February 24, 2005
Day 9: The beginning of the end
Its Thursday, Day 9 of our occupation and it will be our last day here.
We heard yesterday that Marian Hobbs, Minister of the Environment, has shown a remarkable lack of vision and leadership in deciding not to call this project in for national Government scrutiny of its impacts. Apparently a doubling of our CO2 emissions from coal, and the polluting of local communities and rich eco-systems with sulphur dioxide and heavy metals isnt nationally significant.
We wonder what is then?
After much discussion we have made a difficult decision to end this phase of our campaign in the knowledge that this is only the beginning of the end for Marsden B. It has been a pretty incredible 9 days in which we have seen climate change and the name Marsden B rise up the national agenda; weve seen communities come together to fight to keep homes free of a cocktail of toxic chemicals; hundreds of messages of support from around the country and abroad; and over 3000 submissions into the local government, more than they have ever seen before.
Well be coming down to deliver our personal submissions to the council and to move on to the next phase of the campaign. We are far from finished. We know from our conversations with the local communities that their resolve has hardened and that they will continue the fight to protect their homes and local area, we know that Greenpeace and other groups will continue to oppose this crazy proposal and fight for a clean energy future, and we know that each of us here will continue to do what we can to see an end to Marsden B.
Before going we would like to thank all those people that gave support and strength to us during our occupation here. We would especially like to thank the local community for their passion, their visits and their toots as they drove past. It has been a privilege to be here in your home and a part of this campaign and we look forward very much to meeting those of you that we can. We would also like to thank the hundreds and hundreds of people that wrote messages of support they certainly helped get through some of those particularly hot days. And of course to our ground crew for being with us every step of the way.
We know it is only a matter of time before the proposal to burn coal at Marsden B comes to an end. Even taking into account short-sighted politics, something that is so wrong on so many levels just wont be allowed to go ahead.
Raoni, Kate and Mal
Posted by activist at 8:00 AM | Comments (10)
February 23, 2005
Day 8 and the 'Minister for the Environment' drops the ball
Well it seems our so-called "Minister for the Environment" has failed us. She's baulked at the opportunity to take charge of an important issue and offloaded the responsibility for assessing the crazy Marsden B coal-fired power station proposal onto the local councils who do not have the legal mandate to take into consideration the larger issue of climate change.
Read on to see what Greenpeace campaigner Steve Abel had to say:
It is extremely concerning that the Government does not consider a near-doubling of our C02 emissions from coal-fired power stations an issue of national significance.
However, we will stand alongside the public and fight this all the way to ensure that Marsden B doesnt happen.
Thermal generation is the single biggest cause of an increase in New Zealand C02 emissions in the last year. Huntly has increased its C02 emissions by over 400% since 1990.
New Zealand is currently at 22% above our 1990 levels of C02 emissions. How on earth does the Government think we're going to meet our Kyoto commitments and get to zero by 2012 if it takes no action to stop projects like this?
It is also of concern that the Government is using its proposed carbon tax as an excuse to allow a power plant to emit millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide. If a State Owned Enterprise can simply pay the carbon charge and still go ahead with the countrys first coal-fired power station in 25 years, this raises major concerns over the effectiveness of the tax.
While we support the carbon tax, it was not designed to be used in this way. It was designed to reduce our emissions, not increase them.
The wind industry says that wind could be producing 1000 MW of electricity by 2010. But the Governments short-term, crisis management of our electricity supply means that it looks to big, dirty power projects like Marsden B as a resolution, putting clean energy projects like wind on the back burner.
In this age of the certainty of climate change, the Government must take this matter in hand and define a national sustainable strategy which places wind and other renewable energy projects at the forefront of our energy solutions and says no to coal.
It is also an insult to the communities of Whangarei and Northland that the Government doesnt consider further increases in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, heavy metals and dioxins a matter of national significance.
Our climbers are still on the roof of Marsden B. We will be discussing this latest development with the three activists occupying the roof.
