On "Doing Nothing" | Marching Behind Bindi's Drum | Making it Happen | Jacques Yves Cousteau | Ever Seen a Baby Pelican? |
Many, perhaps most of the people we meet, are at least passively concerned about the environment. However, most of these people are not "joiners" and are not prepared to "get involved". Maybe they also consider their individual action will not help.
Perhaps there is something worth considering. Something that does not require them to "get involved". Perhaps that something is "not doing".
By looking not too critically at our lifestyles we can consider the things that we are doing that represent an assault on nature and, as much as possible, stop doing those things.
The things that we might stop doing need not reduce our lifestyle. We might take a string bag shopping and not use plastic carry bags. We might consider the overuse of fertilisers. We might consider we do not need as many newspapers and magazines and in doing so save one tree from destruction.. There are many things that can be "not done" without consulting anyone or joining anything.
As we struggle to heal our ailing world , we need to look more inwardly to the very core of our own Nature. The Ten Points put forward by Bindi Isis in the last issue of NBT are surely an expression of this. Unlike the Ten Commandments or any other ten points coming in from on high, hers stem from Nature deeply moving within her
They are worth repeating over and over - and I will echo them in my own words, hoping that the "spirit" has been kept intact.
Yes to "share song with indigenous caretakers old" and to listen together to the beat, the rythms and the voices of the land, too often muffled by white noise, the rumbling of civilised chatter.
Yes "to cherish the sustainable whole" and to trust our soul, knowing, even if at times we cannot see the forest for the wood, that the whole is greater than all of its parts and yet that every part contains the whole of our soul.
Yes "to refashion a land-based education" and to bring out and nurture the "spirit" in the land, the trees, the rivers, the creeks, the hills, the lakes, the sea, aware always that earth and spirit move in unison.
Yes "to uphold and nourish all local wealth" and to proclaim our symbiotic dependence on the land, proud to be her people and gladly returning her great gifts.
Yes " to sense a web of life in health" and to feel the ease of the land, the harmonious dancing of the elements, also its unease and quickly to spin the remedy when necessary.
Yes "to unveil Goddess with many Gods within" and to open our heart, our true nature, and reveal all its preciousness and its glory
Yes "to honour family, respecting who we sing" and acknowledge those close to us keeping at bay idle chatter and endless moral gossiping
Yes "to reconciliate ourselves with our past"and to be truly sorry, firmly intent on moving ahead, letting go of senseless guilt and sterile regrets.
Yes, yes and again yes "to celebrate story and event changing fast" and to sing daily, to sing our joys, to sing our pains and to dance, feeling in our veins the blood coursing, like the wind, a call to sail away the doldrum a long, long way away....
Marcel Veldhoven
If the human race is to survive we must reduce our assault on nature. Every assault stopped, however small, is a step towards survival of our species. Individually these actions may seem to have little value but when enough people are "not doing" things the effect will be considerabl, remembering that it is always easier to "not do" than to correct that which has been done.
Doug Lenoury
This edition of the NBT has come to you with the assistance of many.........
Compilation: Ev Pettigrew and Bede Sunter
Advertising: Gillanne Garretty
Mailing List: Merlene Stuart
Illustrations : Sue Prescott
Photos: May Leatch
Cover Photo: Warren Jones
Treasurer: Ev Pettigrew
Collation, distribution and mailing: Diana Wright and her band of helpers.
Contributors: acknowledged with the articles and, of course, our subscribers and advertisers who make it financially possible.
Thank you all.
The NBT takes limited advertising at reasonable rates. Also if you want us to promote some upcoming event, let us know and we will include it in our Diary Dates column.
Phone Gillannne (044) 460040
Your contributions - photos, articles, sketches and letters are welcomed.
Please send to P.O. Box 404 Nowra or Fax 044 231 615
Closing date for material for the next issue will be
15th August 1997
Further enquiries contact:
Ev Pettigrew 044 434499 or
May Leatch 044 231615
Many of us will remember when world famous marine explorer and conservationist, Jacques Yves Cousteau, visited Jervis Bay. This was on 21 February 1990 at the height of efforts to gain protection for Jervis Bay. He was accompanied by the then Federal Minister for Environment Graham Richardson, and the then Minister for Science Barry Jones.
Jacques Cousteau was 82 years old at the time and still an active campaigner for the oceans.
When asked about the value of Jervis Bay (which he had just flown over in a helicopter), Monsieur Cousteau replied, "There are no half ways with conservation. Either you protect it or you don't. Development is never good. I am not in favour of small parks."
Seven years on, Jervis Bay waters are now a Marine Park and sections of its surrounding land have become National Park.
The "New Bush Telegraph" pays tribute to the late Jacques Cousteau
and the many other citizens and groups who have contributed and continue
to contribute towards the campaign to make sure that the Jervis Bay region
survives as an environmental gem and awonderful area to live in.
As one ponders these extraordinary birds which are a regular feature of our waterways, it is hard to imagine what a baby pelican looks like. Where do they nest? Why do we never see them paddling behind the adults as we so often see with other waterbirds?
Pelicans nest in colonies, usually on isolated islands away from ground
predators. The breeding pair share the tasks of building the nest, incubation
and feeding the young. The nest, a crude platform of sticks lined with grass
or seaweed, usually contains 2-4 eggs. Pelicans from the Shoalhaven may
travel great distance to undisturbed nesting sites and it is only when the
young are strong enough to fly that they are able to return to the area.