Are you harvesting your dancefloor energy?

We went on an adventure to the Australian Museum to see the latest Climate Change Exhibition earlier this year and it was a great exhibition to visit.

I love an exhibition that has various ways of interacting with the information being presented. There as video, sculptural installations, computer generated interactive programs, and a nightclub dancfloor where you could dance your butt off and make the energy that lit up the dancefloo beneath you. Cool. Always the scientist, Mr K made sure to monitor how much energy he could generate.

The wall of postiive affirmations was a cool idea and it was great to see how many young people wanted to write on a card and share what they were going to do for their environment.

As it was a realistic exhibition I could see many would come away feeling quite grim although there were plenty of suggestions of small things that would make a small difference if people chose to take action.

I was surpised the exhibition was somewhat empty, I don't know whether that was because it was such a lovely day outside and Sydney was a the beach or the public are just a little tired of hearing about it. I'm not sure. I am definitely happy I went though. Well worth it.

Sydney - the Windy City of Dust

You have most likely discovered by now, via one form of communication or another, be it on the internet, tv, radio or good old fashioned word of mouth, that today started out for many in a peculiar fashion. With a  dusty red dawn and an eerily musical wail of sirens in the air. I sit here now watching the skies turn blue as if the dust storm we awoke to had never happened.

As I woke I peered with one sleepy eye through the gap of the blinds to see what weather the morning was bringing, expecting the usual clear blue to be sparkling in, or perhaps a muted overcast grey. But with a 'wake up! Look at the sky!' I saw only a deep orange pervading every window. In our dressing gowns we rushed out the front and then out the back, bemused, I did not think to grab my 'real' camera. So please excuse the picture quality. It was just too bizarre but I would like to share the pics and our experience with you anyway.

I felt the fine layer of sand coating the bottoms of my feet as we padded around the backyard with out little cameras and quiet, curious comments. I am so glad I ran out to bring in the washing after dusk last night when light raindrops started to spot the paving in the back courtyard!

The silence being cut by sirens felt like I was in a movie being rained on by the fallout of an atomic bomb. Listening to the sirens, we jumped straight on to the internet and only 3 minutes prior had an article been posted on the Sydney Morning Herald website! So, a dust storm. That's a relief. Sort of. Depending on what you read.

The red soon gave way to a dirty, gritty yellow sky and people soon started on their way again.

The view from atop the Ashfield plaza.

I have some images from my iphone which I will be uploading later on. Got lots of editing to do from yesterday's shoot!

A Little Girl Star

A quick Friday post before the weekend! Miss Munchkin turned 1 and for her birthday she received a 'Little Girl Star Magnolia' in a pot. To have a plant that you have had all of your life and taken on a journey of love and care would be so special. Missy Moo also inherited the somewhat scruffy 'Big Ted' that yours truly received on her own 1st birthday many years ago.

Although the glistening hot pink has faded to a more sophisticated matte pastel tone, Big Ted is still up for the many adventures ahead, and shall be a wise and patient friend, willing to listen to all the special news Munchkin will share with him.

I was surprised to see the Magnolia starting to bloom so soon, I had assumed it would need to be a lot older before it unfurled some of it's beauty to share.

Enjoy the weekend!

Climate Emergency Rally

One brisk and chilly morn in June, thousands of people from all over NSW descended in dribs and drabs on Barrangaroo Point, Sydney. Banners and flags flapped and billowed in the chapping wind. Cups of warm coffee steamed as they warmed shivering, exposed hands. Down the hill they continued to come. Concerned citizens of all ages, on foot, bike, ferry and pram.

Soon the woolly little groups began to grow in size until masses of people were wandering about on the headland. Speakers leapt up to the platform to address the ever growing sea of red, sharing their passion, their energy and the urgency for the Australian Government to renew the economy by investing in renewable energy.

Speakers explained how Prime Minister Rudd's announced climate change plan would lock in weak emission reduction targets, and redirect billions of dollars to big polluters from the everyday citizen putting in their hard earned cash to make a difference in the world. Having been promised a Government that would act as a leader on climate change, the mass of people began moving through the streets towards the Sydney office of Prime Minister Rudd to demand that leadership.

Although the message was urgent, and the masses were moving to demand a renewables revolution, in Australia, there was joy, laughter and a sense of community in the air. Strangers smiled freely at each other. People sang, played drums and other instruments as they made their way through the streets.

The sun rose higher in the sky, warming the backs of thousands rugged up in their winter warmers. The rally reached Phillip St and halted outside Mr Rudd's office. A minute silence was held to think about the millions of people who will be dramatically impacted by the negative effects of climate change in countries other than our own. Pensive I looked up to the sky. A lone leaf, clinging to it's branch. The last to fall.

Once again the sound of the crowd echoed through the empty streets of the CBD and the beat of drums bounced between buildings. Lengths of red fabric had been laid along the footpaths and hundreds of people took their turn to write a message to be presented to the Australian delegates at the United Nations Climate Summit in Copenhagen this December.

As with all free speech in Australia, the rally had a time limit and the police began a quiet movement in line along the road and the peaceful rally began to break up.  As the colour started moving on, the city  slowly returned to it's empty winter day.