Welcome

Hi & welcome to the webpage version of NZAEE's (Christchurch Branch) ecoNet Newsletter.

Please pass on news of ecoNet Newsletter and our subscription address: eventdiary@environment.org.nz to others you think may find it interesting/useful.

To supplement the diary of events here's a selection of news and articles and bits and pieces of interest from around and about, and here and there, eg:

from here

Canterbury & South Island:

Edible plants will dominate backyard planting of the future. (An exhibit for the upcoming Ellerslie Garden Show). (18 February, CCC).

Strategy to stop increasing traffic.The draft Greater Christchurch Travel Demand Management Strategy (TDMS), now open for public discussion, is about encouraging people to travel differently, by walking, cycling, using public transport and car pooling, in a bid to combat increasing traffic woes. Have your say. By 16 March. (16 February, CCC).

Lake Waihora/Ellesmere health warning: blue-green algal bloom. (17 February, ECan).

DOC rejects claims "silence bought" over Project Hayes windfarm. (16 February, DOC).
Also: New Zealand Historic Places Trust made an agreement with Meridian Energy to mitigate effects of the proposed wind farm. ($179,000 - made public at the time, i.e. last year). (16 February, NZHPT).
Also: No pay-outs for proposed $900 million Meridian power scheme on the Lower Waitaki. (18 February, Otago Daily TImes).

Update: DOC cleared over Project Hayes deal. (20 February, Otago Daily Times).

The University of Canterbury is giving students $10 worth of free bus trips with Metrocard purchase at Orientation this year. (12 February, ECan).

Computer document navigation tools bring Australasian accolade for Canterbury University researcher. (18 February, University of Canterbury).

University research set to cut noise levels in frosty vineyards. (18 February, University of Canterbury).

Gardening with Indigenous Plants: Lincoln University a partner in the native plants demonstration area at Botanic Gardens. It aims to slow the loss of native biodiversity and ameliorate the 'dis-connect' between people and their natural heritage. (17 February, Lincoln University).

Invercargill: even fishermen help fund survey to enable sustainable southern blue cod industry. (19 February, Southland Times/Stuff).

Southland: Curio Bay dairy conversion: most submitters (more than 200) are opposed. Three in favour. (19 February, Southland Times).

Otago: Lindis River "seriously over-allocated". Low flow levels under discussion. (19 February, Otago Daily Times).

Otago: Contact Energy wants to raise the level of Lake Roxburgh 60cm to boost storage and power generation. (18 February, Otago Daily Times).

North Island & national:

Job cuts looming for public servants. (18 February, NZ Herald).

Climate change campaigner Tim Flannery joins NZ charcoal company to fix climate.(17 February, Scoop).

Poles apart - but oceans have plenty in common. (16 February, NZ Herald).

Jeannette Fitzsimmons: Stop acting like Muppets and cancel all GE trials. (12 February, Scoop).

Leaked Ministry of Justice advisory paper says RMA changes undermine fundamental rights of NZers. Russell Norman. (17 February, Green Party).

Sustainability and the financial crisis. Allen L WHite, Corporation 20/20 Director and co-founder, & Tellus Institute Senior Fellow , Boston. (Manaaki Whenua/Landcare research).

The push to make things "bigger, better, faster" is not only driving the planet to ruin - it's making us unhappy, according to a visiting expert on eco-towns. (16 February, NZ Herald).

Wellington's Ohariu Valley: Meridian Energy gets permission for a 29-turbine wind farm. One local says it will see a rural road to nowhere become a "super highway". (19 February, Dominion Post).

Ships sound like hunting Orcas' signals - blamed for scaring whales and dolphins ashore. (14 February, NZ Herald).

Whenua hou: Kākāpō rediscovered after 21 years. Also: Nineteen of thirty-eight breeding females have mated. (10 February, DOC).

Loving the silent type. Blogging frogger - i.e. frog scientist and conservationist, Phil Bishop. (18 February, Forest and Bird).

National environmental standard on ecological flows and water levels. A summary of submissions now available. (Ministry for the Environment).

YES 2009 - Youth EnviroSchool - Te Kura Taiao - Youth Education for Sustainability. to be held at Lincoln University in April. Applications close 15 March if not full beforehand. More info: here (Lincoln University) and here: www.yes.ac.nz.

