S.

There is this wonderful thing about Sydney: even if you don't have money, you can do amazing stuff. Like sailing. No boat, no money, no experience, but I was cruising the harbour on a racing sailboat last weekend :)

It's a part of NSW and ACT sailing clubs initiative - Try Sailing Day.
It means that everyone can rock up at any participating club, and will be taken out to the harbour for a quick tour. You don't get to sail per se, rather as a passenger, but people who sail the boats (owners who volunteer for the clubs) explain all they do on the water etc. And the best part - it doesn't cost anything!

The idea is to get people motivated to join sailing clubs, as boat owners (that day won't come soon for me), and also as helpers - there are harbour races every week, and they always need additional crew members. So basically you can turn up at a sailing club on Friday evening (twilight sailing), say you want to help, and they'll put you on a boat to help with some basic stuff. Recreation and adrenalin, and all for nothing :)

With Try Sailing Day, we were lucky to get on a smaller racing sailboat - no rails, just a small open deck and you sit on the side and hold the edge, and the mast with the sail is may be 8-10 meters tall, amazing :)


The guys told us the boat is going to tilt with the wind but not overturn (that's a consolation), but when we were getting out to the harbour, the boat actually stood almost 90 degrees to the water! the opposite edge of the boat to us was actually in the water! but we didn't fall, apparently the keel is made with a very something, and the boat physically can't overturn. But in any case, it gets enough adrenalin pumped through your veins when you are in the middle of the harbour on a racing boat going faaaast...

I'm very excited about the prospect of becoming a sailwoman :) (and by the way I already did a beginner course a couple of months ago with Karan in Balmain, which was awesome, we were sailing by ourselves then :)))

Below are a few pics from the Try Sailing Day, and the rest is on flickr HERE

Labels: sailing, sydney harbour, sydney is awesome, things to do

It wouldn't be possible two years ago.
It has sprung from commitment of individuals in every corner of the planet.
It was organised by word of mouth and via internet.
It was amazing and I was glad to be a part of it.

Yesterday, 24 October 2009, was the most widespread day of political action the world has ever seen - the International Day of Climate Action, when at over 5,200 events around the world, people gathered to call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis.

It was broadcast in media around the world, became front page news in NY Times, BBC, CNN to name a few, and was the top news story on the planet on Google.

It is amazing how widespread the movement became. In one day, thousands and thousands of people came together to show they care. There were over 5,200 events in 181 countries - from New Zealand to Iceland, from Mongolia to Guatemala, from Canada to Zambia; and even in Belarus there were over 10 different actions (I'm very proud).

The day showed it's not only active young people in developed countries, but EVERYONE and EVERYWHERE is demanding action on climate change. Old ladies in Bangladesh, teachers in Ghana, parents with their kids in Sydney - everyone is coming together, because it matters.

Photos and videos from the day will be compiled and delivered to the world politicians in Copenhagen and prior.

This International Day of Climate Action was organised by 350.org, a movement calling on global leaders to reach a deal in Copenhagen in December, that would bring the level of CO2 in atmosphere to 350 parts per million (the safe level) from 387ppm we have now already (unsafe level). More info on the science and the day is on 350 website.

Of course, I couldn't be a passive observer, and took a part in a few events here in Sydney: twitter hour (sending messaged to the prime minister demanding commitment to 350 target), carrotmob in Surry Hills, and the biggest of all, forming 350 at the steps of the Opera House (it's me at the bottom of 5, can't really see but I'm there! :)


We had Sydney's lord-mayor C.Moore speaking, scientists, musicians (Felix from The Cat Empire); all major media including TV networks were covering the event - here is a write-up in Sydney Morning Herald today.

Labels: 350ppm, action, climate change

Here's where I'm at with 3 more days to go:

(you can donate on my special page HERE)

1. Have offset my 2 tonnes of CO2 with Greening Australia - check out the certificate:

2. Have switched my superannuation option (like a pension fund) into a sustainable investment fund.

I'm so excited about this one, feels incredibly good to know that my super investments do not contribute to any evil corporations (hopefully). I've switched to AMP Capital Responsible Investment Leader Fund through my provider Sunsuper, more info about the option I chose, HERE

3. Still going vegetarian, no plastic bags or cups consumed (perhaps it helps I'm mostly at home this week hehe), and power switches (all, including even wifi!) are off at night.

4. I've requested a renewable gas option for our apartment, however the whole building is locked into an exclusive gas provision with AGL, who don't have any green gas options - boooo! so that's my challenge done but un-executable unfortunately...

and the only task left is to buy a bike this week! I'm still looking for the best option...

Please support me on my greener journey :)

You can donate on my special page HERE

Labels: challenge, climate change, enviroweek, excited

I confessed earlier that I'm a bit of a greenie, nothing too radical but trying to do my bit.

