Stand up for our Future

Today was a really positive day. Mick and Sue had just set up, Sue had gone to get some more rope to tie down signs, and a girl’s class from Whakatane walked by. Talking with teachers I discovered that had real worries about our future, that had noticed changes to their weather and that they already had summer produce growing, about a month early. About half the girls knew who Greta Thunberg was. Half of them knew what she was striking for. Martin Dejong came by at lunchtime, as did my aunt and her youngest grandchild. John Blincoe also came by and talked for a while. A man that had come by some days ago came back and asked us how we could provide him some proof of climate change, Sue providing him with a link to NASA and Penn States’ Michael Mann and the movie Thin Ice. He wished us well.

After all that we had an independent film crew come by filming a documentary on the ‘make it 16’ campaign with some of the kids from that campaign. They were in recess for lunch from the High Court and filming on the steps of parliament. The crew then did a small interview with Kate Jensen, who had anticipated being in the public gallery at the hearing and made a clever sign in support with a climate message on the back. Unfortunately only whanau and associates were allowed in.

A good, positive vibe for today. Still feeling really good, just a little slow and tired. I hope that we can light a fire under our representatives in government, I think of my kids every every day and I have to have hope that they and all their friends will have a good future because of the actions that all activists work towards. All the incredibly skilled thinkers and movers I’ve come in contact with since I’ve been here makes me think we have a chance.

Saturday left me feeling quite low. We had a couple of somewhat unpleasant encounters. One was three fanatics. One that wasn’t at all unpleasant was a farmer from Hawkes Bay who was definitely a climate denialist but when pressed admitted that he had noticed changes in the weather lately. He was asked by Kieran about wetlands and frogs and he proudly claimed that he had remediated wetlands on this property and that, yes, there were plenty of frogs. A good news story.

Today was much better. We met some people from Invercargill. Two women and a man. The man, one of the women’s son, had recently start an e-waste business modelled on a person who Kieran knew as well. Apparently doing very well, he had secured a Gov’t. grant of a considerable amount. Very friendly and well aware of the need to work on changing to an environmentally friendly economy. He was also part of Occupy Invercargill.

We next met a woman and son from Southland. Margie is a councilor in the region, fairly newly elected, a farmer and definitely concerned with the health of the environment. Sadly that was not her husband’s feeling.

Sue has replaced Kieran to keep me company in Viard House and spent the afternoon with me as well as the cooler, misty weather moved in. Thank you both. I feel somewhat drained today and the news that the fires in California have merged into two fires, at the moment the second and third in size in Californias history, alarms the shit out of me. Maybe some good news tomorrow.

Today was another that had its share of head scratching about it.

Sue came back for a while this morning and then Paul Bruce joined me for the afternoon. It was a sunny and mostly warm day with a lot of families using the park. Also a visit from some Christchuch ladies who knew David.

I’ll concentrate on the better conversations of the day. George and Elspeth joined us early on, a couple from Wellington. George had worked at the DSIR, wrote an article about the effects of how the polymers in Teflon had an adverse effect on the ozone layer and was consequentially used by DuPont for 3 million dollars. He resisted the bullying.

I will mention, as I’ve done before, that the fires in N California have now consumed the states oldest park, Big Basin Redwoods State park. It has ‘endured extensive damage’ and 5 people have died already, in an unprecedented outbreak of fires caused by a ‘dry’ storm that produced 10,000 lightening strikes, setting 367 fires. In other news, the Gulf of Mexico has an active hurricane and a strengthening tropical storm that will possibly make hurricane status in it’s basin for the first time in human history, with the possibility of simultaneous landfall just a couple hundred miles apart in southern states.

All these recurring *firsts* should really be raising everyone’s eyebrows. I’m starting to feel tired now and my feet feel heavy.

Wow. What a day. Everyone came together for the Fridays4Future lunchtime vigil. Very windy. My aunt Barbara came down and spent a few hours with us. Much appreciated and welcome.

