hiya Leanne :-)

Welcome, and thanks for the intro.

Won't be able to make it to your meeting in Vic unfortunately, being a Qld
resident :-(

I wish you well with the meeting, and hope your membership in this group
helps in some way to see some goals achieved.

i have found that helping each other towards the same goals works well. :-)

I have applied for membership of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VeganForLife/

If an online discussion group re: "Sustainability Action" is formed please
post to the CCA group informing us of the web address.

Warm regards
Anne

----- Original Message -----
From: Leanne Daharja Veitch
To: VeganForLife@yahoogroups.com ; ClimateChangeAction@...
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:13 PM
Subject: [ClimateChangeAction] Green Sustainability Action Group forming in
Melbourne!


Hi all,

A group of people concerned about the environment are gathering at the
Melbourne Botanic Gardens this Sunday for the inaugural meeting of a Green
Sustainability Action Group, as yet officially unnamed.

The group will eventually meet regularly (probably once per month), and
establish an online community, or possibly 'piggyback' from an
already-established online community (with their permission). A website may
eventually be established.

One of the major goals is to share knowledge and ideas about sustainable
living, encourage positive action and thought, and spread sustainability in
the wider community in a positive and meaningful way.

*When:* Sunday 12th of November, from 11 am to 2 pm.

*Where:* For convenience, we'll meet at the *main cafeteria* at the
Melbourne Botanic Gardens. If it's yucky weather, we can stay inside. If
it's nice weather, we'll find a sunny patch of grass to have our meeting.

*Bring:* Please bring your own munchies, drinkies, sun protection etc.
Feel free to bring any interested friends and family members. Children are
welcome :-)
Bring a notebook, something to write with, and something to press on (if
your notebook has a soft cover).
Bring any ideas you may have about important Green issues, any ideas you may
have for a great name for the group (!!), and a willingness to share ideas
and communicate in a positive way.

The first points of action will be to nominate a Chairperson (to run the
meeting) and a Secretary (to take notes for distribution). This will be done
democratically with a vote from all present within the first 15 minutes (by
11:15 am).

Discussion will be managed with a 'talking stick' so that everyone gets a
chance for fair participation.

There is only one rule in the group: *NO PERSONAL CRITICISM.* The goal is to
find positive solutions, not to bicker and criticise others who may not be
as 'green' as us. We're all on this path and planet together, and need to
work constructively together.

Some of the topics we hope to cover in the Group are listed here:

- *Holistic Sustainability*
What it means and how we can work towards it. Cutting our ecological
footprints. energy audits, and how to reduce our power/water/gas/petrol
usage etc.

- *Community, Culture and Groups*
How to share ideas with the wider community, and the best ways to
encourage others to become more 'green'. How to make sustainability more
attractive to the general population. Finding other green groups,
sourcing
inspiration from them.
Living outside of a consumerist culture, being counter-culture in the
post-modern world.
Tribal identities and rebuilding active, dynamic communities.

- *Activism*
Getting involved.
Letter writing, electronic protests.
The place of rallies and physical protests.
Creative reactionism, ie Lentil Bash, Food not Bombs etc.

- *Food*
Vegan, wholefoods, slow foods, local products, native plants, heritage
varieties, organics and biodynamics etc.

- *Money*
Financial self-sufficiency, living within our means. Saying no to
consumerism, knowing when you have 'enough'.
Buying secondhand. The place of barter in a capitalist world.

- *Clothing*
Op-shop alternatives. Synthetic vs. natural, plant vs. animal. Home
made.
Sustainable clothing practices.

- *Spirituality*
The urban-pagan on the polluted planet.
Sacred duties.
Group and individual rituals to enact global change.

- *Difficulties, problems and pitfalls*
How not to piss off non-sustainable friends
How to enact change without enacting rage
The Well of Grief.

Email Leanne at daharja@... to let us know you're coming (if
possible), or just turn up on the day!

Yours in greenness,

Leanne Daharja Veitch.
--
http://daharja.livejournal.com/
http://www.veganforlife.org/daharja
--
"We must be the change we wish to see."
- M.K.Gandhi.


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