Niue's Grab that Jandal - Clean Togo

The day in the life of some pretty eager enthusiastic people supporting 350.org. 350Niue first ever event, the progression of the day in " Grab That Jandal' - Clean Togo For 350.org Global Campaign to bring down CO2 emissions in our atmosphere.
Pics by Keith Vial Niue Yacht Club

350Niue Togo Before ( left ) and After ( above )

15th October Crisp Chill by Niue Standards that is, 5:30am in the morning official start time.

For grab that Jandal clean up of Togo. Its still dark guys! The keen and the enthusiastics turn up at this time of the morning. For Niue I am reminded that 5:30am really means 6:30am but I say lets go at 5:45am thats about all the waiting Im going to do. I want to get the day started.
Meshu and 6yr old son Asi, Inagaro, Keith and Me.
Vanessa and brother whizz past in their car "meet you there" she says out the window. "Yep OK cool."
Jenny will meet us there, Birtha will meet us there she will bring bread and Taro for the BBQ
Also BCN camera man will meet us there so Ina tells me. For not only is Ina a 350Niue person but also amongst many other things a BCN News interviewer and reader and will be covering our days event. Awesome!
Meshu, Asi, Ina in the back of the truck Keith drives I sit in the passenger seat thinking about frothy flat white coffee steaming in a large white mug just like how it come from the Crazy Unga Cafe. When Keith stops and points out this glorious morning unfolding in front of our eyes. Ha keith says photo opportunity. We all gather in for a smile sun breaking over the horizon with flashes of reds yellows orange through coconut fronds and racing morning light across the land in every direction, ah magical even better than coffee.
At Togo sign another photo opportunity. Who ever of us is there we make a start through the bush track even Asi. A 15minute cool easy walk through the bush opens out at the end to overlook a stark contrast of grey coral rock pinnacles as far as the eye will go to the end where they meet the sea. It is like looking at another world being on a another planet and we are going to walk through them. It only takes a moment to realize there is a pathway through when you see rope hand rails steps and a concreted path. but we all know this except for Asi he has never been to Togo before. The trek down and along the coral pinnacles will take about 15 to 30minutes depending on weather you are a mountain goat or human young or older.
BCN News Camera man takes all camera equipment with him and manages to sprint ahead of us all. How did he do that??
At Togo chasm we start to make our way down the step ladder. One after the other its about 25mt to 30mt climb down into what is a beautiful white sandy coconut palm oasis enclosed all around with in steep coral cliffs. All contrasts from Bush walk to Coral trek void of any tree to white coconut oasis. I gave up wondering why ages ago and just enjoy being there. Its a pity Asi couldnt make it down the ladder this time but I am sure next time he will.
But it is all about cleaning away the dead fallen coconut fronds and raking small debris from the white sand. Vanessa makes a joke that Grab that Jandal can be the first person to find a discarded Jandal wins. There are no broken Jandals bar one which Vanessa finds and is the official winner of grab that Jandal. Prize is the Jandal! mmm Prize is, I guess there was only the one Jandal and hardly any un biodegradable rubbish.
Many hands make light work and before no time Vanessa is racking sand to start our 350Niue logo in support of 350.org. We all gather green leaves and the creative team Vanessa and Ina outline 350 niue. Another photo opportunity as we gather behind this fantastic logo for a series of great Team pics and filming from BCN News.
Time to head back for BBQ breakfast. I look back down at Togo Chasm after making my way back up to the top of the step ladder and think how great Togo was looking after our clean. Another photo opportunity. Longer trek back to where we began with time out for a chat and a rest. BCN News takes interviews and films and I wonder how did the cameraman get back so soon they have been waiting ages for me and Jenny we took our time yes all the time in the world. Im sure I saw the camera man run back with all that equipment.

Climate Change effort begins with us all and it is an effort but made easier the more people who come to gather around the same issues and feeling you have. Its All Team Effort, who are the team? We all are!

