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*Mighty River Power - full of hot air*
*Auckland** Friday 15 April 2005:* Greenpeace labelled Mighty River Power’s sponsorship of today’s /Balloons over the Waikato /(1) event as blatant greenwashing.
“Whilst Mighty River Power are happily promoting their renewable energy developments and trying to win friends in Waikato communities (2) they are pushing polluting coal power on other communities, despite widespread public opposition,” said Greenpeace climate campaigner Vanessa Atkinson.
“Mighty River Power are full of hot air. Their proposed Marsden B coal fired power station in Northland clearly shows they’re all talk and no action when it comes to sustainability.”
“If they really wanted to show their commitment to New Zealand communities they would develop only clean renewable energy like wind and leave coal in the dark ages where it belongs.”
As part of Mighty River Power’s promotion of the event they held a colouring competition with the first prize a tethered ride in a hot air balloon.
“As part of our commitment to fight climate change by promoting clean, renewable energy we have decided to launch our own colouring-in competition to show Mighty River Power that New Zealand doesn’t want greenhouse gas polluting coal technology.”
The Greenpeace ‘Colour it and you could stop it!’ colouring in form will be advertised next week in the Northern Advocate or can be downloaded now from www.greenpeace.org.nz/colour
Entries close on April 29^th with the prize winners drawn on the 2^nd of May – the same day the Greenpeace activists go to court in Northland to face charges after their nine day occupation of Marsden B in February this year.
The two winners will win an exciting ‘mystery Greenpeace prize’ with runners up receiving T’shirts, posters and stickers.
Greenpeace is calling on Mighty River Power to stop Marsden B in favour of developing clean renewable energy sources such as wind and for the Government to create a national sustainable energy strategy to create a clean renewable energy future for New Zealand.
*Notes to the Editor:*
1) An international hot-air ballooning event held in the Waikato.
2) In a Mighty River Power media release 1 April 2005, General Manager External Affairs Neil Williams stated "Mighty River Power has a strong commitment to the greater Waikato region with our hydro and geothermal plants located here and we are delighted to be able to bring the balloons to these communities.”
Greenpeace
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.
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