- Steve Abel
Posted by nick at 5:19 PM
February 22, 2005
Day 7: Marian where are you?
It definitely seems the campaign is building. Weve now been up here for 7 days and each day it has seemed that, somewhere in the country, there have been more voices coming out in opposition to Mighty River Powers proposal. Some of the strongest voices have come from the local people in communities based adjacent and downwind from Marsden B. Weve been lucky to be able to speak to many of them by radio and their knowledge and passion leaves little doubt that they will fight this thing all the way.
One of the things that has amazed me most though is the conspicuous silence of Marian Hobbs, Minister for the Environment. The community based Marsden B Action group has written to her on a couple of occasions with their concerns about the proposed plant, asking her to call in the project to be considered nationally, and inviting to her to come to the area and see first hand what is at stake here if it were to go ahead. And they have heard nothing back.
I reckon it might be a good idea to contact the minister and encourage her to take the matter in hand, step in, acknowledge the local community concerns and stop Marsden B for the good the local, national and international environment. Proposals like this impact us all and so a helping hand never goes astray. Marsden B would impact us al because it could set NZ on a path of increasing dependency on coal for our energy which would be a huge step backwards.
So take a moment to give Marian a call on 04 470 6566 or drop her a line on mhobbs@ministers.govt.nz or Fax: 04 495 8467
Posted by activist at 9:20 PM | Comments (4)
Pumping it out dawn till dusk
In my tent beside Marsden B's barbed-wire topped fence, I could hear the sea pounding all night. Normally the East Coast has quiet surf, but today the rhythms generated by cyclones in the Pacific hit the sand beneath Marsden B.
Down on the beach those waves were chewing into the bottom of the sand dunes and it got me thinking about climate change.
Scientists predict an increase in the intensity of tropical storms. That's bad news for those living on Pacific Islands and bad news for coastal erosion here.
From the fairy terns to the pipi, and the carbon dioxide to the cyclones, everything is connected.
Near sunset, I went for a salty swim in front of Marsden B. Surfers bobbed around in the waves as Buller's shearwaters in a flock of thousands dived around them.
Hi, I'm Dean Baigent-Mercer. I'm co-ordinating getting the story of our rooftop occupation out to the world of print, tv, web and radio media - and ultimately to you. Much to my relief, journalists across the country - and the world - are showing a healthy interest in all this silly-rot about burning coal at Marsden B.
But back to climate change and global warming. I've been thinking... It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that when you cut out the lungs of the planet (most of the world's ancient forests) over a few hundred years and burn half the world's known oil reserves + gargantuan amounts of gas and coal, things are going to get real nasty.
Clearly mucking around speculating over whether global warming is real - or not - isn't doing anyone any favours (...except the self-serving fossil fuel industry...).
So we must act urgently. We must act now. Because time is running out.
That's why I'm here. There's only so much 'hoping things are gonna be alright' you can do.
I'm investing a lot of trust in our Government - and Minister for the Environment, Marian Hobbs in particular - to be sensible and stop Marsden B burning coal.
I hope I won't be let down.
- Dean
Posted by nick at 9:15 PM | Comments (1)
February 21, 2005
Poor nights, tuatara and a fairy tern
Day 6 of golden sunrises, sunsets and massive public support for our rooftop occupation. Being 50m high and 100m from the high tide mark we had a stunning birds eye view of yesterdays 500 strong march against this proposed power station. With lots of banners and placards such as 'Don't poison our kaimoana', 'No Toxic Legacy in Bream Bay', and 'Coal cooks my goose, wind fries my onions', I could see marchers showed they had a thorough understanding of the consequences of Mighty River Powers plan.
Having spoken to campaigner Laurence Berry and spent 6 days 16 storeys high with binoculars I have quickly come to the conclusion that this area with its surrounding islands and marine reserves is of national and international importance.
South down the beach we have the Ruakaka River mouth wildlife refuge established in 1958. With 45 different species of bird and an abundant food source, some wading birds like it so much here they migrate all the way from Siberia. It is also the home of rare and endangered bird species.
