Greencard 2006

Thank you to everyone who joined us and/or helped us in any way - big or small.

You made our first year, 2006, a fruitful one ...

and we look forward to

continued networking

with you

in 2007.

May God bless you and yours,

keeping you safe and light

over the coming times.

Newsflash: Greenlight CD update

Several alternative musical artistes and bands from Trinidad & Tobago have come together to produce a 16 track CD which will be sold to raise money for future Greenlight environmental events and projects.

The CD promises to be an eclectic offering, with each artiste/band doing one piece each. The intention is to launch the CD, entitled GREENLIGHT (Volume 1), in March next year at an outdoor, Woodstock style concert featuring the CD's performers. Stay tuned!

See you on Thursday 16th November, 2006

Dear Greenlights (and anyone interested in coming along to see what we are about) ...

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Our next fortnightly meeting will take place on

Thursday 16th November, 2006

from 6:00 p.m.

at our headquarters: 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe.

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We will be discussing:

1. The CD project

2. Our next interactive creative street event for raising public awareness

3. Anything else members which to raise

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See you there!

Anti-smelter march in London

Placard of protest (Trinidad, 2006)

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Many of you have probably already heard of the international anti smelter demonstration (Trinidad and Iceland march) taking place in London on 27 October 2006. What they are doing is right up Greenlight's alley - a 'theatrical and interactive event' taking place in the streets to raise awareness. The organisers have christened the march as 'a funeral march to mark the murder of Karahnjukar, Iceland, and the impending murder of the Cedros Peninsula, Trinidad, at the bloody hands of Alcoa and heavy industry.'

They go on to say: 'Set in one of the financial capitals of todays Empire, this protest will mark the beggining of the joint struggle against the heavy industrial invasion of both Iceland and Trinidad.'

Read the full article here.

It has been suggested/requested that as a mark of solidarity, we wear all black on that day. Whatever else you/we can creatively do to echo the sentiments being expressed in London on the 27th, bring it forth.

Meeting to discuss the CD

Date: Thursday (19th October)
Time: 6 p.m.
Venue: Glen's house: 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the Greenlight CD project. Thus far, several musicians have agreed to do a song for the CD, which we aim to have done in time for Christmas. The venture will be a combination of fundraising, awareness and entertainment rolled into one.

If you are a 'conscious' performer who would like to be a part of the CD, please be at the meeting. If there are any questions, simply send us an e-mail.

Meeting

Chaconia, the national flower of T & T

*

There will be an important Greenlight meeting this Thursday 28 September from 6:00 p.m. sharp at Glen's house, 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe. We will be discussing our present state of being and our immediate steps forward. Please try to attend.

Beauty and the Beast Exhibition

Dear Greenlights,

This Saturday 23 September, 2006 ... the Rights Action Group invites us to come down to the Chatham Camp (anti smelter) for a day of solidarity, conversation, creativity, performances, etc. with the residents of the area. Those of you who have never been to the southwestern peninsula, it is worth the drive. You'll understand in a much deeper way why these people are fighting so hard to protect their beautiful living space from ALCOA and the other industrial giants that want to 'set up shop'.

CAPTURING THE ESSENCE
As Greenlights, we project our messages through creative missions. The idea is that anyone coming on Saturday will bring a camera and capture things or moments that you find 'beautiful'. Please don't feel shy or intimdated or that you have to be 'a real' photographer to be a part of this. We want as many people as possible, with honest, heartfelt images of their experiences on the day. Out of the photos you take, choose one which you find the most moving or impactful, develop it to as large a size as possible (e.g. 8 x 12 is a good enough average size) and each of these pieces will be exhibited as a collective (details of venue, etc. to follow). Inevitably the pieces will reflect the 'beauty' of the area - however you choose to define beauty, whether it be in literal or abstract terms. Invite as many people as you want to come down and be a part of this venture. More people = more solidarity, more photos, more impact.

THE EXHIBITION
The name of the exhibition (working title): BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. We all know who 'THE BEAST' is ... but many people do not know 'THE BEAUTY'. The mission is to expose THE BEAUTY to a wider national audience by taking it out of Chatham in artistic form, through the travelling exhibition pieces. Through this artistic projection we can be informative about the struggle in a different way. (N.B. Those who prefer to 'capture' the beauty as a painting or drawing may also do so).

