker Bio: Matthew Reddy

Matthew Reddy is CEO of the International River Foundation, a passionate practitioner in environmental and management consulting his main areas of expertise cover project financing, capital raising and the application of market based instruments in carbon and ecosystem services. Matthew has national and international project experience including environmental management systems, catchment scale implementation of biodiverse forest carbon sinks, degraded river restoration, native grasslands, freshwater biodiversity and wetlands.

Email:  conference@landcare.org.nz

2 Walk and Cycle Conference- register now!

The first ever joint NZ Walking and Cycling conference will be held from 22-24 February 2012 in Hastings. Over 70 speakers will be presenting – registration forms and a draft programme are now available.

The focus of this conference is on everyday walking and cycling for transport, recreation and tourism. It encompasses all aspects of trips made by these “active modes” (including promotion, infrastructure, safety, policy and training) and their integration with each other, other travel options, and our lifestyles in general.

Early-bird registrations close on Wednesday 21 December – hurry!

For more information or to register, go to: http://www.2walkandcycle.org.nz

Friday February 10^th, 10am till 6pm, Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna

The ReGeneration Trust invites you to join us for a day of inspiring, entertaining and thought provoking presentations from leading New Zealand changemakers. As well as great talks, films, live performances and intergenerational presentations there will be plenty of networking time to meet new people as well as catch up with old friends.

The Convention will be held on the 10th of February at the Bruce Mason Centre on Auckland’s North Shore from 10am till 6pm. Speakers include Robin Allison, creator of Earthsong Eco neighbourhood, Gael Surgenor from the It’s Not Okay campaign, activist and comic artist Sam Orchard, and John Stansfield from Oxfam New Zealand.

So get a crew together, take a day out from work or study and come and get inspired about the positive change projects happening all around this beautiful country.

–
Lani Evans
ReGeneration Project Co-Convener

021-474-496
lani@regeneration.org.nz

Image borrowed from the website: http://www.greenteens.co.nz/about

A How-To-Blog by Brittany Packer on the fun, fulfilling and feng- shui –ing art of Re-decorating.

This Car- Free day I am going to spend the morning changing around my room! You can too!  Depending on your budget and how much time you want to spend, there are heaps of cool ways to redesign and create new elements to your bedroom. I’m planning on spending the afternoon reading, writing, and relaxing in my new space!

Here’s some ideas based on your money and time commitments to the project:

“I’m broke and I want this done in less than two hours”:

•  Re-arrange furniture! The simplest way to give a whole new feel to your bedroom. If you wanted a more calming and serene space, you might think about following some guidelines of Feng Shui. This is the ancient Chinese art of orientation of people and place in order to boost positive energy and flow. For some tips on Feng Shui, check this website out: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-feng-shui-your-bedroom.html

•  Re-set candles. Take old and boring candles, melt them down, perhaps add some food colouring, essence, or perfume, pour them in an old jar or un-used wine glass, and let set.

•  Collage a piece of furniture. Grab some of your old magazines and flick through the pages until you find a theme that suits your style. Mix regular glue and water to make a paste.  Anything can be collaged, including desktops, bookshelves, and the insides of a cupboard.  Cover the piece in glue and cutout images and let dry.

•  Add some life. Fresh cut flowers and potplants (even if it just means putting a wee garden flower in a decorated jar) instantly brighten any room. The smell of nice flowers is an added bonus! You could even seed some native trees in your room to eventually re-plant outside.

“I’ve got most of the morning, and I can afford a few knick-knacks but I’m no interior designer!”:

•  Sew up new pillowcases. New bedding will change the feel of the whole room, and pillowcases in a different colour are a cheap and easy way to start! You can add color, shine, glitter, and class with small pillows. And they are inexpensive! Visit the remnant bin at your local fabric store. Find some luxurious fabrics to make very elegant pillows. Even try your closet for materials you just won’t wear again.

•  Mirrors and posters. Scour thrift shops and yard sales for mirrors large and small. Find similar mirrors, or use paint and patchwork to make different mirrors look similar. Group together to add pizzazz to the wall.

•  The devil is in the details. Often, small changes in significant places can make a huge difference! Swap doorknobs and cupboard handles from your kitchen or bathroom for the ones in your room.

•  Make room in your closet. Paint shoe-boxes and hang canvas shopping bags to make more space for your clothes and shoes inside your closet.

