I knew this was going to be an insightful interview, because Guy had already laid down the parameters of his argument: In just 10 years time humanity would become extinct on our planet.
In the intro before we went to air - I asked Guy if he was open to me looking at ALL possibilities and to even humour me in my indulgences.
So read on dear reader - this is a very unique interview and I will summarise what subjects I was unable to totally cover at the end.
I knew this was going to be an insightful interview, because Guy had already laid down the parameters of his argument:
That in 10 years humanity on our planet would become extinct.
Well, I am 12 years older than Guy and have heard statements like this before... but 10 years!
Then he opened the door to take him up on his following statement on his website: Nature Bats Last. (www.guymcpherson.com)
As always, I’m open to alternative views. In fact, I’m begging for them, considering the gravity of this particular situation.
I was ready for Guy, but I needed another hour to be able to build out a more compelling case for a global shift in consciousness. Or to at least seed the ideal.
One of my first interviews (that I do not have a record of) was with NZ’s top scientist for 2004, Peter Barrett. At that time he was Director of the Antarctic Research Centre at Victoria University of Wellington.
In his acceptance speech for the Marsden medal for exceptional scientific achievement he stated: “We have to change our ways because continuous growth and business as usual on our planet, will cause us to become extinct within the next 100 years."
Well, the status quo in Wellington were not happy and he was asked to recant and offer up another statement, which he duly did, and stated: “the end of civilisation as we know it!"
That same year I also interviewed James Lovelock, instigator of the Gaia hypothesis, that our planet is a super organism. He too implied that we had reached a tipping point.
His two subsequent books The Vanishing Face of Gaia and The Revenge of Gaia were grim and pessimistic outlooks at what was happening due the sustained abuse and avarice that we humans have been engaged in, especially over the last 70 years in exploiting our great sustainer.
He too said that we would not make it into the next century.
He said “Enjoy life while you can. Because if you’re lucky, it’s going to be 20 years before it hits the fan.”
That was early 2008, however he later stated in 2012 that he was an alarmist. He still maintains that by the end of this century 80% of the population will be wiped out.
When hearing Guys pronouncement last week that "humanity would become extinct in 10 years time", I was already case hardened. As a ‘trooper’ it did not phase me - I was/am ready.
I've been steeled for this since 1975, when I read the Doomsday Book by a Gordon Rattray Taylor. This book covered the fate of what we as a humanity were doing to our planet.
In one nights reading it shocked the daylights out of me altering me substantially to this day.
His foreboding narrative of the future of Planet Earth painted a collision course with the death of humanity, into a morbid, lifeless, Martian outlook.
So I opened up with the recent Paul Henry morning TV3 show where ‘NZ’s loose canon and fervent denier of so many things’ was totally gob smacked.
For this was the first time of hearing of his 10 years death sentence to his future dreams, unfinished diatribes and indulgences. He was like a goldfish blowing bubbles, yet looking very closely at Guy, you could see his eyes intently staring out at the world.
The original 4 minute sound bite interview turned into a 10 minute one, as Paul wavered all breaks for advertising. He wanted more information about his starkly shortened future!
In short, Guy maintains that planetary temperatures are all locked in already. We have blown the thermostat of our planet and we can’t do anything now.
It’s like giving the command for an oil supertanker that has been at top speed to stop! This takes something like 120 miles or so to bring it to a complete halt, as its momentum is so powerful.
Guy encourages us to go back to the land, take action and protest this takeover, such as in South Dakota at Black Rock.
“It’s the right thing to do”, he says.
People today suffer from NDD or ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’. We have lost our connection and don’t know where much of our food comes from. Hence our lack of consciousness of our living planet.
There are always consequences. Year after year we have failed to solve the problem of growth at all costs. Not to mention the poisons we produce due to extraction of resources from the bounty of the land we inhabit.
We have had the warnings time and time again and we took no action.
We have all been born into the situation to find we are now born into captivity!
Lack of Connection
Kevin says the 1% are not burdened with empathy, to care about what they do. It’s a huge social disconnection that when they make decisions, they hurt the world.
My question to Guy:
Do you think we have sociopaths running the high end of our planet?
Yes, we have. He could argue that we are all part of the problem because we (in my words) have all become consumers, consuming ourselves and our common future. That basically 95% of us always vote on our bank balance and what’s in it for Me?
Kevin then jumped in and stoically stated that he wanted to be the last person planting the last tree on our planet, before the lights go out. I then leapt in and said I would be there with him! Ready to eat of the fruit of that tree!
We are Slow Learners
Then I introduce the concept that:
50 Years ago we heard that we would destroy our civilisation possibly in around 100 years or so - if we did not change our ways.
20 years ago they revised it to possibly 40 years
15 years it was down to 30 years
Now Guy today is saying about 10 years to go...
It nearly rhymes with.
50 years ago the human race were only using 10% of their potential
20 years ago they then said it was 7%
5 years ago it was down to 5%
2 years ago it was we were only using 2% of our potential
So we are using less and less of our potential … to find out we're using less and less of our potential …
What is going to happen in 5 years time?
Guy jumped in and said yes, we have totally lost our way.
Changing the Whole Focus: From Disaster to Changing of Human Consciousness
Without grinding into what is actually happening … temperatures rising, droughts, catastrophic events, etc. (I was even going to ask him about Geo engineering however our time was short and this is covered in my summary at the end.)
I decided to beat a path to the inner self, to our potential as a human and what can we as a humanity do, seeing the situation in Guys words was so dire.
Albert Einstein said that we cannot solve the problems with the same consciousness that caused them in the first place.
Where do you see yourself in relationship to this Guy? And he says he is all for it, but we have not done anything about it.
Next, Nikola Tesla said "when mankind starts researching the invisible he will make more progress in 10 years that he will have in the whole of civilisation".
Guy says that there is a lot that we do not know, because it is invisible and we have not learnt enough to become more evolved.
Tesla talked about the ‘luminous akasha’ as to where he tapped into Akashic Records . Akasha is a sanskrit word that Buddhists believe in “a permanency of records in the Akasa” and “the potential capacity of man to read the same".
What do you think Tesla was saying here? (listen to the interview for more)
We are one Molecular Unified Energy Field.
What about the fact that our planet is one unified molecular field that we are all connected - you to me in the gigantic sphere of atomic frequency - the air molecules between us, our bodies and this building is all one field oscillating at a particular frequency.
Guys says ‘that we are that.’
This is fact YES? We are “one field".
We Humans are the Nerve Endings of Our Planet
I mention that James Lovelock says that we humans are the nerve endings for Gaia, Mother Earth and that when someone stands up in the Amazon with a sign saying “No more deforestation!” they are a nerve ending telling the world that the Amazon is wanting help.
Same for someone standing up in Palestine with a sign saying “We want Peace”. This again is another nerve ending communicating with all other nerve endings that we need to change, stop war and heal for Peace.
Well the planet is inflamed and the ones who are hearing the Earth’s call and feeling this calling deeply, are coming in with compassionate mindfulness to be a part of ‘her immune response!"
