Archive for October, 2009

Governor launches the run

Friday, October 30th, 2009
Governor of Victoria Professor David De Kretser officially launching the Run for a Safe Climate 2009

Photo: Governor of Victoria Professor David De Kretser officially launching the Run for a Safe Climate 2009

by Maryann Separovic

Last night the Governor of Victoria Professor David De Kretser officially launched Run for a Safe Climate 2009 at Tjanabi Restaurant in Federation Square.

It was a balmy Melbourne night as more than 150 guests nibbled on local produce, drank wine and mingled with the emergency services runners and support crew about to fly off to Cairns to begin this epic 6000km run.

Safe Climate Australia CEO Brendan Condon kicked off proceedings by welcoming guests and runners. After an opening address by our distinguished Governor, in which he spoke about the importance of raising awareness of climate change, we heard from NAB General Manager Corporate Affairs John Simpson, CFA Deputy Chief Officer Steve Warrington andMetropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board Chief Fire Officer Tony Murphy.

Scientific experts, Dr Graeme Pearman, former chief of atmospheric science from CSIRO and Dr Joe Herbertson a former head of BHP’s corporate research laboratories, spoke about the problem of climate change and the solutions needed respectively.

A touching late addition to the speaker line-up was Tjanabi restaurant owner Carolyn Briggs who shared a 9000-year-old Dreamtime story about how Port Phillip Bay was created – a very relevant story warning us how local tribes abused our natural resources and as a result the waters swelled.

Finally, Victoria Police’s Matt Astill – one of our team leaders on the run – gave the crowd plenty to think about, calling for a collective response to a global problem.

You can be part of the solution by making donations and sponsoring the runners by visiting the Sponsor section on our website. Funds raised will go toward creating a Safe Climate Transition Plan – taking positive steps and actions towards a safe climate.

How far will you go for change?

Wilsons Promontory training run

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

November-2008-057

by Brendan Condon

Our running group is continuing to work on building our fitness for the 6000 kilometer effort in November. Six of our group took the opportunity this Sunday 18 October to travel to Wilsons Promontory and run in to Sealers Cove, then back. The run was about 20 kilometers, and involved an ascent to Windy Saddle, then a descent to the coast, where we spent an hour having lunch and having a paddle in the beautiful pristine waters of the Prom, before taking the big climb out back to our start point.

Wilsons Prom hasn’t remained unscathed from the wildfires that have affected the rest of the state, with much of the park burning in the extreme heat of last summer. As we ran through the burnt sections of the park, the blackened trunks of trees were starting to reshoot and there were a lot of wildflowers in bloom. This shows the resilience of our ecosystems, and we hope we have some of the same resilience as we run across the country.

The group that are coming on this run are show signs of great team work. The team work ethos of the firefighters and police who are coming will be very necessary to assist our whole group stand up to the huge challenge of the run. We will be on the road, running big distances each day, in hot and uncomfortable conditions, and living in close confines to each other. I cant think of many groups of individuals who could actually stand up to a challenge like this, but having very fit police and firefighters who have strong affinity with each other and an ingrained team ethos gives me confidence we will get through. Running through beautiful areas like the Prom and other natural icons like the Daintree and Great Barrier Reef, and realising that these areas are all fundamentally at risk from global warming will be a huge motivation for our group.

Kemal Brkic

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

Emergency Service: police officer

Why are you participating in the 6000-kilometre Run for a Safe Climate? I’m participating in the run to promote new and emerging ways to assist the earth and to secure a healthy future for our children. There are so many ways we can live smarter and healthier in this world, whether people believe in climate change or not, there are ways we can do things better and allow ourselves to have an ‘always thinking’ attitude.