TRANSPORT TO GO DOWN TO CHATHAM
Those who wish to go may do so on their own or can choose to drive in convoy/ or car pool. If interested, please e-mail for further details and directions.

"I DO 2" trailer (literally)

Click here to see a short video clip of the I DO 2 bride as she takes her first steps onto the streets of Arima on the morning of Saturday 2 September, 2006.

I DO 2 - photo recap

This time around it felt like a real wedding. The "bride's" mother was fussing over her early in the morning, people were running late, some cancelled, a bouquet had to hurriedly be made by Terscha's (the bride) mother who happens to be a florist.

Terscha helps her mother with the bouquet, crafted from an assortment of rubbish.

Upon arrival in Arima

After a slightly later than anticipated start, we reached to Arima. The small entourage accompanied the bride along the designated route: From corner Queen & Sorzano Streets, Arima, down Queen, past the dial to the market and back up to Sorzano via the other block. We were joined along the way by a few other Greenlights and friends.

Terscha's footwear made a fashion statement and kept her comfortable on her bridal trek

Trying to find some shade.

It was a really hot day ... and it couldn't have been easy walking in that hot, heavy dress.

The trail. By the time we reached the market, not many bottles were left.

The bouquet

Note the garbage in the drain. We stood here for a while talking to some people. During this time one of the women from the stores came and swept up the rubbish and put it in a bin. Talk about instant impact.

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Photos courtesy Elspeth

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GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

PUBLIC SUGGESTIONS

Generally the vibe in Arima was different from that in POS. Apart from having a different bride, different entourage of people, etc., the people seemed to be more interested in the idea and what was going on. Very many of them offered useful suggestions which we will incorporate the next time. Some of these included:

1. Have a sound system (e.g. megaphone) announcing her arrival, what she represents, reciting the pledge, etc.

2. Print the pledge to give to people along with Greenlight contact information for those who want to join

3. Have a bigger entourage to accompany the bride, along with music ( incidentally we were planning to have a rhythm section using rubbish items like tin cans and bottles. This will be incorporated in the next stint).

4. One man pointed out that awareness is one thing ... but people need bins in order to throw their garbage away. he was making a good point. There were hardly any bins ... but that doesn't mean the drain should act as a substitute.

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IRATE CITIZEN

A few people seemed to be not too taken with the idea of a bride walking on the sidewalk dragging bottles behind her. They either sucked their teeth and moved on when we explained what we were doing or simply cast disdainful looks as they passed us. One woman, perhaps not looking where she was going, tripped over the bottle trail and began shouting. Part of her brief tirade included: "What is dis?! CARIFESTA?!!!" (Well, actually we have discussed letting the bride make an apperance or two at selected CARIFESTA events)

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NOT AS DIRTY

Arima is not as dirty as POS. By the time we had finished the walk, the hem of the dress was only slightly dirty ... as opposed to when Gab did it (it was black).

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TRINI TIME

The police never turned up. They called as we were well on our way back home to ask where we had reached and to announce that their men had reached to work late. Oh well. (gayelle couldn;t make it, but ...) one of the TV stations called around the same time as the police to find out where we were! "We are on our way home ..." Did they both think we meant "Starting time 8:00 p.m.?"

*

Special thanks to:

Mother Nature for great weather.

All who braved the hot sun and traffic to be a part of it.

Members of the public who participated and showed interest.

Terscha for playing the bride/Environment.

Terscha's mum for making the bouquet.

Glen for transporting the entourage.

Terscha's friends/relatives for letting us park in their yard.

Chanzo for the pistachios.

For those who missed the meeting

A successful meeting was had this evening. The following are the details in point form, just to give an idea for those who were not able to be present.

As scheduled, I DO 2 will be happening on Saturday 2 September 2006 in Arima. Click here for details on the starting point and the route.

1. Those who want to travel in the car pool can meet at 7:00 a.m. at Glen's house, 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe. We will leave for the latest by 7:15 a.m. and head to our starting point in Arima.
2. Terscha will play the bride/Environment
3. Michelle will be her 'assistant', carrying the garbage bag and playing the bottle and spoon for the wedding march and to draw attention to the procession
4. Items to be supplied:
- Green wool - Elspeth
- Printed pledges, face paint and bridal face painting - Janessa
- Scissors - Glen
- Bottle and spoon, bridal bouquet - Michelle
- Vikash - questionnaire to monitor public feedback/comments
- Video documentation - Rosanna
- Photography - Elspeth

Members of the 'wedding party' who will be reading out the pledges to members of the public (and tying the green commitment bands on their wrists), please wear white tops and blue jeans.