•  Frame your Facebook. What’s the point of having beautiful photos if you can’t see them?  Use your home printer or if you fancy better quality, take them into professional printers.  Home-make frames out of cardboard or scraps of wood and decorate with colour and natural additions: leaves, shells, sand, flowers. Alternatively, purchase or make a pinboard and display arrangements of photos.

“I’m going all out!”:

•  Lose the overhead lighting. Overhead lights often give a sterile and harsh feel. Opt for large lamps and table lamps with a tint. Pop in a frosted eco-bulb for a yellow light that’s green!

•  Be eventful. Choose a theme that suits you. Style with red and green for the festive time of year, or use all natural browns and blues for a summer hue. The options are endless, and open opportunities for more redecorating down the track.

•  Paint like a pro. If you’re confident with a paintbrush, you could even choose a ‘feature wall’ for a mural, or even just a little artistic addition! Examples include: painting clouds and birds on your roof or an iconic tree up the side of the wall. If you live in a rented house, let your creativity out on some canvases. Try to choose paint that leaves little residue on our environment, Resene is one well-known brand that has more eco-friendly options. And clean up thoroughly, paint can be quite toxic, and all drains lead to the sea!

If you’re still stuck for ideas, ask around and ask Mr. Google. Redecorating your room is a simple and fun way to spend a morning or afternoon at home, and can be enjoyed for weeks to come!

Enjoy your car-free Sunday!

Brittany

Join the facebook page: Ode to Tauranga: Three Car Free Days Before 31st December, 2011

Fancy a local street picnic this Sunday?  Or perhaps a quality day at home with the family or friends.  What ever you do, leave the car at home and find more creative ways to get from A to B.  Why?  Because it’s It’s Car Free Sunday – the opportunity to experience life and transport without using oil.  Car Free Sunday has been organised as a positive, proactive response to the Tauranga Oil Spill.

Organiser Charlotte Squire, Editor of the good news website Happyzine says Car Free Days are a great way to quickly reduce oil consumption, and are an “ode to the people of Tauranga” during a challenging time for their community.

Squire suggests the following activities for car free days: “Local street picnics, gardening, baking, bottling, jam making, neighbourly chats, taking the kids fishing at the closest river or beach, reading, leisurely strolls around the neighbourhood, cycling, morning and afternoon teas with friends, long over due house maintenance, long chats about stuff we’ve been waiting to find the time to chat about, shooting some hoops, teaching the kids the games you used to play, indulging in a spot of ping-pong, yoga, meditation. The options are bountiful, simple, grounding, and potentially highly enjoyable.”

Squire says Car Free Days have been happening for decades and are great ways of strengthening community, while making a positive difference to the planet.

“Earlier this year the Kapiti Coast City Council (North Island, New Zealand) ran the Greenest Street challenge. Te Roto Street won it and the number one reason was that they introduced Car-Less days – one day per week. They kept records and found that they collectively saved $11,333 in fuel costs over one year, which equated to a reduction in CO2 of 13,022,000 grams. Imagine the difference we could make if hundreds, or even thousands of people took three days out before the end of this year to slow down and go Car Free.”

Spot prizes will be awarded to people who 1.  Demonstrate the most creative ways to get from A – B and to people who 2.  Email organisers the amount of kilometres they avoided driving.

The spot prizes include: Organic Clothing from Freddy Chur, the new coloured Ecotanka Drink Bottles, all natural Source Living soaps, funky cloths from organic award winning, certified organic wine from Richmond Plains Estate and Te Mania Wines and organic chocolate.

The final Car Free Sunday is December 18th, 2011.

In a positive, proactive response to the Rena oil spill off the coast of Tauranga, people are forgetting fossil fuels this Sunday 27th of November in favour of using more creative ways to get from A to B and getting back to the ‘good life’.

ECOtanka – who produce eco-friendly stainless steel drink bottles – have offered some of their new coloured range of sports drink bottles to people who demonstrate the most creative ways they get from A to B.

Says Charlotte Squire, organiser:

“Car Free Sundays can be a really fun way of imagining life with-out fossil fuels.  We’re going to get super innovative with our transport, and enjoy some feel-good activities next Car Free Sunday.  These days are a great reason to spend time getting to know people in our neighbourhoods at community get-togethers, to get stuck into some great projects at home, or spend some quality time with the important people in our lives.”

There will also be spot prizes awarded to people who email in the amount of kilometres they avoid driving.