Guy says that he is open to a miracle - and that we need to ‘Passionately Pursue a Life of Excellence’
We have the saying the ‘anima mundi' which is Latin for World Soul? So for arguments sake we could be all connected at the energy unified field?
We share the one breath - all of us.
This is all unseen and is invisible.
Kevin adds that the Nuclear power stations in the US are still going and there are dangers of invisible radiation escaping. The US government has now extended the power station’s licenses by many more years. Even though virtually all have passed their use by date.
They are now extremely dangerous because the cost of decommissioning them is outrageously enormous.
The Japanese reactors at Fukushima are equally dangerous because they have been idle and out of action for 5 years. They are now being recommissioned, and this is fraught with problems.
Guy says of Tesla and regarding ‘the invisible' that there is so much we do not know. He talks of 'dark matter' and that science is now recognising there are many other Universes other than our own. It’s a Multi verse.
And he says about a change of consciousness - is there enough time for a change of consciousness? … Mass consciousness? He says he does not know, but is open to it for sure.
Also mentioned are Walter Russell (the American mystic) and Viktor Schauberger, who have seen into the invisible.
Schauberger, (known as the 'father of water'), was able to lie down beside rivers and ‘become one with them’ in consciousness.
Meditation was mentioned as a way of being able to find solace from the outside world as well as heal from grief, which is what many people are experiencing as we learn of the plight of our home planet, mother earth.
The conversation then moves to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross where 1600 people came to listen to her tell of her research at the Auckland Town Hall. She had interviewed 20,000 people who had had ‘near death and out of the body’ experiences that we were more than a mere body.
This was to extend the conversation beyond the limitations of seeing the world from a 3 dimensional world devoid of spirit or soul.
That there is far more to existence than this world of the so called 5 senses.
I mention names like:
Who have all studied death and Guy agrees that death and dying plus sex are taboo subjects.
Also there are books like Super Nature - Dr Lyall Watson, prolific author of many books on life
The Secret Life of Plants and the Secrets of the Soil by Peter Thompkins & Christopher Bird. These books on nature extend our knowingness about how ‘alive’ nature is.
And we are now running out of time, to extend our view of the human capacity to learn and grow.
Guy says that finding joy and to be open to allow joy to find us is so important. Find your tribe. Go back to grass roots working with your neighbourhood. Pursue excellence. These are the best things we can do at present.
Guy says that extinction is a natural process and we are in the 6th great extinction.
Kevin says, that now he knows his time is limited, it has freed him up immensely. He can do far more things that benefit the community that he is part of, on the island that he lives on. And there is no better time than the now.
Guys says, if we had made the change during the cultural or flower power revolution in 1966-67 it may have made a difference to the world if it had spread.
However, our children and grandchildren are not being factored into our future.
This interview covers many other heartfelt subjects and is well worth the listen as it is sprinkled with little gems.
In Summary:
So that was it, we ran out of time.
However, I also wanted to cover the other unknowing capacities of the human being such as:
The story of savants
There was the 'Mega Savant' Kim Peek, best known by the movie character he inspired the “Rain Man” played by Dustin Hoffman in the 1988 film of the same name. Fast absorption was no problem for Peek, who could just as easily read and memorise a telephone book as a compendium of Shakespearean plays. Kim could take in 10,000 words-per-minute reading two pages at a time—the left page with his left eye and the right page with his right eye.
If a human can do this, can not any other human, once we tap into that aspect of our psyche?
Then there was fire walking - Fijians and Indians in South Asia and their diaspora in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Réunion, South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore, who celebrate the Thimithi festival.
David Willey, professor of physics with the University of Pittsburgh, says he believes fire walking is explainable in terms of basic physics and is not supernatural nor paranormal. Willey notes that most fire walks occur on coals that measure about 1,000 °F (538 °C), but he once recorded someone walking on 1,800 °F (980 °C) coals.
Mind over matter?
What about Speed reading?
Anne Jones, six times World Speed Reading Champion told the Guardian media that most of the time, she reads at speeds between 800 and 1,500 words per minute. This is much higher than the average for a good reader given by fellow academics, of 200 to 400 words per minute.
Theodore Roosevelt was among the most intelligent U.S. Presidents and famous for his efficient reading skills. He would often take in an entire book before breakfast. If time permitted after dinner, he’d read through a few more before bed.
Inspired by his fifth cousin, Franklin D. Roosevelt adopted old Teddy’s auto didactic approach and taught himself to speed read. He began by fixating on two-to-three words at a time. He then pressed on to three-to-four, six-to-eight, and so on.
Eventually, America’s beloved four-term President could read whole paragraphs like ordinary folks read individual words.
Following in the Roosevelt’s footsteps, President John F. Kennedy made speed reading a personal priority during his tenure in the White House. With practice, he cultivated a rate of 1,2000 wpm, as he wanted to be able to read two or three books daily. JFK wanted his brother Bobby to learn to speed read, too, and the pair of Kennedy’s took classes together to that end.
So what is the capabilities of the human mind? This is the never ending question.
I also had many other questions about some yogi’s in India that I wanted to talk about. Information that’s not publicised in the main stream media such as Paramahansa Yogananda and his astounding death.
ET Intervention?
Plus, in my pre-talk with Guy before the interview, I did even mention to him the ET situation. Captain Edgar Mitchell (6th man to walk on the moon) mentioned on Campbell Live here in Auckland in 2008 that the US authorities have bodies and that they have been studied. So there is most definitely an Extra Terrestrial equation that has to be at least discussed.
If our planet is in free fall and losing it and they have super energy technologies that can reverse all the heating and reflect sunlight back into space... They could have reason to push into our world, defying the prime directive not to intervene in another planet’s evolution, however again I ran out of time to bring this subject back up.
Post Thoughts on 10 years or not?
With the subject based on only 10 years to live as a species, I personally have another slightly optimistic opinion.
The Antarctic ice is close to 1.9 km (1.2 mi; 6,200 ft) in thickness and covering an area of almost 14 million square kilometres (5.4 million square miles) containing 26.5 million cubic kilometres (6,400,000 cubic miles) of ice. It will take a long time to melt, as it is in darkness and cold for 4 to 6 months a year.
And Greenland has a mean altitude of ice at 2,135 metres (7,005 ft). The thickness is generally more than 2 km (1.2 mi) and over 3 km (1.9 mi) at its thickest point and covers an area of 1,710,000 km2 (660,000 sq mi). And yes there is the slowing down of the Atlantic ocean gulf stream too.
There are many, many other contingencies to play out before I adhere to Guys 10 year statement, though he has far more up to date information than I.
I remain confident that I am still going to enjoy a long life of a degree of happiness, bearing in mind we are in such a majorly critical evolutionary phase.
Yes, Geo Engineering! I was going to ask Guy about what is happening about Geo Engineering. (geoengineeringwatch.org)
I see there is a large in-house disagreement between them and Mr.G Edward Griffin of ‘What in the World Are They Spraying?’. However as this is still unclear - I decided against it.
Yes we live in very interesting times!
Creative Social Communicator with early history, first peoples and the awakening connection to the earth mother and the elements.
