It’s time to change our story!

Let me explain why…

I believe fracking isn’t the problem it is merely a symptom, the root cause is the story we have been telling ourselves for the past couple of hundred years that we always need more and we have designed an economy absolutely dependant on infinite growth.

So in 2012 humanity finds itself at a cross roads. We are living at a time when every living system is declining and the rate of decline is accelerating. Kind of a sobering thought if you stop to think about it and even more so if you think about the world we are going to leave for our kids. But not one peer reviewed scientific paper published in the last 30 years can refute that statement.

So we have two choices:

1. Do we continue with business as usual, exploring for more oil and gas, ignoring all the ecological, social and economic warning lights which are flashing red and hit the wall with the “pedal to the metal?”

2. Or do we redesign our future based on an economy that tells the truth through full cost pricing. Knowing we live in the best country in the world where we can sustainably live very well off natures renewable abundance of soil, water, biodiversity and climate.

We bare the name Homo sapiens or “wise men” are we really worthy of that name?

With the mountain of scientific data undisputedly showing we are on a road to collapse, choosing to explore for fossil fuels in Hawke’s Bay might show how technologically clever man has become but certainly not wise!

Being an eternal optimist I would like to thank Mr Ferguson and TAG/Apache for coming to New Zealand and giving Kiwi’s the opportunity to wake up. To wake up to the fact that we are firmly in a race to the bottom.

A race being lead by our government who like many Western countries have been living beyond their means for quite some time now, but managing to maintain the illusion of growth by going deeper into debt. Re-elected on the mandate of balancing the books and catching up with Australia the National government in true Kiwi fashion had decided to have a garage sale and sell off a few assets, sell off fossil fuel reserves and mine anything of value we can find. Now I am not wanting to pick on National because whatever your political persuasion we are all in this together and as a society we need to make the wisest most informed decisions.

I feel for the government because telling people that we need to consume less and use less fossil fuels is not what most people want to hear.

They are also constrained by the short term demands of the ponzi economy, and the crazy belief that we can have infinite growth on a finite planet. But mother nature set the rules and she doesn’t negotiate.

We could learn a lot from the indigenous cultures around the world like the Iroquois nation who when making decisions considered the effect on the 7th generation, or traditional Maori values of Kaitiaki or guardianship of the land for future generations.

Almost all farmers I know are good stewards of the land and want to pass the farm on to the next generation in as good if not better condition than when they took over, but despite these good intentions we are part of an unsustainable system.

For many people modern living has broken the connection to the land and to nature. Indigenous cultures had very strong connections, like the Maori connection to Papatuanuku or earth mother. We all need to reconnect and understand that our health and well being depends on the health of the soil, the health of our water and ecosystems that provide resilience.

Now I know I am supposed to be speaking about fracking, but all these issues are connected and we have heard about the very real risks associated with this practise but I have to trust that the Parliamentary Commissioner for the environment will do a thorough independent assessment of these risks and we must insist that our government acts on the recommendation in the report.

My personal view on fracking is that it is a violation of the earth and dust to dust ashes to ashes the earth is where I am from and where I am going so as we do to the earth so we are doing to ourselves.

However there are many implications to life in Hawke’s Bay if drilling and fracking for oil and gas does become a reality that will be outside the scope of the commissioner’s report. A couple of these that I would like to draw your attention to are:

American experience show there is potential for property values to drop due to pollution, noise, traffic, and basically having an industrial site on your property. It was reported in the New York Times that the US Agricultural Department has stated that they will no longer be financing homes with gas leases. If property prices fell on land with gas or oil wells in NZ it would not only be a major setback for the owners but it would leave banks in a very uncomfortable position as they could find themselves holding mortgages for more than the land is worth and reluctant to lend on land where there is potential to drill for oil.

Most NZ farms are signed up to farm assurance programs with various meat companies to assure consumers of the safety of the food and production systems used on farm are up to standard. A risk would arise with these supply agreements if the farm had to declare all the chemicals used on the farm including those used in a fracking job.

