Welcome

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

Feel free to 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 here's a selection of news and articles and bits and pieces of interest from around and about, and here and there, e.g:

from here

Canterbury & South Island:

ECan seeks 1080 consent. Rabbit numbers rising as immunity to RHD increases. (25 March, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Toxic algae reminder to dog owners, swimmers and river users. Phormidium making a come-back. (26 March, ECan).

Christchurch: Looters ransack historic dig site. (27 March, Stuff).

Reminder: free Christchurch concert on Saturday to celebrate Earth Hour. (19 March, CCC).
Also, next week is:
Energy Awareness Week: energy issues in Christchurch and New Zealand - Free lectures: 5 days & 5 significant topics. Also: 4 Study tours - information and registration.
These are part of Christchurch's 2008-2018 Sustainable Energy Strategy. (Energy Awareness Week, CCC).

Heat pump water heaters: New funding pilot programme for efficient water heating - same grant as for solar. (26 March, EECA).

Lake Tekapo: Landmark court case likely to clarify public access to high-country farms. (26 March, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Central Otago: District Council to rethink decision not to invest in irrigation schemes following a government announcement allowing local authorities to apply for funding. (23 March, Southland Times/Stuff).

Marlborough: New levies - developers to pay more. (23 March, Marlborough Express/Stuff).

Southland: Wind farm on important Maori historical site near Bluff a possibility. (24 March, Southland Times).

Southland: New sewage treatment plant to use worms. Thought to be a NZ first. (23 March, Southland Times/Stuff).

Southland: Hydro-electric scheme under construction but future uncertain. (25 March, Southland Times).

Fiordland: DOC's research into Fiordland waters gets consent. (26 March, Southland Times).

Otago's Orokonui Ecosanctuary: arrival of 15 young tuatara. (24 March, Otago Daily Times).

Reissued (revised & updated) book: Treaty of Waitangi: Questions and Answers, Network Waitangi, 2008. Available in hard copy ($5.00, 56 pages) or online. More info here (www.nwo.org.nz/resources.html) or email organisers@nwo.org.nz.

Angus Ho (Wastebusters Wanaka) wants your support for the Get Real campaign against free and profligate plastic bags usage in NZ. (1 billion bags a year). "We also looking for many volunteers to help on the Action towards Foodstuffs on 14 April in Christchurch". Contact: Angus@wanakawastebusters.co.nz.

North Island & national:

Survey: NZ cooler on global warming. (23 March, NZ Herald).

Global warming Q&A with Climate Change Minister Groser. (23 March, NZ Herald).

Overseas Investment Act: Bending over backwards for foreign coin. Finlay McDonald, 22 March, Sunday Star Times/Stuff).

Green Party: Changes to RMA will restrict Maori from appealing local government decisions and will directly affect Gisborne. Will take away important rights. (23 March, Gisborne Herald).

Cost-cutting Key targets Labour's polar bears. (26 March, NZ Herald).

Fewer than two per cent of NZ visitors might use PM's proposed national cycleway - but they are likely to be among tourism's bigger spenders. (23 March, NZ Herald).
Also:
Second thoughts turn Key's track into a network. (24 March, NZ Herald).
Also:
Bike plan has Waikato in a spin - though it's not clear if Hamilton is even on the route. (24 March, NZ Herald).

Govt vows to heal rift with pastoral lessees. (23 March, Otago Daily Times).

Conference message: NZ's entire car fleet could be EV's powered by windfarms. (24 March, NZ Herald).

Auckland: Op-ed: The recent decision by the Minister of Transport regarding electrification of Auckland's rail network represents a giant step backwards. (24 March, NZ Herald).

Auckland: Controversial Birkenhead apartment block application declined. (24 March, North Shore Times).

Hawkes Bay: Judge urges stiffer fines for dairy farm pollution. Staff training systems "utterly slapdash and inadequate". Fining polluting dairy farmers is having little or no effect in stopping others from fouling waterways. (25 March, Dominion Post).

