YOUNG GREENS MARCH FOR GAY PRIDE!

Photograph shows Young Green and Green Party activists marching at Belfast Pride 2009

LGBT Community member and Green Party Activist Rob Evans said, "Pride is a time to celebrate diversity and be mindful of the journey that led us to the freedoms we enjoy today. Homosexuality was only decriminalized in Northern Ireland in 1982, and there are still those who would rather we went back to the days of invisibility and repression. Unfortunately, some of these bigots are elected members of the Assembly at Stormont."

Rob continued, "Marching at Pride with the Greens was a wonderful experience for me. It's essential to demonstrate the continuing strength of progressive, inclusive politics. By standing together against prejudice, we take a huge step forward in our quest for a diverse and sustainable future."

QUB Greens Co-Chair Adam McGibbon said, "I was proud to take part in todays parade and was even more proud to see so many Young Green / Green Party activists there with me. As the only political party with a stall inside the festival itself, we got a great reception from participants and signed up many new members interested in joining a party unashamedly based on human rights principles."

Save Student Journalism - Save The Gown!

The Gown, the independent newspaper at QUB since 1955, is in financial trouble (damn credit crunch) and is in need of much-needed funds.

If you value an independent voice for journalism within the SU (The Gown recieves no Union funding), and want to save an historic publication that has seen many now-prominent journalists go through its ranks, then you should help SAVE THE GOWN by coming along to the GOWN QUIZ NIGHT this Wednesday 6th May, 8PM in the Bunatee Bar. There will be a quiz, raffle, an auction and a DJ.

Tickets are £3 for students and £5 for non-students, with a free drink with every ticket! A cheap night out and for a good cause too - what more could you ask for??

Tickets available on the night at the door, in The Gown office (top floor of the SU) and from members of The Gown team.

You can email THEGOWN@HOTMAIL.COM for more information.

Please spread the word!

QUB GREENS AWARD STUPID CERTIFICATE TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF BELFAST CITY AIRPORT

Photo shows from left to right: QUB Greens Karly, Adam, Neil, Mark and Lois with the Stupid Certificate awarded to Brian Ambrose of Belfast City Airport!


This year the Young Greens decided to leave the Green Wash Award with Sammy Wilson for the second year running as he has outdone himself this year with his Environment Minister role. At the Green Party Northern Ireland AGM 2009 the Young Greens decided instead to award a stupid certificate to whoever has been acting the stupidest towards the environment in Northern Ireland.


Brian Ambrose, Chief Executive of Belfast City Airport, was the winner for proposing a runway extension that is unsustainable, inconsiderate of long-suffering residents and economically unbeneficial to Northern Ireland.


Runners up included:

Rose Energy, for their plans to build a waste incinerator plant near Northern Ireland’s beauty spot Lough Neagh, locking us in to a future of unsustainable waste disposal.


David Ford, the Alliance Party Leader, For abstaining on the Stormont Environment Committee’s Vote of No Confidence in Environment Minister Sammy Wilson.

QUB GREENS CAMPAIGN FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Photograph shows representatives from the Youth Wings of all main political parties in Northern Ireland at the official launch of the Youth Mental Health Strategy. QUB Green Co-Chairs Adam McGibbon and Karly Greene are both on the far left.

The QUB Greens have been campaigning for Mental Health in Northern Ireland through the Youth Mental Health Strategy.

The main political youth wings in Northern/North of Ireland have united to campaign and lobby for an effective youth mental health strategy (YMHS).

Young political activists have been working together in the past months, alongside St Columbs Park Derry, to bring the broad issue of mental health to the fore, particularly targeting suicide prevention and drug and alcohol awareness.

The group comprising youth from Sinn Féin, SDLP, Green Party, Alliance, UUP and DUP launched their campaign for a youth mental health strategy at Belfast City Hall today (Monday 6 April).

Spokesperson for the youth wings and QUB Green Co-Chair Karly Greene said,“The young wings have been working closely together over the past number of months identifying the key issues of mental health, and drawing up a plan on how we can best tackle these issues from a youth perspective, ensuring it is relevant and effective.”

“We have written to every Assembly member, and are arranging a meeting with the Health Committee, we have engaged with a number of voluntary and community groups who are at the coalface in dealing with mental health. We are also arranging for our members to undertake the ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) programme, and are producing a short film, that will be launched at a youth forum on mental health. The youth forum aims to bring young people from all communities together, spark debate and formulate ideas on how to deal with this common issue.”

“Mental Health affects everyone regardless of age, race, sex and religion, and it is a progressive step forward that the young political activists are demonstrating unity and leadership to other young people on such an important issue.”

