Nerd Nite ChCh #19: Gnomes, Sticks, and Recycling Tricks

Are you ready to get nerdy!?
Think TED talks with beer. Discovery Channel meets Drunk History.

Be there AND be square! 

Note: We have increased ticket prices by $5 so we can provide you with even more great nerdy content. As a thank you, all attendees on 3 April will be entered to win some of the nerdy new merchandise launching in a couple of months.

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Speakers

"Life Lessons from a Sentient Twig"
by Dr Morgane Merien

For animals, your appearance can make or break your survival. As renowned masters of camouflage, stick insects use their outward form to hide and deceive their predators. However, their deceiving looks are not their only trick. Stick insects have a range of adaptations which have allowed them to flourish throughout the world. In this talk, Morgane will help you learn why stick insects are amazing, and why they are now your favourite insect.

Dr Morgane Merien has spent the past 8 years of her life looking for these sentient twigs in the New Zealand bush. After earning her doctorate in biology trying to answer the question of whether stick insects actually look like sticks, she moved to Christchurch to work at Canterbury Museum as a science communicator. Her love for the smaller, often-neglected critters of our world knows no bounds, and she strongly believes in trying to turn anyone who meets her into lover of bugs.

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"How Garden Gnomes and Creativity Can Save Our Planet"
by Henry Sunderland

Think garden gnomes are just tacky lawn ornaments? Think again. Henry Sunderland is here to change your mind and explain why garden gnomes are the unsung heroes of environmental protection. In fact, the word "gnome" means "to know," embodying the spirit of Earth stewardship.

Henry is a gnomologist, the world's leading expert on garden gnomes. He has travelled the world with these diminutive figures, spreading their message of environmental guardianship. He even coined the term GNOME (Guarding Naturally Over Mother Earth) to describe their role. A creative thinker and community artist, Henry has a predilection for the iconic and kitsch. With a collection of over 80 gnomes, he's known in Christchurch for his initiative in starting the flowers in road cones campaign.

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"Trash Talk: Demystifying Christchurch's Green Bin and Recycling Rules!"
by Maria Lamb

Maria is here to tell us all about the recent changes to the green bin and recycling requirements. She will debunk common recycling myths and walk us through the journey our rubbish takes once it leaves our homes.

Maria Lamb is the Waste Minimisation Advisor on the Transport and Waste Unit of the Christchurch City Council Resource Recovery Team. Maria is a nerd about all things waste and recycling.

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Doors: 6:00pm
Presentations: 6:30pm

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