Further south along the beach is the Waipu River mouth, part time home of our rarest and most endangered bird, the Fairy Tern. Only 30 birds are known of. Acid rain and more climate change could mean the final straw for them.
The ash waste pile from the proposed coal fired power station would be 1 to 2 kms upstream and would inevitably leach heavy metals and other toxins.
Up the beach to the north east lies Te Whara/Bream Head reserve. Sir Edmund Hillary is the founding patron of the Bream Head Conservation Trust and is horrified at plans to burn 35,000 tonnes of coal here every fortnight and does not want to see the 'beautiful area' polluted. This reserve is covered in one of the most extensive and intact coastal hardwood forests in Northland. It has the most species of Hebe in Northland and the Far North and continues to produce new ecological discoveries of importance. It is a designated Kiwi sanctuary and home to bellbirds, kaka and kakariki. The reserve boasts the most southern colony of endangered flax snail as well as being home to green and Pacific geckos, skinks and other small native wonders.
Also of special ecological importance is Mangawhai Estuary Sandspit, breeding ground of all 30 fairy terns.
The Whangarei Harbour has a recorded 82 bird species, 15 classified as rare and endangered. Thousands migrate from the Arctic in summer and the South Island in winter.
To our East is the transparent turquoise ocean, dotted with small volcanic islands such as the Hen and Chickens and the Poor Knights. The waters around the Poor Knights is so ecologically rich it was given marine reserve status. The island is home of Buller's shearwater - a seabird who share their burrows with tuatara. The Buller's shearwaters fly from their New Zealand island homes up near Japan and off southern California. Knowing their home is so special they return to the same burrow on the Poor Knights Islands to breed.
Here throughout the tides, people gather kaimoana. Surfcasting fishermen reel in large fish on an hourly basis while beachcombers meander up and down the beach. Watching surfers dance on waves has also been a highlight.
The thousands of tonnes of heavy metals and toxins released into the air and sea would inevitably work their way back up the food chain. A very toxic 'what goes around, comes around'.
Would you choose to build a coal-fired power station here?
Raoni
Posted by activist at 9:40 PM | Comments (8)
Day Six: Some introductions
Well it's day six of our occupation now and we realise that there hasn't been a decent round of introductions, so we thought we would each write a little bit about ourselves and why we're up here...
Kiaora all,
Thanks so much for all the supportive comments we are up here for you too. Having grown up on the West Coast of the South Island I have seen first hand the lifeless black rivers and utter environmental destruction that is Solid Energys coal mine. I am also actively involved in the Save Happy Valley campaign which opposes the expansion of the Stockton coal mine into pristine kiwi and endangered native snail habitats. Check out the website www.happyvalley.enzyme.org.nz .
I enjoy all forms of climbing and am an arborist by trade and run a small tree care outfit in Christchurch.
Weve been occupying Marsden B since the Kyoto Protocol came into effect. If this coal fired power station went ahead it would be a big jump backwards in stopping climate change and the progression towards a sustainable energy future. It would also leave a toxic legacy throughout the food chain both on land and sea.
Thanks again for the overwhelming support!
Raoni
Hi
I have worked and volunteered as a campaigner and activist for just over ten years now. During that time it has become abundantly clear that al too often small communities have to come together to fight things that really shouldnt be happening but for some crazy reason get proposed anyway. Much like this really.
So many of the official processes looking at these issues can be remarkably disempowering for the people they will affect the most - the folk living in and around the environment that will be affected. In the case of climate change, thats going to be all of us. Often people dont hear about an issue, or the process is communicated in unnecessarily complicated, and somewhat daunting legalese or scientific speak. Sometimes people arent aware that they have an opportunity to have their say, or sometimes the opposition just seems to big.
I guess one of my passions is talking to people about some of these issues, helping to create space for them to get involved and demonstrating what can be achieved when people stick together and fight for what they believe. History is littered with such examples, and many of the things that we take for granted these days have come as a result of such efforts.
