Yarra Climate Action Now!

As heard on Radio National and seen on ABC News Breakfast...

Come along to hear Beyond Zero Emissions present their detailed blueprint for how Australia can be powered by 100% renewable energy within a decade. The Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Plan is essential knowledge for all Australians.


When: Wed 28 July, 6.30pm - 8pm
Where: Level 2, Kindness House, 288 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

Please RSVP to: yarracan -at- gmail.com

...and bring $5 if you want to go in on some pizza

Come and hear about climate change science and solutions at Truth & Lies, a presentation by Climate Code Red co-author David Spratt at Northcote Town Hall (189 High St, Northcote) on Wednesday 23 June from 7.00–9.00pm (snacks from 6.30pm).

Brought to you by Darebin Climate Action Network, Yarra Climate Action Now and Alphington Community Centre.

For more information email YarraCAN@gmail.com

Some fun and interesting climate change events happening in the next couple of weeks in our local area - all free and all welcome:

1. Renewable is Do-able public meeting - Thursday 3 December
2. Ride Planet Earth bike ride - Sunday 6 December
3. Walk Against Warming - Saturday 12 December

Details below:





The Walk Against Warming is Australia’s biggest day of community action on climate change. Similar Walks will be happening across the country, and across the globe as communities everywhere come together to tell their leaders they want action for a safe climate.

If you’ve ever replaced an old light globe with an energy efficient one, taken public transport instead of driving, switched to Green Power, or worried about the kind of world you’re going to leave to your kids, then the 2009 Walk Against Warming is for you!

12pm, 12 December, Victorian State Library (cnr Latrobe and Swanston Sts, City)

There are a few events coming up this month that you can’t miss!!


Trivia Night Fundraiser

What dinosaur has eight chimneys, eats coal and suffers from terrible gas?

With live music, stand-up comedy, great questions, food and drink.

This is a fun night for all to raise money for the upcoming Hazelwood Power Station protest.

Details: Saturday August 15, 7pm-10pm – Northcote High School, 25 St Georges Road, Northcote.
Price (including light dinner) Table of 8, $120 Individual $20/$15 concession

Book online at www.trybooking.com/BJB
Tickets also available on the night unless sold out.


The Big Melt Tour

Come and hear the world-record holder for the fastest climb of Mt Everest talk about the effects of climate change in the ‘roof of the world’.

See www.thebigmelt.org

Hear Pemba Dorje Sherpa, holder of the world record for the fastest climb of Mount Everest, talk about his experience of global warming in the Himalayas. He is joined by environmental lawyer and activist Prakash Sharma, Pro Public Nepal.

Global warming is already having a big impact on Mount Everest and the Himalayas. Glaciers are melting creating floods and danger for the local people. But the big melt also means a big dry as these 'water towers' of Asia lose their capacity to provide water to the giant rivers in the summer months. Eventually rivers like the Ganges in India and the Yellow River in China will lose their dry season flow and the billion people in these river basins will lose their water security.

Details of Public Meeting 6.30 PM – 8.00 PM
Monday, August 17, 2009 Village Roadshow Theatrette
State Library of Victoria
328 Swanston St
(Use Entry 3, La Trobe Street)


Clifton Hill Community Sustainability Meeting
…featuring comedian Rod Quantock on the climate science

We are a group of Clifton Hill residents - not experts - with the shared aim of helping each other to live more sustainably and encouraging action that avoids runaway climate change.

Perhaps you share our concern but find the issues frighteningly large and complex and are unsure of what you can do that will make a difference.

You may be asking yourself…

• Where can I find reliable up-to-date climate change
information?

• What can I do to reduce the likelihood of dangerous
climate change?

• What can I do to reduce the environmental impact of
my lifestyle?

• Will it help if I change my diet or grow some of my own
food?

• If I installed water tanks and solar panels how much
would it help and what will it cost?

If you are interested in any of the above issues, this meeting is for you.

There will be displays with handouts and people with particular expertise to talk to.

For information contact: Doug Evans at dg.evans -at- bigpond.com

Featuring Rod Quantock, Yarra Climate Action Now, Beyond Zero Emissions, The Environment Shop, the Ethical Consumption Group and other local groups.