I feel surprisingly ok, tired but not exhausted, not really hungry. Lots of great conversations, some with passing people who are interested to find out what we’re up to. Most people, we find, have an idea of the nature of our predicament but have no real understanding of the complexity of the systemic breakdowns occurring in our biosphere. That’s to say the least. Cascading effects from the damage we’ve initiated are not something that keeps most people awake at night. The obvious reason for this is the muted undertones from our leaders. The effort to not expose the reality. When, in reality, if people were to know these things, I’m sure there would be a lot more people standing beside us and taking the painful, but crucial steps necessary to stop, or at least to minimize the assault on on our environment. Even if it meant they did with less, couldn’t jump on a plane any time they liked, had to supplement their diet with home grown vegetables, instead of peaches in a can from Argentina, packed in Thailand.

Today was a good day.

Another very interesting day..

Very windy with some rain to start. Again, not a lot of people passing by. More much needed rain. Today meet Tim Jones and David Gurr, more incredibly talented folk. I almost get the feeling that we can solve this issue together, when I listen to these people. World class academics. Molly, Sue (looking much better), Tim Musson and mother, Barbara, Kate, Caz and a English man named Jed, who met with Molly.

Today I read that in central northern California 10,000 recorded lightening strikes have started some 367 different fires, some out of control and they are warning many people to be ready to evacuate. It’s simply amazing, the sheer lack of awareness or vision from the leaders on this planet, past the end of their spreadsheets. On top of what’s happening in Siberia and the arctic in general, I can’t imagine that any end of century scenarios will ever be seen with human eyes. This fight we’re in is terminal, I fear, unless we act with an amazing amount of unity.

My slight discomfort is nothing.

This morning, with little sleep, I felt pretty good. Much the same temp as yesterday, sunny start to day, warm sun most of the day. Not too many people around, perhaps because of the undecided atmosphere that the virus has had on Parliament and the staffers, alike. Tim Musson and Mick joined me early this morning to set up and stayed all day.

Today I met Kate Jensen, Paul Bruce, a lady named Diane, a friend of Caz’ who also joined us again and Martin DeJong who came by to offer support. It’s really a great feeling to know that there are so many talented people, passionately fighting to preserve life for all the beings that follow us on this planet and to remediate some of damage we have inflicted on our only life support system.

Another lady showed later in the day. A cyber-friend of mine and acquaintance of Paul Bruce, Christine Mckenzie who had seen what I was up to and while down on the train from the Wairarapa to the capital, came by to wish us all luck. Thank you Christine. Really nice to finally meet you.

Like I said previously, we had a couple real characters today who seemed to want challenge the ideas of this vigil and hungerstriking, one perspective of relevance, deciding who was more likely to take the honours of the Nobel
prize.

Greta or Jacinda. Mick gave him the odds, 3 to 1 on Greta, 5 to 1 on Jacinda. There’s no contest, to me. Kieran has volunteered to stay with me at Viard House, much appreciated on top of all the work he does to maintain this group.

Still feeling OK tonight.

This morning, with little sleep, I felt pretty good. Much the same temp as yesterday, sunny start to day, warm sun most of the day. Not too many people around, perhaps because of the undecided atmosphere that the virus has had on Parliament and the staffers, alike. Tim Musson and Mick joined me early this morning to set up and stayed all day.

Today I met Kate Jensen, Paul Bruce, a lady named Diane, a friend of Caz’ who also joined us again and Martin DeJong who came by to offer support. It’s really a great feeling to know that there are so many talented people, passionately fighting to preserve life for all the beings that follow us on this planet and to remediate some of damage we have inflicted on our only life support system.

Another lady showed later in the day. A cyber-friend of mine and acquaintance of Paul Bruce, Christine Mckenzie who had seen what I was up to and while down on the train from the Wairarapa to the capital, came by to wish us all luck. Thank you Christine. Really nice to finally meet you.

Like I said previously, we had a couple real characters today who seemed to want challenge the ideas of this vigil and hungerstriking, one perspective of relevance, deciding who was more likely to take the honours of the Nobel
prize.

Greta or Jacinda. Mick gave him the odds, 3 to 1 on Greta, 5 to 1 on Jacinda. There’s no contest, to me. Kieran has volunteered to stay with me at Viard House, much appreciated on top of all the work he does to maintain this group.

Still feeling OK tonight.