The third and final Car Free Sunday is scheduled for December 18th, 2011.

For more information check out: http://happyzine.co.nz/2011/10/30/three-car-free-days-planned-in-response-to-the-tauranga-

Win one of these babies by getting creative with your transport and going fossil free next Car Free Sunday

oil-spill-over-the-next-three-months/

Are you organising a community picnic, or gathering for the next Car Free Sunday, let us know and we’ll spread the word!  Email: info@happyzine.co.nz

Ako-a-rongo

Holistic Learning Conference

27th - 29th January  2012

Riverside Community, Motueka, NZ

Checkout: www.holisticlearning.weebly.com or email akoarongo@gmail.com  

An open space conference / hui  bringing together inspiring and exciting ideas, knowledge and people to explore educational options, values and communication techniques that allow for free and self-directed learning environments.

This is an opportunity to converge and connect, share tools and insights, be inspired and inspire others. You will be able to learn from amazing stories, ideas and projects that are already happening nationally and globally. If you want to plant a seed of a new idea, this hui could be the right place for the germination of your vision.

You will also have the chance to contribute to (or become more involved in) the overall direction and kaupapa of a holistic learning campus planned for the Tasman Bay area. The passion, enthusiasm and creativity at this event will be highly infectious, so be prepared to be inspired.

A three-day-hui jam-packed with:

Workshops Discussions Hands-on learning opportunities

Open forums Networking forums Games Kids’ activities

Delicious locally-sourced wholesome food

Guest Speaker:  Ally Bull from the NZ Council of Educational Research.

Hui Starting and Finishing Times

The hui will officially start with a welcoming Powhiri at Riverside Community on Friday (27

th) at 11.30 am. More details regarding this to come closer to the event.

The hui will close at 3.30 pm(ish) on Sunday 29

th. If you are able to stay around and help with clean-up/pack down that would be much appreciated.

If you are arriving from out of town before Friday, you are welcome to stay at Riverside Community from Thursday (26

th) 3 pm onwards. You will need to cater for yourself that night and also for breakfast the next morning. If you are staying Thursday night, you will need to pay for 3 nights accommodation when you register.

Fees

Fees for the hui are included on the registration form and are based on a sliding scale. It is left to your discretion to pay within your means.

If you require special payment options, please email us asap to organize this.

Registration fees cover general conference costs, 3 lunches, 2 breakfasts. Dinner is available at an additional charge of $10 p.p/per day. Please let us know if you want to stay for dinner on Friday and/or Saturday night (see registration form).

Any surplus food from your garden or orchard will be gratefully received also.

If you require assistance with travel please contact us to discuss this further.

Participant numbers

Please note that we have only 80 places available in order to guarantee a valuable and beneficial experience for all participants.

Accommodation

On site there are a variety of options including Marae-style sleeping, camping, staying in the hostel and being billeted in a community members home. If you would like to camp but don’t have a tent, we may be able to provide one, please contact us if this is the case.

Billeted and Marae-style accommodation at Riverside Community is limited and will be allocated on a first in first served basis.

If you are planning to stay off site and need support in finding a place close by we can provide some suggestions. However, it is important to book early as this is still the school holiday period.

Volunteers/Wwoofing positions

There will be a limited number of ‘wwoofing’ or volunteer roles available during the event. In return for registration fees, volunteers will be required to work 4 hours a day either in the kitchen or supporting the day-to-day management of the site. We require 2 volunteers specifically for running the children’s zone. This requires running planned activities as opposed to babysitting.

Please contact Katerina at katselig@xtra.co.nz  if you would like to volunteer.

Kidzone

There will be an area where your children (5-11) can play. There will be supervisors at all times during the conference and we will offer activities. However, parents remain responsible for their children. Please let us know if you need babysitting – we might be able to arrange this for you at an additional charge.

Display Boards

We are inviting people to bring along photos, posters, demonstrations, or anything else that you want to showcase what is happening in our region. It may be your own project/ group/initiative or share on behalf of someone else or a group in your community. We will be displaying this in the main marquee as an opportunity to link up and celebrate Holistic learning in action all over the country.

The registration form and updated information about the conference can be found on the website holisticlearning.weebly.com.

Feel free to forward this on to your networks – the more the merrier.

Updated information and details will be sent to you closer to the time of the event and also posted to the website.

We look forward to connecting with you soon,

Ako-a-rongo

Conference Commitee. Checkout: www.holisticlearning.weebly.com or email akoarongo@gmail.com

Secondhand Sunday will be held 13 November 2011 between 9.00am and noon.