GREEN MEP CANDIDATE SPEAKS TO QUB

Prospective Green Party MEP for Northern Ireland Steven Agnew made a visit to QUB last week to speak to the QUB Greens and Students interested in his campaign and his thoughts on the European Parliament and current issues.

Steven spoke about the Green Deal, the idea which was born in the UK with the help of the Green Leader of England & Wales Caroline Lucas, which even Barack Obama is now fighting for!

"A Green Industrial Revolution can create a new Northern Ireland where our indigenous industries will thrive once more, harnessing our unique natural resources and the manufacturing skill and industrial entrepreneurialism of our people."

"We can already see it happening here at Harland and Wolff. We see the skills, developed during the Industrial Revolution being adapted to meet the challenges of this new era. The Yard, once regarded for its ship building is now assembling turbines for new wind farms and last year assembled the first prototype wave turbine the SeaGen to generate tidal energy."

Steven spoke about the European Green Party and 43 Green MEPs in the European Parliament from 14 different countries.

"We have played a major role in the creation of legislation that has helped to protect our environment, set ambitious targets for renewable energy,increase social protection and protect biodiversity. I want to join that team and continue the great work that the Greens are doing in Europe."

Steven took several questions from the floor and also spoke about the Lisbon Treaty, Sammy Wilson, Incineration in Northern Ireland, Mechanical Biological Treatment and his thoughts on the fact that Paddy Power has the Greens and the Alliance Party on the same odds to win the European Election!

It was a great talk from Steven and we hope to have him back in the not so distant future! Hopefully as the First ever Green MEP for Northern Ireland!!

Dont forget to join Stevens Campaign page on Facebook! Click Here!

LEZZ EMMISIONS MISSION TO GREEN YOUR HOUSE

Lezz Emmisions mission is to Green Your House - today he meets Robert... You're next!

More clips can be found on the YouTube channel: GreenPartyIreland

SAMMY MUST GO!

The Green Party and Young Greens have presented the ‘FIRE SAMMY PETITION’ to the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister

The Minister’s ranting about climate change has also inspired 2,551 people to join a Facebook group call REMOVE SAMMY WILSON AS ENVIRONMENT MINISTER

Speaking from the steps of Stormont Neil Halliday, a Young Green who set up the group said: “Minister Wilson's censuring of advertisements and his attitudes to climate change are incompatible with his role as Environment Minister. Not only are his opinions on the issue contrary to the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change, but his decision to ban the adverts is tantamount to censorship and is an affront to democracy in Northern Ireland. His arrogant dismissal of a no-confidence motion by the Environment Committee undermines democracy and makes a mockery of ministerial accountability.”

Some of the comments left on the FIRE SAMMY WILSON PETITION included:

James McLarnon

While Sammy Wilson is Environmental Minister, I agree Northern Ireland will never be taken seriously, however I also believe that Northern Ireland will never have the much needed public debate on future energy production it desperately needs. We have great potential resources for tidal and wind which could be utilized at a local and national level. Projects to take advantage of these resources could create employment and pave the way for a renewable future. Unfortunately men like Sammy Wilson have their head firmly stuck in the sand.

Mags Adams

NI politics has a reputation for ignoring real political issues and blatant climate change denial does nothing to encourage me that much has changed. This man should not be in public office in the new NI.

Morgwn Trolinger

Disputing scientific evidence with one's own opinions is not appropriate if in a public office representing a country

Jonny McCormick
I don't understand why this appointment was made in the first place when he clearly either really doesn't know anything about the environment, or just doesn't care.

Shauna McCollum

silly man!

S Crook

Censorship at it's most ignorant.

Barbara Groves

He is a national embarrassment.

Paul Conlon

A minister is supposed to represent the electorate, the people who put him in office. He/She is not supposed to go on continuous rants derived from his own personal opinions.

Dear Dissidents, Hear Our Plea - Please end the Killing Spree

Marcus MacCormaic of the Young Greens (r) with Steven Agnew Green Party MEP Candidate (c) and Karly Greene QUB Greens Co-Chair (l)

QUB Greens spokesperson Marcus McCormick sent a message to dissidents responsible for the murder of a policeman and two young soldiers at a massive peace rally held in Belfast city centre today.“Dear Dissidents, hear our plea – please end the killing spree.”

Green Party MEP Candidate Steven Agnew joined the Young Greens with thousands of others on the streets of Belfast today in a huge Peace Rally called by the trade union movement in protest at the three recent murders.