I've never really done anything public, but today I heard about Enviroweek in Sydney, 11-17 October and decided it's time to do something more active, plus it's fun.

I'm fundraising as part of Enviroweek dare, and have set myself the following challenges, all to be completed in the next 5 days:

1. Offset my 2009 household emissions (2 tonnes)
2. Request to invest my superannuation (like a pension fund) into more sustainable industries
3. Go vegetarian for a week, until 19 October
4. Decline all plastic bags when shopping and plastic cups when drinking (means no takeaway coffee or drinks)
5. Turn off all power switches at night
6. Switch to renewable gas if I can (already have 100% green electricity)
7. Buy a bike to ride everywhere.

If you would like to see all of the above becoming a reality, please donate.
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/svetlana_zhukova
It might seem a lot but I'm fully committed and hopefully will get your support along the way!

GO BETTER PLANET!

I'm trying to raise as much money as I can, and I only have 5 days. Please PLEASE support me! :)

Click on the link below to read more and to donate to my challenges: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/svetlana_zhukova

Please dig deep or however much you can afford to sponsor me. It only takes a few seconds.

Spread the word and forward to as many people as possible.
thanks in advance :)

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/svetlana_zhukova

UPDATE

Have just offset 2 tonnes of CO2 with Greening Australia, so that's Number 1 done. Going for the 2nd day of being vegetarian, no plastic bags or cups consumed so far. And everything was off at night at powerswitches, apart from the phone & the fridge.

Labels: challenge, climate change, enviroweek

I tagged everyone who can attend the premiere event in their country

The first successful dramatisation of climate change to hit the big screen. - The Guardian

Think an inconvenient truth but with a personality. - LA Times

here, here - my bit in helping to promote this great action on climate change.

The Age of Stupid is a climate change movie, and the best part is, it shows different perspectives from around the world, and motivates you to do something - even if simple things on a personal level, but most importantly, creating noise for Copenhagen talks making sure we have a chance.

I saw the movie here in Sydney and it's great, check out the reviews and blog posts about it below. It's a one-day only event, and it's now or never!

Read on.
And get your tickets - with 50+ countries it's very very likely you can attend.

If you can't attend, you can still watch the premiere event live the next day, and you can buy a dvd and watch a movie with your friends. Make a wave.


Join Moby, Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Gillian Anderson, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson, Heather Graham, people in 50+ countries and over 700 cinemas for the cinematic event of a lifetime.

The Age of Stupid - Global Premiere

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Republic of, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Watch Trailer

Read Press Reviews

Get your tickets and Help spread the word

Labels: climate change, movie premiere, the age of stupid

Last Saturday it was a glamour time - I have attended the opening night premiere of "A Streetcar Named Desire" play of Sydney Theatre Company.

It's quite a cultural event around here - starring Cate Blanchett in the main role, and directed by Liv Ullmann, famous director (I have to say I haven't heard of her before, but she is very known; an actress in the 60s, dircetor of the Faithless movie and an ex-wife of Ingmar Bergman, starred in most of his movies - of which I've seen none either I have to admit - but I've heard the name :)

The opening night was an interesting outing - many Sydney celebrities were there, I think I saw Miranda Otto, a few local actors, a couple of TV personalities, and I'm sure many other 'who is who's' were around - unfortunately not being local, I couldn't be as impressed :) Just saw camera flashes going off, but who they were photographing all the time, I have no idea...

Now, the play.
















I think the acting was great (but I wish we were sitting closer to the stage, so I could see better the acting of Cate Blanchett!), and all critics are raving, tickets are sold out and impossible to get etc... But I wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be.

May be it's the fact the play went for over 3 hours - which is quite long and takes away the dynamism and intensity of the events in my opinion. Or was is that the story line of the play isn't as scandalous/confronting as it was when the play was written? With the media nowadays everything is much more on display, and there are many stories we see around and hear about, that are much more shocking, gripping and thought provoking than the play. The subject now seems almost trivial...

Or was it that I didn't know the background/plot, haven't seen the movie with Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh to appreciate the story?

Blanche (played by Cate Blanchett) is far from sexual predator/addict the character is described as; you feel rather pity for the poor soul rather than her desires...

But for a balanced point of view, check these two reviews out:

"Extraordinary" - Australian Stage online (joined by similar reviews form The Australian, SMH and many others: READ HERE

"Missing something" - from Same Same, and the only review that echoes my thoughts on the play: READ HERE

Nevertheless, it's a very good play - this opening night was almost like a partying gift from my company - I managed the sponsorship of STC for the last couple of years, so it's a very good exit I'd say :)

Labels: a streetcar named desire, opinion, review, sydney theatre company