He was speaking at the opening of an exhibition of some of his paintings at the Mahara Gallery in Waikanae.

Peter said his paintings were his way of capturing the truth of nature and expressing the hope that it would not be destroyed by some of the forces that today do not respect nature and the balance of our world.

Peter has four works there with the overall title ‘Tararua Landscapes'.

They are works from 2013 and 2014.

His works are presented alongside two other artists, the late John Foster, who has produced some large works, including the sadness of war, and another local artist, Adrienne Spratt, with works of Maori weaving and art.

The exhibition opened 7 February and runs until 22 March.

Source

• Supplied
• Image: eventfinder.co.nz

This is a comprehensive and timely book.

Klein says in part one, "If there has ever been a moment to advance a plan to heal the planet that also heals our broken economies and our shattered communities, this is it."

In the introduction she says "this is the hardest book I have ever written because climate change puts us on such a tight and unforgiving deadline."

This book is about our "climate moment" with all its challenges and opportunities.

First, Klein says we have to stop looking away.

We deny because we fear letting in the full reality of a crisis that changes everything.

The need to change everything is not something we readily accept.

If we are to curb emissions in the next decade we need a massive mobilisation larger than any in history.

She quotes the Bolivian Navarro Llamos who suggests it is time for a "Marshall Plan for Earth".

The question is posed: What is wrong with us?

What is really preventing us from putting out the fire that's threatening to burn down our collective house?

The global economy always takes centre stage. Market fundamentalsim has systematically sabotaged our collective responses.

Our economic system and our planetary systems are at war.

We are faced with a stark choice: "either we allow climate change to disrupt everything about our world or we change pretty much everything about our world to avoid that fate".

We need a radical rethink for these changes to be remotely possible.

Our "climate moment" is accompanied by what she calls a "fossil fuel frenzy".

A wild dig is going on in most nations on the planet. Aotearoa/NZ being no exception. Continue reading

• Fr Peter Healy is a Marist priest who lives and works in Otaki.