Today she is a celebrated filmmaker, producer and director covering the canvas of earth, water, and sky and the growing people’s reverence of Aotearoa and our great sustainer Mother Earth - Papatuanku.
Early Years:
Born in Ōtautahi, Christchurch, whilst studying at Canterbury University she did the ‘poet rounds’ of local pubs with people such as Kerri Hume and other home grown celebrities.
Then when visiting a playwright’s workshop in Australia she realised that only 1% of the world’s playwrights - were women this then inspired her to fire up and write. She then had a play produced on stage in Australia and in Christchurch help set up the Woman’s Action Theatre.
Then for 8 years produced one play per year, ‘Mother Tongue’ being one of them and with the NZ Listener giving it an amazing review it ended up touring the country. Being based on the first stages of a woman’s life. Featuring chant, song, dance and scenes through different aspects of a growing woman – like Offspring – the first 6 months of the 1st baby – and then another of an older woman who was a successful gold miner in the West Coast - Buller region.
That Christchurch Ōtautahi is where Kate Sheppard, who initiated the vote for women lived and was buried there. Kate also tells of her unique connection to the 1st vote by women in 1893.
Nuclear Awakening
Then to working in Free Theatre and Court Theatre and then onto radio drama which she loves. One of these was called Charlie Bloom, about blowback from a French nuclear test in Polynesia which went from East to West covering Samoa and affecting the the Samoan inhabitants 3,610 km from French polynesia and Mururoa. This bomb test was on the 12 September 1966. As a consequence of this test, called Betelgeuse, (named after the 9th brightest star in the night sky) in which a 120 kiloton bomb hanging under a balloon was exploded at a height of 600 metres in difficult wind conditions.
Not long after this Kathleen was living for a while in Hakano St, Grey Lynn in Auckland and there were many Samoans living in that street and there was a disproportionate number suffering from strange cancers and odd diseases then she found a book by Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) and also the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research entitled Environmental Effects of French Nuclear Testing. This exposed what was happening, including a map of the rain-out hot spots and rain-out dry spots all over this part of the Pacific. This was when leukaemia sickness was spiking at one of the worst rates at that time in this region.
Her play was also broadcast in Australia and Kathleen’s parents were over there for a few days and just looking for a decent radio station to listen to, heard Kathleen’s ‘Charlie Bloom’ being broadcast – just out of the blue and this is a theme that runs through her life – many magical moments of synchronicity.
Her most recent book is Earthquakes and Butterflies based on the Christchurch Earthquake and was played for a week on National radio here in NZ. Her book is a delightful, beautifully designed novel and photographic journal following Hone, Kara, Pieter, Hemi, Helena, Kay and Tess as they navigate their way through the tragedy of the Christchurch earthquakes.
"This is surely one of the finest pieces of writing to come out of the Christchurch earthquakes. Kathleen Gallagher tells, with deep tenderness and compassion, the story and spirit of all that the moving earth laid on the heaving doorsteps of Christchurch... Jane Hole,"Tui Motu" Nov. 2015,
Film
The documentary Water Whisperers - Tangaroa the film – evidently, it just sort of happened. With no finances or major strategy, when some people came to her at the last minute and asked her to film a raft journey from Lake Sumner in the Southern Alps to the Pacific ocean, this was enough to pay for Water Whisperers – plus when it came to support with this production - she says “it just seems to show up!”
This vibrant environmental documentary explores the healing and recovery of polluted and fished out waterways, and the conservation of wild water places - from mountain lakes, through rivers and out into the ocean. Subtle, sensitive and beautifully photographed - it is a quietly convincing voice amid the clamour of our fast paced society. People from very different backgrounds stand together - being real about the challenges they face, they show us there are solutions as well as problems that we have to address. This is an eloquent and utterly convincing call for greater protection and care of New Zealand’s lakes, rivers, coastlines and oceans.
"This beautifully put together and refreshingly optimistic local doco is one of the most enjoyable films I've seen in months ... Seeing an eco-doco so informative, entertaining, light of touch and unashamedly Kiwi was a real treat ... Four stars, easy ... a very accomplished and compelling film."
Graeme Tuckett - Dominion Post, Wellington
When filming Sky Whisperers - Ranginui - she tells of a small number of large hawks or kea flying right in front of her car windscreen blocking her view that she had to stop the vehicle in a middle of a mobile phone drop-out area. Whilst stopped a very tuned in Maori friend phoned her saying she must come to where he was – as the film had to start from Lake Waikaremoana - stating that “ I am waiting for you!”.
She had not planned on including him in the film and so due to the ‘strangeness’ of the moment, she then detoured to where he was some hundred plus kilometres away even though they were going to another destination to start the film. So driving through a storm she arrived at Lake Waikaremoana where he was standing waiting for her and her team, still in the middle of that storm. Where she proceeded to interview him then carry on back to the original destination.
This fascinating environmental feature, calls us to a closer intimacy with our skies. Celestial navigators, climatologists, a Nobel prize winning scientist, biodynamic, Maori and radio astronomers, farmers, fishermen and business folk who observe the sky, the air, the stars, the moon and sun cycles. Together they show how we can establish a way of observing, living and doing business which results in non pollution of our skies.
Tau Te Mauri - Breath Of Peace
A fascinating story of effort towards global peace, featuring eight peace people of Aotearoa New Zealand - spanning some seven decades - peace walkers, petitioners, and folk in small boats and on the surfboards sailing out into the harbours in the face of huge warships. A unique documentary, embedded in the movement of aihe (dolphins), tohora (whales), kotuku (white herons), toroa (albatross) and with an original score blending contemporary waiata and traditional Maori musical instruments. This film tells the story of how Aotearoa New Zealand became nuclear free and anti-war. It is an inspiration for all people, young and old, and for peacemakers everywhere.
Conscientious Objectors:
The Peace People of NZ go back a long way – to the Chatham Islanders to Te Whiti go Parihaka in Taranaki - who it is recorded influenced Mahatma Gandhi in his expression of peace.
Jack Rogers and the few who remain alive today … then Mary Woodward – protesting against the bombing of Hiroshima.
Hautu Peace People of World War II
“Hautu is the story of two WWII Conscientious Objectors put away in the rugged Hautu detention camp near Tūrangi on the Desert Road south of Taupo and their supportive womenfolk who were living in Christchurch and on the West Coast” in the South Island.
Kathleen states that peaceful energisers come through in NZ, every decade and this ideal moves around the country as in George Armstrong up here in Auckland with the Peace flotilla and Bunny McDiarmid and her Greenpeace work. Especially with the Rainbow Warrior moving the people in the Marshall islands away from the radioactive island that the US atomic testers used and then sailed away from.
The bombing in Auckland Harbour and all the other important Greenpeace issues that are still with us today.
And Nicky Hager NZ’s top independent researcher and Kate Dewes - all have worked for decades, on peace issues, to bring more peace in our world.
Kathleens Home Turf
That Riccarton borough in Christchurch was the first Nuclear Free area in NZ. – That is where Kate Dewes lives and where Kate Sheppard once worked and lived. Deans bush there too. It’s a place of much change.
