Wellington Newsletter 21 August 2019

Get ready, friends and rebels! The XR International Week of Action is coming and Wellington will be first to rebel from 5 to 13 October. Meanwhile, join Ollie this Friday for a big event at Parliament to call for a climate emergency, get together on Saturday and learn peaceful civil disobedience skills on Sunday. Read on!

Draw the line in Wellington this October 5 to 13

We want a future where all life thrives. All children deserve the opportunity to flourish and enjoy the beauty of our planet.
Fossil fuel industries are pushing us toward mass extinction, yet our Government is slow to act and continues to back them. The 100 companies responsible for 71% of greenhouse emissions are pouring carbon into our climate at record levels. This is despite the UN’s warning that we must act urgently to prevent irreversible damage and human misery from the climate crisis.Without action, one million species may go extinct in the next few years. In New Zealand, two-thirds of our rare ecosystems are under threat of collapse.

Either we make history or we’re history. We’re inspired by the everyday people of London who chose to make history in April and took mass nonviolent civil disobedience. They achieved what facts, petitions and marches on their own hadn’t: the UK Government declared a climate and ecological emergency.
Draw the line in Wellington this October 5 to 13
In October, the London rebellion will spread to capitals across the world. Wellington will be the first to rebel. This is the moment you have been waiting for. It’s time for New Zealand to declare an emergency. Read more about our plans. Then book leave from work and sign up on the website.

100 Days – noon to 2pm, Friday 23 August

Things are scaling up. It’s Ollie’s 100th day at Parliament Lawn calling for the Government to declare a climate emergency, and we’re joining him along with the School Strikers, Millions of Mothers and hundreds more. See Ollie’s Facebook event.

Climate Crisis Community Circle – 2pm, Saturday 24 August and 7 September

Any and all, new and familiar, are welcomed with warmth and aroha to our Climate Crisis Community Circle sessions. Connect, listen, say what’s in your heart, regenerate and regain your strength to act. Stillwaters Community House, 327 Willis St.

Please note: XR Public Talk has changed to Saturday 7 September, not 24 August as previously advertised. (See below).

Learn the art of peaceful civil disobedience – 9am to 2pm, Sunday 25 August, WHS

Learn the fine art of non-violent direct action – a proven way to challenge and change systems through peaceful confrontation and empowering people and communities. Also really important if you want to take part in the XR Week of Action in October. All welcome – whether you’re new to XR and activism, or a seasoned changemaker. Level 2, Wellington High School – follow the XR signs. Facebook event

Support urgent action at the Zero Carbon Bill submissions hearing Monday, August 26, 2.20pm – 3.00pm

Dr. Sea Rotmann, XR spokesperson, will represent XR Te Whanganui-a-Tara at the Zero Carbon Bill submissions next Monday, August 26, 2.20pm – 3.00pm in select committee room 4, Parliament Buildings, Wellington. Come along, bring your banners and support her in demanding more urgent action from our government.

XR Tree Planting Day – 9.30 am, Saturday 7 September

Meet other green-fingered XR people at this Conservation Volunteers Day. Please RSVP to the Facebook event.

Extinction Rebellion public talk – 12:30pm, Saturday 7 September

Meet Dr. Sea Rotmann, a coral reef ecologist and XR spokesperson, at this public talk and question and answer session on the science of climate and ecological breakdown, the effects it will have on Aotearoa, who XRANZ are and how we want the Government to act now so our children can thrive on a living planet. All welcome. Stay on afterwards for the next 2pm Climate Crisis Community Circle. Stillwaters Community House, 327 Willis St.

Truth Mandala – 6pm, Friday 13 September

All welcome to this regenerative workshop to help respond creatively to the climate crisis, rather than feeling paralysed by distress. Rather than feeling afraid of our pain for the world, we learn to feel strengthened by it, based on the teachings of Joanna Macy. Location will be confirmed in Facebook and next newsletter.

General Earth Strike global event – 20 September.

Wellington plans to be announced. Watch this newsletter or Facebook for information.

Draw the line on climate crime: XR coal action – 21 September

Save the date! Wellington is home to some of NZ’s biggest coal companies and advocates. We’re upping the ante to show Wellingtonians what’s happening in their own coalest little capital city, and send a message to the coal companies – you can’t hide here any longer. Watch Facebook for more details.

School Strike for Climate – 27 September

Support our young people so they can have a future too.

XR Rebel Camp in Wellington – 5 to 9 October.

Supporting the XR Draw the Line in Wellington, we’re hosting rebels from all over the country. Contact [email protected] if you want to help out.

Want to get more involved with behind-the-scenes stuff?

If you’ve come to a public talk, newcomers meeting, an action or a Climate Crisis Community Circle and you’re keen to get more involved with XR organising, admin, art, comms, social media and other things, come to our planning meetings every second Saturday. Next meetings are at 11am, Saturday 31 August & Saturday 14 September Stillwaters House, 327 Willis St.

Civil disobedience needs funding

London XR’s win for the environment would have been impossible without funding. We need donations, big and small, to get the word out, cover event costs for all the October Week of Action and for legal support. Please help us fund the rebellion now. Every dollar counts. Let’s create the future we want together.

Last week: People vs Oil

We planted our flags firmly behind Greenpeace last week, to tell Austrian oil giant OMV to get its monstrous rigs out of NZ oceans and end its massive role in climate breakdown. Alongside other fantastic people, the School Strikers, 350, Oil Free Wellington and Otago, the Iwi Chairs Forum, and Millions of Mothers we delivered 30,000 Kiwi signatures to evict OMV. And OMV was so reluctant to face up to this, they all stayed at home for the day! Watch the video right to the end to see a surprising ally!