What I did in Bonn by MM

ShadowLands correspondent, Marg Maiden has signed up to the ambitious 1 Million Women project. While she hasn't yet committed to any cuts in carbon emissions, she has contributed greatly to the forum where she discusses her latest visit to Bonn.

UPDATE: Sadly it appears the link to the 1 Million Women Forum is protected by a login. But here is our contribution:

For so long, I had been doing nothing about climate change. But then I learnt about Professor Tim Flannery a man who is constantly attending climate change conferences in top hotels and conference centres around the world.

I realised, if this great former Australian of the Year can attend so many conferences, then why can’t people like me?

To kick things off, I decided that attending the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn, Germany would be a good a place as any to start, so I jetted off two weeks ago to see for myself what it’s all about.

4,600 people from 183 countries representing governments, business and interest groups were meeting in Bonn to discuss the draft text for the December climate change meeting in Copenhagen. 183 countries? Who knew that there were that many countries.

Lucky for me, I had booked my accommodation early, and wound up in the divine Kameha Grand Bonn Hotel in the kind of style that would even make Professor Flannery jealous.

Well, it was nice, but to be honest, the actual conference was pretty damn dull, and the actual town of Bonn, while pretty, has very little to offer by way of shopping. Once you’ve been to a plenary session and cruised the Rhine, frankly there isn’t much to do.

While I had intended to stay and learn about climate change for at least a week or so, who could resist the call of the French boutiques in the summertime?

I feel kind of embarrassed to say that I checked out early and jetted to Paris for a week. However, this was my first attempt at climate change activism, and I don’t think too much could really be expected at this stage. Anyway, I picked up a couple of divine dresses that I can’t wait to wear at the Australian spring carnival races, as well as my first pair of darling Blahniks!

Progress was made, as they say.