*

Other ideas that came up in the meeting:
1. Getting a bridal shop to sponsor a nice new wedding dress.
2. In addition to using the bride on the streets, take her to other events (e.g. concerts and plays) in which a captive audience will be exposed to her 'out of the blue'. This will also give us the opportunity to say more about her, possibly even having the bride herself say a few words.
3. Getting the bride to attend public environmental meetings (e.g. public consultations held by companies like ALCOA; any other public meeting that has to do with the environment, etc.).
4. Getting a dramatic group to develop a play incorporating the bride and her trail of bottles as a central figure
5. Putting an ad in the papers which is simply our original invitation minus the street route details (see below). It will simply feature the photo of the bride with her trail, the pledge, the Greenlight logo and website address and the logo of our sponsor.

I DO 2 ... the route

Dear Greenlights,

The following is the route for Saturday 2 September

Gather at Sorzano Street, walk down to Queen Street, cross the Arima Dial, down Queen to the Arima Market, turn right to the Arima Council Car Park (opposite FCB).

The other alternative (if you don't know Arima and are not good with directions) is that we meet on Saturday morning at 7 a.m. at Glen's hosue - 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe - and do a car pool to the meeting point. Those interested in doing this, please do either or both of the following:
(a) Send us an e-mail
(b) be at the meeting on Thursday 31st, 6 p.m., 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe

Important meeting for I DO 2

Dear Greenlights (and anyone else reading this who is interested),

Image of the bride representing the Environment - I DO (part 1), Port-of-Spain, Trinidad - 5 August, 2006

There will be an important meeting this Thursday 31 August at 6:00 p.m. at Glen's house, 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe.

The purpose of this meeting is for us to work on the bride's bouquet and tiara and finalise details (map, transport and any other elements) for the I DO (part 2) procession on Saturday 2 September in Arima (further details and map of route to come by end of week).

Please respond to this if you will be able to make it to that meeting. Please also give us an indication of how many people plan to come to the procession in Arima so we can try to organise transport or car pooling if necessary.

I DO 2

A quick reminder that the follow up to the I DO project will take place on Saturday 2 September 2006 in Arima. So keep that day open if you intend to be a part of it. The exact meeting time, route and other details will be supplied closer to the date.

What has been done:
1. Yesterday a new bridal trail was made out of the plastic bottles
2. The wedding dress is being cleaned for its second incarnation as "The Environment"

What needs to be done:
1. Michelle to make the bridal boquet and confirm that she will wear the dress and play the bride/Environment
2. Write letter to police requesting permission
3. Plan route
4. Videotape event
5. Photograph event
6. Article
7. Environmental Commitment Vow to be printed an photocopied
8. At least 5 - 10 people to volunteer to be vow-readers/tiers of bands on the day.

Please contact us with any confirmation, suggestions and/or questions concerning the event. Thank you.

Meeting and Mission

Thanks to the Greenlights who attended today's enjoyable and successful meeting to (a) view the I DO footage and (b) brainstorm our next project, to be taken to the streets on Saturday 2 September, 2006.

It has been decided that we will repeat "I Do", but with a few differences:
1. We will do it in Arima
2. The bride's trail will consist of other kinds of garbage, not just plastic bottles (the comment was made that Trinis love colour and the garbage could be more colourful. Also, different kinds of garbage will bring home the point of separating our garbage into plastics, paper, tin, glass, etc. for recycling. This kind of behaviour will not happen overnight, as many things need to be put in place. But they do it in other countries. No reason why we can't as well one day).
3. Our new member, Vikash, who is a statistical analyst, will be helping us to gather data so we can monitor the effectiveness of our efforts
4. We will print out sheets with information on locally-based companies which deal with the recycling of different materials (to give to civilians)
5. We will have a petition for people to sign re the need for the Government to get moving on implementing the plastic bottle bill
6. Michelle Issava has offered to play the bride this time around and to also make the bouquet (the old one mashed up).
7. We will have more people on the bandwagon

Those interested in being a part of this, please keep in touch. Updates will also be given on this blog/via e-mail.