Paul Hayes

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

Emergency Service: Firefighter, Country Fire Authority

“Why are you participating in the 6000 kilometre Run for a Safe Climate?” I am participating because I can no longer sit around and watch us destroy our planets enviroment. Our generation is one of the leading contributers to global warming and we have to change the way we do business and live at emergency speed. Australia has a proud history of raising to challenges and we are facing our biggest challenge ever. We need to harness the ANZAC Spirit and work together as a team to find a solution. We owe it to our children and the future generations  to leave a place they can grow up in and enjoy as we have.

Nigel Bloomfield

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

Emergency Service: police officer

“Why are you participating in the 6000 kilometre Run for a Safe Climate?” I was approached my close friends Pete and Dan Condon to participate in this great event.  From what I was told it sounded like a trip of a life time and one that I could not refuse.  I’ve also wanted to get out and see what Australia has to offer, and what better way to do it than this.

What do you hope to achieve through the run? Whilst I am participating in this run I am demonstrating my concern for the future of our country and environment.  Along with many other participants we are able to help raise necessary awareness of the dramatic changes and consequences that climate change has.

Mark Hynes

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Emergency Service: police officer

Why are you participating in the 6000-kilometre Run for a Safe Climate? When I was approached to do the run by a fellow runner and work colleague, my initial reaction was “that sounds like a good trip, what a great way to see the East Coast of Australia”.   I knew very little about the steps that need to be taken in order for us to reverse the direction our climate is heading.  Sure you read headlines in the paper about global warming and the disastrous effects they are having on the habitat, but if you were and I stress were like me, you will think what can I do about such a massive problem? Well in one two-hour talk on latest climate science, which was given by David Spratt (author, Climate Code Red) whilst on a team building exercise in Torquay, I learnt more than I ever have about the precarious predicament our beautiful planet is in.  And I learnt that it is not a forgone conclusion that we are going to lose all that is great about the world as we know it, we can turn it around, it will not be a simple task but it is an achievable one.

What do you hope to achieve through the run? We just all have to act as one towards making ours a safe climate once again.  I want future generations to be able to enjoy what we and previous generations have obviously taken for granted.  As they say – The longest journey begins with the first step, pardon the pun. So the run for me is to get that message out there, to people like me, who do not realise how bad the situation actually is.  Maybe once they hear what can be done they too will act and inform others.  We must get the message and solutions out to as many people as we can.

Adam Woods

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Emergency Service: police officer

Why are you participating in the 6000-kilometre Run for a Safe Climate? I grew up in a farming community in Country Victoria and have many friends still on the land. The last ten years for them has been brutal. I have watched the drought slowly choke small country towns to the brink of despair, both economically and socially. My grandfather farmed the land in an era when rainfall and the seasons were predictable. A drought may have occurred once in a decade as part of a natural cycle and only last for a year. This doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.

What do you hope to achieve through the run? I am hoping that the last ten years of dry weather is just another natural cycle but you can’t ignore science.  Something needs to be done to stop the damage of global warming and this run is my way of raising awareness to a dire situation.

Jake Brown

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Emergency Service: Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade

Why are you participating in the 6000-kilometre Run for a Safe Climate? Global climate change is undoubtably the predominant concern for our wellbeing in the coming century. Some changes I’ve seen for myself; in Nepal, Alaska and here in Australia. It’s alarming and the solutions are daunting. As emergency service workers we have a unique relationship with our communities, in which we are charged with responding to catastrophy. In this case though, I’d like to be part of the process of prevention. The Run for a Safe Climate adds legitimate and credible voices to this issue.

What do you hope to achieve through the run? Personally, I’d be happy if my effort was able to change just one persons mind – provided that person was Senator Steve Fielding.

John Kennedy

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Emergency Service: police officer

Why are you participating in the 6000-kilometre Run for a Safe Climate? I love travelling and the outdoors.  It has always concerned me the impact man is having on the environment.  Run For Safe Climate is an exciting project to become involved in,  given it allows a group of runners to work together to raise climate change awareness.

Nic Condon

Friday, October 16th, 2009

Emergency Service: Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade

Why are you participating in the 6000-kilometre Run for a Safe Climate? more soon!