Re-linked awards, submissions, consultations etc:

• Otamahua/Quail Island Ecological Restoration Trust: Volunteer programme for 2009.
  
  
• Environment Canterbury’s Living Streams Project: Get involved in improving the health of Canterbury waterways. Are you and your local community thinking of doing some work to improve the health of your local waterway? Can ECan help with a Living Streams Project?
  Anyone can apply to become part of the programme - community, conservation and recreational groups, individuals and landholders. 
  Applications need to be made on the Living Streams application form. (or ask for it from ECan’s Customer Services: 353 9007 or 0800 32 46 36 (0800 EC INFO). Applications close 31 March. More About living streams (ECan).
  
  
• 2009 Green Ribbon Awards nominations. Know a green champion? Send in your nomination - before 5.00 pm Moday, 23 March. Open to all individuals and organisations in New Zealand making a difference for our environment. Categories and nomination information here. (Ministry for the Environment).
  
  
• City Council's administration of its social housing portfolio: Information sessions, consultations, submissions procedures etc (ongoing series of public meetings at various localities from Saturday 14 Feb - Feb 26). (CCC).
  
  
• Applications wanted for 2009 Youth Environment Forum. Environment Canterbury is looking for three young people aged 15 – 18 to represent the region at this year's Sir Peter Blake Youth Environment Forum (YEF). The YEF is an annual event that gives young people an opportunity to discuss and plan action on New Zealand's regional and national environmental issues. More info: www.mfe.govt.nz &/or at Sir Peter Blake Trust. Applications close Tuesday, 24 February.
  
  
• School teachers: LEARNZ trips for the first term 2009. (LEARNZ Virtual field trips are FREE for all NZ registered teachers and their classes).
  Marine Reserves: Take your class to Cape Rodney - Okakari Point Marine Reserve to kick off your Sea Week studies. (Feb 25 - 27 2009).
  Renewable Energy: Take your class to a biodiesel factory and wood pellet fuel making plant. (4 - 6 March).
  The Main Divide: Take your class to climb the Franz Josef Glacier and learn about the temperate rainforest on the West Coast. (25 - 27 March).
  Wind Farming: Take your class to a wind farm. Climb up a turbine and learn about using wind for electricity generation. (1 - 3 April).

• Christchurch draft water supply strategy. Important - have your say by 5 pm Friday 6 March.
  
  
• Comment wanted: Estuary shoreline walkway proposal. Avon-Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust. Comments by 31 March, 2009.
  Contact: www.estuary.org.nz or info@estuary.org.nz or c/- Mt Pleasant Community Centre, 3 McCormacks Bay Road, Mt Pleasant, Christchurch 8081.
  
  
• Free, research-based advice on sustainably renovating your home. HomeSmart delivers warmer, healthier homes that are more affordable to run and kinder to the environment. Further details: www.beaconpathway.co.nz. (Homesmart Renovations).
  
  
• Primary school teachers: a suggestion for Seaweek (1 - 8 March, 2009): How To: Teach the Sea from the Land. Lessons that mix science, writing, and art to bring the ocean to the classroom. (www.edutopia.org).
  

& from there

Climate:
• The tropics on fire. IPCC climate scientist Chris Field's grim vision of global warming. (16 February, The Guardian).
  
  
• The sword of Damocles. US climate scientist Dr James Hansen reiterates call for world leaders to put an end to new coal-fired power plants. (17 February, Celsias).
  Also:
  US: Dr Hansen wants fellow Americans to join him for the largest protest on global warming in U.S. history. (video 1 min 41). (18 February, Treehugger).
  Also:
  Rod Bremby: Standing up to big coal - the man who put a red state on the green map. The first person in U.S. history to deny permits for coal plants on the basis of CO2 emissions, causing a flurry in Kansas. (16 February, Alternet).
  
  
• James Lovelock: extract from his forthcoming book: The Vanishing Face of Gaia. (8 February, Times Online).
  
  
• US: Stephen Chu: (Obama's energy secretary) "We're looking at a scenario where there's no more agriculture in California". Eight years of disinformation and muzzling U.S. climate scientists has left the public largely unaware of the catastrophes ahead. (11 February, AlterNet).
  
