Wheatbelt People's Climate Picnic displays community support for climate change

Published on Friday, 4 December 2015 at 12:00:00 AM

Face painted children filled the garden with bubbles at the Wheatbelt People’s Climate Picnic on Sunday 29 November. The picnic was one of over 2,300 events around the world in the lead up to the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference where world leaders are aiming for a legally binding and universal agreement on climate action from all nations on Earth. 

About 45 people came to the picnic at Goomalling's Slater Homestead including Darren West MLC Labor Member for the Ag Region, Goomalling Shire President Barry Haywood, Parish Priest Father Ken D’Souza and people from Meckering, Toodyay, Dowerin and Perth.

This Wheatbelt People’s Climate Picnic photo was submitted to be displayed at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, along with People's Climate photos from events all around the world.

People chatted with new and old friends, and browsed the displays about agroforestry, regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, climate change and fossil fuel divestment. 

Junior artists Naomi and Ashley Kingston and Louis Hill displayed their banners 'Cool the Wheatbelt', '100% Clean Energy', and 'Healthy Plants'.  Betty Walley, Frida Aditi, Kaye Boulden, and Shire of Goomalling Councillors Dallas Phillips and Christie Kingston’s banners were about hope, ecological agriculture, microclimate, recycling and Noongar Maranj (food).

“We used to get lots of quandongs, but now the seasons have changed they’re only around for about two weeks,” said Betty, creator of the Noongar Maranj banner. 

“Farmers help create food security, and hence peace. Farmers have been adapting to climate change for decades and many are playing a heroic role in reversing climate change by adopting farming practices that increase soil carbon,” said Frida, who helped sew the ecological agriculture banner.

Stately D’Mello helped the children create an arty book about COOL things our town is doing to stop climate change, COOL things we want to do next, and the UNCOOL things we're going to stop doing. Tahnee Bird led the face painting efforts, assisted by Latisha Mongoo.

Speakers Darren West, Father Ken D'Souza, Robyn Taylor, Desrae Clark, Nicole Bray, Jodi James, Cherie Broadhurst and Christie Kingston spoke about climate change, fossil fuel divestment, biodiversity, carbon sequestration in soil through regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, people power, opportunities, and the importance of encouragement and hope. 

Farmer Jodi James explained how they’ve doubled their soil carbon content over the last four years. 

Father Ken D'Souza spoke about caring for soil, air, water and biodiversity, and told us, “The Earth is both our gift and our responsibility.”

Organisations present included the Shire of Goomalling, the Labor Party, Ucarty Catchment Group Inc, Goomalling Youth Group Inc, Avongro Inc, Goomalling Primary School P&C, Sacred Heart School, the Catholic Church, Goomalling Tidy Towns, Toodyay Naturalists Club, Toodyay Friends of the River, Toodyay Historical Society, Toodyay Tidy Towns and Auria.

Picnic organiser Christie Kingston said, "In the Eighties my high school science teacher taught us about global warming and I thought, ‘Wow, that's really serious, I'm glad the grown-ups are on to it." Since then I've tried to do my little bit as an individual and in my community groups. When a recent Aussie Prime Minister said "Climate change is cr*p," I was compelled to do more, and became a local shire councillor. Fixing this climate problem now, thirty years later, is going to be harder because we've left it for so long, but it can be done, it must be done, and we have so many more solutions now. Everyone can and must help by taking their own next step, big or small. Whether it's walking instead of driving, or farmers increasing soil carbon, or people respectfully asking their local, state and federal politicians for stronger action on climate change, everyone can feel good about doing one more thing."

Photo Credit:                     Mikayla James

Media Enquiries:              Tahnee Bird

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