Im up on this roof because its time now to get serious about averting dangerous climate change. Were going to be hearing a lot more about massive floods, cyclones, droughts and assorted extreme weather event if we dont and weve all seen the devastation that comes with that.
This backwards thinking proposal by Mighty River Power to start burning coal here at Marsden B is the perfect opportunity for Government to put their money where their mouth is and develop a clean energy policy, and its the perfect opportunity for all of us to urge them to do so.
Cheers,
Mal
Kiaora tatou - hi everyone.
Its day 6 on the roof (!) I'm living in Wellington at the moment (and loving it- respect and love to the welly community) but was very fortunate to grow up on a bay on Aotea ( Great Barrier Island) and later Te Arai Roa Motu (Waiheke Island). More recently Ive been completing my studies in Politics, Maori Resource Management and Environmental Studies which mostly reflects my interests. My real passion though is community education through workshops, resources, stalls and discussion about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Tino Rangatiratang. I chose to work on this issue because Patu Harakeke, the iwi in this area are opposed to Marsden B and have a treaty claim on the area where the ash dump (14m high and covering 50km) is proposed, nearby.
I have been working on various social justice and environmental campaigns for about 6 years now - which is how I came to first volunteer for Greenpeace a couple of years ago. I've been through the Greenpeace climb training courses which is what have me the skills to get on to this roof! Id like to acknowledge Greenpeace and the special people who work there for all the opportunities I've had and continue to have especially for the privelege it has been to work on this campaign, I have had some invaluable learnings in my time on the roof J....
Growing up so close and so directly dependant on the environment has defined and continues to define the way i see the world. Which is that the environment is not an externality (as it is treated under our current economic system) but an intrinsic part of us through the air we breath, the food we eat, the water we drink - the list goes on and is endless. Therefore we are literally soiling our own nest when we continue to ignore that indisputable reality by polluting our air, land and sea and ultimately ourselves. The proposed Marsden B coal powered plant is yet another example of this; it continues to amaze (and depress) me how we fail to learn from history by proposing such short sighted projects as this, that will leave a toxic legacy for us and the generations to come. Which reminds me of a saying on a mural on Thompson St in Wellington, thats been running through me head while weve been up here We didnt inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrowed it from our children.
Last but not least id like to send my enormous respect to Patu Harakeke and the local community for their extraordinary work to stop Marsden B and a big THANK YOU for all the support weve received from the community, the ground team and the web log in our time here.
Ka pai tou ra - have a good day
Cheers,
Kate
Posted by activist at 1:20 PM | Comments (7)
February 20, 2005
The people have spoken
It's day five - and what a day it was! 500 people turned out here at our caravan base-camp outside the Marsden B power station to protest Mighty River Power's proposal to turn the mothballed station into a coal fired power station. The message from the people was loud, clear and heartfelt - NO COAL and NO MARSDEN B. It was a beautiful thing to see. There were people of all ages from Ruakaka, Whangarei, Waipu, Bream Bay, Auckland and all over Northland.
We began at the gates of the power station where we had some quick speeches and some face painting. From there we marched around the perimeter of the power station (it looks a bit like a concentration camp) and down to the beach. There we spelled out NO COAL - STOP MARSDEN B with our bodies on the sand.
We've just watched the news on TV and both channels ran the story so hopefully down there in the beehive and in the board rooms of Mighty River Power where sometimes it seems common sense gets lost amongst the bureaucracy -let's hope they are listening to the people whose lives they are affecting. And let's hope that the bigger message of climate change is getting through as well because, although a coal fired power station would be a disaster for the local community here, relying on fossil fuels for our power generation will be a far bigger problem for us all.
Anyway, we're all a little sunburnt and tired ... it's been a big day ... but it really feels like we're riding a wave here. Everyone is buoyed by the great turnout and the support we've had form the local community. It feels like we're part of something special and we're fighting the good fight.