  
• US: Obama starts delivering on environmental promises. (12 February, Environmental News Network).
  
  
• The geopolitics of food security. Lester Brown, (11 February, Spiegel Online).
  
  
• UK: Our culture of wasting food will one day leave us hungry. ...the entire international food aid programme amounts to only a fifth of what a single developed nation throws away in a single year. (8 February, The Guardian).
  
  
• UK: Now my farm will help teach the world to live without oil, says woman who banished plastic bags from her town. (15 February, The Daily Mail).
  
  
• UK: Growing your own: National Trust frees land for 1000 allotments. (19 February, BBC).
  
  
• China plans to reduce water consumption. 50 year drought. (15 February, UPI.com).
  Also: Hundreds of millions in South Asia face growing water shortage. (16 February, Celsias).
  
  
• Peak oil - what do we do now? Robert Hirsch, lead author of the famous 2005 Hirsch Report for US Dept. of Energy: "Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation and Risk Management". (17 February, Energy Bulletin).
  
  
• Japan: A bitter face off over whaling. Some say the government is using a pair of arrested Greenpeace activists to send a warning to others in Japan who oppose the nation's controversial whale hunt. (14 February, Los Angeles Times).
  
  
• Officials fighting uphill battle: trying to end Amazon logging. (18 February, NZ Herald/The Obeserver).
  
  
• New York city wins sustainable transport award. (27 January, embarq.org).
  Also video clip on New York: Streets - utilitarian corridors or public spaces. (18 November, The Oil Drum).
  
  
• Google Power: With its green-power initiative, is the search-engine dynamo catching another huge wave of new technology? (11 February, Portfolio.com). Also: Coming soon: Google your electricity usage. New software to allow you to monitor your home's electricity use in near real-time over the Web. (13 February, Alternet).
  
  
• Samsung unveils solar powered cell phone - with plastic made from recycled drink bottles. (12 February, Computerworld).
  
  
• The gospel according to Darwin: Dawkins on Darwin. Why we really do need to know the amazing truth about evolution, and the equally amazing intellectual dishonesty of its enemies. (11 February, Times Online)
  
  
• Monitoring to seek truth about cats as killers. (16 February, NZ Herald/The Observer).
  
  
• Monkeys have morality: Research shows that apes and monkeys appear to have consciences and the ability to remember obligations to other animals. (18 February, Times Online).
  
  
• Legging it: evasive Otago octopus let out to look for love. (14 February, The Independent).
  
  
• Top 5 environmental artists shaking up the art world. (18 February, Treehugger).
  
  
  

 

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Is easy. Just send in to the editor information about an event, activity or submission you want to share and it will go in ecoNet....as long as it's appropriate of course.

ecoNet is put out (Fridays) by Christchurch Branch of NZAEE (NZ Association for Environmental Education), a non-profit, national organisation of people working to promote and support environmental education, lifelong learning and sustainable behaviour throughout New Zealand/Aotearoa.

How do I contribute?

Use the links below to:

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• CCC: Strengthening communities fund:

  Information sessions, dates and venues.
  Applications close 31 March.
  
  

• Event: Public talk: Climate Change

  Speaker: Melissa Clark-Reynolds
  When: 6.00 – 7.30 pm Friday, 20 February.
  Where: Canterbury Women’s Club, 190 Worcester St.
  Open to men & women.
  Cost: $5.00.
  Free Parking: Paterson Bros Tyres, 196 Worcester St.
  Bus Route – From Bus Exchange Platform C - No. 60 (New Brighton via Parklands).
  RSVP & contact: event_cwc@xtra.co.nz  or ph. 366 0826
  
  

• Event: Kaupapa kereru: the 2009 Banks Peninsula Keruru community count.

  (i.e. help wanted to count kereru - esp Banks Peninsula community. Takes about 30 minutes).
  When: Friday 20 – Sunday 22 February.
  For instructions and info, including survey forms and maps, see: www.kaupapakereru.co.nz & click on community count day.
  Further info & contact: Heidi 03 322 4714, or: stevensh@lincoln.ac.nz.
  
  

• Weedbusting day (Boneseed):

  When: 9.00 - 12.00 pm Saturday, 21 Feb. (& following Saturday also)
  Where: Barnett Park, Redcliffs.
  Bring: gloves, saw and/or loppers if you have them - otherwise supplied.
  Contact: Nigel 941 7573 or 027 234 1353.
  
