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CLIMATE CHANGE, DESPAIR & EMPOWERMENT ROADSHOW IN N AMERICA APRIL-MAY

MEDIA RELEASE April 7

In response to growing public concern about climate change, the Rainforest Information Centre is taking to the road to address the psychological and emotional issues surrounding global warming, suggest where the solutions may be found and to help build a vibrant grass roots movement around this issue.

The ‘Climate Change Despair and Empowerment’ roadshow aims to motivate people to take action against climate change in the wake of Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth". The Stern Report and the IPCC Report.

The multi-media presentation includes video footage of Al Gore speaking about the overwhelming importance of grass roots action to give courage to political and business leaders to initiate the dramatic changes required if we are to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change.

Seed is Founder of the Rainforest Information Centre in Australia where the Rainforest Information Centre team have presented the ‘Climate Change Despair and Empowerment’ roadshow in over 50 towns and cities so far this year. While Seed brings the roadshow to N America in mid-April, the Australian roadshow continues, presented by . Rainforest Information Centre director Ruth Rosenhek and others.

"Australia and the US are the only two holdouts in the entire international community" said Seed. "It is of the utmost importance that they join the rest of the world's climate negotiation process and signing the Kyoto treaty."

The roadshow focuses its discussion on the role public and personal denial, helplessness and despair play in the fight against climate change.

“The roadshow will address Gore's insight that many people move straight from denial to helplessness and despair about this issue without leaving any space in between for effective action,” said Seed. “We often feel paralysed, hopeless, that it’s too late and so on. We’ll discuss how these feelings can be transformed into the fuel for inspiration and positive change”

The 90 minute Roadshow also aims to:

· Catalyse, invigorate and support grassroots climate study/action groups across N America.
· Unveil the false and "business as usual" solutions suggested by political parties such as nuclear power, so called "clean coal”, biofuels and carbon credits.
· Raise awareness and inspire political action towards the real solutions that the public must insist upon. (eg. end the many billions of dollars a year in subsidies to the fossil fuel industries and support renewables instead
· Provide resources for the many things that we can all do to turn the situation around.

Author, musician and film-maker John Seed is a long-time rainforest activist and facilitator of experiential deep ecology workshops.
http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/deep-eco/johnseed.htm johnseed1@ozemail.com.au

For more information see www.climate.net.au/
For roadshow schedule see www.rainforestinfo.org.au/deep-eco/schedule.htm

JOHN SEED NORTH AMERICAN SCHEDULE APRIL-MAY 2007

FLORIDA APRIL 14-19

April 14-15 Miami FL Earth, Spirit, Action contact mario@earth-learning.org

April 15 Miami FL Coral Gables Congregational Church 7pm "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation contact mario@earth-learning.org

April 16 Miami FL Barry University 7pm "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation contact mario@earth-learning.org

April 17 Miami FL Florida International University 7pm "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation contact mario@earth-learning.org

April 18 Gainesville FL 7pm "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation contact ssnyder@religion.ufl.edu

April 19 Gainesville FL 6pm Deep Ecology, Spirituality and the Conservation of Nature presentation contact ssnyder@religion.ufl.edu

ARKANSAS APRIL 20-26

April 20 Little Rock AR keynote address, Unitarian Universalist conference

April 21 Little Rock AR Arkansas Earth Day & Arkansas Literary Festival

April 22 Little Rock AR UUCLR Earth Ministry 1-6pm Earth, Spirit, Action contact jabowen38@sbcglobal.net

April 23 Little Rock AR 7pm "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation contact thjones@pulaskitech.edu

April 24 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation and concert River Spirit Retreat nr Parthenon, NW Arkansas contact Ann Lasater haven@riverspirit.com

April 25 Eureka Springs AR, afternoon at Clear Spring School, evening "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation contact Barbara Harmony peace@ipa.net

April 26 Fayetteville AR evening "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation contact Dick Bennet jbennet@uark.edu

ONTARIO APRIL 27 - MAY 6

April 27-29 Ottawa ON deep ecology workshop, Marguerite Centre contact director@margueritecentre.com

April 30 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" morning presentation to high schools Pembroke On

April 30 "The Hatchery" Haliburton ON "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation 7pm contact gaiacentre@sympatico.ca

May 1 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation Belleville ON, Eastminster United Church 7.30pm contact jwdwfarandwild@aol.com

May 2 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation Toronto ON, OISE Auditorium, 7pm contact marilyn@visionlegacy.com

May 3 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation Hamilton ON contact contactus@environmenthamilton.org

May 4 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation Guelph ON 7pm contact arlenes@can.rogers.com

May 6 Climate Change, Despair, and Empowerment workshop Institute for Traditional Medicine, Toronto ONT 10am - 6pm contact info@instituteoftraditionalmedicine.com

MASSACHUSETTS MAY 7-13

May 7 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation Tompkins County Human Services Building, 320 State St, Ithaca, NY contact phebe@ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us

May 8 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation Mark Skinner Library, Manchester VT 7pm contact greenpam@vermontel.net

May 9 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation 7pm Greenfield MA
Contact deborahandrew@earthlink.net

May 10- 11 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation First Parish Church, Cambridge MA contact John Seed randers@cambridgema.gov

May 11 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation Amesbury MA contact CDATHOME@aol.com

May 13 Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Society, Northampton MA contact tclarke@cleanwater.org

May 12-13 Earthlands, Petersham MA Climate Change, Despair, and Empowerment Saturday & Sunday workshops contact frankdeitle@earthlands.org

NEW JERSEY/NEW YORK MAY 14-20

May 14 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation ( New Paltz NY or Old Greenwich CT) contact John Seed johnseed1@ozemail.com.au

May 15 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey contact lkearns@drew.edu

May 16 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation 7.30 pm St. Mark's-Church-on-the-Bowery, 2nd Avenue and E. 10th Street New York City contact jkthecat666@aol.com

May 17 "Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation 7.30 pm Princeton, New Jersey Unitarian Universalist Congregation contact d.Phillips@epv.net

May 18"Climate Change, Despair & Empowerment" presentation 7.30 pm Genesis Farm, NJ contact patlong@hotmail.com

May 19-20 Climate Change, Despair, and Empowerment Saturday & Sunday workshops Genesis Farm, NJ contact patlong@hotmail.com