The amount of traffic on rural roads will increase dramatically and noting that over 300 truck loads of equipment and supplies are planned for the exploratory well at Boar Hill. Rural living would be very different and although there will be the opportunity of jobs for truck drivers my local stock carriers tell me they are already struggling to find drivers to drive the trucks that are essential to the biggest income earner in Hawke’s Bay; livestock farming.

So we are at a time of great change. When we do need to redesign everything we do, and figure out what it means to be human. Ghandi was right when he said the future depends on what we do in the present.

There is a revolution sweeping the world at the moment most obvious in the Occupy movement.

The resolution is love.

This large group of disjointed people are trying to change the story and from a competitive system based on fear and scarcity where humans attempt to dominate nature; to a cooperative model based on compassion and abundance, where happy healthy families and communities thrive with strong connection to the natural world living lives of meaning and spiritual fulfilment.

Sound Utopian? Like I said I am an optimist and it sure beats the alternative.

Taking action is empowering, to many of us have given away our power and the belief that we can control our lives. We must remember everyone of us makes a difference every day. Every time we spend money we are voting, are we supporting a sustainable local business or are we voting for a less ethical environmentally damaging producer?

Take back the power and be the change you want to see in the world.

There are so many reasons why fracking and further oil and gas drilling is not the future we should be aiming for and I haven’t even touched on the need to transition to renewable energies and energy saving lifestyles that will be needed when the world finds that our demand for fossil fuels outstrips supply and finding oil in Hawke’s Bay won’t make any more transport fuels available for local consumption.
Our energies should be focused on looking ahead and making the transition to a sustainable future and the job opportunities this will provide. Not looking back at last century’s way of doing things supporting the broken paradigm of consuming more and more, presumably so that our broken money system can limp forward for a little longer.

So you are welcome to join or visit us at Mangarara the family farm. Mr Ferguson please leave the drilling rig behind.

We are changing the story.
The time is now. We have the power.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
 

Petition against Fracking In Hawkes Bay

Firstly I would like us all to remember that everyone in this room is here because we care. We care about the environment and the world we will leave for our children.

So this is not about confronting the Council. We are all in this together.

However we are living in extraordinary times and we need to figure out what it means to be a human being living in a time when every living system is declining and the rate of decline is accelerating.
That’s a lot to think about, but not one peer reviewed scientific paper published in the last thirty years can refute that statement.

And so it is with drilling and fracking for oil in Hawke’s Bay. Man has developed this incredible technology where we can drill down into the earth for kilometres and then drill horizontally for kilometres further, for what? To hasten our own demise?

Looking at the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Vision Statement, which is “ A region with a vibrant community, a prosperous economy, a clean and healthy environment, now and for future generations.

Does drilling and fracking achieve this vision?

 A vibrant community: Studies show that oil and gas drilling causes division and conflict within communities and after a visit to Porangahau on Sunday there are signs that these divisions are already occurring.

 A prosperous economy: While there are expectations of jobs and increased economic activity, if it occurs, it will only be for a relatively short period of time and puts at risk Hawke’s Bays true enduring prosperity based on producing quality food and wine and an inviting landscape for tourists.
A possible significant negative economic impact would be reduced land values due to pollution and disruption of farming because of fracking operations as is happening in USA where the New York Times reported the Agriculture Department has stated ‘they will no longer be financing homes with gas leases.”

 A clean and healthy environment: Numerous scientific studies have confirmed fracking has resulted in contamination of water by either Methane contamination, heavy metal and radioactive contamination or fracking fluid contamination. References to these studies are available in March 2012 report titled Hydraulic Fracturing in Canterbury.
Water is precious.

 Now and for future generations: Indigenous cultures used to make decisions based on the effect on the 7th generation. Business as usual is guaranteed to ensure unborn generations will have no chance of enjoying what we enjoy today.

So a decision to drill and frack for oil in HB fails the HBRC vision in everyway.

I acknowledge the wording of this petition is asking for something the HBRC can not action within required time frames.
The over 2000 signatures are the tip of the iceberg of public concern that is growing by the day as people become aware of the very real risks associated with fracking.