Mr. Agnew said: “I am heartened that so many people have come here today, to show solidarity with the families of the policeman and soldiers murdered and to send a clear message to the gunmen that they are not wanted, are not supported and are not needed in new Northern Ireland. This rally today should give people hope and send some comfort to those grieving that they are not alone. The gunmen do not represent me nor anyone one else."

Marcus wrote a short account of the days protests at another blog which can be read by clicking here.

QUB Young Green elected to Green Party NEC

At the Green Party's convention in Wexford, Karly Greene, Co-Chair of the QUB Greens, was elected to the Green Party's governing body, the National Executive Committee.

Incredibly, Karly (pictured in an entirely unrelated photo) was elected on the 3rd count out of 12, surprassing many other well-known figures, elected representatives and long-time party stalwarts.

Karly, with her squeaky-clean record, will enchance the exemplary reputation of the Young Greens on the NEC... ;)

The Young Greens takeover of the Green Party continues...

Congratulations Karly - we love you!

CUP OF TEA FATHER?

Fairtrade Fortnight is well underway and the QUB Greens played their part by organising Fairtrade Father Ted!

What better craic than a good cup of Fairtrade Tea with a couple of Father Ted Episodes! There was plenty of laughs and plenty of Fairtrade Tea, Coffee and Biscuits!

A special word of thanks to Fergus McAleavey Vice President Welfare of the Students Union for helping us to organise the event and for providing the Fairtrade Tea, Coffee and Biscuits!

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/ for more information on the Fairtrade Vision!

SECOND SEMESTER OF ACTIVISM BEGINS

The Growing QUB Greens Group!

Qub Green Events – Semester 2

WEDNESDAY 25TH FEB - FAIRTRADE FATHER TED – clubrooms

TUES 3rd and WED 4th – SABBATICAL ELECTIONS

WEDNESDAY 11TH MARCH – Trip to Stormont – Meet Green Party MLA (TO BE CONFIRMED)

WEDNESDAY 25TH MARCH – Talk from the Green Party Northern Ireland Euro Candidate Steven Agnew – Clubrooms SU (TO BE CONFIRMED)

WEDNESDAY 1st APRIL – APRIL FOOLS DAY – SAMMY WILSON DAY

WEDNESDAY 29th APRIL – VOTER REGISTRATION DAY – students union

For more information on the upcoming events stay tuned to this blog or email us on qubgreens@hotmail.co.uk

It's Crunch Time!!

Finally the newsletter of the Federation of Young European Greens is here and available for download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!!

This is the Winter 2008 / 2009 Issue and contains many great and green articles including articles on Green Activism, Green Economics, Green Politics, Poverty & Starvation in Africa, Green Technology, The Recession, The Poznan Talks, The 'Stop Clowning Around on Climate Change' Campaign, an Interview with Ska Keller the German Young Green standing for the EU Elections and more on the EU Elections! - Read and Enjoy!

SAVE THE TREES - DOWNLOAD, DON'T PRINT!!!

NORTHERN IRELANDS OWN OBAMA

Gone are the days where the Bush regime was able to veto every effort to tackle the threat of global warming.

Obama has only entered the White House yet we are already seeing how Obama isn’t just the first black US President in history, but also the first ‘Green’ US president in history! We are seeing the change he so passionately promised the world.

Outlining his energy priorities he has stated that he will not let his country fall victim to the growing threat of dwindling resources and a warming planet.

He has promised that in just THREE years he will DOUBLE the capacity for Green Energy in the USA from wind, sun and bio fuels.

When California tried to implement legislation to implement its own stricter vehicle emission and fuel efficiency standards it was vetoed by Bush with no reasonable reason given. Now Obama has asked the Environment Agency to review this decision and is ordering the transportation department to come up with new short-term rules on how carmakers can improve fuel efficiency.

With all this in mind it is even more important to have a ‘Green’ Europe! It is vital that Green MEP’s are elected to the EU to push for the same Green measures and work with Obama. We already have 43 Green MEPS, lets add more to that number!

For this reason it is even more important to vote for Northern Irelands very own Barack Obama, Mr Steven Agnew of the Green Party!

JOIN STEVENS CAMPAIGN PAGE ON FACEBOOK! CLICK HERE

VOTE GREEN VOTE AGNEW VOTE CHANGE

YOUNG GREENS SUPPORT GREEN EURO CANDIDATE STEVEN AGNEW

Young Green Co-Chairs Karly Greene and Adam McGibbon with Green European Candidate Steven Agnew.

The Green Party announced it's European Election candidate as 29 year-old Steven Agnew at Harland and Wolff on Thursday 22nd January.