I can see our friends up on the roof of the power station. Looks like they're in for another fine night under the stars.
- nick
Posted by nick at 5:41 PM | Comments (7)
February 19, 2005
Day 4 and looking forward to more
Firstly we would all like to acknowledge the contribution Gareth has made to our stand up here against this proposed coal power station.
Many of you may have heard that yesterday Gareth had to come down from the roof to attend to a personal situation. Our heart-felt thanks and support go with Gareth and hell remain up here with us in spirit.
As are many others. Kate just remarked that it seems that there are more than just the three of us up here. And shes right. Far from feeling isolated 50m up, we all feel like we are the amazing company of all those that have visited the base camp, written messages in the sand on the beach, sent emails of support and especially those that have making their own opposition heard.
This morning we woke to another demonstration that opposition to burning coal at Marsden B is growing. And what a cool thing it was.
The newly formed Surfers Against Sulphur started to gather at about 8.30am. When we first saw them there were about a dozen people but those numbers quickly swelled to about 40 or so. What a sight they made as they all walked along Ruakaka beach with their surfboards toward Marsden B to make their protest! And even more so as they all made their way into the water.
Its a classic example of yet another group of people that will be directly affected by the contaminants that Mighty River want to discharge into the local environment. These folk surf all around the Ruakaka/Marsden area. You can imagine theyll be somewhat reluctant if there is 14000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide being pumped into the bay with the cooling water every year. Not to mention the 8 tonnes per day (after scrubbing!) that will be emitted to the air!
To me it shows that no matter who you are, where you are, or what you do, there is something that you can do to help stop ridiculous proposals such as this one. And that the more people that join together, the more likely we are to succeed.
Tomorrow is the Marsden Beach Day Out, and it seems like we may see a pretty large turnout for a day of fun and opposition to Marsden B. This is a great chance to get your voices heard, so come along, bring your friends and families, a kite, a picnic and a placard and say no to coal, no to climate change, no to toxic emissions and no to Marsden B!
This is a message written with seaweed in the sand by some local folk.
Posted by activist at 1:20 PM | Comments (13)
Ground support goes Surfing Against Sulphur
This morning I got up early, grabbed my surf board and headed down to the beach below the power station. A bunch of local people have got together and formed a group called Surfers Against Sulphur (SAS) and this morning was their first outing...definitely something i didn't want to miss!
After days of glassy flat seas this morning the surf was pumping! Beautiful clear morning, a light offshore breeze and some nice peeling waves. Awesome.
First we all lined up on the beach for a photo - they'd made t-shirts with all the letters necessary to spell 'surfers against sulphur' and so after a bit of shuffling around and miss-spellings we got all the letters in the right order and got a nice photo with the power station in the background and headed out into the surf.
I'm better at surfing the net than the real thing but I managed to get out through the breakers to join the rest of the group 'out the back' where another attempt was made to spell surfers against sulphur' and then we all had a good surf.
It was a symbolic protest but the message was clear and the feeling behind it strong. These people live in the area and do not want a coal fired power station spewing poisonous toxins into their environment. Not surprising really. For the surfers there is the added worry that the outflow pipes go straight out off the beach. Marsden B would pump massive quantities of sea water in to cool the plant, use the water to capture some of the poisonous emissions and then pump it straight back into the sea.
The local opposition to the proposal is fierce. We have had hundreds of visitors at our caravan base confirming their support for our stance and their opposition to the plant. In the last few days we've collected nearly 100 submissions opposing Might River Power's application which we will deliver to the Northland Regional Council before submissions close. if you wan to do one please click here to find out more and download a form.
Posted by nick at 1:09 PM
Geek log
Thought I'd write a post about the technical equipment we're using for this blog.
Basically it is very simple and, on a job like this, that's definitley the way to go.