  

• Travis Wetland Trust: regular work day of weeding and planting.

  When: 9.00 am, 21 February. (third Saturday every month).
  Meet: Beach Rd Education Centre.
  Bring: gumboots, water, warm clothes.
  Contact: Joe Greenaway 383 2073.
  All welcome.
  
  

• Linwood Community Art Centre's 2009 Multi-Cultural Festival:
  

  experience and celebrate diversity in the city with food, activities, song, dance, arts, crafts and displays from around the globe.
  When: Saturday 21 February.
  Where: Linwood Community Arts Centre

  Art exhibition: The colours of culture.

  When: 21 February – 7 March.
  Where: Eastside Gallery, Cnr Worcester St & Stanmore Rd.
  
  

• Tour: Otakaro co-operative housing tour.

  A guided tour of three Christchurch housing co-operatives.
  When: 1.00 - 4.30 pm Sunday, 22 February.
  Where: meet at Peterborough Co-op, 175 Peterborough St.
  More info here. (www.otakaro.org.nz).
  
  

• Lyttelton summer street party 2009.

  When: 10.00 am - 6.00 pm Sunday, 22 February.
  Where: Winchester St.
  Programme and more info.
  
  

• Talk: Health Lecture Series 2009: Ten things the alcohol industry won't tell you about alcohol.

  Speaker: Prof Doug Sellman, National Addiction Centre.
  When: 7.30 pm Wednesday, February 25.
  Where: Rolleston Lecture Theatre, Christchurch Hospital.
  Contact/more info: 364 1199.
  Free.
  Sponsor: University of Otago, Christchurch.
  
  

• Talk: WEA's Issues of the Day series:

  Health & disability advocacy in the Christchurch  region.
  Speaker: Karey Meisner.
  When: 1.30 - 2.30 pm Wednesday, 25 February.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $4
  more info: WEA 366 0285.
  Website: cwea.org.nz
  
  

• Green Drinks: February

  informal get together for professional and community environmental movers and shakers...and anyone really of an environmental hue.
  When: 5.30 pm Thursday, 26 February.
  Where: upstairs lounge, Dux de Lux, Arts Centre.
  Background info here. (www.greendrinks.org).
  
  

• Workshop: The Green Smoothie Revolution.

  Presenters: raw foodists Victoria and Valya Boutenko.
  When: 2.00 - 5.00 pm Saturday, 28 February.
  Where: Netball Centre, Hagley Park.
  Cost: $25.00. Registration necessary.
  Info/contact: kaz@xtra.co.nz or 027 339 0051.
  

• EARTHWISE, Plains FM 96.9

  Each Monday & Wednesday at 9.00 pm.
  Conservation, environment and peace with justice.
  This week's interview: Vicky Steele, Monarch Butterfly Trust.
  Topic: Flying flowers: where things are at for our butterflies; how to encourage them in your own garden.
  Presenters: Martin and Lois Griffiths.
  NB: Listen again to Earthwise programmes on archive: (http://plainsfm.org.nz/programme/ earthwise).
  

Coming up:

• Seaweek 2009: 1 - 8 March. One ocean - it starts with me/Kotahi moana - ka timata mai i ahau.

  A national event to celebrate and raise awareness of our unique coastal and marine environment.
  Christchurch events here.
  Visit the national site (www.seaweek.org.nz) for more info, competitions and national events.
  A cool site for children - ask any marine question you like: www.anyquestions.co.nz
  
  

  South Canterbury Seaweek events:

  1. Waihao Box Community day:
  beachcombing, environmental art, historic and cultural perspectives, electric fishing demonstration, freshwater invertebrate study and more. followed by a free BBQ lunch.
  When: 9.30 - 1.00 pm Sunday, 1 March.
  Venue: Waihao Box car park, Morven, South Canterbury
  Bookings essential
  Contact: Debbie Eddington, ECan, 687 7813 or debbie.eddington@ecan.govt.nz
  
  2. South Canterbury Museum.
  Sea life display from the local area all week.
  Field trips to local beaches, rocky shore by arrangement.
  Contact Jean Hesselin, Museum Educator, ph 0508 MUSEUM.
  
