from here

Canterbury & South Island news:

Mayor urges council to back conservatorium. (11 November, Stuff/The Press).

Lyttelton: Ship drags large whale into port. (6 November, Stuff).

ECan performance probe delayed. (12 November, Stuff/The Press).

ECan decision on $20m delayed. How to pay for environmental restoration project. (12 November, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

ECan councillors back Canterbury Water Management Strategy. (11 November, ECan).

Aorangi: Closure of John Key's school a 'breach'. NZ Principals' Federation totally opposed to the closure. (10 August, Stuff).

Greenhouse gas probe jet visits Christchurch. (12 November, Stuff/The Press).

ECan warns of dry summer. Predicting declines in groundwater as high levels of irrigation and low river flows look set to affect shallow aquifers. (11 November, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Central city to get user-friendly pedestrian signs. (5 November, CCC).

Akaroa Harbour Basin Settlements study completed. (9 November, CCC).

Kaikoura: Whale watch grabs major award in London. (12 November, Stuff/The Press).

Mokihinui: Meridian land swap bid rejected. (7 November, Stuff/The Press).

Geraldine: Mountain bike trail - Lions and ECan in tandem. (11 November, ECan).

Lake Tekapo: Boaties' open day this Saturday. (12 November, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Ohau/Pukaki: Canal rumours rubbished. Meridian Energy is denying suggestions recent seismic activity has caused problems in the Ohau and Pukaki canals. (12 October, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Central Otago: Meridian Energy declined windfarm consent. (6 November, Stuff).

Otago Harbour: Row erupts over cockle harvest. (12 November, Otago Daily Times).

Macquarie Island: Iceberg moving north, images show. (12 November, Otago Daily Times).

North Island & national:

Householders face the biggest Kyoto burden - 84%, farmers and large industrial emitters get hefty subsidies. (11 November, NZ Herald).
Also:
How the ETS is likely to end up... Cartoon. (12 November, NZ Herald).

Iceshelf finding 'debunks claims of sceptics'. (11 November, Stuff/Dominion Post).

Agresearch GM grass trial aims to cut cows' gas. Proposal has already provoked criticism from anti-GM groups. (6 November, NZ Herald).

New agriculture greenhouse gas research centre. (11 November, Stuff).

Nasa: Methane effect worse than thought. NZ may be making a bigger contribution to global warming than scientists thought. (9 November, NZ Herald).

Seas may rise even higher than levels the Environment Ministry advises local councils to plan for. (12 November, Stuff/Dominion Post).

Expert says Authority ignored GM corn risk - approved for human consumption a GM corn now withdrawn from Europe. (12 November, Stuff/The Press).

Govt pledges $4.7m to combat kauri dieback disease. (9 November, NZ Herald).

Auckland: Watercare to defy ban on bio-solid dumping. Commissioners have said dumping treated human waste on a waahi tapu would have a major effect on Maori cultural values. (11 November, NZ Herald).

Auckland: A group of Auckland's homeless become part-time gardeners, thanks to a collaboration involving Ngati Whatua and the city's young business leaders. (12 November, NZ Herald).

Waikato River: Work on national cycle way begins. (10 November, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Taupo: Road workers uncover moa bones. (6 November, Stuff/Environment).

Napier: Marineland in strife with DOC - capturing wild seals unlawfully. (12 November, Stuff/Dominion Post).

Rare plant in forest has botanists bamboozled. (10 November, NZ Herald).

Katipo face invaders from South Africa. (11 November, NZ Herald).

29 high school students from around New Zealand have been selected to attend Realise the Dream 2009: National awards for researchers of tomorrow. Participant projects for 2009. (www.realisethedream.org.nz).

Re-linked awards, submissions, consultations etc:

• 2010 NZAEE Conference: Te Ahu Whakamua - Taking the next steps. Hawkes Bay, 19 - 22 January. To read about what's on & to register: www.nzaeeconference2010.co.nz. Early bird registrations close 27 November, ie "save some money and help us get a good indication of interest by registering early." (NZAEE: NZ Association for Environmental Education).
  