Viewing and Brainstorming gathering

Date: Friday 11th August 2006
Time: 6 p.m.
Venue: CCA7 Art Gallery (building #7, Fernandes Industrial Complex compound, Laventille).

The purpose of this is two-fold:

1. To view the footage (about 30 - 45 mins) of the I DO procession

2. To agree on the issue we want to address for our next street project (Sat 2 September 2006) and brainstorm on the creative mechanism we will use to carry our message to the streets and the people. Artists and people with ideas, think of the streets as our massive canvas.

We have already done street projects in Tunapuna/Curepe, POS ... and now we are thinking that heading south should be next. Anywhere from Chaguanas down.

IMPORTANT: If you are coming, please indicate by responding to this message by Wednesday night for the latest ... to give an idea of how many people are coming. This is necessary in order to set up the TV/video in a suitably sized area at CCA7.

I DO photo recap

(The vow):

Do you _____________ take the Environment to be your lifelong companion, to protect her and cherish her, respect her and honour her through all seasons, in good times and in bad ... forever?

*

*

For those who were unable to make it this morning to the I DO procession, here are a few of the many photos of what turned out to be a very enjoyable and impactful morning.

The Environment (symbolised as a bride) was played by Gabrielle Hosein. Here she stands in her 'dressing room' (the bandstand in Woodfrod Square) just before we hit the streets of Port of Spain. Thanks to Tersha and her mother for making the bridal bouquet out of all kinds of junk and rubbish (cigarette boxes, aluminium cans, cardboard things, tissues, plastics, etc. In other words, things we often see floating in the drains).

Walking across the grass of Woodford Square with her trail dragging behind her.

A pity we didn't see this earlier. We might have been offered free parking.

Yes, it would be a wonderful world if people wouldn't litter (among other things).

Self explanatory.

Crossing the street at Independence Square

Janessa ties a commitment band around the hand of a citizen. Many people committed to the environment. There were those who really looked as though they meant it, those who were into it for the fun/curiosity, those who wanted to be on TV, those (male) who wanted to simply gawk at the bride.

Say it loud.

A group of youths dressed in green gravitated towards the bride. Several of them were among the many for the day who said I DO and cut bottles from her trail to free her from the 'strangulation' of garbage.

Homelessness. Another issue.

David reads the vow to some little children.

The little boy cuts a bottle from her trail and deposits it in the bag we provided.

Thanks to:

All of the members of Greenlight who were a part of this.

Gabrielle Hosein (for playing the bride/Environment)

Sonja Dumas (for lending us the dress, which she had acquired from a garage sale)

Gayelle TV (for always being there)

CNC3 TV (to the camera man who could not find us and turned up at the end but still captured a good final moment)

The members of the public who committed

Mother Nature (for giving us great weather)

Route change for I DO procession

Dear Invited Guests.

Instead of meeting on Brian Lara Promenade for the I DO procession (on Saturday 5th August, 2006), we will be meeting on Woodford Square within the 7:30 – 8:00 a.m. timeframe. The bride will begin her walk down Frederick Street, around Cipriani Circle (roundabout near KFC) in the road past RBTT and up Abercromby back to Woodford. This change is necessary since the police only told us today that we also need to get permission from the Promenade Committee and the City Corporation. Got permission from the latter but decided against Promenade as it will cost $1,250. Beyond the budget for this environmental wedding.

The 'I DO' Project

Do you want to be a part of Greenlight Network's latest first-Saturday-of-the-month project:?

I DO.

Do you promise to tell your friends and family about it so that they will come too?

I DO.

This project is interactive environmental street theatre. The 'bride', who represents "The Environment" will walk along the designated route, dragging her trail of plastic bottles behind her. These bottles are symbolic of the carelessly tossed bottles which clog our waterways and cause flooding and which need to be recycled or, at least, disposed of properly.

As 'the Environment'/bride walks from the far west of Brian Lara Promenade to Woodford Square, those of us assisting her will stop random members of the public and read the 'Environmental Vow' to them (see vow written on invitation). Once a citizen says "I do", we will tie a piece of green cord around his/her hand to signify commitment to a healthy environment ... and he/she will get to cut a bottle from the bridal trail and symbolically place it in a garbage bag.