Trees in the seven hectare bush include ancient kahikatea, totara, matai and hinau. The bush is now protected by a predator proof fence and is home to small populations of the Canterbury tree wētā and great-spotted kiwi/ roroa. Before European settlement, Pūtaringamotu was a valuable source of food and timber for the Māori. From the bush they produced carvings and canoes, and preserved pigeons.
These trees, up to 600 years old, are the descendents of a podocarp forest established over 6,000 years ago. They are the sole Canterbury remnant of kahikatea floodplain forest and as such have national significance.
Haharanga – Healing Journeys. He Oranga He Oranga
Healing Journeys
Many of Kathleen’s friends got breast cancer and numbers of them died. She talked to people who had terrible prognosis yet had survived and she found that it was in the quiet areas of place and the space – that healing took place.
This inspiring feature documentary follows the journeys of eleven cancer survivors through - bone, bowel, breast, ovarian, prostate, brain cancers, Hodgkins and nonHodgkins lymphoma, and leukaemia - to better health. It begins where the boiling heart of the earth rises up to the surface. It climbs the mountain peaks, descends the valleys and flows through the bush and on out to sea, exquisitely blending taonga puoro - traditional Maori music, Celtic harp and flute, and contemporary waiata.
She found that when people shifted to a more conducive environment their health improved immensely.
That it was in the forest the ngahere the ancient forest - the puawai – the blossom of the ancient forest are very healing in so many ways same for the way – running water swift flowing water helps cleanse - plus mirimiri a rubbing motion this inspired her to do the film Earth Whisperers Papatuanuku.
Earth Whisperers Papatuanuku.
Starring Rita Tupe – Tuhoi healer Craig Potton EYEla burgess herbal, herbalist, Gerry Findlay talks with birds Alan marks the botanist, hugh wislon who has a thousand hectoer of regenerating forest Jim ogorman organic farmer in Omaru Charles Royal maori chef. Kay Backster Seed Saver Makere Ruka – Waitaha kuia. This film went all over the world. And going to the huge film festival in Abu Dhabi in the Middle East winning the Audience Award. Then around the world like wildfire.
Yet to obtain funding is a major task …
Then Water Whisperers Tangaroa
Following the water from Mountains down rivers and out to the ocean – to the Poor Knights marine reserve area. Including Leigh as the oldest marine reserve in the world.
Raglan Fred Lichtwark and Eva Rikards working on restoring nature in the spirit of kaitiaki went from lowest to highest fish count in NZ shoreline waters. Riparian planting changed it all around increases of Eels (tuna) whitebait (īnanga) and over marine fish. A great success.
In this film there are lots of models for people to follow
Muscles farms out in the bay in Takaka were being affected by chemical and nutrient runoff from farmed land – So Landcare a Government Department brought the two groups together and after challenging times have sorted out! A win win!
Actions for today!
Locking away huge areas to stop fish depletion and overfishing – Andy Dennis who died recently in Nelson states that half our bays need to be locked up all the way to the 200 mile fishing zone. He maintains that this would allow all fish to recuperate to the same numbers of fish, that were here when Captain Cook arrived.
Yes, there are still vested interests who oppose this concept other than wanting to lock areas away – yet, when fishing sanctuaries a put in place the long-term results is for everyone benefits.
This interview covers Te Urewera as a park now having human rights and the Whanganui River (awa) being classed as a living entity
This opens up the narrative about Papatuanku the earth mother as a living super organism. That includes our intimacy with Papatuanku as a living being. http://www.ourplanet.org/articles/new-zealand-government-acknowledges-a-river-as-a-living-entity-and-a-park-as-having-human-rights
Altered Realities
That things happen ‘in the moment’ and time can alter and shift, it is not necessarily linear which we usually see from a rational standpoint.
In Earthquakes and Butterflies Kathleen states that time can also expand & contract - especially when major earth moments are happening.
The conversation then enters more non corporeal subject matter and the metaphysical connection to the land of Aotearoa.
She mentions when Leonard Cohen when he last came to NZ fairly recently, said “you live in the is place that is magical – yet you walk around it as if it is ordinary!”
Connection and intimacy with the land whenua.
Some years ago American First Nation peoples came to NZ to apologise to the salmon that swim and travel up the Rakaia River in the South Island (Te Waipounamu - The Waters of Greenstone) They wanted to honour the fish, because their rivers are depleted of chinook salmon today. These South Island salmon were brought from America to NZ in 1867. They then spent 4 days and 4 nights at the top end of the river singing, praying, dancing, talking and listening to the river.
Plus there other stories of Maori and kaitiakitanga - guardianship, protection, preservation or sheltering. Kaitiakitanga is a way of managing the environment, based on the traditional and cultural methods.
Listen to this fascinating interview of a creative, inner-directed New Zealander
http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/writers/gallagherkathleen.html
Helen Caldicott came to New Zealand in 1983 with her husband and started from the bottom of the South Island, travelling from town to town and into cities, giving talks to New Zealanders on the horror of nuclear war.
By the time they arrived in Auckland, huge crowds were coming to see her, and they fully understood her stark yet powerful message.
This set the scene for setting up Nuclear Free Zones all around New Zealand culminating in 72% of the country sanctioning Nuclear Free Zones, giving the Government of the day the mandate to make New Zealand a Nuclear Free Country. This is democracy in action - and how it needs to be implemented globally. People setting the agenda for the government to enact it into law.
Today in 2016, she notices the Peace Movement is very quiescent here in NZ, hardly existing at all. The average citizen does not know what is going on - the media is not teaching people what is really happening.
Such as what the Pacific Pivot means, not informing them what this large display of naval ships in Auckland harbour represents - that the huge arms bazaar and military expo, just over a kilometre from the Mayoral chambers is being orchestrated and sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the largest weapons maker in the world, who she states: “Are killers”!
Not only this, but we in New Zealand are participators in an American military build up that she has never seen before.
She says that ex Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev and many others say we are closer than any time, to nuclear war - even at the height of the cold war, when NZ made it’s courageous anti-nuclear stand. And in truth, by not being the bearer of deep insightful news - “the media is determining the fate of our “planet.”
As president Thomas Jefferson said “ an informed democracy will behave in a responsible fashion.”
She then lays it all out:
The need for war is partly that of the ‘backroom boys’ who behind closed doors are embedded in the military industrial complex, because they need wars and the ability to steal the American people’s, tax dollars - that 60% of every tax dollar goes into killing - they call it defence - it’s not - it’s killing!
What America is doing in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Syria is absolutely obscene. But to them - isn’t it all really good!
Even the stocks in the US military machine went up enormously when Donald Trump was elected.
Now Trump is a totally unknown force - no one yet knows what he will do. However his one good thing is that he seems to like Vladimir Putin, and that’s a major benefit as she says that Putin has every single town and city in NZ, Australia, Canada, US Japan, Europe UK targeted with at least 1 hydrogen bomb. Note that Russia now has the capabilities of sending a missile up over the North pole totally around the planet passing over Antarctica then up to the South Island onward to the North Island, of NZ.