• Public consultation: DOC wants public input for planning and managing recreation in the Ō Tū Wharekai project area (Ashburton Lakes and upper Rangitata River). The area includes two conservation parks - Hakatere and Te Kahui Kaupeka.The focus of Ō Tū Wharekai is to protect and restore the wetlands - one of three wetlands projects in the national Arawai Kākāriki wetland programme. More here. Till 30 November.

• Help improve the DOC website: DOC is redeveloping the 'Getting Involved' section of its website to include more information for individuals and community groups who want to get involved/are involved in conservation work. They want your ideas for this section. There's an online exercise (15 minutes max).  Participants go in a draw for a prize. To participate: click here.

  
  
• 'Living Streams: A guide to restoring rural waterways': free, newly released 3 part series of handbooks to assist people and groups improve and maintain the health of the region's waterways. (ECan).
  
  
• CCC's new cycling website www.seasonofcycling.co.nz.
  
  
• Lincoln Envirotown Trust 2010 native biodiversity calendar. $10.00 for a good cause. Produced jointly by LET & Lincoln University. Profits go to LET. Available from Lincoln township library, LET caravan (Sat. mornings), Lincoln University book shop and many other outlets in Lincoln or from Sue 03 329 5858, or sue.jarvis@orcon.net.nz.
  
  
• CCC funding workshops for clubs and community groups. (CCC).
  
  
• Public consultation: managing Belfast's growth and development. Till 4 December. (CCC).
  
  
• LEARNZ Field trips:
  Wetland Treasures (Ashburton Lakes) 4 - 6 November.
  Cool Wind Farm (Antarctica) 12 - 20 November.
  Blue Duck (Karamea) 18 - 20 November.
  Background info & more here: www.learnz.org.nz. Supported by Ministry of Education.
  
  
• Big Game hunting discussion document. Open for submissions till 23 November. (DOC).
  
  
• Feel the Heat Petition. Take action on Climate Change. (www.oxfam.org.nz).
  Also:
  Sign on: There's no planet B. Sign On (More than 135,000 NZers so far). (www.signon.org.nz).
  
  
• Have your say: current CCC consultations.

& from there

• Barack Obama will go to Copenhagen if he can clinch climate deal. (10 November, The Guardian).
  
  
• Spain: Africans boycott meetings at UN climate talks to protest rich countries' low emissions targets. (3 November, abc news).
  
  
• UN: Low carbon farming needs boost - can both curb climate change and boost food output in developing nations. (6 November, Stuff).
  
  
• Global warming: The nine most affected areas. (9 November, NZ Herald).
  
  
• UK: Key oil figures were distorted by US pressure, says whistleblower. The world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit. (9 November, The Guardian).
  Also: Just tell us the truth. Richard Heinberg. (10 November, Post Carbon Institute).
  
  
• US: Immigration and our ecological predicament. The carrying capacity of many industrialized nations was probably reached several decades ago. If a country imports critical resources - oil and food come to mind - then it has in all likelihood overshot its carrying capacity. Kurt Cobb. (9 November, Energy Bulletin).
  
  
• US: Scientific Americans' path to sustainability: Let's think about the details. The authors propose substituting wind, water, and solar (WWS) energy for all other forms of energy by 2030, not for just the US, but for the world....(But) We already are on the downslope. We should have started back in the 1960s with a project like this. Gail Tverberg, (8 November, Energy Bulletin/The Oil Drum).
  
  
• US: Movie review: Collapse (2009). “What’s it about?” “It’s just one guy explaining why human civilization in its present form is doomed.” (6 November, New York Times).
  Also: From the wilderness to the end of civilisation. Carolyn Baker reviews "Collapse". (9 November, CarolynBaker.net).
  
  
• US: How an entire town levelled by a tornado is rebuilding green. (6 November, Alternet).
  
  
• Denmark: Family wind turbines gain momentum. (2min25, Youtube/National Geographic).
  
  
• Cameroon: Cinderella fruit: Wild foods become cash crops. "Domesticating wild fruit like bush mango has changed our lives," Salah says. He is now earning enough from the sale of indigenous fruit trees to pay school fees for four of his children. He has been able to re-roof his house with zinc sheets and buy goods he could only dream of owning before. He even has a mobile phone. (10 November, New Scientist).
  
