Climate change?

There is much debate goin on at the moment about climate change. but whatever you believe there is one thing that everyone would agree on and that is that we need to stop pollution.
With all the sudden interest in the enviroment, there are some issues that must be addressed.
Is this goin to create further inequality between the rich and the poor, where developing countries and poor people are made to carry the burden created by 20% of the world.
Poverty is linked to the exploitation of earth. If we are unable to care for others, then how are we able to care for earth. We need to make sure those who should be held accountable are.



Everyone has the freedom to make choices with where they are placed in this world, you can choose to do the best you can with the life your've been given. Every small but significant act counts, simply by reducing, reusing and recycling adds up. Everyone can make a difference and everyone should say that they done what they could. A question to ask yourself, is what attitude do you carry, victory or defeated.

T-Shirt Travels

This is a great doco.

send an email

Yesterday we once again took action against Fonterra's climate crimes - this time painting the message Fonterra Climate Crime on a ship carrying palm kernel animal feed in the Port of Taranaki. The feed is destined for Fonterra dairy herds. Its next stop is Tauranga and we will meet it there.

Fonterra's use of palm kernel animal feed has been implicated in the destruction of Indonesia and Malaysia's rainforests for palm plantations. Rainforest clearance is one of the worst contributors to climate change and it destroys the last remaining habitat of the orangutan and Sumatran tiger so, as well as stopping palm kernel animal feed imports, New Zealand must also ensure that the timber we import isn't also contributing to rainforest destruction.

Over the next month the Government is working on a strategy for how it will deal with illegal timber imports, especially outdoor furniture and decking made from a popular tropical timber called kwila. Imports of kwila are contributing to the destruction of the rainforests of Indonesia, Malaysia and PNG.

The Green Party is to table a bill in parliament to amend the Customs Act so as to stop the import of illegal timber. We want this bill to get through its first reading. For this to happen the National government needs to support it.

You can help protect the rainforests by sending a message to the Minister of Forestry David Carter urging him to support the Greens bill as well as move quickly to stop the import of illegal timber imports. As a consumer country of products from the destruction of tropical rainforests such as timber or palm kernel, we need to act now to save the forests and the climate.

Nick Young
Greenpeace

http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/action/forests/?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New+Plymouth+PKE+action+EX+TAURANGA

Start Freedom

October 14th 2009-live broadcast from the U.N







http://www.stopthetraffik.org/startfreedom/

Peace for the earth

Earth Song Lyrics

What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth this weeping shore?

Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh

What have we done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
This crying Earth this weeping shore

Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh

I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far

Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh

Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh

Hey, what about yesterday (what about us)
What about the seas (what about us)
The heavens are falling down (what about us)
I can't even breathe (what about us)
What about Africans (what about us)
I ain't even you (what about us)
What about nature's worth (ooh ooh)
It's our planet's womb (what about us)

What about animals (what about it)
We've turned kingdoms to dust (what about us)
What about elephants (what about us)
Have we lost their trust (what about us)
What about crying whales (what about us)
We're ravaging the seas (what about us)
What about forest trails (ooh ooh)
Burnt despite our pleas (what about us)

What about the holy land (what about it)
Torn apart by creed (what about us)
What about the common man (what about us)
Can't we set him free (what about us)
What about children dying (what about us)
Can't you hear them cry (what about us)
Where did we go wrong (ooh ooh)
Someone tell me why (what about us)

What about babies born (what about it)
What about the days (what about us)
What about all their joy (what about us)
What about the man (what about us)
What about the crying man (what about us)
What about Abraham (what about us)
What about death again (ooh ooh)
Do we give a damn

Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh
Aaaaaaaah Oooooooh

good Intentions

A funny incident happened the other day. As I was exiting the class room and since I was the first, I thought to prop the door open with a piece of wood left in front of it for this purpose. As I opened the door and went to slide the wood under to hold it open, a class mate walked out and kicked it to the side. The look on my face must have explained my shock and she quickily defended herself, by telling of her intention. While I saw the wood as something to prop the door open so others wouldn't have to hold it open to exit, she saw it as something in the way that someone would trip on. We both saw the funny side of it and since we are both social practitioners quickly saw the lesson in it. While both of us had good Intentions, they clashed. This is something that happens on a daily basis, people who have good intentions but which clash with someone else.
The moral of the story is good intentions sometimes clash.

