New Zealand melted before our very eyes at Wednesday night’s launch of Hot Topic, but serious flooding of the Minter Ellison boardroom was avoided, thanks to carefully planned adaptive strategies (and two large blue buckets). Scott Gallacher from Minter Ellison got things moving, followed by AUT vice chancellor Derek McCormack, who welcomed the arrival of AUT Media’s first book. I did my mini-Al Gore presentation – just the one slide, showing water plunging down a moulin in Greenland – and then David Cunliffe, who holds ministerial portfolios for Immigration, Communications, Information Technology and Associate Economic Development (standing in at short notice for David Parker, the climate change minister), made it clear to all that the government intended to take the issue very seriously. Then it was down to the real business of assessing the carbon neutral status of Grove Mill‘s products. A good night was had by all, including at least one freeloader, who has subsequently offered the contents of his/her “goody bag
Category: Hot Topic
Books at last
The rural postie delivered my first copies of Hot Topic this morning. After months of staring at a computer screen and agonising over proofs, it’s nice to see the thing realised as ink on paper. I’m biased, but I think it looks pretty damn good. The team at HB Media (for AUT Media) have done a great job – the embossing and varnishing of the melting NZ on the cover looks lickable (as they say). Meanwhile, the media schedule for next week’s launch is filling up. We have a launch event at sponsor Minter Ellison in Auckland on Wednesday evening, with special guest David Parker, the climate change minister. I’m told there will be an ice sculpture, which will presumably melt and flood the room. Can’t wait…
Coast to toast
New Zealand Geographic‘s new issue (#86, July-August) includes a taster of the sort of thing you’re going to get in Hot Topic: the book. I particularly like the graphics created to support my text: the header pic of New Zealand as cheese on toast is spectacular… This article focuses on the science and what it’s telling us. I’ll do a follow-up on how we might cope in due course.