Whangarei: Conserve water or pay multi-millions for a new source. (25 March, Northern Advocate).

Marton: The green machine. 600 km on $2.50 worth of electricity. (26 March, Sustainability.govt.nz).

The Urban Design Toolkit - a compendium of tools that facilitate high-quality urban design. (March, Ministry for the Environment).

New Plymouth: Inner city stream teeming with rare native fish life, say researchers. (26 March, Taranaki Daily News).

Auckland: Tiny kiwi move into new island home. (23 March, NZ Herald).

How you can save battery hens. (video, 2 mins. 2 March, www.3news.co.nz).

Environmental Education:
The Enviroschools Foundation has launched a great new web-based tool to help measure the outcomes of environmental action in schools. The measuring change tool is available to all NZ schools to help measure their progress. More info here. (www.enviroschools.org.nz). (25 March, Enviroschools).

Conference coming up: The third Australasian environmental education in early childhood (EEEC) conference, 22 - 24 October, Melbourne. (First was in Christchurch in 2006, second in Sydney, 2007). This years's theme: engage, empower, enact: sustainability & the early years. They're calling for proposals for papers/presentations: contact is eeec@alphalink.com.au. More info here: www.cccvic.org.au.

Re-linked awards, submissions, consultations etc:

• Call for further submissions: on the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. Further submissions close 14 April 2009. (Ministry for the Environment).
  
  
• Green Party: The Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Bill is a major threat to New Zealand's environment and democracy. Russell Norman's RMA amendment submission guide here. Submissions close 3 April. (13 March, Greens.org.nz).
  
  
• For science students (year 1 - 10) : NZ International Science online project. Ten weeks, 27 April - 3 July. (DOC).
  
  
• New Canterbury Home Energy Advice Centre open - free, independent, professional advice to help reduce your energy consumption. (17 March, sustainability.govt.nz).
  
  
• Enviroschools eco-hut challenge: for school-age students to design and build an ecological habitat on their school grounds that enhances all living things around it. (3 March, Enviroschools.org).
  
  
• CCC: Strengthening communities fund: Information sessions to explain the fund and the application process, dates and venues here.
  Applications close 31 March.
  
  
• Nominations called for Community Service Awards. By Thursday, 9 April. (5 March, CCC).
  
  
• CCC's draft Long Term Council Community Plan available for comment (till April 16). The plan, background info and public meeting times see here. (CCC).
  
  
• 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).
  
  

& from there

• US: Scale of opposition in the Congress likely to delay US signing up to Copenhagen climate change deal. (25 March, The Guardian).
  
  
• Arctic: Further evidence that melting permafrost could trigger 'unstoppable' climate change. (26 March, The Daily Telegraph).
  
  
• UK: Fossil fuel dependence is growing not shrinking. (25 March, The Guardian).
  
  
• Ecologists say: Away with the grey - greening of cities not only good for health, but also cuts public costs and spurs economic growth. (25 March, The Guardian).
  
  
• Caroline Lucas, MEP: We can't ignore green issues just because we're in a recession. (20 March, The Independent).
  
  
• Jonathon Porrit: Perfect storm of economic and environmental collapse closer than you think. Green measures have to be at the heart of any financial rescue packages. (23 March, The Guardian).
  
  
• UK: The way we live now. The life-diminishing results of valuing growth above equality in rich societies can be seen all around us. (Book review, 14 March, The Guardian).
  
  
• US: Nouriel Roubini (Dr Doom): The United States of Ponzi. ...it is clear that the emperor had no clothes, and that we are the naked emperor. (19 March, Forbes).
  
  
• US: The brokest generation. Imagine how bad all this economic-type stuff would be if our kids and grandkids hadn’t offered to pick up the tab. (14 March, National Review.com).
  
  
• US report: Almost one third of US's 800 bird species are "endangered, threatened or in significant decline". (20 March, BBC).
  
  
• Asia and Africa: 'Stem rust' fungus threatens global wheat harvest. Can infect crops in just a few hours and vast clouds of invisible spores can be carried by the wind for hundreds of miles. (19 March, The Guardian).
  