Be careful with what you read

I recently read a book called the shack and what a great book I found it to be, I got totally swept up in it's story and have to say even found comfort in it. but be careful what you fill your head with, althogh it tells a story of who God is, it's just a story and many have been swept up in it believing this is what god is like. selling around a million copies. Be critical of what you read, you might just be decieved. here are the links:

http://www.theshackbook.com/

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/shack.htm

Whats really in our food

I've been working on a policy inititaive for one of class assignments, it is addressing the issue of food and the differences in quality and pricing. While researching, I came across a policy written by the green party about food, titled Greening the food basket. Ironically it's main points are exactly what my main points were, but better. Here's the link, this is what the standard of our food should be and despite how much income you earn, the quality of food that you buy is the same for everyone.
www.greens.org.nz/policy/food

The demand for better quality of food is based on peoples increasing awareness of the impact on the enviroment, peoples hardship due to the way it's produced and the effect on one's health. The more people are aware and educated on the subject, the pressure remains to change the current to better standards of how our food is produced. A movie called Food Inc has been released in America, soon to be available here.

International day for the remembrance of the slave trade and it's abolition

On sunday the 23rd August, International day for the remembrance of the slave trade and it's abolition. IT'S NOT OVER YET and still continues to this day, the least we can do is share about why this is still happening and how? Next Sunday speak out, tell your friends, family and congregation. Share the amazing story of grace and what we can do....



Here are some websites to visit:
http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/
http://www.humantrafficking.org/
http://www.stopthetraffik.org/default.aspx

Thoughts from a gardener.

Imagine thousands of different varieties of veges and fruit, many types of the same each having a different shape and colour, with differing ph soil levels, zones required to grow. Unfortunately many varieties have been lost and destroyed, of the rare types of fruit and veges either have been patented or held by a few. A group known as seed savers exchange are dedicated to keeping heirloom seeds and some live stock around to share with others and for future generations, they have over 25,000 different types of veges and fruit. It is unbelievable how many different types of apples you can get which many will never even know about and all the people that could be fed by the huge amount of food we have been given, yet much of what could feed millions is kept by a few. In a world driven by profit, greed, selfishness, has the ability to maintain what GOD has given us gone.
"Modern civilization relies on factory style agriculture and horticulture that is motivated by profitability and economic rationalism. Unfortunately this drives farmers to try and squeeze the maximum productivity out of their land in a way that is unsustainable. Govts and society can no longer afford, however to ignore the massive problems of soil erosion, sulinity, weed invasion and chemical pollution that have become the inevitable consequences of unsustainable farming practices. This zero tolerance of pests, diseases and imperfections makes it almost impossible for farmers to work in sustainable ways."
And to make it worse "Genetically modified plants present a different set of problems. genetic engineers are combining genetic material from organisms in ways that have never been possible in nature. Going on previous scientific experience we know that changing one part of an ecosystem will always result in some kind of knock on effect, resulting in other directions that lead to enviromental problems".
Everything depends on something, there is a hierarchal order where the bigger functions depend on the little structures. Man's solution to anything that gets in his way is to eliminate it. David Cavagnaro, master gardener, believes "that human beings need to understand and respect the principles of nature that govern natural ecosystems, and that we should model our co-creative gardening process after those principles. "We should never use any poisons or interventions that are designed to annihalate anything, but rather keep things in some kind of balance."
Taken from (Organic gardening for NZ gardeners(2004). Random House Publisher)

It is only till people stop trying to be God, turn to him and accept their place will suffering end.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will i hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" 2 Chronicles 7:14

The Dark Side

Val Valerian, in his Matrix III, establishes broad categories to classify humanity into, with rough percentages.
It relates somewhat to the light-dark polarity. [13]
Valerian did not present his data to expressly deal with the integrity issue, but it has a relationship and gives rough numbers.
Valerian sees it in terms of those who give away their personal power.
It can also be seen as serving themselves.
Most people do not want to be responsible for their lives, and arriving at a new level of integrity and taking back their responsibility has a price.
When faced with the decision to be responsible for one's life, more than half of humanity at this time readily falls back into complacency, easily controlled, giving up their freedom for comfort and "security."
As Ben Franklin once observed, those who give up their freedom for security deserve and receive neither.
About a quarter of the human race feels there is something wrong with the picture, but shuffle along with the herd nevertheless.
About ten percent know there is something not quite right, and have tried to do something about it at some level, but were repressed in one way or another and still shuffle along with the herd.
A few percent have figured it out and have broken away from the herd.
About five percent of humanity are committed self-servers, and actively and knowingly use others for their own ends.
Those numbers are handy and relate to the integrity issue.
Those few who have broken away from the herd are mainly other-serving.
The ten percent have tried to be other-serving and are to a degree, but have been beaten back into line.
About ninety percent of humanity makes up the "Great Herd" and is easily manipulated.

