GreenplanetFM Podcast

We need a whole lot of frontline activists working to challenge this failing neoliberal system that we reside under, where the corporations are taking control, and democracy is likely to die, and where the government fails to listen to the people!

It is possible for brave individuals to make a difference. In this interview Icelandic protest leader Hordur Torfason speaks of what makes an activist, by relating his own experience. First he talks about his gay rights activism, and then onto the Iceland Revolution, of which he was the major initiator. Importantly, he allowed other people to do their own thing, and did not insist that everyone worked with him. This allowed other leaders to express themselves and come to the fore and the movement grew.

We live on a planet of majestic proportions, teaming with life within a biosphere of mega-trillions of beings.

From the microscopic and invisible to the macro-captivating mega fauna, from viruses and bacteria to the great blue whales and kauri and redwoods. To the council of all beings - all breathing in concert and growing and surviving within the seasonal cycles of a fecund yet increasingly stressed mother planet.

However - what of the future, where are we going as a human species? What is the destiny of our planet in these rapidly changing of times? And who best can speak to these challenges, other than the races and cultures who have held onto the old ways - the indigenous, the first nations - the ones who keep the soles of their feet firmly planted on the surface of the great mother, Gaia, Papatuanuku, our profound sustainer.

Listen to an inspiring introduction to what this weekend will share. This engaging discussion with representatives of this forthcoming event is persuasive and captivating. Knowing that there are devoted people, 'being the change we want to see in the world' is heartening. Let's support them by furthering this notion as we mobilise to care for our individual and collective future - for all biota.

Kevin Toomey a Catholic and Daud Azimullah a Moslem of the Auckland Inter Faith Council talk about the benefits and challenges of bringing the 'interfaith community' together including all the various strands of the humanity into one unified global family that lives in peace and prosperity.

Their aim is to promote interfaith cooperation around shared religious values to strengthen the public's commitment to the values of civic participation, freedom of religion, diversity, and civility in public discourse and to encourage the active involvement of people of faith in every countries political life.

Jeff Phillips originally from the USA studied physics as he wanted to be an astronomer, then switched over to zoology and psychology after being inspired by Dr. John C Lilly and his work with cetacean consciousness where he was invited to California to swim with the dolphins.

The word 'Civilized' by definition means to live in cities and includes everything associated and linked to living in tightly organised, structureds, law making, stratified and hierarchical systems.

Jeff goes on to describe the differences between indigenous living and civilisation especially with the extractive economy to that of the consumptive economy where mining, from iron, to diamonds, to gold and coal and to today's big baddie ­- uranium. It was either the people for the earth or the people against the earth. The indigenous not owning the land but instead being custodians.

The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zealand's Ministry for the Environment describes the RMA as New Zealand's principal legislation for environmental management.

As the RMA and the decisions made under it by district and regional councils and in courts affect both individuals and businesses in large numbers, the RMA has variously been attacked for being ineffective in managing adverse environmental effects, or overly time-consuming and expensive and concerned with bureaucratic restrictions on legitimate economic activities.

Dr Mels Barton and Sean Freeman speak about the impact of the recent changes to the RMA

Should central government be able to control decisions made by local government? This seems to be the approach of our current government thus undermining local democracy, generally in favour of business interests. One could ask if the RMA is being turned into an economic development act! Changes to the RMA certainly won't build more homes.

The changes to the RMA from 2009 to 2013 have restricted the ability of local government to protect trees on urban allotments to those trees that have been listed on a scheduled list. In Auckland whilst there is some protection for vegetation that is located within sensitive areas such as riparian margins, coastal cliffs and Significant Ecological Areas (SEA's) such sensitive areas, are not commonly found within our city's boundary. The current Scheduled List of Notable trees amounts to approximately 6000 trees which is less than 15% of our remarkable urban forest. For the remaining trees on private property there is effectively no protection.

Trees have a unique place in our environment. Without them, human life as we know it would not exist. Trees conserve water, make our air breathable, absorb air pollution, support our slopes and form the hub of enormous underground micro-environments that strengthen soil and foster insect life. In a city trees take up a lot of storm water that otherwise may cause flooding.

At a time when we all know the scale of the predicted intensification of building across our city, we have lost the ability to effectively protect our urban forest from property developers. We have lost the ability to protect those living assets which make our city a liveable place.

The country is divided as it hasn't been since the South African Springbok tour in 1981. And probably along somewhat similar lines. This time it is over a complex international treaty – the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, TPPA (often referred to as the TPP). The negotiations were kept secret for six years, and for good reasons. Analysis of the final agreement shows that the TPPA is not in our interests. Beyond the spin and myths, there are three hard truths about the impacts of the TPPA on New Zealand.

Reclaiming our country NZ - a call to family and community values of goodwill cooperation & ecological mindfulness.

David Ford, in his own language:

I'm not fond of "blunt language" AND I reckon WE the Royal WE have got to collectively stand up & demand a total course correction to the Human race. If we really want to "save OURSELVES"; I reckon all we have to collectively do is to STOP PARTICIPATING ~ STOP CON~ SUMING ~ and start RE~CREATING & playing (without consuming! ) more.

WE collectively have PILLAGED our MOTHER PLANET ~ therefore WE can COLLECTIVELY HEAL HER. It's pretty SIMPLE.

David Ford describes himself as a simple South Island, NZ farm boy (& ex Red neck National party man) who went on a 3 year OE that has morphed into 42 years as a proud GLOBAL CITIZEN AMBASSADOR for New Zealand's core values of kindness, peace seeking, generosity & can do co-operation.

At the Paris Conference of the Parties - COP21 - almost 200 nations agreed to reduce greenhouse gases to levels yielding no more than 1.5 to 2.0 degrees of warming.

Scientists are convinced that anything above the 2 degree mark locks in changes to the planetary climate beyond civilization's adaptive capacity.

For some climate activists, like Gary Cranston, the accord was an exercise in empty, feel-good promise making. For example, a group of climate scientists recently submitted a letter to The Independent calling the agreement "false hope" and full of "deadly flaws." They cited the fact that the CO2 reduction commitments in the agreement don't kick in until 2020. By that time, the scientists argue, so much more CO2 will have been pumped into the atmosphere that we may already be locked into warming, pushing us above the 2 degree line.

In 2016 Christine Jones is coming to live in NZ, to assist farmers and soil scientists understand how biological agriculture can resolve pollution challenges caused by excessive use of nitrogen and phosphorous fertilisers. She says improvements to soil function will help restore waterways without any need to reduce the number of cows. At the same time, the cows will be healthier!

The book, The Catch:

The awakening in NZ at both Government and industry level that we have to totally change our fishing practices to conserve local and world fishing stocks.

That citizen initiated groups in NZ can make a difference if we commit to organise and make our voices heard.

This is about the exploitation of NZ waters by overseas fishing corporations.

The exploitation and near on slavery of crews working on these boats in NZ waters.

The vacuuming up of the last remaining tuna and large fishing stocks in the Pacific ocean, that last fishery on earth.

Of corruption and irresponsible attitudes at virtually every level in the worlds fishing fleets.

We have to act now.