By the end of the 'wedding march', the bride/Environment will be free of the plastic bottles which have been strangling her beauty. The bottles will be properly encased in garbage bags which will then be taken to Recycling in Motion where they will be crushed or chipped for export (to be recycled abroad).

If you would like to be a bridal attendant on the day, please write to Greenlight Network and let us know so that we can prepare a vow on paper for you. All attendants will wear blue jeans and white tops.

(Thanks to Janessa McKell for bringing the invitation concept to fruition).

I DO ... do you?

Dear Greenlights, as you may or may not know ... on the first Saturday of every month we will be having a simple, symbolic, creative event to raise awareness on the streets of T & T. Our event for the first Saturday of July was The REvolution ...

Taking awareness to the streets with the REvolution (July).

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The idea for our next first-Saturday-of-the-month project (August) was brainstormed at this evening's meeting. The resulting project is called "I Do" and signifies the commitment made by each individual to care for the environment. As the idea is brand new, some fine tuning must occur over the month of July ... but for now, these are the basics of the project:

*

I DO

1. On Saturday 5th August, 2006, we will gather on Brian Lara Promenade, wearing white t-shirts and blue jeans so that we look like a cohesive unit. The time frame for this project will be 8 - 10 a.m.
2. Each Greenlight will have several pieces of green wool or ribbon, each of which will signify 'the commitment'.
3. Our mission is to approach people on the promenade and briefly let them know that the green band is a symbol of one's commitment to caring for the environment in any way possible. Inherent in this project is the question: Do you agree to make the extra effort to care for our environment in whatever ways you can? The inherent answer is (hopefully): I do.
4. Once the person says "I do", we tie the green band around their wrist. For as long as the person wears his/her green band (and hopefully even after they take it off), that symbolic gesture acts as a reminder that this person has made a commitment to care for the environment. Such awareness is vital. That green ribbon around someone's wrist could be the reason why they decide to toss their chocolate wrapper in a bin and not in the drain ... keep their beer bottle until they get home rather than pelting it out of the car window ... carry a garbage bag to the beach rather than leave a pile of plastic, KFC boxes and styrotex on the sand ...

As project details are developed, we will update via this blog. There is a lot more to come out of this particular venture as the month unfolds. Those who want to be a part of I DO are welcome to sign up early.

REcap of the REvolution

First of all, thank you very much to all who were a part of the Greenlight REvolution earlier today. It was REally fun and very uplifting not only for us but (from comments we overheard and even from a comment left on this site mere hours after the procession) for people who witnessed us walking along the Eastern Main Road towards Curepe. Without going into too many wordy details, suffice it to say this event was a success, despite the rain. In fact, rather than keeping us back, the rain cooled us down as we walked from Tunapuna to Curepe Junction, accompanied by the police and a camera man from Gayelle TV. Curious people along the way were handed small call cards with our Greenlight web address and a few RE words to help them understand what this REvolution was all about.

Before we launch into a few of the many photos ... just a quick note to say that our next meeting is on Monday 3 July (this Monday) from 6 - 8 p.m. ... 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe. We will be recapping the REvolution and planning for our next symbolic creative event, which will take place on the first Friday or Saturday of August.

The rain held us back at the beginning. Here, a few members shelter under the canopy of a $10 store before taking to the streets.

This photo is both poignant and ironic. The street woman seems to be saying: "Don't pass me by. Remember me ..."

Reveal the Truth with every step you take in this life.

Even the rain could not keep us back. The placard with REFLECT should have been in this shot.

Ras Iton rides into Curepe on his 'local transport' - a skateboard.

After the walk, Malik kicks off our concert on the sidewalk with some hip hop poetry outside of Sidewalk Radio station

Gamma Ghost calls down the spiritual power through his words

Ras Iton sings with reverence for Mother Earth

Glen brings peace and love through his 60's style

Elspeth strums in some vibrations of awareness

Liseli shares some conscious vibes

Janessa reflects on the holistic state of being through her poetry

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Any members who would like a full CD of images from the REvolution, please walk with a blank CD to the meeting on Monday 3 July, 2006.