• Secondhand Sunday registration form
• Secondhand Sunday Poster (pdf, 107 KB)
• List of participating addresses

How Does Secondhand Sunday Work?

1. Identify items that you no longer want and collect them in readiness for the day. You can put out any items except food and dangerous goods (chemicals, faulty electrical equipment, firearms) and definitely no rubbish.
2. Registration will increase the chances of your items being collected. Registered properties will be advertised. Register by using the form at the bottom of this page or by email: secondhandsunday@tasman.govt.nz before 4.00pm Thursday 10 November 2011.
3. Identify a suitable and visible site at the property boundary such as the driveway, or next to the letterbox, where items to be given away are to be placed.
4. On Sunday 13 November 2011 between 9.00am and noon:
   • Display the poster on your letterbox or fence (or any obvious place) so people know you have items to give away.
     Secondhand Sunday Poster (pdf, 107 KB)
   • Place items to be given away in your selected area.
   • Once items have all gone put a note on your box saying “Sorry, all gone”.
   • Be there to keep an eye on what is happening and to meet local fossickers.
   • By noon remove the sign and pack up anything left over.

Note: You are responsible for any items that are not taken away. (If it is left outside your property you are in breach of bylaws related to dumping).

Goods That Can’t Be Put Out

 No food or dangerous goods (chemicals, faulty electrical equipment, firearms or rubbish).

What to Do with Leftover Materials

These can be put out again, given away to others you know or you may wish to consider outlets like the hospice Shop, Trash Palace and the two Reuse shops at Takaka and Collingwood Resource Recycling Centre (both open on a Sunday afternoon). The Golden Bay Weekly runs a free “free/koha” section and there is the Buy Sell Swap website/email run by Albie http://carpool.actrix.co.nz/carpool/buysell.htm . Consider the 5Rs of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover and lastly Residual waste to landfill.

Three Car Free Days Planned in Response to the Tauranga Oil Spill, Over the Next Three Months

Press release: Happyzine

Could you forget fossil fueled transport for one day?

This Sunday marks the first of Three Car Free Days being launched this year in what’s being labelled a ‘positive, proactive response’ to the Tauranga oil spill currently happening off the east coast of New Zealand.

Organiser Charlotte Squire, Editor of the good news website Happyzine says Car Free Days are a great way to quickly reduce oil consumption, and can be an “ode to the people of Tauranga” during a challenging time for their community.

Squire says going car free can mean spending more time with loved ones, getting to know our neighbours and slowing down enough to relax and enjoy the ‘good life’. This Sunday, she’s planning to enjoy a long lunch with friends who live within a walkable distance.

“If it’s a fine day we’ll take a picnic to the local community organic gardens, if it’s raining, we’ll dine on the deck.”

She says that in cutting back on oil usage, people will cut back on carbon emissions. She asks people to email in the amount of kilometres that they don’t drive and include information about the kind of fossil fuels they’re avoiding using this Sunday.

“Earlier this year the Kapiti Coast City Council (North Island, New Zealand) ran the Greenest Street challenge. Te Roto Street won it and the number one reason was that they introduced Car-Less days – one day per week. They kept records and found that they collectively saved $11,333 in fuel costs over one year, which equated to a reduction in CO2 of 13,022,000 grams. Imagine the difference we could make if hundreds, or even thousands of people took three days out before the end of this year to slow down and go Car Free.”

Charlotte suggests the following activities for car free days: “Gardening, baking, bottling, jam making, neighbourly chats, taking the kids fishing at the closest river or beach, reading, leisurely strolls around the neighbourhood, cycling, morning and afternoon teas with friends, long over due house maintenance, long chats about stuff we’ve been waiting to find the time to chat about, shooting some hoops, teaching the kids the games you used to play, indulging in a spot of ping-pong, yoga, meditation. The options are bountiful, simple, grounding, and potentially highly pleasing.”

Important information:
The Three Car Free Days are scheduled for the end of each month (apart from December) – Sunday 30th October, Sunday 27th November and Sunday 18th December.

Car Free people are encouraged to pre-plan so that they combine several errands into one car trip during the days before Car Free Sunday and enjoy on the day.

You can email the amount of kilometres you didn’t drive (including information about the kind of fuel you use eg diesel or petrol) to: charlotte@happyzine.co.nz.