  
• UK: Jamie Oliver's ministry of food gaining ground. (6 November, Telegraph).
  
  
• UK: Friends of the Earth: Go vegetarian at least two days a week. (11 November, Telegraph.co.uk).
  
  
• US: Woo! Bicycling in New York is up 26% in 2009. (10 November, Treehugger).
  

Technology:

• Spain: Wind farms set new national record for electricity generation. 53% of Spain's electricity for several hours - equivalent to the power output of 11 nuclear plants. (9 November, The Guardian).
  
  
• Bologna: Solar powered mono-rail. (11 November, Inhabitat).
  
  
• Calfornia, US: Solar power when the sun goes down? Using liquified salt to store energy. (3 November, New York Times).
  
  
• US: The search for renewable power: about to take to the skies. (12 November, Times Online).
  
  
• Japan eyes solar station in space. By 2030 it wants to collect solar power in space and zap it down to Earth, using laser beams or microwaves. (8 November, AFP/Yahoo).
  
  
• Carbon nanotube sponge can absorb toxic oils and solvents up to 180x its own weight. (11 November, Treehugger).
  
  Natural world:
  
• Mini ice age took hold of Europe in months. (11 November, New Scientist).
  
  
• Why can't chimps talk? It's more than just genes. (11 November, Reuters/Yahoo).
  
  
• Stone Age humans crossed the Sahara in the rain. (9 November, New Scientist).
  
  
  
  
  
  

Using ecoNet

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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• contact us

• Work day: Quail Island Restoration Trust.

  When: Sunday, 15 November.
  (Ferry leaves Lyttelton 9.20 am and returns 3.30 pm).
  Booking essential.
  Contact: Ian McLennan ph 384 5338 or id.mclennan@xtra.co.nz.
  Background info: www.quailisland.org.nz
  
  

• Climate camp picnic:

  For people going to this year's climate camp in Wellington (see below: Coming up), supporters and anyone interested in being part of the local group.
  When: 12.00 noon Sunday, 15 November.
  Where: Meet at Peacock fountain, Botanic Gardens.
  Bring: A plate to share.
  Contact: Ana: derelictdancing@gmail.com
  
  

• Course: Local government democracy.

  This week: The Aranui Community Trust:
  community engagement, participation in local solutions, local govt/govt partnerships & continual community development in Aranui.
  Presenters: Rachael Fonotia and Matt Walters.
  When: 7.00 - 8.30 pm Tuesday, 17 Nov.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $5.00.
  More here (item 6).
  Contact/register: 366 0285 or cwea@xtra.co.nz.
  
  

• Public Talk: The 10 things the alcohol industry won't tell you about alcohol.

  Last lecture of a nationwide tour promoting
  "a 5+ solution to a national alcohol crisis".
  Speaker: Professor Doug Sellman, head of the
  National Addiction Centre.
  When: 7.30pm Tuesday, 17 November.
  Where: Art Gallery auditorium.
  All welcome.
  
  

• Talk series: Peace People.

  5 weekly lectures and discussion.
  This week: Quakers - History and Peacemaking.
  When: 1.00 - 2.30 pm Wednesday, 18 Nov.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $4.00.
  Contact/register: CWEA, 366 0285 or see here.
  
  

  EARTHWISE, Plains FM 96.9

  Each Monday & Wednesday at 9.00 pm.
  Conservation, environment and peace with justice.
  Presenters: Martin and Lois Griffiths.
  NB: Listen again to Earthwise programmes on archive.
  

Coming up:

• Public talk: Recent evidence on (im)morality in taxation.

  Should there be a 'moral' or 'patriotic' obligation on the 'haves' to contribute more than their fair share of taxes to benefit the 'have-nots' and so give something back to wider society?
  Speaker: Professor Adrian Sawyer, Department of Accounting and Information Systems, University of Canterbury.
  When: 6.00 - 7.00 pm Tuesday, 24 Nov.
  Where: Christchurch Art Gallery.
  More/contact: here. (www.canterbury.ac.nz).
  
