Christine Rose has a passion for life. She is an environmental advocate, in the community, nationally, and even internationally.
She has just returned from Australia where the Humpback whales recovery signals hope for the future. Watching (rather than swimming) is her focus as it's non-invasive and takes the human ego out of the whales' natural behaviour.
Humpback numbers in NSW were down to a couple of hundred animals when whaling stopped in the 1960s-70s. This year estimations put the numbers at about 27,000 went along Australia’s east coast, and they' are growing at 11% pa cumulatively. About 95% travel within 5km offshore on their way to Antarctica. That's why New South Wales in the best place for whale lovers like Christine.
In this interview we cover a number of environmental issues from the whale’s recovery in Australia to the New Zealand fishing industry.
Christine also speaks about the moral rights of animals and recommends the book of that name.
Touching on climate change and the 6th great extinction, Christine turns to some creative solutions. We even talk about the necessity of carpooling – an idea that is not shared much, as we are pushed to use privately owned public transport!
As a community and environmental advocate, Christine enacts the phrase 'think globally, act locally' into action - working on sustainability in her private life, in the community, nationally, and even internationally with the causes she supports and the life she leads.
Christine strives to lead a moral life - she's vegetarian, rides her bike wherever she can, refuses TV and the consumer society. She has solar panels, grows a veggie garden and lives in harmony with nature.
Locally, Christine helps build community - she established Bike Kumeunity, the Kumeu Children's Art Club, the Kumeu Arts Centre and she leads the ‘Kumeuknitty’ 'womanship' movement for women to share skills, knowledge, surpluses and love through knitting and crochet. She established Keep Kumeu Beautiful and organises WaiCare planting and water testing.
Regionally Christine campaigns for better walking and cycling - she's a voluntary trustee of SkyPath, which will see a walking and cycle way across the Auckland Harbour Bridge. She’s founding Chair of the Public Transport Users Association.
Since the year 2000, or earlier, Christine has dedicated a large part of her life to our endangered Maui's & Hector's Dolphins. She founded ‘Maui’s and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders NZ Inc.’ Christine regularly travels around New Zealand as an advocate, talking about the dolphins, helping all NZers to become stewards of this little taonga.
Christine runs Cetacean Spotting NZ a facebook page dedicated to celebrating whales and dolphins around the coast. She is also a volunteer/supporter of many environmental groups. She does pest control to protect Kokako and other species in the Waitakere Ranges. Most weekends she's out planting trees or helping community and environmental organisations to make the world a better place.
In her spare time, Christine cycles, camps, tramps, kayaks and is a practicing artist. She is a most heart-full person who seeks to build an empathetic culture through empowering others. She's a success at making the sun shine a bit more for us all by spreading joy and love in all she does, motivated by the public good and the ideal of a better world.