  
• Uganda: 'Miracle rice' gives new hope...the first green shoots of a possible answer to the food crisis. And “ Rice pays because of the [protectionist] tariff, without the tariff where would we be? Nowhere.” (20 March, The Independent).
  
  
• China's big recycling market is sagging. (11 March, New York Times).
  
  
• Chart of world industrial production and exports. (single image). (c23 March, Life After the Oil Crash).
  
  
• The next ten years - what will it look like? ...look no further than France, Ukraine, and Iceland today. It used to be that you “give support to get support;” now it is “make things to get things.” (23 March, Culture Quake).
  
  
• US: Too big to fail? Think again. The single biggest delusion in North America today is that the interconnected planetary problems bearing down on us can be faced with slight alterations to the current order. (14 March, World Changing).
  
  
• Australia: Top government scientist: Australia will be forced to abandon some coastal communities in a "planned retreat" because of rising sea levels. Beautiful one year, flooded the next. (23 March, Sydney Morning Herald).
  
  
• US: America's cars: another burst bubble. Through recessions and gas shocks, the number of autos on the road every year has increased since the end of WWII. Until now. More junked than new ones. (19 March, Culture Change).
  
  
• UK: Shoppers need clear labels to put a stop to green wash. (23 March, The Guardian).
  
  
• UK: The people's chef. Who'd have guessed he would grow up to become Britain's bestselling author - and a national treasure? (26 March, The Guardian).
  
  
• Abundant skies: 8 principles for domestic rainwater harvesting. (5 July, 2008, The Oil Drum).
  
  
• Changing world: Shift happens narrated. e.g., Did you know India has more honours students than the US has students?; China will soon become the number one English speaking country in the world?... (6 min video clip, Youtube).
  
  New technology:
  
• India: Tata Nana: Cheapest new car in history - less than US$2000, 56 mpg. (24 March, ecoGeek).
  
  
• California: Inventing a super-kite to tap the energy of high altitude wind. The magnificent future of every child's favourite plaything. (5 min video clip, March, TED.com).
  
  
• Spain sets world wind record. (18 March, ecoGeek).
  
  Miscellany from the natural world:
  
• Greenland: Getting to the bottom of the ice sheet. (4 March, Oceanus, WHOI.edu).
  
  
• Australia: Deep sea rocks point to early oxygen on earth - as oxygen rich as today, 3.46 billion years ago. (24 March, EurekaAlert.com).
  
  
• Deep sea corals may be oldest living organism - up to & over 2,500 years. (23 March, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Calif.).
  
  
• Mexico: Researchers find earliest evidence of domesticated maize. (23 March, EurekAlert.org).
  
  
• UK: Finches choose sex of offspring. (20 March, BBC).
  
  
• UK: Birthweight 21 lbs (8.5 kg) - The world's largest lamb? (20 March, Daily Mail Online).
  

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• April Fools Tour:

  Unusual guided tour through museum galleries. Hear some of the more humorous stories about items on display. Warning: It is up to you to tell fact from fiction!
  When: 10.00 – 11.00 am Saturday, 28 & Sunday, 29 March.
  Where: Canterbury Museum. (Meet at Information).
  
  

• Event: Earth hour (8.30 - 9.30 pm) & launch of Energy Awareness Week.

  When: 6.00 - 10.00 pm Saturday, 28 March.
  Where: Cathedral Square.
  More info: www.earthhour.org.nz. (See also under: from here).
  
  

• Walk for the Planet.

  (Started Feb 24 in Invercargill). Due in Christchurch Saturday 28 March, to coincide with Earth Hour.)
  Info & walk routes into Christchurch:
  www.walk4theplanet.org.nz.
  
  

• Free home composting workshops:

  Hot composting of kitchen scraps & garden waste, Bokashi and worm farms. All methods demonstrated.
  At two sites:
  1. Opawa Community Gardens, 176 Opawa Rd (at Aynsley Tce). 1.00 - 2.30 pm each Saturday.
  2. Okeover Community Garden - University of Canterbury, Engineering Road. (Map here). 12.00 - 1.30 pm each Wednesday.
  More info/contact: Annmarie 021 190 4559 or 942 7190 (evenings).
  Supported by CCC.
  
