If you weren’t there, you should have been.
Last night’s Bag Auction was a heck of a lot of fun. Not only did we enjoy the opportunity to kick up our heels (or, in my case, ecoSNEAKS), but it was amazing to see the support we’d been given by local businesses, willing to help out for a good cause. Companies that featured – just off the top of my head – included: Ecostore, EnviroSax, Lothlorien, Barker’s, Good Magazine, Nature Baby, Miller’s coffee, LOVEnotes, Yealands, and Phoenix – and we also had signed shirts from Neil Finn, a signed poster from Dick Frizzell, and of course our lovely calico bags; decorated by fantastic NZ personalities. It was brilliant to see Robyn Malcolm (who stuffed her bag with Devonport Chocolates) and Susi Newborn (who threw in a photo of the Rainbow Warrior) come along as well – with many people pleasantly surprised to find them mixing and mingling. Special thanks to everyone involved, and our fantastic musicians as well! Sara and Manz did a stellar job in pulling the event together.
Today the Manukau Courier published an article they interviewed me for a few weeks ago. Not badly written! I’ve included it here, with their photo of me – taken outside school:
Photo: Jason Oxenham/Auckland Suburbans.
For teenager Rachel Dobric fighting climate change and discussing policies with world leaders will soon be all in a day’s work.
The 17-year-old from Otahuhu is the youngest member of the New Zealand Youth Delegation going to the United Nations conference on climate change in December.
The delegates aim to “take the voice of New Zealand youth” to the conference in Copenhagen and their ultimate goal is to try to influence policy on environmental issues.
But before the conference starts, delegates will meet with other environmentally aware youngsters from all over the world to discuss what stance to take on issues and what to lobby the world leaders for.
They aim to get all New Zealand youth involved in the campaign through blogs, YouTube and school visits, Rachel says.
A Team New Zealand spinnaker donated to the delegates is now travelling the country so young people can write their names and their opinions on it.
The delegates will be reading all of the messages and taking them to Copenhagen.
As well as being involved with the delegation, Rachel helped start the Auckland Youth-Directed Environmental Organisation.
She found out about the New Zealand Youth Delegation when she was invited to an Enviroschools event, ReGeneration, where she was recognised as a youth leader in sustainability.
“I’ve always been environmentally conscious,” she says.
She believes young people should be part of the decision-making process on climate change.
“We feel that with climate change it’s today’s youth who will bear the consequences of the life we’re currently living.
“It’s not the policymakers who have to live to see the consequences of the decisions made.”
As for the future, Rachel already has her sights set on a career as a diplomat.
She finishes Auckland Girls’ Grammar School this year.
Rachel plans to study for a conjoint law and arts degree with a double major in history and politics at Auckland University next year.
I’m getting extremely excited (in what time I have to think between exams) about COP – though as I say, there really isn’t time to think at all! I fly out next Sunday, the day after Scholarship History, ready to take on international climate policy… But for now I’m sitting in my lounge, editing Raven and Kirk’s policy doc and listening to Bob Dylan, drinking leftover Lothlorian juice for last night.
Life’s not too bad – let’s just hope we can say the same after the conference.
Over and out,
Dobric.
Another little gem from Mr Wilde – it’s somewhat relevant to our perspectives on curbing the impacts of climate change:
“Man can believe the impossible, but can never believe the improbable.”
Oscar Wilde
