Climate change stories encouraged for Nelson action week
Rising sea levels, forest fires and drought may be a grim thought as the world grapples with climate change, but Nelsonians are being encouraged to let their imaginations run wild for a climate fiction short story competition. The Eleventh Hour Cli-Fi Short Story Competition is part of the first Climate Action Week in the Nelson region, being held from June 4 to 11 by the Nelson Tasman Climate Forum. Falling into the sub-genre of speculative fiction, the deadline for entries is 11pm on June 11. The prize for the best story is $100 plus publication in The Nelson Mail. The judges for the competition are writer and producer Justin Eade and Nelson poet Cliff Fell. READ MORE: * Its only natural: How to live with garden pests * Reserve Bank takes on fuel prices in readiness for a climate change remit * How our easygoing nature could unravel our comfortable lives For those needing a little help with the writing process, creative writing tutor Gill Entwistle will be running a writing workshop on June 6 at Kush Coffee from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, with workshop numbers limited and registrations needed. Among other events on for Climate Action Week is the screening of the documentary Together We Grow at the Suter Art Gallerys Pastorius Waller Theatre at 6.30pm on June 5. The 40-minute documentary by Happen Films tells the story of Common Unity Project Aotearoa, a thriving hub in Lower Hutt helping to build resilience in its community by growing, sewing, repairing and sharing. Following the screening is a question and answer session with filmmakers Jordan Osmond and Antoinette Wilson and Common Unity Project Aotearoa founder Julia Milne. Nelson Tasman Climate Forum volunteer co-ordinator Christina Simkanin said Osmond and Wilson now lived in Upper Moutere and had a focus on sustainability, climate action and living well with less. Their film was about food security and community resilience, which there was growing interest in because of rising food prices, Simkanin said. Milne is also hosting an urban kai farming workshop in Nelson on June 6, which registrations are needed for. For more information about Climate Action Week and to register for events visit www.nelsontasmanclimateforum.org