  

• Workday: Scotts Reserve revegetation release.

  When: 1.00 - 3.00 pm Saturday, 28 March.
  Where: Meet Scotts Reserve on Summit Rd. (Turn left at Sign of the Kiwi and drive 2.7 kms eastwards to the layby in the saddle between the two conifer knolls of Scotts Reserve).
  Bring: Gloves.
  Contact/more info: Di 941 7572, or 027 201 5653.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• Talk: The use of PPP's to finance roads in Europe.

  Speaker: Prof Jean Shaoul, visiting Erskine scholar, Prof of Public Accountability, University of Manchester.
  When: 5.30 - 6.30 pm Monday, 30 March.
  Where: COM 101, Commerce Building, University of Canterbury. (Map here).
  All welcome.
  Much more info here.
  
  

• Event: Public Meeting on changes to the RMA.

  Speakers: Russel Norman, Greens Co-Leader; Eugenie Sage, ECan Councillor; Maree Baker, Resource Management Law specialist; Sacha McMeeking, general manager for strategy & influence, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu.
  When: 7.30 pm Monday, 30 March.
  Where: Our City- Otautahi, cnr Oxford Tce & Worcester Boulevard.
  More info: Grace, 365 5693.
  
  

• Museum gallery tour: Dead Precious!

  From monstrous sea reptiles to moa and tiny coconuts, New Zealand’s fossils reveal how our country developed.
  Guide: Norton Hiller, museum’s curator of geology.
  When: 6.00 – 7.00 pm Tuesday, 31 March.
  Where: Special Exhibitions Hall, Canterbury Museum.
  
  

• Talk: Is the term ‘sustainability' a Western only term?

  The issues from the perspective of poor communities whose very survival is threatened by climate change & environmental degradation.
  Speaker: Sarath Fernando, Sri Lanka.
  When: 7:30pm Tuesday, 31 March.
  Where: Knox Presbyterian Church, Crnr Bealey Ave & Victoria St.
  
  

• Public consultation: Waste Minimisation in NZ.

  Rationale & background info here.
  When: 9.00 - 12.30 pm General open session
  1.30 - 5.00 pm Specialist session: Council and landfill operators, Wednesday, 1 April.
  Where: Holiday Inn on Avon, 356 Oxford Tce.
  Organised by Ministry for the Environment.
  
  

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

  India today.
  Speaker: Dr Reshmi Roy.
  When: 1.30 - 2.30 pm Wednesday, 1 April.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $4
  More info: WEA 366 0285.
  Website: cwea.org.nz
  
  

• Talk: Antarctic ice sheets & climate change.

  Recent advances in understanding, drawing on latest results from satellites, aircraft surveys & field expeditions.
  Speaker: Dr Mike Bentley (visiting Erskine Fellow), UK glaciologist.
  When: 7.00 - 9.00 pm Wednesday, 1 April.
  Where: Room 013, Commerce Building , University of Canterbury. (map here).
  
  
  

• Talk: Health Lecture Series 2009:

  How and where will you go for health care in 2020?
  Speaker: Professor Les Toop, Department of Public Health and General Practice.
  When: 7.30 pm Wednesday, 1 April.
  Where: Rolleston Lecture Theatre, Christchurch Hospital.
  Contact/more info: 364 1199.
  Free.
  Sponsor: University of Otago, Christchurch.
  
  

• Lecture: How we learned what the stars are made of.

  Speakers: Florian Maisonneuve and Graham Townsend.
  When: 7.00 pm Wednesday, 1 April .
  Cost: $15. (Venue on enrolment).
  More info: here.
  University of Canterbury.
  
  

• Talk: Woody biomass for renewable energy: developments in central Europe.