— Paul

I came to Wellington this Sunday, the 16th of August 2020 to support a hunger striker, only to arrive to find her very unwell. Her support person, very luckily, is medically trained and keenly aware and got her the help she needed. I met Caz, Robin and Kieran who immediately made me feel at ease.

I came here with the intention of finding like-minded, caring souls and I’ve not been disappointed. My anxiety at all the heinous acts of cruelty toward one another in this global community compounded by the callous destruction of our natural world and the terrible manifestations of our voracious appetite, is a realization that I can’t make peace with and I need the closeness of people who share this feeling. I am doing this with my kids future in mind, all kids, everywhere.

So this morning, Monday 17 I started my strike with a touch of anxiety and the hope I’d be able to reach out to someone, some people and spark the recognition to join a fledgling movement for immediate action on abrupt climate change.

I’ve had a good day, approaching and being approached by more people than I thought would offer their thoughts and give their time. That gave me a few tingles.

It was a warm sun, most of the day, the later half of the afternoon quite cool.

The day has been shared by Mick, Tim Musson and his mother Barbara and Hiro, and phone support by Kieran and David.

I’m feeling a little hungry, keeping with the approved diet, drinking as much as I feel comfortable with.

For an unpleasant surprise, mix the electrolytes with 4 bags of Dilmah Mango Tumeric, Ginger and black pepper tea in 1.7 litres of hot water. Otherwise, all seems fine. A bit headachy.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

— Paul

The beautiful pealing of cathedral bells is a pleasure I don’t experience on Waiheke, and has particular meaning for me: on Thursday and Friday before I started my hunger strike I stood out in the early morning commuter foot traffic, wearing ‘Fasting for fast action on Climate Emergency’ bill boards and ringing my hand bell.

‘Town Criers’ in ages past spread important news this way. My voice is no match for traffic so I didn’t do much calling out, just handing out leaflets. I had a range of reactions from thumbs up and smiles to shaken heads, poor dear…! I’ve since learnt that this isn’t ineffective way to communicate in this day and age.

The other reason I took this action is referencing the following poem, which seems particularly apt in ways John Donne would not have considered, as well as the ways he meant…

For Whom the Bell Tolls,

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the
continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by
the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory
were.
As well as if a manor of thine
own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes
me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

This is relating to human beings and how every loss, or death, is an injury to the whole. Humans are interconnected with one another and can therefore not afford to be flippant with one another’s lives.

Despite the chilly conditions we had a steady stream of people past, with many discussions.
I was scanning the news as we have a late start weekends, and became rather incensed reading a couple of references to travel so wrote this:

I refer to the article in the Travel section of Saturday’s Herald ‘Future plans: a trip abroad with no departure date’ and Mary Holm’s comment at the end of ‘Free to travel’ I’m sure your letter will inspire many others to hit the road in retirement — COVID willing.

I hope it will be the road they ‘hit’, in a bus, as those who are knowledgeable about the burgeoning climate and eco crises believe there is no greenhouse gas budget for optional flying.

The only people who could, perhaps, have the right to fly, especially overseas, are young people on their single OE to see the world, those who have immediate family overseas, athletes attending ….and perhaps limited business-related trips where ‘Zoom’ is not a suitable alternative. I realise this is awful news for the travel and tourism industries, however, the alternative is even more dire.

Projected global heating is currently 3’ before the end of the century; we can only imaging the future that awaits our grandchildren and other threatened species, when already at the current 1.1’ we have the disasters and tipping points (list?) activated. The recently released book ‘Hope in Hell’ by J Porritt sounds an excellent source of up to date information.

I am currently on a 2 week hunger strike outside Parliament, following David G’s 21 days, to help draw attention to this critical situation; we, and the others who will follow, think its important to take this action before the election, to encourage people to vote for fast effective action to reduce emissions.

Perhaps instead of thinking about an overseas trip we could be focusing on local travel, and using our time and funds to support the disadvantaged, and improve resilience in our communities?

I wonder if we ‘boomers’ are going to wake up, take responsibility for the disaster we have allowed to develop over our lifetime, and act now to preserve a liveable future for our young people, and other species on our precious planet. For all of their sakes, I hope so.