So it is in our interests to work towards finding ways to befriend Russia and not pose them as an enemy. Which the Neo-cons & US the State Department along with Hillary Clinton have been constantly doing.
Malcolm Fraser ex Australian conservative Prime Minister, before he died in 2015 stated.
That the then Soviet Leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, when negotiating with James Baker, on behalf of US President Ronald Reagan that when he brought down the Wall, freed up Eastern Europe and dissolved the Soviet Union that in doing so NATO should not move one foot East, or closer to Russia as this was an area of traditional Russian influence. But President Clinton pushed to expand the Nato alliance to the very borders of Russia. There was talk of the Ukraine and Georgia being included. The US BROKE THIS AGREEMENT - and then installed missiles in Poland frightening the Russians to rearm - and yet it is the Russians that are to blame for rearming! This in Helen’s words, is absolutely right.
NATO & Russia Today
She said “ NATO is America” - let’s be frank. The enlargement of NATO since the Berlin War came down, was orchestrated by Norman Augustine who was the chairman of Lockheed Martin and he went to the newly liberated countries from the Soviet Union and asked them if they wanted to be a democracy?
Even though in Helen’s words, America is an autocracy, Dictionary meaning. absolutism, absolute power, totalitarianism, dictatorship, despotism, tyranny, monocracy, autarchy; dystopia
They apparently agreed but to become part of NATO they had to re-arm to the tune of 3 billion dollars - so that the US Military Industrial apparatus, could then sell more weapons to them and by enlarging NATO creep all the way up to the border of Russia.
So, in Helen’s words, they could then provoke Russia and moreover tell the world that Russia is very aggressive. When is it is not.
If you read Putin’s speeches they are very moderate and conciliatory and he is really worried. Thus America has the absolute gall that now these ‘Neo cons’ in the State Department are talking about regime change in Russia.
She says can you imagine - the Russians lost 27 million people in the Second World War - boy did they suffer. The Second World war was fought and one on the Russian front. The Russians are a proud people, Putin is popular and having been to Russia herself Helen, sees that the Neocons that are driving all this talk of war is not of paranoia, but in her terms is evil. Because by provoking Putin & provoking Russia we could destroy life on earth and the whole earth is wired up like a time bomb every minute, every day.
Helen then goes on to call on New Zealanders being a brave, courageous people with their feet on the ground and not involve ourselves in the US military’s Pacific pivot and not allow any of their ships into NZ, even if they have no nuclear weapons and to not participate in war games. Especially, not allow Lockheed Martin and the 200 employees it has in 6 bases in NZ who has as their objective - unmitigated killing.
NZ has to stand up again as it did 30 years ago when it received the respect and admiration of the whole world.
Time for NZ to step back into that time again.
Then there are our Australian cousins that in Darwin in Northern Australia they are basing 2,000 US marines. Helen claims that Australian PM Julia Gillard had no guts and allowed it to happen. The last PM later in his life Malcolm Fraser wrote a wonderful book called Dangerous Allies where he said that Australian’s are just sycophants to the US and that they must get out of this alliance. With 34 US bases in Australia including Pine Gap which orchestrates the drone killings and would orchestrate nuclear war and are an integral part of the US killing system.
The last person who took the Americans on was ex Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and he was going to name the people and the CIA operatives who were working at Pine Gap the next day in Parliament. But he was dismissed and ousted, in a coup, led by the CIA, she states is a matter of fact. See movie ‘The Falcon & the Snowman’ She says since then Australian politicians have been a bit scared to take on the Yanks, but she says - they must!
Australia has lost its autonomy and lost its independence, and she sees that Australia is now really pathetic. Whereas compared to New Zealanders we are not pathetic at all and we can really stand up to the Americans and also provide a blueprint for what the Australians must then do.
We citizens of the world have to say NO to the Americans - she says they are addicted and we are enabling them to be addicted to killing.
With military bases in nearly every country of on earth - they have ringed China with anti missile basis and the same for Russia she wants them to get the hell out of these basis and leave us all alone and not be the world’s policeman
And she quotes “we should not be under their military umbrella”
We want to be safe and have no thoughts whatsoever of nuclear annihilation.
We bring our children into the world we do our best for them an every level we find possible. But why do this if they have no future?
The challenges around bought and sold politicians owned by the corporations comes up, (not so much as in America) and though we are living in a democracy - our representatives, have run away with their own agendas.
What we need to do
Helen says that we have to become educated with the challenges before us, and really know what we are saying, when we speak about these subjects.
One way is to book appointments at local politicians electorate offices and go and voice our concerns to our elected servants. That we teach them, because they in many cases have no real deep understanding of the many issues, they do not understand science on the whole, or medicine so educate them. Best go as a delegation of 3 to 5 people and get their attention and tell them that you vote every election. But doing it every week, with different people fronting each time.
Call to Action
Many adolescents have dropped out because at a deeper level of being, they know what we are doing is so out of alignment. That what we as a human species is doing is basically destroying life - that there is no future for them, the heritage that we have to bequeath them is terrifying to them - hence the suicides and drugs and alcoholism. Many of them have given up.
Parents can not abrogate their responsibilities. If we bring a child into the world - it’s imperative to care for them in every way possible - not leave them to the unpredictability of market forces and environmental depletion.
It has to be done through the media - articles through the newspapers - local news, letters to the editor get on talk back by giving a fictitious name, especially if you get cut off as they are apt to do in NZ - disguise your voice - be innovative and know you subject inside out and back to front.
As she said earlier, the media are determining the fate of the earth and this is how we educate people.
Be innovative and Creative
We need to get ourselves on TV, do many little ‘youtube’ clips, for both Facebook and other social media. Use social media to the max to expand the envelope of our horizons.
When she went to the USA in 1978 the Americans said to her “better to be dead than Red.” and she realised that that nation is psychotic (what is it today?) But she managed to change the nation’s mind by orchestrating 23,000 doctors to teach the US people by having workshops and by carefully explaining the dangers and horror of all things nuclear. That after five years 80% of the US opposed the concept of nuclear war.
That the daughter of President Ronald Reagan came up to her at one speaking engagement and said “I want you to speak to my Father.” Soon she was in the White house and what she thought was for a short moment spent and hour with him and the result was an agreement with both him and Mikhail Gorbachev to drop the wall across Berlin and free up all the Warsaw pact Eastern European countries and dismantle the Soviet Union - and it happened. Reagan actually stated that he would like the elimination of all nuclear weapons. (But his minders interrupted and said that this could not yet be done.)
She said that at one meeting Patch Adam’s (Hunter Doherty “Patch” Adams is an American physician, comedian, social activist, clown, and author) stood up and said that to get people’s attention we have to take our clothes off and walk across America - everyone thought that it was a great idea, that all took their clothes off then and their - hundreds of them male female, young, old, fat and skinny and down the street the walked yelling “Nudes NOT nukes” and were on the New York Times because the media loves sensational news - and Helen was naked with them.
