Stories of the Change

Invitation to the Summer University 2008
"Be the Change – Youth for a Future without War"

To young peace activists, media specialists, inventors, artists and lovers of life! To all those who are realistic and try the impossible!

Imagine the world would be close to apocalypse, that we would be standing in front of the collapse of the global supply system...

Im 22 and really into recycling everything possible, my most recent being some old boards from a wooden house that is being renovated, so far i have made a wee wooden planter box for a herb garden and a outdoor shelf for doing my bonsai's on, ive already got friends and family putting orders in for my recycled wooden planters. Ive got my 3 year old daughter recycling alot too, she saves scrap bits of paper and any ripped book pictures and scrapbooks them.
Ive also become a vegetarian

When the Auckland Harbour Bridge was first designed, the plans included walking and cycle access. Unfortunately the planners of the time were shaving off bits and pieces from the plans and excluded cycling and walking access facilities. These wouldn't have cost much in terms of the overall cost at the time of construction. Now we have the opportunity to correct that big mistake.

When people can walk and cycle across the bridge, we'll be reducing car trips. Great for our planet, and individual cyclist/walkers' health.

According to the "Getacross" website:

I have made four light weight aluminium bike trailers that are designed to carry Christchurch recycle crates. I am hiring them out to Christchurch residents to trial them for a month. My reasons for this is that many people like the sound of a trailer but aren't willing to pay for one when they are not sure what it is like or whether they'll handle it etc. If they try it they're bound to love it and want to get one or make their own. www.cyclingchurch.org.nz for details or email thepope@cyclingchurch.org.nz

My wife and I have taken up many of the "Be The Change" challenges, and to both our surprise, implementing some of the ideas on this site was a piece of cake - and fun too!

To list some of our lifestyle changes for the better:
* We've converted our car to run on nothing but electricity (see www.KiwiEV.com if you're interested)
* We've installed a hot water cylinder wrap (almost half of your power usage is just for hot water!). The rule is, if you can feel warmth off your hot water cylinder, then you're wasting lots of money!

I have always harboured a respect for vegetarians. Also, a large helping of "Your ideas are totally wrong." However, this goes to show that even someone deadset against an idea can change.

Two years ago I met Hannah. Hannah is a schoolfriend of mine and is a vegetarian. We spent endless lunches debating the ins and outs of vegetarianism. I beleived in animal rights sure, but what about the food chain and the circle of life?

You may think its crazy, but my wife and I have challenged ourselves to live for one year without creating any household rubbish and we start officially today! The challenge is for our household to create no rubbish for the landfill from 1st February 2008 to 1st February 2009. However, it is very likely that, despite our best efforts, some rubbish will be unavoidable and therefore we challenge ourselves to keep this in no more than one official Christchurch City Council rubbish bag.

Walk the walk
Beginning on the 28th of Jan (The actual 2 year anniversary) a crew will set out from Auckland, their goal is to walk to Happy Valley to raise awareness of climate change and the Valley. Anyone is welcome to join them for sections or meet up with them on their journey. South Island people- keep an eye out for a journey across to meet them at the Valley on the 20th of April 2007. Check out: http://www.walkingthewalk.org.nz/ for details of the journey, their planned route and timetable!

Happy Valley is a stunning landscape of rocky pavement, native bush, and fragile wetlands on the West Coast of New Zealand, just north east of Westport. It is home to many threatened species including the Great Spotted Kiwi and a large native Patrickensis land snail.... and it is under attack from state-owned coal company Solid Energy!

Solid Energy’s open-cast coal mine - a planned 96 metre deep pit - would completely obliterate this pristine valley, and pollute local rivers with heavy metals and acid mine drainage.

Climate Change Day of Action was marked at Waimate Strawberry fair by visiting Morris dancers, who'd shared cars from Christchurch (and offset carbon afterwards using CarboNZero, through one of their members). Each wore on their back a poster with a different piece of advice or humour and useful website address such as Be the Change, SustainAbility and Sustainable Living. Photos available.