350 is spelled out in front of the Dunedin Railway Station
by people visiting the Spring Food Festival, which was
organised as one of the 350 International Day of Action
events in Dunedin on Saturday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Thousands of people flocked to the Spring Food Festival
in Dunedin on Saturday, as part of the 350 International Day of
Climate Action.
The festival was held in conjunction with the Otago Farmers
Market.
Co-organiser Nick Holmes was delighted with the response to
the market and festival.
"It's been awesome. We just wanted to celebrate the local
produce and stuff and I think it has happened."
Festival stalls covered topics from beekeeping to solar water
heating, and one invited people to "ask a scientist about
climate change".
Free vegetable seedlings being given away by Students for
Environmental Action proved popular.
Also announced at the festival were the Eco Hero Awards.
Ten people were recognised for their "huge contribution to
Dunedin's sustainability journey", organiser Jinty MacTavish
said.
Maureen Howard won the "Eco Hero Supreme" award for her adult
community education on sustainable living practices.
Others to receive awards were: Scott Willis for his work with
the Waitati Energy Project and the Blueskin Resilient
Communities Trust; Jason Ross for encouraging people to grow
food at home; Lala Frazer for her work with Save the Otago
Peninsula and Waitati Edible Gardens; Hendrik Koch for work
with the Shetland St Community Gardens; Nicola Bould for work
with Bags Not and the Harbour Cycle Network; Francisca
Griffin and Dallas Henley for work with the Port Chalmers
Community Gardens; Michelle Ritchie for adult eduction in
organic food production; and Steve Walker for the harbourside
cycle network.
About 500 people gathered in front of the railway station at
1pm for a Dunedin 350 day photograph.
The event was one of more than 4000 held worldwide to
encourage people to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 350
parts per million - the atmospheric CO2 concentration some
scientists say is necessary to halt global warming.
Earlier in the day, about 50 surfers paddled out at St Clair
to form a circle to highlight the action day, and a
skateboard competition was held from noon at the Thomas Burns
skateboard park.
Churches throughout the city tolled their bells 350 times in
support of the action day.
About 200 cyclists took part in the inaugural 350 Riders'
Rally, which was led by Olympic mountain biker Kashi Leuchs
and professional cyclists Anja McDonald and Justin Leov.
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