Harland and Wollf is currently being given a new lease of life from the manufacture of wind turbines and other green technologies. The idea of a "Green Economy" to create jobs and help the environment will be a key part of the Greens' campaign.

Steven was born and raised in East Belfast, and educated at Grosvenor Grammar School and Queens University Belfast. He worked as a support worker with the homeless in West Belfast and went on to work for the Simon Community in their hostel in Lisburn.

Speaking at the launch Mr. Agnew said: "Everyone knows the problems - the triple crunch of job losses, fuel poverty and of course climate change. I offer a solution that will tackle all three, a solution that has the potential to create tens of thousands jobs here in Northern Ireland. I offer a solution where new green techologies will bring energy security to Northern Ireland and ensure we play our part in the fight against climate change. I offer a Green Industrial Revolution."

Young Green Co-Chairs Adam McGibbon and Karly Greene welcomed Steven's candidacy, and , at 29, the youngest candidate going into these elections.

The Young Greens are planning an ambitious voter registration campaign leading up to the elections.

MARCHING FOR PEACE IN GAZA

The Young Greens took part in the Gaza Peace March on Saturday 10th January in Belfast. We marched to express our horror at the level of civilian deaths especially the depressing figures of near 300 dead children in Gaza.

We carried the white flags of peace and joined the thousands of people in Belfast in calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the violence that has killed so many innocents.

This was a peace march attended by thousands yet a small group of fanatics seeked to hijack the march. The Young Greens have criticized the actions of a small group who burned the Israeli flag during a rally in Belfast city centre.

The Green Party Youth Co-ordinator, QUB Greens co-chair Adam McGibbon said: “The actions of a few fanatics will distort the message of peace, which the rally was supposed to send out. Glorifying violence and burning flags, while it may give some people a cheap rush of adrenaline, only exacerbates the problem in the Middle East. You'd think that after 30 years of violence in our own country, all of us would know that political violence doesn't solve anything."

Among the speakers at the rally was Mieread Corrigan Maguire, founder of The Peace People and Nobel Laureate.

Speaking after the rally Mr. McGibbon said: “The vast majority of the people at the rally were there to represent a peaceful, principled stand for an end to the violence. However, a small minority took it upon themselves to burn Isreali flags and chant slogans such as "Victory to the Intifada" through a megaphone. Not only is this unhelpful and one-sided it is completely contradictory to the aims of the rally, which was a call for a ceasefire, not for more violence. I am very concerned at reports that Israelis who work in the city centre found the experience very intimidating. Remember these people came to Northern Ireland to escape violence.”

The QUB Greens do not wish to be associated with those groups who took part in these acts and hope that the thousands of peace activists voices are heard over the chants of those who wished to hijack the march.

A SEMESTER OF ACTIVISM

Some committee members at the last meeting of the semester, from left to right Lois, Jason, Sarah, Karly, Adam and Mark.

Well everyone this has been our most active Semester since our creation last year! We have achieved so much in such a short period of time and it has been the best of craic the whole way!

Heres a summary of what we have been up to and achieved this academic year so far:

Our first activity was taking part in the annual Belfast Pride Parade. QUB Greens and Green Party members took part and showed our support to the gay community and to express our belief that the bigotry and hate of the DUP and the wicked witch of the north is completely unnaceptable in todays society.

At the Freshers Bazaar we managed to sign up 67 interested students! We met so many people that day and once again we could see that Green Issues are top of the agenda in many students books and shows the need for a progressive, environmental, activist society at QUB, the QUB Greens!

We took part in the Irish Language Rally and Parade in Belfast in October. The Young Greens believe that an Irish Language Act is long overdue as a result of the shortcomings of the Stormont Assembly. The Irish Language has become a political football at Stormont, it needs to be depoliticised because it is not a political issue, it is a Human Rights Issue, that can only be solved by an Irish Language Act. We marched to express our support to the Irish Community and Irish Language and to express our belief that the racist trollings of certain Ministers in the Stormont Assembly should not be accepted in a just and forward society.

For the first time the QUB Greens have a full committee made up of two gender balanced Co-Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer and 5 non-portfolio officers. We have become a strong and dedicated team becoming one of the most active political and campaign based societies on campus.

Four QUB Greens were elected onto the Student Council and two of our members managed to get elected onto the Environmental Committee and also the Equality Committee.

We hosted a talk from the Sustainable Energy Association in which the SEA Project Manager gave us a presentation on the SEA's campaign for Green Energy in Ireland.

The QUB Greens have been actively involved in the newly formed Youth Mental Health Strategy which is campaigning to bring about a change of attitudes and opinions towards mental health in Northern Ireland.