Fukushima & the Crisis of Japan
Fukushima in Japan she calls a ‘crisis without end.’ She said that the media hides everything and now the radiation, four hundred tonnes of it per day is leaking out of Fukushima into the Pacific ocean. Her book - Crisis Without End - (order from Amazon.)
Fish being caught and sold on US Market with no labelling.
The radiation is now absorbed in the lowest levels of the ocean floor - food chain and much of the radiation is accumulative and it has now moved to the top of the food chain, where the cetaceans. It may take from a few years to 80 years for cancers and over diseases to appear, and it is very difficult to track how different cancers manifest from.
That the fish of the North Pacific are being caught and quietly/secretly being sold on the North American market as well as on the London market in the UK. It is a total disgrace that there is huge dishonesty. That the Japanese government has passed a law penalising any journalist who reports the truth about radiation poisoning within Japan.
I asked her about conforming that the health authorities have colluded in Japan, the US and Europe, by changing the danger risk for radiation from 1 milli-serviet as the maximum to 20 milli-serviets. She said she knew all about it and that that she covers this in her book Crisis Without End.
New Zealanders need to wake out of their complacency. This radiation is in the very ocean that laps our shores. It’s on it’s way and there had better be a national dialogue on it ASAP.. Don’t expect leadership from the top levels of Government. It all has to be done from the grassroots but we all have to educate ourselves in the process.
This is a riveting interview - Helen does not hold back and comes out swinging - I even cop it :)
Kate Dewes
Ph.D. O.N.Z.M (Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit) directed the South Island Regional Office of the Aotearoa/New Zealand Peace Foundation, among a huge number of other official positions.
Kate wraps it up by covering the last 15 minutes telling of the positive movement globally towards peace and disarmament. That progress is being made on many levels, even if we do not get reports from the media. She is very hopeful that most countries around the world are realising that we must act in unison if we are to save the future for our children and grandchildren.
Using the UN and the World Court there is much diligent work been done by many people, behinds the scenes and NZ is there too. Peace groups globally are cooperating far more and using the above institutions whenever possible. We are speaking out at the UN which we do on many levels that our UN Reps do their best to be independent, when we get a lot of pressure put on us by larger countries.
Back here in NZ the fact that Kiwisaver was ‘exposed’ for investing in armament corporations. We are exposing cluster munitions too, NZ has had a leadership role of taking other states to the World Court in the last 30 years.
We have now in essence a Southern Hemisphere Nuclear Free Zone that needs a little more work around ratification - progress is being made.
NZ is also taking a lead on stopping production of landmines.
Kate has witnessed huge changes - NZ has taken a leadership role especially in the United Nations.
Co sponsored a Nuclear Weapons ban treaty at the UN - we have been active there for many many years and will continue.
Progress has been slow but we as a planet have cut the number of nuclear weapons down from over 30,000 to 15,000 - What we now have to do is get countries to de-activate nuclear missiles from hair trigger alert.
It is seen that NZ must become much more independent and keep out of ANZUS, though we are being leaned on all the time to cozy up to the American military in most instances.
Kate is very hopeful of the future and sees NZ as continuing to be a strong moral force for good, especially in the UN.
We have tried to stay out of international wars, though we have had a lot of a pressure put on us, by our ‘friends’.
There are many thing happening at quieter levels, like recently the US had to admit that it was actually in Syria and that it was using DU or depleted uranium in this conflict, when it is being ‘marketed’ by mass media as a civil war.
We have ex National Party Prime Minister Jim Bolger and US ambassador, whose party was originally against NZ becoming Nuclear Free now travelling the world talking up Nuclear Free Zones. He and Jeffrey Palmer ex Labour PM are part of the ASIA PACIFIC NETWORK and are active in promoting a Nuclear Free world.
http://a-pln.org/activities/activities_view/On_nuclear_first_strike,_White_is_wrong?ckattempt=1
Kate Dewes
http://www.disarmsecure.org/people.php
As a result the Peace Movement of NZ is mobilising! All peace loving people are welcome to attend, a non violent demonstration prior to a blockade outside the ANZ expo centre. Details below.
The goal of this action is to bring both local and world attention to the fact that armaments and war are increasingly being pushed up the national and international priority list. Whilst, housing, health and social needs get less.
So what do we want the people of NZ and our government to do?
Download and listen to Laurie.
Why is the military/industrial complex in New Zealand?
Lockheed Martin is one of the world’s largest nuclear weapons, electronics and ‘security’ corporations and has a presence in New Zealand currently encompassing over 200 employees and operating on six sites in Trentham, Palmerston North, Burnham, Wellington, Auckland and Waiouru.
Note that though Lockheed is the principal sponsor, (with a woman CEO of all things). The 90 other sponsors include General Dynamics, Hawker Pacific, ANZ, Airworks, Auckland University’s UniServices, Babcock NZ, Beca, Safe Air, AVIS, University of Canterbury Spatial Engineering Research Centre, Callaghan Innovation, Mainfreight, and Datacom Ltd.
What is militarism in present day terms? Plus why now here in NZ?
It is to celebrate “Seventy Five years of the NZ Navy” and act at the same time - as a cover for selling weapons.
Lack of Will & Diplomacy on a Global Scale. Why?
Today, we have an issue of nuclear weapons being intensified with Russia & China being reclassified as the adversary and that no attempt is being made to mobilise diplomatic efforts on a broad front to look at resolving these issues and de-escalating what it happening. Why not greater diplomacy and Citizen Diplomacy as in the Reagan Gorbachev era?
Note that President elect Trump has consistently stated he does not want confrontation with Russia, so let us trust that this is so. And he does not get infiltrated with Neocon advisers who subvert him.
New Zealand as a Nuclear Free Peacemaker?
For NZ there are many options to concentrate around Defence but not Offence and re focussing our Foreign policy of engaging in Peacemaking and Neutrality. Training up all personal in the defense forces in the many methods and modalities of peacekeeping, and helping the community that is being assisted to become more cohesive and functional. Emergency power, health, water, shelter and policing via the rule of law etc. Including mediation skills, food growing and education.
What can we do as a nation as we already have an educational program in place that is championed by the NZ Peace Foundation - called Cool Schools. That has been introduced to thousands of schools across NZ. Where children learn the skills of reconciling opposing points of view with peer remediation and conflict resolution. A huge export potential of this innovative method of bringing people together in a mode of ‘learned communication skills’ and equipping them for the future.
However. Laurie goes far deeper talking about systems and structures and how to lay out the protocols on a vaster scale, that also encompasses not only local areas suffering from some disaster, but to larger situations involving whole countries. Listen to the broadcast.
Laurie finishes with a prayer and a song.
This piece below is gratefully taken from Action Stations here in NZ.
https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/no-weapons-expo-no-warships
We oppose the investment of billions of dollars in the military and new weaponry, which clearly does not deter terrorism, but rather contributes to violence, and war cycles.
We will not stand for the government supporting an arms expo for international weapons companies. This is proposed for 16 and 17 November 2016 in Auckland, sponsored by the world’s largest weapons manufacturer and maker of nuclear weapons, Lockheed Martin.
