Our convenor John Lloyd began the year reading part of a thought provoking poem by Drew Dellinger found in Bob Brown’s book, "Optimism - Reflections on a life of action"
It's 3:23 in the morning and I'm awake
because my great, great, grandchildren won't let me sleep.
My great, great, grandchildren ask me in dreams
what did you do while the planet was plundered?
what did you do when the earth was unravelling?
surely you did something when the seasons started failing
as the mammals, reptiles and birds were all dying?
did you fill the streets with protest when democracy was stolen?
what did you do
once
you
knew?
Food for thought at a time of apparent environmental unravelling as fires continue to ravage Tasmanian wilderness forests. John then reviewed ‘The Invention of Nature’, a book about Alexander von Humboldt who is considered responsible for our understanding of nature as an 'organic whole’ and for introducing the concept of ecosystems.
We then watched the excellent Catalyst program on battery technology; discussed the Ockham’s Razor program ‘The Zillion Year Home’ and read articles relating to environmental flows in the Broken River Catchment; wetland habitat restoration across the mid-Murray; the ongoing health of the Murray Goulburn Basin; and the increasing devastation of Australia’s coastal seagrasses which absorb carbon dioxide 40 times faster than seagrasses, offsetting carbon emissions by acting as a carbon sink over the long term.
Time was spent in our second session getting to know our two new members, Charlie and Bill. Both have a long term interest in environmental matters, Charlie through Landcare and Land for Wildlife; Bill through working in accounting/management roles in the agricultural sector in Northern Queensland. We discussed the role of our group and other local environmental groups such as BSFG, the Benalla Food Cooperative and Winton Wetlands before moving on to our read articles relating to some positive moves and continuing dilemmas in our transition from a dirty coal based economy to a cleaner solar and other renewables based economy.
It's 3:23 in the morning and I'm awake
because my great, great, grandchildren won't let me sleep.
My great, great, grandchildren ask me in dreams
what did you do while the planet was plundered?
what did you do when the earth was unravelling?
surely you did something when the seasons started failing
as the mammals, reptiles and birds were all dying?
did you fill the streets with protest when democracy was stolen?
what did you do
once
you
knew?
Food for thought at a time of apparent environmental unravelling as fires continue to ravage Tasmanian wilderness forests. John then reviewed ‘The Invention of Nature’, a book about Alexander von Humboldt who is considered responsible for our understanding of nature as an 'organic whole’ and for introducing the concept of ecosystems.
We then watched the excellent Catalyst program on battery technology; discussed the Ockham’s Razor program ‘The Zillion Year Home’ and read articles relating to environmental flows in the Broken River Catchment; wetland habitat restoration across the mid-Murray; the ongoing health of the Murray Goulburn Basin; and the increasing devastation of Australia’s coastal seagrasses which absorb carbon dioxide 40 times faster than seagrasses, offsetting carbon emissions by acting as a carbon sink over the long term.
Time was spent in our second session getting to know our two new members, Charlie and Bill. Both have a long term interest in environmental matters, Charlie through Landcare and Land for Wildlife; Bill through working in accounting/management roles in the agricultural sector in Northern Queensland. We discussed the role of our group and other local environmental groups such as BSFG, the Benalla Food Cooperative and Winton Wetlands before moving on to our read articles relating to some positive moves and continuing dilemmas in our transition from a dirty coal based economy to a cleaner solar and other renewables based economy.