We've got activists (this is Raoni to your left) 50 meters above the ground in a secure camp and a ground support crew in a caravan and tents about 100 meters away as the crow flies. We are communicating via radio and mobile phone as well as email. Both camps are entirely powered by solar pv panels - renewable energy is the solution to the problem we're highlighting afterall!
This blog is powered by MoveableType (MT) and we're able to post directly to it via email using an excellent little MT plugin called Pop2Blog. We simply send an email message to an address on our web server and it gets automatically converted into a post on the blog. You can even attach an image. Or, when the sun's been shining and the batteries are full we can go in via the MT interface.
We're using 57k GPRS PCMIA mobile connections and laptops at each end with solar panels to keep evrything charged up. I would be possible to use PDA's or even a mobile phone alone to post quick updates to the blog.
Greenpeace International runs a 'mother blog' that automatically aggregates posts from this and other Greenpeace action blogs from around the world. Greenpeace activists post upadates from the three Greenpeace ships at sea in the same way using email and satelite connections.
We'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on all this, ways to make it better and more efficient so please drop us a comment.
Posted by nick at 12:22 PM | Comments (4)
February 18, 2005
A big thanks from on high
Kiaora tatou katoa He mihi nui ki a koutou
Hi everyone and big ups for sending such positive and inspiring comments our way. Dont underestimate how important such feedback and warmth is to us up here! Wed all like to acknowledge the comments from the web log, the incredible local support in the form of boats, waves and cheers from the ground, car toots and the offer of food and accomadation for our legendary ground crew you guys rock! Yeh a special public RESPECT to our ground crew (affectionately known as trailer trash) the brains behind this operation.
We might be the most visable form of resistance to this crazy proposal right now but it is all of us resisting in our own way whether that be writing submissions, organising meetings, educating ourselves, conserving energy or promoting renewable, sustainable energy like wind that are going to make the difference and hopefully herald a new era of clean energy post- Kyoto.
Well its day three atop the roof of Marsden B and all is well. After two stunning , hot days we thought we were due for rain this morning but after a slight drizzle it passed us by. Now its overcast which is actually a welcome relief from the scorching heat which weve had to siesta through.
I dont know if youve seen the views from here but they are stunning: to our north east is the beautiful Bream Head Reserve, off the coast to the east is dotted with bush clad islands, including the Hen and Chickens, Taranga, Hauturu and Aotea, directly to our south is the Ruakaka community and behind us lots of farmland (and where the proposed ash dump three storeys high and covering 50km will be). How this insane proposal that will contaminate the air and the beautiful land and sea in this area, could even get to proposal stage, let alone consideration is crazy. On that note we better get this web log off and maybe next weblog well introduce ourselves.
- kate
Posted by activist at 2:00 PM
February 17, 2005
At home on the roof
Good morning,
We've begun the second day of our occupation, buoyed by an amazing response to our stand against dirty old coal from the people of Ruakaka and all over the country, and by a beautiful sunset over Bream Bay.
Now that our big chores of the first day are over we thought we would share with you what our temporary home is like. While not exactly luxurious, we have all we need and are pretty happy with it. And lets face it, a little discomfort now may well help prevent major discomfort for all of us later if dangerous climate change and its associated impacts takes hold.
There were three main things to think about when setting up the camp; safety, including protection from the elements, eating and sleeping, and of course communication with everyone out there.
So we've set up a day shelter and two tents to provide protection from both the sun and rain. While the weather's good, we'll be sleeping on camp stretchers under the shelter and will use the tents for storage, particularly for our food - a makeshift walk-in pantry if you like. If the weather turns, while it won't be much fun, we'll be able to remain dry and safe inside the tents. We've also got some good wet-weathers and warm clothing just to make sure! We've rigged safety lines around the roof to ensure our safety when moving about, particularly for when we approach the edge to acknowledge the growing stream of well-wishers below.
Our pantry is pretty well stocked with a range of food for each meal, and enough food and water to last as long as we need to. We have no interest in missing out on essential nourishment. We have small personal cookers for cooking with, although I have to say, I will miss having an oven for baking yummy cakes and the like! Wouldn't mind a beer as well!
