By Janet Parker
Around the globe, environmental activists will mark June 5 — the UN-designated World Environment Day — with rallies, marches, festivals, seminars, concerts, bike rides, tree-plantings and a great variety of other events.
Activities in most Australian capital cities will highlight issues such as the federal government's proposed resource security legislation and global concerns like the greenhouse effect and ozone depletion.
In Adelaide, the Environmental Youth Alliance has organised a march against the resource security legislation. On Saturday, June 1, meet at Victoria Square at 10.30 a.m. to march to a festival at Rymill Park. There, people can get involved in workshops, a speak-out and theatre. For more information contact Rebecca on (08) 231 6982 or Katrina on (08) 298 1742.
Brisbane's Waste Minimisation Festival at Albert Park on June 2 includes stalls, entertainment and eco-friendly edibles. Bicycle enthusiasts can join the bike ride to a similar festival that day at Queens Park, Ipswich. Also part of the celebration is the "Festival of Green Eyes", which will feature exhibits from professional, amateur, student and Aboriginal artists. This can be viewed at McWhirters Main Gallery June 2-10. On June 5, environmental displays and stalls will be set up in Queen St Mall. For more information, contact the Wilderness Society on (07) 229 4533.
The Environment Day Action Network in Melbourne is organising a teach-in to on environmental concerns ranging from the effects of ozone depletion to Third World poverty and environmental degradation. The discussion will emphasise the need to work out an action plan to overcome the problems we face. Stalls and displays will be a feature of the day.
In the evening, a public meeting to protest against the resource security legislation is being jointly organised by the network and the Environmental Youth Alliance. The meeting aims to win broad endorsement for an ongoing campaign to force the government to abandon the legislation. Both events are to be held in the Lower Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday June 2, with the teach-in beginning at 1 p.m. and the public meeting at 7 p.m. For further information phone Kevin on (03) 380 5876 or the EYA office on (03) 416 1455.
Planning meetings are being held at the Perth Environment Centre for a march, rally and festival to take up the issues of mining in national parks and resource security legislation. For more information contact Carla on (09) 380 2292 or the Environment Centre on (09) 321 5942.
In Sydney, the World Environment Day Rally Committee is staging a Confest which will feature 30 workshops plus keynote panels and debates taking up topics such as the impact of war on the environment, the link between Third World poverty and environmental degradation, and a discussion of directions for Green politics in the '90s.
A range of workshops from organisations like the Bicycle Institute, unity Aid Abroad, the Rainforest Action Group and the Movement Against Uranium Mining promises something of interest for everyone!
A children's festival will run throughout the day featuring Aboriginal story telling, puppet shows, a bush tucker demonstration, clay modelling and face painting. Earth Reggae and Coolangubra will provide entertainment and eco-friendly food and wares will be sold from stalls being set up by up to 50 community-based organisations. If you feel like a day at the movies, a great range of films detailing environmental struggles from around the globe will be screened.
The Confest is to be held at the Intensive Language and Reception Centre, Cleveland and Chalmers Sts, Surry Hills, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information or a copy of the agenda contact Janet on (02) 690 1977.
On June 5 the Environmental Youth Alliance is organising a "Save the Forests" rally at 4.30 p.m. at Sydney Town Hall Square. Bring your musical instruments, whistles, pots and pans, placards and banners. For further details phone Mina on (02) 387 1694 or the EYA office on (02) 247 9342.