Tag Archives: Biodiversity

Urgent | Knit a Sweater for a Penguin!

Seriously...how cute is this!!

UPDATE: Sweaters for Skeinz have reached critical mass! If your still keen to knit a sweater, contact the organizations directly (information below) to make sure they are still in demand.

Here’s the update from Skeinz: “we do have crital mass of jumpers – but don’t worry if you have just completed yours – still send it in to us as we will keep stocks available for the Wildlife Rescue Team to draw from if required.”

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As you may have heard, there’s been a devastating accident and subsequent oil spill off the coast of Tauranga in New Zealand. This is pretty devastating as the environmental impact is huge! Sometimes in these situations, it feels like since we’re so far away, all we can do is watch totally helpless! But, it turns out, there is something we can do. There’s been a call by Skeinz.com for people to help the blue penguins affected by the oil spill by knitting them some little sweaters. Apparently, the sweaters help keep the penguins warm while they recover from the health impacts of being coated by toxic oil. It also help to stop them from preening themselves thereby preventing them for ingesting said oil. Once they’re strong enough, the sweaters are removed and the penguins are washed using a mild detergent.

So, if you know how to knit and have other friends who know how to knit, or you’re taking a knitting class or are a member of a knitting club…or anything along those lines…why not have a knitting party!! What a great way to spend a Sunday brunch! Merino and mimosas 🙂

And just to help you along, here are a few patterns and instructions:

Skeinz Newsletter

Penguins Foundation

Etsy Blog

Once you have your sweaters collected, you can forward them to

1. Skeinz at the following address:

M  PO Box 3123, Onekawa, Napier, New Zealand
D  5 Husheer Place, Onekawa, Napier,
P 06 843 3174       F 06 843 3090   M 021 899 396
E  nzyc@designspun.co.nz  or info@skeinz.com

2. Penguins Foundation at the following address:

C/- P.O. Box 97 Cowes

Victoria Australia

3922

Phone: +61 3 591 2800

Other than the links above, also check out Grist.org, Audubon Magazine, and Gawker.com.

Special thanks to our friend Kathleen Matthews for bringing our attention to this story on facebook.

Green Week Conference 2010

“This year, the largest annual conference on European environment policy turns the spotlight on biodiversity. Over some 30 sessions, the conference will address the state of biodiversity and nature in Europe and the world, the benefits they bring, present-day pressures on them, and possible solutions to the current rates of loss. The path to be taken by EU policies on biodiversity and nature policies post-2010, the economic dimension of biodiversity, ecosystem services and Natura 2000 will also be investigated.

These are some of the many questions Green Week 2010 will examine in three days of discussion and debate between high-level speakers from Europe and beyond.

Green Week is a unique opportunity for exchanges of experience and good practice.

Some 3 800 participants are expected from EU institutions, business and industry, non-governmental organisations, public authorities, the scientific community and academia.” (Green Week Conference, 2010)