We stay in touch with the ground crew using cell phones, radios and a laptop. To keep these all charged up we have a solar pv panel and battery. There is some poetic justice in trying to stop a dirty fossil fuel project using clean and renewable solar power we reckon!
To alleviate boredom, we have a whole stack of good books, some playing cards, a radio and of course there is always time for gazing at the incredible views from up here and then inevitably pondering on the insanity of this crazy proposal.
I am sure we will keep making little improvements to our camp the longer we are here, but hopefully you get a sense of what life up here will be like.
Check back in later for some more updates!
cheers Mal
Posted by activist at 2:20 PM | Comments (6)
Ground Control to Major Tom
Greenpeace activists, from all around the world celebrated with a range of activities and protests on the day Kyoto came into force.
We spent our second night on the ground here at the support camp outside the marsden B fences (the first night of sleep for some of us though!) and woke up to another beautiful sunny day in Ruakaka.
Yesterday there was a steady stream of people from the local community visiting us at our little encampment. We 've had donations of food and equipment and a huge thumbs up from the local people - no one here wants to see the coal fired powerstation go ahead.
I've got my surfboard here so I'll be joining the local 'Surfers Against Sulphur' group on saturday as they carry out their own protest in the surf opposite the powerstation. One of the locally felt efffects of this powerstation if it goes ahead will be all the toxic heavy metals that would be pumped into sea - certainly not good for sea creatures of any kind!
Posted by nick at 1:39 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2005
Did I mention it was hot???
Actually its baking. We’ve set up plenty of shelter from both the sun and rain to ensure our stay up here is as comfy and safe as possible. You can’t tell me there isn’t a clean and renewable solar resource around here! Personally I’d love to see the government support people installing solar hot water systems on their houses as part of a sustainable energy strategy. It’s a realistic and achievable thing for many households, even more so if the Government got in behind. The heating of hot water accounts for a fair chunk of the average household electicity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (not to mention a fair chunk of your power bill!).
Furthermore it is one way that many of us can help combat climate change... a fight we won’t win unless we all do our bit! After all it will affect every one of us.. You, me, local councils, national governments and big business. I’d recommend checking out the info on what you can do to – both to stop this proposed huge step backwards to the dirtiest of fossil fuels, and also in your daily lives. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that the time for action is now.
Posted by activist at 6:41 PM | Comments (2)
From the roof again
Hi again
Its been quite a day so far as we settle into our stay here. The biggest job we had to take care of was the hanging of a large banner on the side of this old (but never used) power station. It says plain and simply 'Save the Climate - Stop Coal' along with an image of a burning earth. Pretty straight forward really.
Gareth and Kate, both well-trained and experienced climbers, had the task of abseiling over the edge of the building to rig and unfurl the banner. They did a tremendous job, especially given the heat, and it looks fantastic from up here. It’s still there now, overlooking the very community that will suffer most if somehow the government lets this power station go through. I reckon it’ll be seen for miles around. Hopefully it will help the local people with their campaign to stop Marsden B, as well as help shut the door on coal as an acceptable source of energy here in NZ. So if you’re reading this in Ruakaka or Waipu, drop us a line and let us know what it looks like from your place.
The local police visited while the banner was being hung. They chatted with our support team on the ground, received assurances we ware acting safely, took a few photos and left. I'm sure they too have to live around this proposed dinosaur as well.
Now though, its back for a little rest after and early start, and to set up the rest of our camp. We’ll post some snaps in the morning once we get our house in order!
Cheers,
Mal
Posted by activist at 6:40 PM | Comments (1)
Update from the roof
Hello from the top of the proposed coal-fired Marsden B power station which myself and three colleagues climbed this morning.
Were here to demand the Government stop this ludicrous proposal to build this power station and burn more coal. Burning coal can only increase the risk of dangerous climate change and completely flies in the face of the Kyoto Protocol, which the NZ Government have already ratified. If it is allowed to go ahead not only will it be completely hypocritical, it would be pretty irresponsible as well given the efforts the majority of the global community making to stop climate change.
