Painting the town green

On Monday members of a range of climate groups got together to chalk-bomb Wellington’s busiest intersections. Below is the media release that followed.

‘Monday night at midnight (16 May) a coalition of climate activists were out chalk-bombing the streets of Wellington, expressing their disappointment and anger over the inadequate nature of the Emissions Response Plan. The new plan proposes our country buys its way out of excess greenhouse gases (GHG) through overseas carbon offsets. 

In the face of the escalating GHG emanating from Aotearoa, people from several climate organisations – 350.org, XR, Fridays For Future, and the Fossil Free State Sector Coalition, had come together from the recent Climate Justice Hui to look at possible steps to turn around the juggernaut that is the climate crisis. 

“Seeing cars driving over a chalk image of our planetary home is more than a metaphor” said Francesca Pouwers of Fridays For Future.

Multi coloured signs appeared all over our city’s intersections Monday night. Sadly, the chalk images are washed away – but the serious points about what must be done, remain. They are summarised in statements like “Too Much Emission Here”, “Less Cow Now” and “Decarbonise Decolonise”. These are things we must address. Then we can make the necessary changes to avert what looms in the future.

With the Budget being released tomorrow, 19th May, more action can be expected, with XR calling people to gather at midday at the corner of Hill St and Molesworth.