In June, 2016, the government announced $20 Billion of new spending on weaponry. At the same time, it extended an invitation to a US warship to visit NZ for the first time in 32 years. In November this year, this will all culminate in a week where warships dominate Auckland Harbour, and 500+ weapons dealers take over the ANZ Viaduct events centre for a trade show. The NZDF, Ministry of Defence and NZ Trade and Enterprise provide funding, personnel, equipment, displays and expertise for the Weapons Expo.
The $20 Billion new military spending includes the purchase of new warships and aggressive cyber warfare capabilities described by Minister Gerry Brownlee as a "significant weapon". This is despite that the government's own evidence that "the country does not face a direct military threat in the foreseeable future."
While billions are funnelled to multinational arms dealers, the real threats to ordinary people in New Zealand mount: poverty, homelessness, lack of adequate health care and catastrophic climate change.
Auckland Peace Action is a grassroots community group working to oppose the warships and the weapons expo. We believe that it is not possible to build a peaceful and just world while simultaneously acquiring ever more weapons and doing more planning for war. This petition is an important part of our campaign this year to bring pressure on the government. Join the campaign for peace!
[1] See "Does US Intervention overseas breed terrorism?" Foreign Policy Briefing. The Cato Institute. http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/fpb50.pdf
[2] More information on the Weapons Expo can be found at
http://www.nzdia.co.nz
[4] Ministry of Defence. 2016. Defence White Paper, p10.
http://www.defence.govt.nz/pdfs/defence-white-paper-2016.pdf
How it will be delivered:
Auckland Peace Action sees this petition as an important part of our campaign opposing the weapons expo and the visit of foreign warships in November 2016. We need your support now to make this petition as powerful as possible. All the signatures will be delivered in the immediate lead-up to the weapons expo.
It takes only a moment to download this from GreenplanetFM.com and you can listen to it whilst driving, bussing or training to and from work or leasure.
Lauri is one of the most dynamic grandmothers in NZ who clearly articulates what needs to be conveyed and very powerfully too.
ACTION DATES:
Tuesday 15th Nov: Dr. Helen Caldicott speaks
Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Dr. Helen Caldicott, the world’s foremost anti-nuclear activist and researcher speaks at 7:30pm, at the Auckland University of Technology. Hosted by the Peace Foundation.
Wednesday 16th: Blockade the Arms Trade!
Actively oppose the arms trade by the blockading the Weapons Expo. There are spaces for people who wish to actively blockade as well as space for support and family-friendly creative resistance. Check out the Facebook event for full details.
Thursday 17th: WALL of NOISE – Drown out the Death Merchants.
Bring your best noisemakers, instruments, banners and placards to drown out the weapons dealers’ party and awards ceremony happening inside. Evening. Check out the Facebook event for more details
Peace Flotilla: Time & place TBA
Join up with a boat, kayak, surfboard or your body to resist the warships coming into Auckland Harbour. Details confirmed closer to the day.
SATURDAY THE 19th Auckland Town Hall - the BIG MARCH 2pm.
Come and make a noise, and Bring Banners & Placards.
A Massive March for Peace
Wednesday 9 November 2pm
Press Release: People for Peace
A big turnout is expected for a March for Peace on Saturday November 19th at 2pm, starting from the Town Hall, Queen St, and organised by “People for Peace”.
Large numbers of people are stunned that the New Zealand Navy has invited approximately 15 warships to participate in the Navy’s 75 birthday celebrations and an International Naval Review. Other countries are sending senior officers to participate.
The vessels, with their array of deadly weaponry, will berth at both Ports of Auckland and Devonport Naval Base. This is a stark call to all peace activists who opposed the US warships in the eighties and worked for a peace that may now be under threat globally, and also to the new generation of young people who see the insanity of warfare and want to take a stand for peace.
“Even if the ships are non-nuclear armed, it is still not desirable to be reinforcing a warfare mentality and militarism when we should be promoting peace and underpinning the UN Charter that New Zealand signed in 1945,” said long time peace worker Lisa Er.
“By endorsing conventional warships New Zealand is effectively being groomed for involvement in future wars” she said.
In tandem with the warships visit is a weapons conference and expo, selling both military equipment and weapons, at the Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre. It will bring together 500 arms dealers sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the world's largest weapons manufacturer and a producer of nuclear weapons. This is contrary to Nuclear Free New Zealand’s peacemaker policy role in the international community.
It also contravenes Auckland’s City for Peace declaration, signed on Dec 15th 2011, which states that “Auckland Council is dedicated to the promotion of nuclear free zones and a culture of peace based on social, economic and environmental justice, tolerance and nonviolence.”
Veteran Peace activist Laurie Ross says, “New Zealanders must ensure that the multimillion dollar weapons industry is not permitted to promote its warfare culture under the guise of security, business and free trade in this country.”
“Unlawful terrorism will not be stopped by nation states increasing their warfare capacity but rather by curbing the sale of weapons and militarism throughout the world” she said.
The March for Peace is an opportunity for the public to show en mass their disdain for warfare and their desire to live in a peaceful world, and is complementary to the Week of Peace events.
Contacts:
Laurie Ross laurie-ross@xtra.co.nz Ph 09 818 0696
Lisa Er lisa@peaceteam.org,nz mob 021 777 473
City for Peace Declaration:
UN Charter:
http://www.un.org/en/sections/un-charter/un-charter-full-text/
Sunday 20th: Peace Ships, NOT Warships! 1pm @ the Cloud
We’ll be having a peace picnic in the midst of the Navy birthday celebration reminding everyone that war is not a celebration bring banners, picnic stuff and other peace materials.
Scientific research into the ocean and ocean floor is based on what we can exploit from the ocean. Yet, science is also unveiling the possibility as to where ‘ocean mind’ resides.
Some researchers believe that bacteria in ocean sediments are connected by a network of microbial nanowires. These fine protein filaments could shuttle electrons back and forth, allowing communities of bacteria to act as one giant super-organism.
In James Cameron’s movie Avatar, the inhabitants, the Na'vi people of Pandora, plug themselves into a neural network that links to all the elements of Pandora’s biosphere, from phosphorescent plants to pterodactyl-like birds. It turns out that Pandora's interconnected ecosystem may have a parallel back here on our planet: sulphur-eating bacteria that live in muddy sediments beneath the ocean floor, as a tightly coupled living mat or network.
Going back 4 billion years where bacteria have been living in the ocean and creating the conditions for life to prosper on our planet – evolving the conditions for multi cellular life to eventually we humans.
There is emerging evidence that bacteria in the oceans form massive mats connected with things called nanowires. These nanowires allow the bacteria to breathe externally from their bodies – so it is collective breathing – and that they could be connecting as a neural network – so it is possible that the ocean floor is a vast neural network or ocean mind, with deep thought – 10,000 years of thought process that we humans may only take a couple of seconds to grok. What kind of thoughts might the ocean be having?
We are finding out that we live on a planet that is alive and that the ocean is a living being.
