Save Happy Valley Campaign Update 3
Kia ora koutou,
Here’s a quick round-up of what we’ve been up to with a few links for more information on each of our actions.
Happy Valley Campout No. 2
Our second campout at Happy Valley (28th August – 4th September) ended up attracting about 45 people over the whole week. It was good to hike back out to Happy Valley and remind ourselves of what’s going to be destroyed if the mine goes ahead.
The Tree-sit
During the second Happy Valley campout, Fiona Gibson and Rob Cadmus, members of Dunedin’s SEA (Students for Environmental Action) and the Save Happy Valley Campaign, undertook a week-long tree-sit and fast on a small platform suspended from a tree on the road to Stockton. This action focused on the climate change impacts of coal mining.
For more information, see: http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/20605/index.php
Christchurch infostall and protest
In early June, Bruce Stuart-Menteath of Forest & Bird organized an info-stall in Cathedral Square and a protest at the Solid Energy offices in Christchurch. About 400 leaflets were handed out, concentrating on river pollution. Later, at the Solid Energy offices, Bruce handed over a “Worst River of the Decade” award to Solid Energy CEO Don Elder and Environmental Manager Mark Pizey for Solid Energy’s pollution of the Ngakawau river.
Other infostalls have taken place around the country, as well as a lot of postering in major cities.
Protesters Storm the Stage of the "Champion Canterbury Awards"
On Thursday 23rd September, about 20 protesters made quite a ruckus at the "Champion Canterbury Awards" in Christchurch. The protest targeted Solid Energy as well as Crop&Food and the Cancer Society. Solid Energy was given an eco-terrorist award.
For more information and photos, see: http://indymedia.org.nz/feature/display/21302/index.php
Happy Valley and Climate Protesters Visit Solid Energy sponsored event
On Sunday 10th of October protesters visited the Steam and Boat Fair in Ngaruawahia which was sponsored by Solid Energy, brandishing ‘Solid Energy out of Happy Valley’ & ‘Solid Energy Climate Chaos’ banners.
For more information and photos, see: http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display_any/22061
Protestors dig up Solid Energy’s lawn
On Friday 10th December demonstrators dug up Solid Energy's front lawn at their offices in Christchurch while others, dressed as kiwi, served Solid Energy staff relocation notices. There was an item on the protest on TV3 News that evening.
For more information and photos, see: http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/23539/index.php
T-shirt selling
The SEA group in Dunedin has been making Happy Valley T-shirts and selling them to raise money for Ngakawau Riverwatch. If you want one, get in touch and we’ll send one your way for a small price. We also have patches and stickers.
Information booklets, Happy Valley website and the like
We’ve been working on a Save Happy Valley Campaign information booklet which is almost finished. The plan is to get these around the country to Environment Centres and the like. If you want a copy, please get in touch, gold coin donation plus postage each… buy a handful and give them to friends!
And while we’re talking about Happy Valley information, don’t forget the website, tell your friends to visit it!
http://www.happyvalley.enzyme.org.nz
Donations!
We’re currently raising money to pay for the information booklets and to do a leaflet drop in Westport and surrounding areas.
You can donate money to the campaign by contacting us, or by simply making a deposit to our bank account - Save Happy Valley Campaign: Kiwibank account 38-9003-0334146-00 We really appreciate any support you can give the campaign.
Rising Tide International
If you’re interested in grassroots climate campaigning around the world, check out these websites:
http://www.risingtide.nl http://www.risingtide.org.uk
And that wraps things up for the moment. More will be happening over the summer period - apart from our planned leaflet drop on the coast, we’re also sure to be active at the time of the Environment Court hearing in March. Get in touch if you’ve got any good ideas or you want to play a more active role in the campaign.
Happy New Year’s, Jonathan Oosterman (Save Happy Valley Campaign)
