I thoroughly enjoyed it. check out the website: http://www.thebestfriend.org/2010/07/18/planting-trees-for-democracy/

As for a meeting venue: The room used is designed as a council chamber with air conditioning, microphones for 20 or so participants and limited seating.
The room is not suitable for a meeting the general public is invited to which could easily bring in 200 or more and needs to be moved elsewhere.
Various suggestions were put forward and if the city, as it appears has no Town Hall the town is replete with large churches, temples and educational halls which would be suitable.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/06/1010-progress-carbon-emissions

Frankly it made me shudder, not so much because 10% emissions cuts are a joke compared to the 90% required, but what unbelievably wasteful lives people lead. e.g. Why do playwrights and novelists have to fly about? And then they are proud of themselves for doing the same a little less.
The folk from climate justice might be inclined to say “Why should I move from a motor bike to a bicycle when some rich guy moves from an Aston Martin to some other car which eats far more fuel than my motor bike?”
Is this the right model for Chiang Mai?

I am pleased to see a collective eagerness to act together ane meet again soon but expect once again I will be out of town on 21st.
Please note the following day 22nd July is International Biodiversity Day and there is no greater threat to biodiversity than the Hot Earth we talk about in Thailand.

A note of warning about drought. This year Yunnan & Lanna have drought but 3 years ago we had a record (90 year flood). While it appears weather systems are moving rains northward with greater flooding in northern USA central Europe and middle China, meteoroligists have yet to make conclusions about this and we would be better not to jump. Water conservation is sensible for obvious reasons- especially by stopping burning forest leaf litter. But except for this last point concentration on this issue will be counterproductive for our efforts to hugely reduce fossil fuel use – here and in industrialised countries.

Many people share ideas about waste water management of Mae Kha canal
Response from the Mayor suggesting to grow some kind of plants to filter pollution
To have tax rebate for business who invest in water treatment before its release into canal (e.g long tail boats)
- The incursion on the old wall near the night Bazzar ( Kampangdin) by big buildings. How it could happen?
- The mayor cannot develop the city of Chiangmai alone, have to call people’s participation both physical and spiritutal
- has comment on city planning & layout that should separate conservation and commercial areas. And try to discourage people to move out because that will increase crime.
- Many trees were cut on Ratanakosin Road. There should have no more trees cut
Lot of parks e.g. Railway park and Rama 9 park were disheveled and dirty. The Mayor’s team responded that those parks are in court due to some conflicts therefore nothing can be done during the trial period.
- suggest to organize more systematic way of meeting i.e. agenda distributed in advance, progress reports, problem information and proposed corrective action. Grouping of problems
- suggested to improve Municipal websites to become user friendly and more informative and increase communication between Mayor and Community Ask the Mayor to become the leader to express Global warming Global Crisis to the community, to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and excessive consumption and to lessen destruction of natural resources. How to cope with problem in future? Educate the community endangered by this crisis.
Next month’s – Agenda
1. Klong Mae Kha management
2. Traffic management
Next meeting 13th August 17.00 p.m. at Municipal office

Notes by Punika

set in the 1950’s & 60’s most enjoyable true tale by an Austrian woman who married a humble mining engineeer only to discover…