Sustainability Consultant David Laing is on hand to calculate CO2 emissions saved.

You can ‘Like’ and comment on the facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ode-to-Tauranga-Three-Car-Free-Days-Before-31st-December-2011/262518463785497

Contact: Charlotte Squire – charlotte@happyzine.co.nz

Previous related articles”

Back to the Good Life? Ode to Tauranga: Three Car Free Days Before 31st December, 2011

Take it Personally – Let Great Change Come from the Tauranga Oil Spill

If you breathe this air

If you drink this water

If you eat this food

And if you sleep beneath these hills ….

You are of here.

It speaks very strongly to me as a Pakeha in this land  Aotearoa/ New Zealand – that I belong too.

Also it speaks to me about how important my efforts are in caring for myself, my family and ‘my place’ (where-ever on the planet that happens to be). This caring is actioned by really being HERE   -  NOW. I drink local water, eat food I or those close to me grow if I can, I play here, I often walk or bike from home to go out, I put my hands in the soil in the garden where I live even though I don’t own the place and might not live there much longer – but gardening heals me and the planet on lots of levels. Forget about the car for a day and really, really enjoy BEING at HOME. It can also be a ‘Spend Nothing Day’ – get yourself out of the consume, consume, consume trap that so many of us live in. Just be and delight in it.  Celebrate life and forget the car, forget spending money.

“Get Grounded” can mean so many things aye!

My heart breaks for all the creatures hurt and killed in the Rena  oil spill. We really need to ‘clean up our act!

Claire Webster is an Environmental Educator for the Tasman District Council

Find out more about Back to the Good Life? Ode to Tauranga: Three Car Free Days Before 31st December, 2011

Is your organisation really fit for the future?

The need to align economic performance with social and environmental systems is driving a huge wave of change.  Are you clear about how to capture the opportunities that this rapidly changing world will bring?  As leaders, we need to get fit for the future or risk being left behind.

Take this amazing opportunity to:

• share an impressive line up of international and local speakers who will provide a clear picture of what is possible in tomorrow’s world, and what will be expected for business-as-usual

• seize the opportunity to explore the issues and engage in constructive dialogue with our expert speakers and a rich pool of delegates

• make sense of the opportunities that come from adopting a more strategic approach to sustainability, and take away some clear ideas about what it means for you and your organisation’s future

• join a growing network of New Zealand leaders who understand the need to be more strategic about how we create a future of enduring success

www.fitforthefuture.com

*   Saturday 29 October
*   9am – 5pm
You’ll hear about the projects from the people who know them best and you may even be inspired to get involved.

Join us for a full day bus tour hosted by Councillor Lisa Bridson or pick the projects you want to know more about and meet us there.

The tour is open to anyone keen to learn more about economic sustainability in Lower Hutt.

Here’s where we’re going:

9am                 Welcome, Hutt City Council’s building on Laings Rd

9.30am             Coast Care with Friends of Petone Beach, Petone Settlers Museum, Petone Foreshore

10.15am           Our waterways with Friends of Waiwhetu Stream and  Friends of Hutt River, Riverside Dr, near Birdwood Road Bridge

11am                 Transition Town’s Koha Café, Alicetown Community Centre, 38 Victoria St

11.40am           Lower Hutt Enviro Centre, Percy Scenic Reserve, 5 Dowse Dr

12.15pm           Hutt Horticultural History, Horticultural Hall, next to Town Hall on Laings Rd

12.45pm           Youth Environmental Sustainability, Hutt Valley High School, Woburn Rd

1.30pm              Enviro Schools, Epuni Primary School, 313 Waiwhetu Rd

2.30pm              Great Start Taita, Great Start House, 5 Cooper Street

3.30pm              Ecological Corridors and Wetlands with Forest and Bird, Waiu Wetland, Waiu St, Wainuiomata

Correctly answer a question at each project stop and go in the draw to win a fantastic green-themed prize.

To secure your place on the bus or for more information contact Peter Foaese, 570 6767 or email peter.foaese@huttcity.govt.nz

25 October 2011

Gollum and family zip into Queenstown

It was fun for all the family when Lord of the Rings and Hobbit actor Andy Serkis who plays Gollum/Smeagol zipped into Queenstown on Sunday (23 October) with Ziptrek Ecotours.

The actor and his family took part in the exhilarating Kea 6-Line Tour which features the world’s steepest tree to tree flying fox.  A new system allowing a reduced weight limit of 30kg meant Andy’s children were able to join him and his wife on the fun and exciting ecotour.