Those are general categories and percentages, and are only for illustration, not to be taken literally.
That category of five-percent dark path initiates has various levels of accomplishment and commitment.
The dark path is not forever, either.
Eventually, all dark path initiates wake up.
Not many reach that highest level of dark path evolution and meet the Creator, to be told they cannot get home on their path.
Most figure it out before then, getting a belly full of the pain and suffering that attends their path, and eventually revert and pursue the light path.
An initiate who attains the "mastery" of the dark path, equivalent to a Genghis Kahn is far less than five percent of the population.
A Genghis Kahn is one in many millions.
On the light path, a Jesus or a Buddha attained levels of mastery that have proven to be one in billions on planet earth, so far.

Taken from The Dark side, (although don't totally agree with some of this person's thoughts, but can agree on this though), to read full article:
http://www.thewe.cc/contents/t/dark_side.html

The story of Sara

Imagine being diagnosed with terminal cancer in your early twenties, having to go through chemo, painful treatment,a cocktail of drugs, only to be told your probably not gona make it. But what a strong person my friend Sara is, against all odds she did. There have only been two people in New Zealand to have survived such a deadly illness, Sara being one of them. what made the difference was her faith, it was her faith that saved her, her belief in a GOD BIGGER THAN THIS is what saved her. She has been a blessing to my life and what an inspiration.
yet sadly she has been diagnosed with multiple tumors, one situated on her brain and just like that it's back, why she has to go through this again is a mystery,our prayers are with her.

people are united by pain when it is shared. All those differences suddenly don't matter. At the end of all that has happened it's the one's you love that really matter, don't be too busy for them, make time.

For Sara
God is near

Good will everywhere

Everywhere their are people, communities doing acts of good, fighting for what is right, what is good. Although they cannot always be seen, they are there.
It is these things that need to be heard in such a time, all we hear is much about evil acts.
Unite
The idea of competition is prevalent among even the good intended people,orgs, groups etc...
competition for resources, popularity, attention, but what is most needed, what could make a difference is cooperation. people who will say, I will support you, aid you, because you fight for what is good, we will help each other. We will unite and put our petty differences aside to effect more effectively.
Dialogue is the key.

The only way to overcome evil is by doing good.

The corporation

Michael moore statement in the doco, "I'm convinced that after watching this a few good people are going to get up off the couch and go and do something, anything to get this world back into our hands"(collective)

WWJD

What one ordinary person can do, if we all responded in the way that Sue has what a different world we'd live in.

There is no fence sitting, you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. (Martin Luther King)

Attention

Body products has joined the list of Fair Trade certified Products.
Dr Bronners has a range of products from soaps to conditioner that are not only Fair Trade but also Organic and the bottles made from recycled materials. you can't get any better than this.
His Philosopy, is a bit out there but says a lot,they are written on the labels of his products "Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together, all things connect." 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration can solve every problem on God's spaceship earth barring none!" "How to love, for love is God and God is love."

http://www.drbronner.com/index.html

Some thoughts for consideration

Poor countries and future generations suffer for our destructive ways.

Sustainable development means respecting the limitations of our physical world.

The current form of development and advancement: obsessive self interest, the refusal to recognize the reality of society.(Shirley,I,2007)



Issues that need action
Poverty
Fair trade
Human traffiking
Pollution-destruction of earth
Consumption/materalism


learn to do good, seek justice. Help the oppressed. defend the orphan. fight for the rights of widows. Isaiah 1:17

Make change

go green

you can get stainless steel bottles from East West Organics On West Coast Rd, Glen Eden, Auckland or Kathmandu sell their own range or visit these websites:

http://www.kleankanteen.com/
http://www.ecotanka.com/

Farm life

I haven’t always had the privilege of living on a farm and 2 weeks ago as I was leading the hens back to there coup, I was reflecting on how I felt about meat to how I feel about meat now and all I can say is that we eat a lot less meat. It makes a huge difference when your meat is right next door to you and sometimes pokes it head through the fence. Our process for killing these animals is probably the best that there is, the animal is separated from the rest and when it is calm and unaware is shot dead. This is done to ensure the quality of the meat is at its best, and out of respect for the animal, our hens are also free range and the difference in their eggs is a healthy, more nutritious egg.
Over all I am hugely grateful and respectful to have a piece of meat on my plate and always think of the sacrifice that was made so that I could have a piece of steak. Although this is my experience, many don’t know where there meat comes from and how it lived. I have come to believe this is very unhealthy, meat is taken for granted and consumed like there is no end. And the more demand there is for it, the more likely the conditions of getting that meat on your plate are at the expense of the animals well being and the environment. And let’s not forget the present swine flu which has brought many to the attention of the treatment of these pigs in Mexico, so I am convinced that if we treat these animals that die for our meals, with humane treatment and respect then we benefit as well having better quality produce and we potentially avoid an epidemic.
So where does your meat come from? do you know the conditions it live in? how often do you eat meat?
As a consumer what you want does matter. what would happen if everyone demanded produce that meant animals were treated with the proper care and respect.

What are you going to do about it?