See you at the ' Treemendous Niue ' - Tree Planting at the childrens playground 24th October
also on the evening of the 24th October a very fun event to be hosted at the Matavai Resort
' Design A 350 Niue Cocktail Drink ' Niue flavours, Niue Theme, Niue Name competition open to all eateries and bars on Niue. Come and enjoy what is bound to be an enjoyable and different evening as we watch the competitors make their winning 350 Cocktails. 4 Judges.
Keep posted here for more details coming.

From Commodore Keith - Niue Yacht Club

350.Niue


Niue .The Smallest Democratic country in the world.


Niue is certainly doing it’s bit to lower the greenhouse gas emissions when 27% of our tourists arrived in the “cleanest and greenest” possible way, by using the Trade Winds. In 1774 one of our earliest arrivals, using wind power, was Captain Cook. He tried to “parley with the natives” and leave them trinkets, but our ancestors didn’t want to parley and didn’t want his trinkets either. They threw spears at him and so Captain Cook rowed back to HMS “Endeavour” and sailed away marking Niue’s location on his map as “The Savage Island”.

However, today we aren’t “savage” any more and in fact we are down right friendly as our many cruising friends say in our visitors book.

Being true sailors, and making long sea voyages, just as our ancestors so skilfully did, modern sailors use renewable energy such as solar panels and wind generators to provide electrical power for daily use on board. It is only on rare occasions that they have to resort to diesel engines, because they are noisy and of course use expensive fossil fuels.

Perhaps the Age of Sail is not dead but will grow in use, as more and more people discover the joys of gliding through sparkling South Pacific seas with just the noise of the water as it passes down the hull, the wind whistling through the sails and being accompanied by the humpback whales on their annual migration.

The motto of the Niue Yacht Club is, “Arrive as a visitor, leave as a friend.”

Although Captain Cook didn’t, maybe one day,you dear reader, may discover the “True” Niue.


Keith
Commodore
Niue Yacht Club
The Biggest Little Yacht Club in the World.

HYPERLINK "http://www.niueyachtclub.com" www.niueyachtclub.com

Supporter of 350.Niue

What is this 350 thing??? 350Niue!!!

I sit at my computer take a deep breath
350.org came to Niue on the breath of some one who was not Niuean not even living on this Island. Who saw potential in this smallest nation on this great earth. It takes someone outside of yourself sometimes to slap you in the face to take attention 'Look at this will you' SLAP! ow it hurts.
And this is one of the greatest things with 350.org its ability to pass on a simple message lets spread awareness to get down those CO2 emissions to safe levels. But wait there is more its global. Imagine when a group of enthusiastic like minded people finally got to the stage of registering their Islands events. We Niue the smallest Nation on earth had become a part of this great global initiative. Ah but no time to rest under the coconut trees this also meant commitment.
This meant getting word out to the Island this meant Sponsorship and support this meant working as a Team. And what a team the '350Niue Team' its like some kind of A team I think and our approach is everyone on Niue local or visitor is potential team. Lets get the word out.
Ah What - 350? what is this 350 thing??? this is what the locals say everyone hears the numbers 350 but what is it?
But I'snt that fantastic it has been a great selling point for us " come on people at work take a 2min break to read our 350Niue email poster " not that we advocate sneaky behaviour at work but its a 350 thing??? I know its kinda naughty but we take opportunity where we can asking the question what is that 350 thing??? gives the 350Niue Team an opportunity to answer. thats all we need opportunity.
We have our first event 'Grab that Jandal' Clean up of Togo on the 15th October a most magical spot here on Niue that needs a little TLC. Lead up to the 24th October our main event 'Treemendous Niue' tree planting at the childrens playground has been helped along by one of our Govt Ministers Hon Jacobson. She is my neighbour across the road and greatest cook on Niue after hours of course only in Niue. What about BCN our local Broadcasters sponsored all our announcements on Tv and Radio. The Matavai Resort sponsoring our 350Niue design a Niue Cocktail. The Niue Yacht club and Niue Tourism we have all come together for this 350 thing??? 350.org has bought a community together working towards a great global initiative. For future generations. Many thanks to 350.org for great support and to www.blogactionday.org for great blog campaign See you on the 350.org website when we all get to post our pics Fakaaui Lahi atu