SO here we are at a time of great change on planet earth. We have every scientific indicator flashing warning lights on our vital life support systems, while we await a consent application to drill one well on a beautiful farm near Porangahau.

As laid out in section 95a of the RMA “a consent authority must publicly notify an application if: the activity will have or is likely to have adverse effects on the environment that are more than minor”;

The consequences of granting a consent to drill for oil at Boar Hill are massive, and if successful will have adverse effects on the environment and the people of Hawkes Bay well beyond the next 7 generations.
 

Since organising the “Rally of Hope’ gathering in Napier on Wednesday which protested against plans to drill and frack for oil on the East Coast and also to celebrate all the good things we have in Hawkes Bay, it has been pointed out to me on more than one occasion the hypocrisy of protesting against oil companies while living an oil dependant life. While I accept the truth in the accusation, it isn’t quite that simple.

I freely admit I am addicted to oil like everyone else I know in NZ. However we now know beyond all reasonable doubt that the continued burning of fossil fuels at current rates will relatively soon lead to irreversible climate change and by later this century the end of civilisation as we know it.

But like any addiction, I think the first step is to admit to the addiction and then seek help. I guess while trying to wean myself I have been making massive changes to the way we farm, concentrating on sequestering carbon into our soils by holistic and biological fertility management. I have stopped using aircraft to apply fertilizer and am trying to perfect holistic grazing management and getting animals to spread fertility around the hill paddocks by giving them free choice minerals. (lots to learn yet!!) I am working to become largely self sufficient in nutrient inputs on the farm using products we make ourselves or are sourced locally. Phosphate still comes from overseas in the form of Guano from Indonesia. We will continue to monitor the feasibility of this.

I have taken 3 young people onto the farm to begin a Community Supported Ag type scheme to produce food for local consumption from an environmentally aware farm, and will soon open our farm not only to the visiting public but to people who want to have some ownership and build a relationship with the land and help to further the dream of sustainability.

Thanks largely to the Air New Zealand Environment Trust almost 100,000 trees have been planted on the farm in the last 4 years, and we remain committed to increasing bio diversity and restoring eco systems.

On a personal note, I am aware of every litre of fuel I burn and try to justify that in the bigger scheme of things.

So please understand, I am trying to kick the habit!! And that is why I am seeking help from council and government and the wider community because yes I have a problem but I can’t beat it on my own. Like trying to give up smoking while living in a family of smokers and all your mates smoke, I just can’t do it by myself!

While oil is the lifeblood of the economy and most of the stuff we take for granted these days, we have to remember that humans have only had this addiction for a bit over 100 years, an infinitesimal time in the history of our species.

SO HERE WE ARE AT THE CROSSROADS.

Do we put the hammer down and hit the wall in the road ahead at full speed (as per National government policy) or do we take the other road which might look a bit dusty but with human ingenuity and a new found respect and understanding of the web of life this alternative road could be much more fulfilling and give us more time to enjoy the journey.

I am an eternal optimist and believe that humans can still choose the alternative road, but the intersection is approaching fast.

You are invited to join us at www.thefamilyfarm.net.nz
 

Thanks to all the amazing people that attended the rally in Napier yesterday and the many more that supported us in various ways.

Here's links to what the Dominion Post and Hawkes Bay Today newspapers had to say about the 280 people that turned up to protest against drilling and fracking in Hawkes Bay and also celebrate all that is good about living in HB

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6314535/Anti-fracking-group-protest-inNapier

http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/hundreds-turn-out-in-cbd-to-protest-frack-mining/1250861/

It was a brilliant turnout and we definitely sent a strong message to council and hopefully government. Hopefully the attention generated by our rally has helped raise the levels of awareness about the dangers of fracking to the wider public.

It isn’t easy giving up your time and making a stand like we did yesterday but it is empowering to be doing something to help create the environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just future that we all want.

The question most asked since the rally was “How did you get to Napier” and of course I drove from our farm at Elsthorpe. We are all addicted to oil to varying degrees and just like the people asking the question I am a mortal human being trying to do the best I can for my family and wider community. I guess I realise that our collective prosperity ultimately depends on the prosperity of all other life that we share this planet with.