  

• Talk: Climate change and Antarctica:

  introduction to the nature of climate change in Antarctica and the consequences for polar ecology.
  Speaker: Professor Andrew Clarke, University of Canterbury visiting Erskine Fellow.
  When: 7.00 - 8.30 pm Tuesday, 24 Nov.
  Where: Venue on enrolment (University of Canterbury).
  Cost: $10.00.
  More info/register: here. (www.canterbury.ac.nz).
  
  

• AGM: Otamahua/Quail Island Ecological Restoration Trust.

  Guest Speaker:  Ray Genet, whose University thesis on the possibility of restoring native vegetation on Quail Island was the start of the Trust's work 12 years ago, has recently returned from France.  He will talk about the Trust's progress and how it measures up to his original concept. 
  When: 5.30 pm Thursday, 26 November.
  Where: Board meeting room, South Christchurch Service Centre (Beckenham Library), 66 Colombo St.
  All welcome.
  
  

• Inaugural National Wild Rivers Day:

  To celebrate the beauty & importance of our remaining wild rivers. Ten events around NZ during this weekend.
  Canterbury: Family fun day and BYO picnic.
  When: 10.00 - 3.00 pm Sunday, 29 November.
  Where: Hurunui River. (Venue details & programme next week).
  Background: here (www.forestandbird.org.nz).
  & here: www.wildrivers.org.nz.
  Organisers: Forest & Bird, Whitewater NZ, Fish & Game, Federated Mountain Clubs.
  
  

• Conference: Social and Environmental Accounting Research (CSEAR).

  When: 6 – 8 December, 2009.
  Where: University of Canterbury.
  More info/contact: Here. (www.canterbury.ac.nz).
  
  

• Wellington event: Camp for climate action: Team up, get trained, take action.

  Seeks to address the real causes of climate change & build a people's movement that can and will stop disastrous climate change.
  When: 16 - 21 December, 2009.
  Where: Wellington.
  More info/contact: www.climatecamp.org.nz.
  
  

• Waihopai spy base protest:

  When: January 22 - 24.
  Where: Waihopai, Blenheim.
  More info/register: www.converge.org.nz.
  Organised by: Anti-Bases Campaign.
  
  

• NZAEE Biennial Conference: Te Ahu Whakamua - Taking the next steps.

  When: 19 - 22 January 2010.
  Where: Hawkes Bay.
  Registrations now open.
  Much more info/contact/registrations: here. (www.nzaeeconference2010.co.nz).
  NZAEE: NZ Association for Environmental Education.
  
  

• Event: Oxfam Trailwalker, 10 - 11 April 2010. Four people one goal: 100 km in 36 hours.

  More info & registration: here. (Oxfam Trailwalker NZ).
  Funds raised support Oxfam NZ's humanitarian, development and advocacy work to lift some of the world's poorest people out of poverty. Oxfam Trailwalker won Best Environmentally Sustainable Event at the 2009 Event Industry Awards.
  
  

Reminders:

• Free home composting workshops:

  Hot composting of kitchen scraps & garden waste, Bokashi and worm farms. All methods demonstrated.
  1. Seven Oaks Education Centre, 35 Hassals Lane. 1.00 - 2.30 pm each Saturday.
  2. Lyttelton Community Garden, 54A Oxford Street, 10.30 – 12.00 pm each Saturday.
  More info/contact: Annmarie 021 190 4559 or 942 7190 (evenings).
  Supported by CCC.
  
  

• Gardening courses: starting a garden, seed saving, composting, pickling & preserving, etc.

  Where: Strickland Street Community Garden, 188 Strickland Street, Spreydon. 
  When: for times & dates see their website www.sscommunitygardens.net.nz.
  Further info/contact: 942 6630.
  Supported by CCC.
  
  

• Free bike trailer hire:

  Try out a bike trailer for a month for free. See how much fun and how easy it is to carry loads without a car. Groceries, ladders, fruit, kayaks, windsurfers, kite surfers, library books, bikes, musical instruments, pets,  tools, billboards, garage sale treasures, pinecones, white bait nets, firewood, etc.
  Contact: Steven Muir: steve@cycletrailers.co.nz or 365 8238.