Monday 1 December was World AIDS Day, part of the global campaign to tackle the epidemic that is HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness about it. The QUB Greens worked together with the Students Union, Rag, Oxfam and Amnesty International to raise awarness of the issue and also to provide sexual health information to the student body.

At our last meeting of the semester the QUB Greens looked over our successes to date and also we looked forward! Next semester we hope to continue our momentum and hope to organise a voter registration campaign on campus coming up to the European Election. We will also continue our Sexual Health campaign, Our mental health campaign and will be involved in many more campaigns throughout the campus!


The QUB Greens would like to send a very special and green farewell to Sarah Tansey! Sarah came to QUB for this semester as a politics student from the USA. Sarah gave a helping hand during our campaigns and we were all gutted to see her have to go back home after the first semester! Good Luck Sarah! We hope you enjoyed Greening up the campus with the QUB Greens!

We would like to wish everyone as happy and wonderful time of year! Good luck in your January exams!

Adam and Karly
QUB Greens
Co-Chairs

FIGHT BELFAST CITY AIRPORT'S RUNWAY EXTENSION

George Best Belfast City Airport have applied for planning permission to extend their runway by 590m.

The QUB GREENS, Green Party, including Green Party MLA Brian Wilson, along with a number of residents' groups are opposing this extension and are calling for a public enquiry because of these factors;

i. Noise Pollution - residents close to the airport and under the flight path have been experiencing annoyance from ever increasing noise levels.

ii. Poor Economics - the aviation industry is in decline, there is no increase in demand to necessitate this extension.

iii. Air Quality - the airport intends to expand it's operations to service more long distance flights, meaning bigger jets with more fuel and more pollution and a greater impact on health of those in the area.

iv. Wildlife - the airport is culling birds in Victoria Park and has requested that trees be cut down though so far this has been resisted.

v. Safety - the is an EU designated City airport and due to its proximity to residential housing should not be restricted to small planes for domestic flights.


The QUB Greens sent a delegation to the public meeting on 8th December to show their support to the community groups leading the campaign against the proposed runway extension. The QUB Greens delclared their full support to the Belfast City Airport Watch Campaigners and are planning to actively support the campaign on campus.


Photo on right shows Mark McCormick of the QUB Greens looking over the planning application for the proposed runway extension with Fiona McKinley of the Belfast City Airport Watch.


See http://www.belfastcityairportwatch.co.uk/ for more info.

GREEN ENERGY TALK

John Hardy of the SEA with members of the QUB Greens. From left to right - Lois, John, Karly, Adam and Mark.

The QUB Greens hosted a talk from the Sustainable Energy Association on Wednesday.

John Hardy, the SEA Project Manager, gave the talk and covered topics such as the establishment of the SEA, its Campaigns and its aims! John gave a very interesting presentation showing us the need for Green Energy in Ireland and the opportunity we could gain from it!

John Hardy said, "I would like to thank the Young Greens for giving me the opportunity to speak to them, and to show how a local campaign can grow into a national organisation. Renewable energy is the economic driver for the future, which the Greens have always promoted as a clean, cheap alternative!"

http://www.sustainable-nrg.org/

Take a look at the SEA website to see the work they do!

GREENS CAMPAIGN ON WORLD AIDS DAY

The Green Stall! From left to right - Roger, Lois, Adam, Mark, Jason, Karly and Sarah.

Monday 1 December was World AIDS Day, part of the global campaign to tackle the epidemic that is HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness about it.

The QUB GREENS along with Amnesty, Oxfam, Rag and the Students Union held an awareness day in the Union, distributing information on the situation here as well as around the world.

At the Green stall we handed out information on HIV/Aids and booklets on sexual health for students. We also handed out hundreds of condoms to the students population in an effort to encourage save and sensible sex!

For more information visit http://www.worldaidsday.org/

Sustainable Energy Association Talk

The QUB Greens will be hosting a talk by the Sustainable Energy Association (SEA). The Sustainable Energy Association was established to give a voice to the interests of the Renewable Energy Industry in Ireland.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION TALK
QUB Students Union
Club Room 1, Third Floor
Wednesday 3rd December
2pm

John Hardy, the SEA Project Manager, will be giving the talk and will cover topics such as the establishment of the SEA, its Campaigns and its aims! You will then have the opportunity to put your questions to John!

John is a graduate of QUB and also an active member of the Green Party. It was a small local Green Party campaign in Johns local area that lead to the foundations of the SEA so his talk will not only be of interest to people wishing to learn about Green Energy, but it will also be of interest to those wanting to learn how acting local but thinking global really works!

http://www.sustainable-nrg.org/