To make matters even worse, the power station would have a terrible impact on the local community, land and sea because of cocktail of dangerous chemical and contaminants that will be emitted. A huge number of local residents are already taking the fight to the power company and local council to have the proposal stopped.
So really, its a no-brainer for the Government. Coal is a dinosaur technology and it is time for them to follow their fine words and future promises with concrete action such as developing a sustainable national energy policy.
Well be occupying this site until we see some real action from the Government to stop this thing. Over the course of the occupation well be writing updates from the roof, and talk in more depth about the problems, the solution and what you can do, along with some photos of life up here and of what we can see of this beautiful environment.
More soon, Mal
Posted by activist at 12:40 PM
Stop Marsden B - Greenpeace activists occupy the plant.
At dawn this morning on the day that Kyoto comes into force a small team of activists scaled the massive walls of the Marsden B power station. They have set up camp on the roof and they mean to stay until the Government does the right thing. They will be posting updates to this blog live from the roof.
Posted by nick at 8:13 AM | Comments (2)
February 15, 2005
Messages of Support
These are the messages that were sent to us while we were on the roof of Marsden B.
Posted by activist at 3:09 PM | Comments (418)
February 10, 2005
PRESS RELEASE: NEW WEBSITE URGES KIWIS TO SAY YES TO WIND
www.Yes2Wind.co.nz , a website to support and promote the use of wind power in New Zealand has been launched by Greenpeace, and endorsed and supported by national environmental groups: the Environment and Conservation Organisation of New Zealand (ECO), the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society and WWF New Zealand.
The environmentalists say the technology can boost jobs and tourism while fighting climate change - the world's biggest environmental problem.
"There are many concerns and worries about wind power. This website is designed to answer those questions and give the many New Zealanders who want to support a windfarm the information they need to do so," said Cindy Baxter, Greenpeace Campaign Manager.
A EECA poll in July 2004 showed 82% of New Zealand respondents approved or strongly approved of wind power. (1)
The website is based on a very successful site run by a similar group of environmentalists in the UK ( http://www.yes2wind.com ), where the wind energy industry is growing rapidly.
The website has detailed information for how people can support local windfarm applications and gives practical advice on how people can get more involved in promoting windfarms in their area.
It provides detailed answers to some of the myths around wind technology. One example is around the noise made by wind turbines. In Scotland, a MORI poll showed that 12% of people objected to a wind farm near their homes before the windfarm was built. However, after they were built, that figure shrank to just 2%. (2)
The new website has a map showing areas where current windfarms are and also where new sites are proposed.
Yes2wind outlines how windfarms must be a key part of New Zealand's efforts to tackle climate change, and can increase investment, create jobs and attract tourists, as well as reducing air pollution. This technology has the potential to greatly reduce New Zealand's dependence on fossil fuels like coal and gas.
"New Zealand can meet its current energy needs with wind three times over. It's time we turned our back on polluting power and embrace clean, renewable energy sources. We urge anyone who wants to get involved in fighting for our environment to say 'Yes' to wind," said Cindy Baxter.
For more info contact
Greenpeace Campaign Manager Cindy Baxter 021 772 661
Greenpeace Communications Officer Suzette Jackson 021 577 556
Posted by gillo at 2:22 PM | Comments (0)
Hello world!
This is the first post in the Greenpeace NZ weblog and it definitely won't be the last. This is the place where our activists in the field, where ever they may be will post their news - live from the field. We're using MovableType as our weblog publishing system. To post to the web our activists in the field use GPRS mobile phone connections, sometimes on their own but usually coupled with a PDA or laptop, to write and upload posts directly to the web server.
If we are expecting a sustained period of activity we will use a small solar power system to power the equipment and recharge batteries. Renewable energy is the future!
Posted by nick at 3:35 AM