The family was in Queenstown while taking a break from filming The Hobbit.

Joe Simmonds, gardening on the Kapiti Coast

Enjoy the Good Life, go Car Free one Sunday per month before 2012.  Participate in this fun, positive response to the Tauranga Oil Spill.  Read on to find out when, how and just how entertaining it can be to slow down and forget fossil fuels for the day.

What: Aotearoa New Zealand has just suffered an oil spill off the coast of Tauranga.  I won’t go into the details, all I’ll say is: it aint pretty, and it’s another reason to for-see that the age of fossil fuels is passing, making way for smarter, cleaner transport options.

Now, let’s cross to Kapiti Coast, North Island, New Zealand.  Earlier this year the Kapiti Coast City Council ran the Greenest Street challenge.  Te Roto Street won it and the number one reason was that they introduced Car-Less days – one day per week.  They kept records and found that they collectively saved $11,333 in fuel costs over one year, which equated to a reduction in CO2 of 13,022,000 grams.  Imagine the difference we could make if hundreds, or even thousands of people took three days out before the end of this year to slow down and go Car Free.

When:  Three Car Free days at the end of each month – Sunday 30th October, Sunday 27th November and Sunday 18th December (the last Sunday of December is Christmas Day, so we won’t go there).

How:  Let’s make it simple and get back to the basics on those days: Gardening, baking, bottling, jam making, neighbourly chats, reading, perhaps leisurely strolls around the neighbourhood, maybe some Frocks on Bikes action, morning and afternoon teas with friends, maybe some long over due house maintenance, long chats about stuff we’ve been waiting to find the time to chat about, it might be time to shoot some hoops, or indulge in a spot of ping-pong. The options are bountiful, simple, grounding, and potentially highly pleasing.

Who:  Why you of course!  And your friends, the more the merrier.  Leave your comments of support.  Click here to join the Facebook page.

Jam making can be a cheap, satisfying way to stock up the cupboards

Where: Your place, your mate’s place, your ‘hood, your parent’s place, your neighbour’s place, any place, just leave the car at home.

What else? Get clever and keep a tally of the amount of KMs you don’t drive during these days (eg because you walked, rode, skateboarded, scootered, swam to the dairy instead).  Email them to us so that we can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions we’re saving and the amount of oil we’re NOT using, as an Ode to Tauranga while it recovers.

Ways you can help (note this information will change fast): design us a logo, partner up as an organisation (we’ll put your logo and web-link on this page) and share our updates with your people, send us some amazing images that would fit with this fun mission, promote Three Car Free Days in your community (particularly to your local Mayor and your schools),  spread the news via social media, leave a comment about great back-to-basics stuff you’re going to do, invite people to do back-to-basics stuff with you, at your place and tell us all about it.  Email charlotte@happyzine.co.nz to help.

More to come soon …

Guerilla knitting - perhaps the ideal way to combine knitting with fossil fueled transport on our three Car Free Sundays

Thanks to the following Partners:

Sustained Consulting – Serious about sustainability

Southern PR – Queenstown

Stacey Gasson – Sustainability Consultant, Kapiti Coast

Ecobob – www.ecobob.co.nz

Link to Festival for the Future website.

Over 50 contributors locked in!

We’re just 17 days out from the Festival. It’s going to be massive!

Programme Highlights

Hear from five Inspiring ‘Keynote’ Speakers
Sir Paul Callaghan – ‘Re-Imagining New Zealand’
Vanisa Dhiru – ‘Entrepreneurship for Community Innovation’
Billy Matheson – ‘A New Generation of Changemakers’
Steve Barr – ‘Storytelling for a Better World’
Helen Baxter – ‘Digital Strategies for a Better World’

21 Young Innovators – hear from a diverse range of young Kiwis from around New Zealand all presenting their passion, projects and their vision for New Zealand!

Workshops & Seminars – more than 15 different workshops on offer over the weekend!
21st Century Organising :: Online & On-the-ground tips, tools and process..
Storytelling – Idea-to-Script, Script-to-Screen :: How do we tell powerful stories?
Unpacking Social Change :: Insight from significant social change case studies throughout history..
Social Enterprise ::  How could 21st century business models generate significant social value?
Photography & Photo-journalsim :: How can photography inspire action?
Changemaking :: Explore practical and conceptual tools for positive change here in New Zealand..
Advertising // PR // Marketing :: How can we design our projects to reach the people we want?
Digital Innovation :: Explore cutting-edge digital strategies for a better world …
Innovation Cafe // Collaboration Cafe :: Have you got a project your working on?

