I was stoked when the organisers of the UNA NZ climate action event approached me to display some art at the Botanic Gardens in Wellington NZ on the day. As I am passionate about nature and our impact on it, I agreed immediately.

The event was beautifully designed with live music provided by students from Arohanu Strings and brilliant speakers from local businesses, activists and the NZ green party. I especially liked that they were focusing on actions each of us can take to mitigate and become more resilient to inevitable changes. Specifically, ideas and solutions around food waste, composting and urban farms were touching a nerve in me.

One of my paintings on display was the “Cry of the Kauri” which highlights the silent voice of nature, crying out for help. These majestic and enormous trees are threatened by a very small organism – a fungus that leaves them withering away, dying one by one. Kauris were around long before the first humans set foot on the land and now need our protection from no-one less than ourselves.

I am grateful I could be part in this event. In the end, it is all about changing our habits and behaviour. A cultural change on a global level is only achieved step by step – but the steps better be fast. In my opinion, there is no one hundred percent answer to the question about the perfect path. Every action causes an effect in many other areas that we might not even be aware of. Sometimes the choice is between “The vegan meal in a plastic wrap” or the “No-plastic-involved Cage Chicken Salad”. But starting to be conscious about these problems is the first step to take.