*

CREDITS

Thanks to:

* All who came and contributed to the REvolution in one way or another

* Sidewalk Radio for doing so many on-air interviews with our members today, for promoting the venture in the 2 week run-up and for supporting us in general

* The police for clearing the way

* Azena for Radio 105 for seeing us, stopping and asking what was going on and giving us coverage via cellphone to the station

*Gayelle TV

* Chanzo Greenidge for making copies of the DVD with the three anti-smelter videos and distributing them along the way

Join the Greenlight REvolution

Join us on Saturday July 1st, 2006

from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
for the Greenlight REvolution.

Meeting point: Corner of St. Vincent Street and the Eastern Main Road, Tunapuna (the street just before the market)

Meeting time: 7:30/7:45 a.m. (if driving, park on St. John Road, the road to the Mt. St. Benedict - it's easy and safe).

What to wear: Blue jeans and white t-shirt

What to bring: Yourself and at least two friends. Each person will be given a placard with a positive 'RE' word written on it

What we will be doing: Walking from Tunapuna to Curepe junction (holding the placards), where several acoustic performers and poets will stage a small concert on the sidewalk in front of Sidewalk Radio station.

What is the purpose of this? To create positive change. REjuvenate ourselves. REnew the environment. REbuild our society. The REvolution starts with us.

* Sidewalk Radio will be covering the walk live (call-in reports and comments to the station by special announcer en route).

* The movement will also be documented on video, complete with casual interviews with the public and participants.

There will be a small 'street concert' on the sidewalk at the end of the walk. Acoustic guitars and poetry will be out in the open. Performances will be related to Greenlight’s mission of ‘healing our inner and outer environments’ – i.e. positive, conscious, awareness raising, etc.

*

JOIN US.

It will be fun.

To sign up for a specific word or just to say that you will be coming, send us an e-mail.

*

REJOICE
REBIRTH
RECYCLE
REINCARNATE (Shivonne)
REDEVELOP
RECHARGE
REBUILD
REJUVENATE (Navi)
RECUPERATE
REMEMBER
RETURN
REINVENT
RESERVE
REFUEL
RELIVE
RELAX
RECOVER
REPLENISH
REVIVE
REUSE
REFLECT
RETRIEVE
RESTIMULATE
REPLACE
RESPECT
RESPOND
REDISCOVER
REAWAKEN
REWRITE
RESOLVE
RESEARCH
REFORM
REHABILITATE
REUNITE
REVERE
REPAIR
RE-EVALUATE
REWARD
REVITALISE
REGENERATE
REPRODUCE
RECONCILE
REFOCUS
RE-ESTABLISH
REDESIGN
RECREATE
REGARD
RECONNECT
REVEAL
RELIVE
REGROUP
REINVIGORATE
REKINDLE

Meeting recap

Dear Greenlights,

Coconut tree at Balandra

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A quick recap of our meeting on Tuesday 6th June, 2006. Thanks to those who attended the meeting. Your input was invaluable and we feel we are building a strong team of people who will get things done whilst having fun in the process.

*

The following points were discussed:
1. This Saturday (10th June), some of the Greenlights will be going back to the mangrove area in Felicity, Chaguanas to see how possible it will be to collect more plastic bottles for recycling (The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. project). The area has been/is being dredged, so the pathway is not as user friendly, but it may still be possible to get work done on foot. Those interested in going with Glen and crew can meet at Glen's house/Greenlight headquarters (21 Lyndon Street, Curepe) at 6:00 on Saturday coming. For more information, e-mail Greenlight.

2. We discussed Greenlight t-shirts (several print quotes are being investigated). The plan is to print round-necked tees (logo & funky environmental design) for casual wear and button-up polos (with logo on front pocket only) for meetings. We would love artists/creative people in the group to develop designs (for the funky round-neck) so that a favoured design can be selected. Design submission requirements (for funky round neck t-shirt) will be properly outlined in a separate e-mail. But for now, artists, start thinking - and remember to include the logo in your concept. (Other specifics to come).

3. On Saturday July 1st we will be gathering in Tunapuna market at 8 a.m. for The REvolution. We will need over 50 people for this venture, which will take us from Tunapuna to Curepe junction by 10 .m. Sidewalk Radio has expressed interest in teaming up with us on this venture - assisting through announcements, live radio call ins frmo the road during the 2 hours of our project on that day, etc. An outline of this project will be written up and sent to the group in the near future so you will know exactly what this positive movement is all about.