Therefore to get over this addiction we need help from not only those around us but the councils and government who are supposed to be there to support our health and prosperity.

We have been telling ourselves for such a long time now that a growing economy is critical to our prosperity, that it has become a religion that we don’t question (some may be offended that I am questioning it). We pursue this “economic growth” regardless of the consequences. Of course we need an economy but it must operate within ecological limits.

Our wealth is not just our money it is equally

Social: Human development

Economic: Self-reliance, Sustainability, Flexibility, Balanced and Equitable development

Political: Independence, Sovereignty and security of nation state and Governance

Cultural: Identity, Unity and harmony, Preserving and Promoting culture and heritage

Environmental: Preservation through environmentally sustainable development

Drilling and Fracking for Oil in Hawkes Bay does not increase this wealth and ultimately will not make us happier.

I am organising a rally in Napier on Wednesday 25th January to coincide with the Hawkes Bay Regional Council meeting with Tag Oil. Please send this message out to all your contacts and ask them to join us at 12pm on Wednesday 25th at Clive Square in Napier.

Let’s make this go viral. People who care need to be there!!

A RALLY OF HOPE

It’s time to stand up.

The Brighter future promised during the last election campaign is not going to happen by creating more climate change and corporate profits for overseas companies. Therefore it is time to rally to send a strong message to councils and government that drilling for oil and fracking is not going to create a better future for our children.

The rally is part protest against Tag Oils plans to drill and frack “The Bay” but equally it is a celebration of all we are privileged to have in Hawkes Bay with our beautiful landscape, water and climate and of course all the amazing people that make up our society.

This is the Hawke’s Bay we want to regenerate and invigorate to pass on to future generations.

Rally will start at Clive Square Napier at 12pm Wednesday 25th and move to the HBRC building by 1pm.

Please come along and bring all your friends and family and have some fun!!

Blessings
Greg

This is the title of a workshop I am organising with Joel Salatin who runs the very impressive Polyface Farm in Virginia USA(www.polyfacefarms.com). Joel has been referred to as the most recognised farmer in the world and as the most influential farmer in America. His mission is not to build an empire but to create a highly productive highly profitable regenerative farming system that produces quality food that consumers pay a premium for, while maintaining a balanced life which creates opportunities for his children to find their niche on a farm they want to be part of.

It feels like my generation is the last of an era, when all kiwi families had some connection to a farm. If you lived in town, then school holidays would include visits to an Aunt and Uncle or Grandparents in the country. Days would be spent tagging along observing and helping out where possible (now they are just tagging!) What an experience for a town kid to get their hands covered in mucous but marvel at the miracle of life after assisting the birth of a lamb, or the realization that even after your best efforts, animals still die and so an opportunity to develop an understanding of the circle of life. Or simply exploring the land, building huts or trying to catch an eel in the creek.

What sort of world are we leaving for our children? That is the question that has sent us on a journey of educating ourselves about the state of the planet and researching ways to make our farming business more sustainable.

Sometimes it’s hard to see the big picture when we are living on such a beautiful farm in the best country in the world. My wife Rachel and our three children aged 5 and 4 year old twins live on Mangarara Station in Central Hawke’s Bay. It is a 610ha sheep and beef property we have been fortunate to take over from my parents. We live in a small 104 year old cottage beside 30ha Horseshoe Lake, so as you can tell we are pretty passionate about our little slice of paradise!!
So what have I learned and what do I think the future holds?

The first realization is the phenomenal growth that has occurred over the last 100 years. The twentieth century was the century of oil. In 1900 the world produced 150 million barrels of oil. In 2000, it produced 28 billion barrels, an increase of more than 180-fold.
The fast growing supply of cheap oil led to an explosive worldwide growth in food production, population, urbanization and human mobility. In 1900 the population was around 1.5 billion today we have about 6.8 billion. Population is growing at 79 million people per year, that’s almost 20 more New Zealand’s added to the planet each year and each person is consuming more each year. All anyone alive on the planet today knows is growth. (with the occasional hiccup along the way!)