  

• University of Otago: Health Lecture Series 2009: Altered brain function and depression.

  Speaker: Prof Richard Porter, Dept of Psychological Medicine.
  When: 8.30 pm Wednesday, 4 March.
  Where: Rolleston Lecture Theatre, Christchurch Hospital.
  
  

• Coastal walk with Graeme Stanley:

  Join Graeme to view the eastern bar-tailed godwits before they return to their breeding grounds in Alaska and Siberia.
  Part of Active Christchurch - Push Play events. Free. Suit all ages. No bookings required - spot prize!
  When: 9.30 - 10.15 am Thursday, 5 March.
  Where: Meet at Beachville Reserve, Redcliffs village end of Beachville Road.
  
  

• Sharks, seals and what lies beneath:

  Canterbury's marine world revealed - launch of DOC's new CD on Canterbury's marine-coastal area. Iincludes info about the recent seal diet survey and a talk on sharks.
  Guest speaker: Clinton Duffy, a DOC shark researcher.
  When: 7.00 pm, Thursday 5 March.
  Where: Southern Encounter Aquarium, Cathedral Square.
  Contact/further info: DOC Marine Officer, Laura Allum, 371 3780, lallum@doc.govt.nz.
  
  

• Teach-in: Viva Palestina! Justice for Palestine.

  Speakers, documentaries, discussion, debate.
  When: 2.00 - 9.00 pm Saturday, 7 March.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  All Welcome.
  
  

• Culture Galore:

  a community festival celebrating Canterbury's cultural diversity. More than 50 groups performing.
  When: 12.00 - 4.00 pm Saturday, 14 March.
  Where: Ray Blank Park.
  
  
  

• Fifth annual Condliffe Memorial Lecture 2009.

  Presenter: Professor Hal Varian, University of California at Berkeley & chief economist for Google.
  When: 5.30 -6.30 pm, Wednesday 18 March.
  Where: Central Lecture Block C3, University of Canterbury.
  All welcome.
  RSVP & contact: Karen Ashby, karen.ashby@canterbury.ac.nz or 3643882
  More: here.
  Hosted by the College of Business and Economics.
  
  

• DOCNZ 2009 Documentary film festival.

  When: Christchurch schedule: March 26 - April 5.
  Selected environmental documentaries here.
  More info and full programme here: www.docnz.org.nz.
  

• Auckland region: Free seminar:

  How coastal communities can adapt to climate change - & protect their own dune systems.
  When: 6.00 pm Tuesday, 17 March.
  Where: Piha Surf Life Saving Club, Piha.
  more info here.
  Organisers: Piha Coast Care, with Dune Restoration Trust of NZ; supported by Ministry for the Environment.
  Also:

  2009 Dune Restoration Trust conference.

  When: 18 - 20 March.
  Where: Piha Beach, Auckland.
  More info here.
  

Reminders:

• TV Programme - Lost In translation; The Untold Story Of The Treaty Of Waitangi.

  Mike King retraces the journey taken by the Treaty of Waitangi, back in 1840, to find the real story of what happened at the founding of our nation.
  Where: Maori Television
  When: 8.30 pm Sundays (started Feb 8). (10 episodes).
  
  

• Science Alive! - Botanica

  A botanical exhibition including interactive learning about pollination and seed dispersal, its importance and its vulnerability.
  When: Until Sunday, 10 May.
  Where: Science Alive! 329 Moorhouse Ave, Christchurch.
  For ages 3 to 103.
  More info, costs etc: Science Alive!
  Contact: 365 5199.
  
  

• University of Canterbury community education courses:

  Historical Maori sites in Otautahi.
  (1 day field trip).
  9.00 am - 3.00 pm Saturday, 28 February.
  Enrolments close 23 February.
  
  Ethics and the environment.
  5 Sessions, 7.30 - 9.00 pm Tuesdays, 3 - 31 March.
  Enrolments close 24 February.
  
  
What's happening in the world of work? Skills and the global economy.
Visiting Erskine Fellow Prof Martyn Sloman.
One evening session, 7.00 - 8.00 pm Wednesday, 4 March.
Enrolments close 25 February.

• CWEA short courses for early 2009.