4. We discussed THE SOURCE, our Woodstock-style whole day environmental concert - now carded for October. Two venues (in the East) are being investigated, artistes are to be contacted, sponsors sourced and other elements put into place. Let us know if you are interested in being a part of this (committed) core organising team.

Our next meeting will be on Monday 19th June

from 6 p.m. at 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe

(jot it down in your dairy).

All of the points listed above will be fleshed out further at this meeting.

Happy World Environment Day

... even though we believe that every day is Environment Day.

Important invitation

(Press Relase from Rights Action Group)

Local environmental lobbyists The Rights Action Group (RAG) will host a special 'Helltuh Smelta' event on Monday June 5, World Envrionment Day. Not to be left out of the football fever sweeping the nation, the smelter warriors are asking all concerned citizens on World Environment Day to come out and defend the goal of the citizens who have spoken out against the building of the smelters in Trinidad. The red card event which will take place in the Back Studio at the CCA7 facility on Fernandes compound in Laventille, will feature presentations from RAG, high school students, updates from the affected communities of the south-western peninsula as well as performances and visual presentations. RAG will also speak to the issue of alternative forms of development that are clean and sustainable and do not involve a haemorrhaging of our natural resources. RAG is also calling on all citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to plant trees on World Environment Day as a direct action response to the very alarming trend of clearing of prime and potential agricultural land for the construction of concrete jungles, in a time when the nation's food importation bill is in the billions. RAG was established by a group of concerned citizens around the country in solidarity with the communities of the south-western peninsula protesting against the imposition of aluminium smelters. Admission to this event is free. Kick off time is 6.45pm. For further information, please call 718-0480.

DVDs now available

Dear Greenlights,

First, thank you to those who turned out to Monday's meeting (22 May, 2006). Copies of the DVD (approx 15 mins in length) containing the three videos produced by Greenlight members are now available.

1. A - Z of Aluminium Smelters (Elspeth Duncan)

2. Use Your Voice (Dem Chirren Productions)

3. Please Stand (E. Duncan)

These videos, ranging from the 'artistic and symbolic' to the 'realistic', revolve around the core theme of the proposed aluminium smelters and aim to raise awareness around the issue. As such, we are asking that everyone who gets a DVD makes at least two copies which they will then give to others ... who will then make at least two copies and pass those on ... and so on and so on and so on. We also welcome donations of blank DVD-R discs.

For your free copy of the DVD compilation,

please contact Greenlight Network using the e-mail link on the sidebar.

At this meeting we also started discussing THE SOURCE, a series of upcoming environmental concerts/artistic events, to be held on the first Saturday of every month this year (in the first instance). Stay tuned for more on this innovative Greenlight venture as plans unfold.

Baby white tipped dove

Photo: Elspeth Duncan

God loved the birds and invented trees.

Man loved the birds and invented cages.

- Jacques Deval -

A tulip kiss from Canada

Photo: Shereen Ali

Dear Greenlights,

The above photo was sent to us today by our second Canadian member, Shereen Ali, along with the request to "send tulip kisses for all."

A little about Shereen: she is a writer and graphic artist living in Edmonton, Canada. She is also a volunteer for CPAWS (Canadian Parks and Wildnerness Society) and has been involved in The Great Human Race, an annual charity race for all kinds of charities. When she thinks about the kinds of projects she can get into as an international Greenlight member, she envisions simple things like planting flowers in barren areas (she planted the tulip in the photo above), conserving energy, building massive 'Minshallesque' puppets to act out green themes ... and she also suggests having activities like short story competitions for children - with the 'winners' being featured on our Greenlight website. Speaking of websites, she points us the website of environmentalist David Suzuki, who won the Order of Canada for his work in environmentalism. If you check out the site, note the Nature Challenge, which outlines ten very simple ways to make a positive change and conserve Nature. (There's even more that can be added to such a list). The good thing is, as we hopefully all know, contributing to positive change does not have to include dramatic, large scale efforts requiring masses of money and the support of big corporations in order to be effective. The smallest actions done by simple, everyday people like us can have tremendous impact, especially when we are sincere and consistent with it.