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World

Environment Day

Thursday 5th June 2008

New Zealand, one of the first countries to pledge a carbon-neutral future, will be the main host of World Environment Day 2008. The theme is Fostering Low-Carbon Economies. Global 2008 celebrations will be hosted in New Zealand with the focus on solutions and opportunities for countries, companies and communities to kick the habit and make the transition to a low carbon economy and lifestyle...

The first sustainable communites festival was held as part of World Environment day in June 2008.

The festival showcased a number of local and international short films which aimed to raise awareness for sustainable living through community action. Discussion sessions after the screenings enabled audiences to engage with producers and hear the real stories behind these inspiring films.

PROGRAMME:

Thursday 5th June

Opening Gala

Paramount Theatre,

25 Courtenay Place, Wellington

11.30am – PREMIERE ‘Sustainable Communities’

by Sustainability Trust & Inspirational TV, NZ (20 mins)

Tracking the progress of a group of local Wellington residents and their
achievements towards community sustainability goals. Hosted by environment centre co-ordinator Emet Alpay, this film was produced specifically for the World Environment Day Sustainable Communities Film Festival with the assistance of the Ministry for the Environment and Inspirational TV.

12.00pm - PRESENTATION

from Simply Good Food (20mins)

Simply Good Food is a partnership of growers in the Wairarapa who are farming in organic and sustainable way to supply fresh, locally produced food to families in the Wellington and Wairarapa Regions. By using heritage seed varieties where available, the food is unique for its outstanding taste, high nutritional benefits and natural vitality. This group is a living example of the links we can foster between urban and rural communities through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programme. Learn more about the scheme (and the veges!) through this interactive, fun talk.

12.20pm - Meet the Producers

Discussion Session

12.30pm - Refreshments

Light lunch on sale from Simply Good Food in Paramount foyer.

Friday 6th June

Evening Sessions

Newtown Community Centre,

1 Colombo St, Newtown

7.00pm - ‘Te Aro Community Gardens Tour’

by Arogardener, NZ (60mins)

On the 8th March 2008 more than 100 people gathered together to take a walk through the gardens, wilderness and history of Te Aro, Wellington. Along the way they shared their vision of a more sustainable world. Here is their story.

8.10pm - ‘Eco Therapy’

by Barbara Gibb, Aspire Design, NZ (15mins)

Downtown Eco-Therapy started with the dream of “making it easy for people working in downtown Wellington to heal the environment by ‘potting up’ baby trees during their lunch break” and from this seed of an idea, the first Eco-Therapy event germinated in Midland Park, Wellington on 12 March 2008.
This collaborative short doco interviews the participants and those inspired to ‘get downtown and dirty at lunchtime’ for love of our environment. Directed by the spirit of collaborative ideas, a cast of enthusiasts, great weather, produced on a shoestring and borrowed gear and potted up by green-thumb film-maker Barbara Gibb, Aspire Design.

8.25pm - Meet the producers

discussion session

Saturday 7th June

Newtown Community Centre,

1 Colombo St, Newtown

12.00pm - ‘The Collaborative Edge ’

by Andrew Morrison, NZ/USA (15 mins)

Created by a local Wellington film-maker, this film is about the community of Bellingham, Washington, USA, and was inspired by the desire to create positive change at a grassroots level. Featuring interviews with non-profit directors, this film explores overcomming barriers to improve our communities.

7.15pm - ‘Te Maara @ Cornwall’

by Sustainability Trust, NZ (8 mins)

Te Maara @ Cornwall is a locally planted garden, initiated by Keep Porirua Beautiful and Porirua City Council as an educational space for the community.
Developed with the help of primary school and college students from the area, the garden now provides a growing native herb garden, a fruit tree orchard and community composting facilities.

7.25pm - Interval

7.40pm - ‘Innermost Gardens’

by Innermost Gardens, NZ (15mins)

The Innermost Gardens story shows how to transform refugee and migrant women’s often traumatic experiences into positive ones through encouraging local support networks and connections. The film also highlights the environmental, social and cultural sustainability aspects for their integration into a new society.

7.55pm - ‘Tiakina o Tatou Awa’

by Roopu Youth Jam, NZ (5mins)

This film focuses on the degradation caused to the life force of the ‘awa’ (river) in Whangarei by pollution and what their community group achieved in raising traditional eco-sourced native plants to regenerate the stream-banks.

8.00pm - ‘Meet the Producers’

discussion session