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Twitter – The Festival hashtag is – #Festival4Future

If you’re posting a link to the Festival you can also use this Tiny URL –  http://tiny.cc/xdrx8

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Want to win a FREE Festival Pass?

To win this week’s free-pass giveaway, complete the following by this Friday @ 5pm.

A picture speaks a thousand words. If you were to show us your vision for a positive future for New Zealand – what would it look like?
Send us an image – a photo or a sketch – the most inspiring visuals wins a pass!

Email your answer to us at info@inspiringstories.org.nz

“The media we feed our minds with shapes our lives, so why not invest time in reading positive news about the environment and our communities?”

That was the line of thought Charlotte Squire was following when she founded Happyzine four years ago.  Since then she’s worked with hundreds of inspiring organizations who are actively creating positive change, to publicize their hope-building work to the rest of the world.  The Happyzine readership has grown to thousands and Happyzine influences people’s lives every day with the stories that aren’t usually headlined in mainstream media.  Come to a slide-show presentation by Charlotte Squire about the power of positive media and the good change that Happyzine is helping to build in our communities.

A presentation by

Charlotte Squire

Founder of the green,

good news website….

www.happyzine.co.nz

Featuring –
*  introduction to Happyzine
*  examples of the latest inspiring news about our communities and our planet
*  the opportunity to sign up to the free online weekly newsletter

Friday October 14th

5.30 pm Takaka Library     

“There’s fun for everyone at BLOOM; whether that’s getting funky with Baby Loves Disco, getting creative in the Youthtown Big Top Art Tent or watching some of NZ’s best bands!  BLOOM is the perfect place to kick back, relax and enjoy those summer vibes with the whole family,” said Francis Hughes, Festival Director.
Fabulous food will be available from BLOOM Farmers Market and Food Court with a cool beer, a chilled wine – or catch up with mates at cocktail hour before taking in the evening’s main stage entertainment featuring top NZ music acts booked by Peter Urlich and DJ Murry Sweet-Pants!

BLOOM Family Festival proudly presents Ladi6, Sola Rosa, Greg Johnson, The Thomas Oliver Band, Dave McArtney and the Pink Flamingos, The Babysitters Circus, The Nukes, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Drummania, The ConRays, Groovadelic Orchestra, Trudy Lile Band, The Lewis McCallum Quartet, Latin Aotearoa, Orquesta Amadeus, Atsushi and the Mini Moisties .. with more line up announcements to come please visit the website www.bloomfamilyfestival.co.nz and follow BLOOM on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Bloomfamilyfestival to stay up to date with the news, views and share the love with your friends.

Greg Johnson Ladi6
Here’s just a taster of all the great things to do at BLOOM ……..

Variety – The Children’s Charity will conduct the star-search with Variety’s Got Talent. To register helpkids@variety.org.nz  Variety is the sole official charity of BLOOM Family Festival.

Funky Fairground has a mammoth 13 meter Water Slide, Mini Jeeps, Water Balls, Obstacle course, Maze, Chair-O-Plane, Climbing Wall, Bouncy Castles and more!

Magic Meadow is full of magical fun, entertainment and games from the Toy World Tent, including illustration workshops and the  Story Tellers’ Corner with Brian Falkner, Tim Tipene and many more of NZ’s favourite children’s writers.

‘Youthtown Big Top Art Tent’ – Get creative with Mask making, Crazy hats, Face-painting, Photo booth, dress up, Painting on Perspex, Air-brush tattoos, Lantern making, Umbrella & Sunhat painting, hand-painted flags or Kite making!

Fuse Circus of Wellington presents the Campground Chaos Evening Circus Shows plus Daily Circus Workshops and demos.

Please visit www.iticket.co.nz for info about the great ticket deals and options. e.g. Early-bird weekend family pass is currently $270 for 2 adults and 3 kids, covering all 3-days of entertainment & attractions at BLOOM (except Food, Beverage and Merchandise). Camping is not compulsory but highly recommended to get the best of BLOOM. Campsites from $15 per night! Also great deals for 2 or 1 day Family Passes. One Adult ticket includes one free child (under 13 years old). Booking fees may apply.