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BSFG Visit to “Xiuhtezcatl Martinez; Why I Sued the US Government” with young people from Benalla, 11 February 2107

17/2/2017

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On Saturday Feb 11 BSFG members Peter Holmes and Peter Maddock accompanied a delightful group of young Benalla people to Melbourne to attend the event "Xiuhtezcatl Martinez: Why I Sued the US Government" at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image at Federation Square in Melbourne.
We travelled to Melbourne by train and had time before the afternoon event to look around the CBD; several of us took the opportunity to look at the 2017 Sustainable Living Festival being held on the banks of the Yarra River. Peter Holmes' family and friends also met us at ACMI to see  Xiuhtezcatl Martinez.
At the well-attended ACMI event Xiuhtezcatl (“Shu-tez-caht”) was introduced and interviewed by a young local poet and during the interview both gave us some poetry/rap pieces.  Xiuhtezcatl has been involved with the Earth Guardians for many years and spoke of several issues he was involved in during his short activist career.  The Earth Guardians link has a short video on Xiuhtezcatl titled Kid Warrior.
Xiuhtezcatl spoke of how many people already feeling the impact of climate change are both indigenous and coloured.  He gave encouragement to both young and old who might be feeling overwhelmed at the thought of tackling climate change by saying do what you can, even the small things count.  This can lead to other actions.  As he says in the Kid Warrior video young people are seen to be the future and will one day do something about climate change; however, they aren’t going to wait, they are going to do something now!  See Xiuhtezcatl delivering a TedTalk here.
Suing the US Government over climate change is based on a constitutional challenge that through “the governments affirmative actions in causing climate change, it has violated the youngest generation’s constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property, as well as failed to protect essential public trust resources”.
For such a young person Xiuhtezcatl has thought through many of the environmental issues facing us on the planet and is determined to encourage a youth led activist movement to change the direction from the path we are presently on.  Although quietly spoken he is assured of his position on the issues and determined to do something about them.
After his presentation Xiuhtezcatl welcomed people to meet him outside the theatre where many asked for an autograph or to have a photo taken with him.
BSFG wish to thank our members and contacts who were able to offer sponsorship to enable the young people from Benalla to attend the event.  And thank you to Peter Holmes who saw an article in The Age about Xiuhtezcatl and was inspired to suggest BSFG organise our visit.  
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Living Simply - are you a 'voluntary simplifier'? 

9/2/2017

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This article by Latrobe University PhD candidate Stacey Rich was posted on the Ecoportal's Living Lightly column on 11th January.   Our President John Lloyd thought it would be interesting to put on the website and we thoroughly agree!  Eds
Living Simply

One loaf of bread changed the direction of my life. That’s not the whole truth. It was a loaf of bread and a jar of jam. The bread and the jam were both made by me, with yeast caught from the air in our kitchen, and berries my family had picked.  As we sat on the couch eating chunks of bread covered in jam, we talked about how much better it tasted. This probably isn’t an unusual conversation to have, and if not for my line of work, it probably wouldn’t have gone any further. But I am a social psychologist in training with La Trobe University, and I get to be curious about stuff for a living.

The conversation over bread and jam lead me to investigate people who choose to change the way they provide for themselves; a lifestyle known as voluntary simplicity. Voluntary simplifiers reduce their material consumption, often as a way to pursue satisfaction in non-material ways. Some do it so that they can reduce the amount of time they spend working, some do it because they are really concerned about the effect humans are having on the environment.

Whatever the motivation, simplifiers do seem to have a lighter impact on the environment. What are they doing that is different? Earlier this year I visited simplifiers and asked them. They don’t buy much; they have decided for themselves what enough is. Some grow their own food, some shop at op shops, some make do with the stuff they already have. Some bake everything from scratch. They learn new skills in order to repair their stuff rather than throw stuff out and buy new stuff. As a consequence of not needing to buy as much stuff, some decide they don’t need to work as much. Some use this time to be more involved with their family, with their friends and with their community. Some use this time to devote to learning and growing, some to volunteering for environmental causes.
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So far, no one I have spoken to has mentioned feeling deprived. Living such a lifestyle is not without it’s challenges, but everything I have heard so far suggests the challenges are worth it for the rewards. I am now conducting an online survey to find out more. If you would like to help with this research, please go to www.everydaybehaviours.wordpress.com to complete the survey. Thanks!


http://ecoportal.net.au/living-simply/
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Next general meeting 23rd February and overdue renewals for 2016

9/2/2017

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The next General Meeting of Benalla Sustainable Future Group will be held on Thursday February 23rd at 7.30 PM in the meeting room at The Uniting Church, Carrier Street Benalla, opposite the Coles car park.

The meeting will be raising the possibility of a BSFG Bicycle Action Group to look at opportunities for improving and encouraging bicycle use in Benalla.

We do not have a guest speaker for this meeting however we anticipate having a report on the BSFG sponsored visit to the Sustainable Living Festival event “Xiuhtezcatl Martinez: Why I sued the U.S. Government”, possibly with a number of the young people who attended the event along to speak about their experience.

Thank you to Peter Holmes for suggesting and organising this BSFG sponsored visit to the Sustainable Living Festival and thank you to those who have been able to offer sponsorship.

We will also have a short 350.org film on Fossil Free Divestment
.
A reminder that 2015 memberships unpaid by March will be moved to our general contact list. Membership fees help to provide the necessary finance to run Benalla Sustainable Future Group so that BSFG can continue to provide a valuable role in the community.  I have attached a Membership Renewal form to this email.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting after which a light supper will be available.

Peter Maddock
Secretary
0418 135 330
Form for Membership renewal 2016
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    BSFG News

    Regular updates on sustainability issues of concern to BSFG members in Benalla and North East Victoria and on key events in the BSFG calendar.

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    Swanpool Environmental Film Festival - from 2015 to 2023 (click on 'previous' at end of page to go to earlier reports)
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​Benalla Sustainable Future Group acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we live, work and meet, the Taungerang and Bpangerang people
​of North East Victoria, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.
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