Details: Sunday, 23 August 2009, 2:30 - 4:30pm
St. Mark's Church, 100 Hodgkinson St, Clifton Hill

On Sunday 22nd of April over 2000 people made a strong statement about their views on climate change by taking part in the Human Sign on Sandringham Beach that spelled out " HALT CLIMATECHANGE NOW! ". Despite early morning rain threatening to disrupt the event, the sunshine finally prevailed and everything progressed very smoothly - a big congratulations to Bayside Climate Action Group for organising such a successful event. It was great to see so many people out taking part.

If you missed the report on ABC news Sunday night there was also an article in today's Herald Sun which you can find here.

Community Organising: confrontation vs consensus workshop

Date: Tuesday 24th April 2007
Venue : Ross House, 247 Flinders Lane Melbourne
Host :The Change Agency
Workshop: 4.30-8.00pm

In the good ol’ days, every social change group knew how to do a street protest, or an occupation, or something even more confrontational. Today, many social change groups avoid any kind of confrontation in favour of consensus models. Is confrontation really irrelevant to today's social change efforts? Are consensus models really effective? This workshop will draw on participants' experiences with confrontation and consensus processes to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of each. Then, using a political opportunity structure model, you will learn how to analyse your political contect to better decide when, where and how to use a combination of confrontation and consensus strategies.
About Randy:

Randy is the moderator/editor of COMM-ORG: The On-Line Conference on Community Organising and Development. (http://comm-org.wisc.edu/) He conducts trainings and speaks frequently on community organising and development, participatory research projects with community development corporations, community organising groups, community information technology programs, and other non-profits in North America and Australia. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin. He has a PhD in Sociology and a Masters of Science in Counselling. Randy has written extensively on community organising and development and community based research, including the books Defending Community (1994), Research Methods for Community Change (2005) and the co-authored book Community-Based Research in Higher Education (2003).

You can find his complete vita here.

Registration: $20 (unwaged); $40 (community sector); $60 (higher income)

RSVP by April 17th to Sam La Rocca m. 0424 610 038

The 3rd Melbourne Social Forum will be held this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the 20th, 21st and 22nd of April.

This year's theme is "CHANGE THE POLITICAL CLIMATE: TURN UP THE HEAT!"

The mission of the Melbourne Social Forum is to create open public spacesto discuss, share and act on ideas for sustainable social and ecological justice. To do this the MSF hosts events, in public and on-line, which bring together progressive individuals and groups from within civil society in the Melbourne area and beyond. The Melbourne Social Forum is a dynamic open space for addressing the 21st century's most pressing local and global challenges: fair trade, labour rights, environmental sustainability, global peace and human rights issues.

Ticket pre-sale will be available at two locations:
-Friends of the Earth on 312 Smith Street Collingwood
-The New International Bookshop in Trades Hall, Carlton South

for more information about events and costings visit www.melbournesocialforum.org

Along with the Human Sign project at Sandringham, there is also another important event on the 22nd of April. The Coalition for Peace and Justice Presents two time academy award nominee David Bradbury's:
A HARD RAIN when: 2pm Sunday 22nd April
where: Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) Federation Square

The film is released officially on April 13 - David has worked around the clock to get the film ready before the April ALP conference where a critical vote will be held to determine the future of Uranium Mining in this country. For more information about the documentary and details about getting a free 20 min cut of the tape see here.

Come down and be part of creating a 'human sign' as part of the Bayside Sustainable Living Expo on Sunday April 22. Over 3,000 people are needed to form the message HALT CLIMATE CHANGE NOW for an aerial photograph. Bring your family and friends to raise awareness about global warming and promote sustainability.

Everyone is encouraged to use public transport or ride your bikes - leave the car at home and enjoy being outdoors!

when: 10:00am (sharp) Sunday 22nd April 2007
where: Sandringham Beach
accessible from Sandringham train station - Sunday supersaver tickets are only $2:50
trains leave Flinders St station at 8:52 and 9:32 am.

for more information refer to the Bayside City Council website here or call (03) 9599 4444 or contact the Bayside Climate Change Action Group directly.

(event will go ahead rain, hail or shine - so don't let a few clouds deter you)