Hence James Lovelock’s Gaia Theory that our planet is gigantic super living organism. Here is the original Our Planet description posted on the world wide web in 1996. http://www.ourplanet.org/original-site/gaia.html
It’s only in the last 60 years has man created the tools to look around underwater – with masks, oxygen tanks and more lately bathyspheres.
As we become more sensitive and knowing, immersing ourselves into the sea and becoming one with the marine environment and ecology - makes it possible to dissolve into a greater knowing of the ocean - to osmotically take in information.
To address the big oceanic issues, in Glenn’s opinion - it’s about addressing our own personal relationship.
Western civilisation including we here in NZ have over the years become more distant and separated from nature. We have in numerous ways become disengaged from natural processes and from our planet as a whole.
Note NCEA -the National Certificate of Educational Achievement in high schools in NZ that they do not teach ecology. It is not part of the curriculum. Thus students are leaving school not realising that they are an intrinsic part of the web of life within the biosphere. Now we know why the young are disconnected – they are being deliberately severed from our planet. Whereas Maori children in many cases intuitively understand they are an extension of Papatuanuku, our planet.
This interview covers:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature recently passing a resolution to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 At this meeting 129 countries or 89% said yes – and signed. But 29 countries said NO. And 35 abstained from voting. Note that ‘Clean Green’ NZ was one of the countries that abstained. That NZ could not in this time of declining fisheries and in an ecologically challenged world, mindfully look at this important 30% protection, particularly for our children and grandchildren’s future, gives us cause for concern
Yet, in Antarctica 24 countries and the European Union agreed to protect 1.5 million square kilometres of the Ross Sea - the largest marine protected area on our planet, so far. 1 million square ks will be a ‘no take’ marine reserve. This is worth celebrating. Yet it is set to expire in 35 years time. Why?
The NZ administered Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will be possibly the 4th largest protected marine reserve on earth. Covering 620,000 square kilometres, and the most significant of a fully protected area. It will be 35 times larger than the combined area of all of New Zealand’s existing 44 marine reserves.
The following activities will be prohibited in the sanctuary:
This is similar to prohibitions in place in marine reserves in our NZ territorial sea.
Challenges to our Oceans
Military testing sonar and microwave tech, even passing through some of these reserves! Plus electromagnetic energy that ships emit. These have been correlated to whale strandings and more science is needed?
Covering Professor Daniel Pauly of Canada – who says that there is no fishery on our planet that we could consider as sustainable. In 2004 he came to NZ and mentioned that we need to lock up 25% of our fishing grounds so as to rebuild up our fish stocks. He was criticised vehemently by commercial fishing interests here in NZ, but remains focused and undeterred.
In NZ, DOC, the Department of Conservation care for many offshore islands that are prohibited for humans to land on and they could in turn be extended to include fishing reserves around each island. So as to build up fish colonies again and create a “no take” marine reserve.
The ancient Hawaiians had an understanding that from the mountain top, down the valleys onto the beach into the water to the reef and out beyond the reef as one living holistic system. They did not partition nature.
Loss of NZ’s Endangered Maui Dolphin?
There is a belief with ocean ecologists that we are going to lose the Maui dolphins to extinction, because the NZ Government has no will to change the current situation. (34 minutes into the interview ) cut out before we email). Possibly only 44 are alive today.
They are found along the West Coast of the central North Island from Northern Taranaki in the South to Northland, just South of Opononi. In June 2014, the government decided to open up 3000 km2 of the West Coast North Island Marine Mammal Sanctuary – the main habitat of the Maui's dolphin – for oil drilling. This amounts to one-quarter of the total sanctuary area. In May 2015, estimates suggested that the population had declined to 43-47 individuals, of which only 10 were mature females.
Set netting in particular is seen as very problematic.
The Maui dolphin is becoming a very charged emotional issue in NZ as it appears that we could lose them whilst on our watch, possibly by 2025 or 2030. In a country that brands itself as Clean & Green, if we lose the Maui’s dolphin this will be a disaster from the standpoint of lack of mindfulness and the precautionary principle. To add insult to this loss it would affect the Maori people, as it will be a slap in their collective face, as their oral history tells of the God Maui, fishing up the North Island (Te Ika O Maui) out of the sea. This loss would be devastating for both Maori and New Zealanders as a whole.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maui%27s_dolphin
Government Changing the Rules.
At present the NZ Government is taking away from DOC, the Department of Conservation many decision making processes and handing them over to the Department of Primary Industries, because DPI is more of a commercial concern, based around monetary policies. This is where the government, our elected political servants are taking their own Agenda.
We as a people, need to instruct our government to do our bidding to enable 10% of our coastline to be designated as marine reserves and become far more informed.
Here in Aotearoa NZ the Te Urewera Park and the Whanganui River have been designated as having special privileges and rights. This was Government sanctioned and is an exceptionally visionary policy.
If it can be done on the land (whenua) then it can be accomplished on the ocean (moana).
http://www.ourplanet.org/articles/new-zealand-government-acknowledges-a-river-as-a-living-entity-and-a-park-as-having-human-rights#at_pco=smlrebv-1.0&at_si=5819316157fd1305&at_ab=per-2&at_pos=0&at_tot=1
Interspecies Communication?
Whales and Dolphin communication. By acoustics and sonar is covered. The www. - World Whale Web of Sperm whales connecting by clicks at deep ocean levels across the Pacific and deep levels.
Telepathy and possibilities of instant connection with large brain mammals?
Changing and cleaning up our oceans and our possible future.
We once had pristine oceans? Prior to the 17th century.
Will we (among our numerous and mounting challenges) realise our connection to the planet that loans us bodies, free air, free water and a free food chain?
As oceans bear the brunt of wastewater, from our homes and from sinks and bathtubs, to pipes, drains, creeks, streams and rivers all eventually find their way to the ocean. One way or another.
As we humans are composed of around 70% water and our bloodstream is about 3.5% salt - why have humans disconnected from our oceans? When in NZ the bulk of NZers are only 100 kilometres or less from the ocean.
Today, ocean plastic is outnumbering plankton 6 to one. That is correct - In certain areas of the ocean, specifically the subtropical gyres, micro plastic pieces outnumber plankton by 6 to 1. In other words, for every individual plankton there are 6 pieces of micro-plastic (micro-plastic being any plastic fragment smaller than 2 mm in diameter).
Micro plastic can now be found in every part of the Ocean, even in Antarctica, and on the ocean floor.
The majority has already sunk below the surface and out of our reach the only answer to stop this plastic onslaught from continuing is to stop putting plastic into the ocean.
Most of today’s challenges are extremely recent - especially in the last 70 years exponential acceleration and has grown across the whole realm of industry from products to pollution has escalated and the ocean is taking this all in. Including the nuclear radiation from Fukushima in Japan, that the world’s media and scientists remain tight lipped about.
Humanity has much to do in a very small window of time. The imperative is to connect with other people in your locality and voice your needs to commit to organise.
Write letters and phone you local MP and speak to them, either on the phone but better still with a small delegation of 4 or 5 of you and your friends. Let your Member of Parliament know your vote counts.
Glens web site:
http://www.oceanspirit.org