  Speaker: Dr Raffaele Spinelli (Erskine Fellow and Head of Forestry Engineering, CNR, Italy).
  When: 12.00 - 1.00 pm Thursday, 2 April.
  Where: F3 lecture room, School of Forestry, University of Canterbury. (map here).
  All welcome.
  More info/contact here.
  
  

• Bio-blitz 2009.

  Parts contest, festival, educational event & scientific survey – a scientific race against time to find as many species as possible in 24 hours in the Liffey Domain.
  When: 3.15 pm Friday, 3 - 3.15 pm Saturday, 4 April.
  Where: Liffey Domain, Lincoln.
  More info here: BioBlitz (LandcareResearch/Manaaki Whenua) and here: www.lincolnenvirotown.org.nz.
  
  

• Training Day: Whale Rescue.

  Become a marine mammal medic.
  When: Saturday, 4 April.
  Cost: $80. Minimum age 15 years.
  Info/contact: Project Jonah NZ.
  
  

• Work day: Otamahua/Quail Island Ecological Restoration Trust.

  When: Sunday, 5 April.
  When: Ferry leaves Lyttelton 9.20 am (& returns 3.30 pm). Booking essential.
  Contact: Ian 384 5388 or email id.mclennan@xtra.co.nz.
  
  

• Recreational cycling: City to Avon River ride.

  When: 2.00 - 5.00 pm Sunday, 5 April.
  Where: meet at Armagh St bridge.
  More info: here. (spokes.org.nz).
  
  

• Heritage event, Oamaru: Harvest Home.

  To celebrate storing the season's last sheaf of wheat.
  When: Sunday, 5 April.
  Where: Totara Estate.
  More info: here.
  Organised by NZ Historic Places Trust.
  
  

• EARTHWISE, Plains FM 96.9

  Each Monday & Wednesday at 9.00 pm.
  Conservation, environment and peace with justice.
  This week's interview: Paul McGahan, Chairman of the Hutton's Shearwater Trust, on efforts to save the Hutton's Shearwater by establishing a protected  colony on the Kaikoura Peninsula.
  Presenters: Martin and Lois Griffiths.
  NB: Listen again to Earthwise programmes on archive.
  
  

Coming up:

• Talk: Einstein's Universe.

  Speaker: Brian Foster (European Director of the International Linear Collider) and Jack Liebeck (musician).
  When: 7.30 - 9.00 pm Tuesday, 7 April.
  Where: Great Hall, Arts Centre.
  Host: University of Canterbury.
  More info: here.
  
  

• Talk: 1080.

  Speakers: Landcare/Manaaki Whenua scientists.
  When: 8.00 pm Wednesday, 8 April.
  Where: Room C3, University of Canterbury.
  All welcome.
  More info (shortly) at: www.canterbury.rsnz.org
  Oragnised by Canterbury Branch, RSNZ.
  
  

• Weekend workshop: The Power of We:

  Harnessing community power to shape the future and create collective change.
  With: Margaret Jefferies & Anneleise Hall.
  When: April 11 and 12.
  Where: The Old Vicarage, Governors Bay.
  Cost: $220 (Accommodation, materials and most meals included)
  More info/registration: Anneleise  (03) 328 9317  or email ah@potentiate.co.nz.
  
  

• Wanganui Conference: Community Currencies Conference 2009.

  Trading through troubled waters & Creating resilient communities.
  When: 17 - 19 April.
  More info here.
  
  

• Taranaki event: Camp for Climate Action Aotearoa Gathering.

  Information, discussion & workshops
  on climate chaos and climate justice.
  When: 24 - 26 April.
  Where: Parihaka Pa.
  More info: here.
  Contact: climatecampnz@riseup.net
  
  

Reminders:

• Free bike checks, service and maintenance:

  When: 4.00 -6.00 pm each Monday.
  Where: Latimer Square.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• Oxfam's Biggest coffee break.

  Help struggling coffee growers work their way out of poverty - organise a Coffee Break for your friends or workmates during Fairtrade Fortnight (May 2-17). Registration open now. More info here.
  
  
• Support Get Real. (see under from here).