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, eg:

from here

Canterbury & South Island:

Ellerslie garden show: Texture Plants - voted the people’s favourite. Unprecedented numbers visiting. (12 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).

South Christchurch’s Mona Vale: Council ensures the future of Ernle Clark Reserve. (11 March, CCC).

Didymo on the march in the South Island. Researchers say there are 132 rivers and six lakes now infected and project it to spread through 1800 rivers by 2024. (11 March, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Marlborough: Fishing a factor in scallop collapse - scientist. (9 March, Nelson Mail/Stuff).

Marlborough: New tool to help save paua. (10 March, Marlborough Express/Stuff).

Southland: Cost-cutting Environment Southland shelving education projects. (12 March, Southland Times/Stuff).

Calling activist artists: Social justice art auction and exhibition, 15 October, 2009. To voice dissent, and to raise funds for those facing charges from the so-called 'terror raids' in 2007. If you are interested in contributing a work drawing from any of: the October 15th raids, commentary on the 'war on terrorism,' surveillance/police/prisons, colonisation, kaupapa Maori, resistance, then contact: Rachel info@october15thsolidarity.info or October15th Solidarity, P O Box 9263, Te Aro, Wellington.

North Island & national:

Economy vs ecology - environmentalists fear the recession is causing NZ to abandon its clean, green reputation. (7 March, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Ridiculed in America: NZ's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from farm animals. (7 March, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Dangers in new broom's energy policy. Energy Minister appears to approach political problems like a bull at a gate. (Editorial, 9 March, NZ Herald).

Warning on eco-tourism assurances. Tourism NZ's tagline "100% assurance". (9 March, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Online logs proposed for tourist safety. (10 March, Southland Times/Stuff).

And the Roger Award for 2008 goes to ... (9 March, John Minto for Stuff).

Workers expected to pay for financial crisis. (9 March, John Minto, Stuff).

Govt criticised over job losses at Ministry for the Environment. (11 March, Otago Daily Times).

Wellington: Lobby group challenges plans to commercialise GM stock. (10 March, TVNZ).

Palmerston North: only 20% of 655 submissions support Turitea wind farm. (6 March, Manawatu Standard/Stuff).

Auckland: Port profits slide as car imports dry up. (10 March, NBR).

Auckland: Henderson valley pollution blitz."Fish, insects and plant life can be killed and habitats destroyed, and in some cases, polluted streams may take up to 10 years to fully recover." (10 March, Stuff).

Hamilton: City Council worried about slow process for passenger rail service to Auckland. (10 March, Waikato Times/Stuff).

Whangarei: sewage spills into harbour "beyond a joke". (10 March, Northern Advocate).

Auckland: 2009 AA Motoring Excellence Awards: Volkswagen model wins Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) Environmental Car Award. Best fuel consumption and lowest CO2 emissions. (9 March, EECA).

Aussie specialist's environment call to NZ farmers: lead the world in environmentally sustainable farming or be forced out of business within 20 years. (9 March, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Forest & Bird: Dairying & Clean Streams snapshot report: Figures and calculations show inaccuracies and inconsistencies, meaning they are unreliable as a benchmark of the dairy industry’s environmental performance. (11 March, Forest & Bird).
Also:
Green Party: The voluntary Clean Streams Accord has failed and it’s time to set enforceable water quality standards. (12 March, InfoNews).

Solomon Island's White-eye birds species: providing evidence of how, in the absence of competitors, unique species can evolve rapidly to fill empty niches. (11 March, Forest & Bird).

Karori Wildlife Sanctuary: successful perch pest cull - over three years University of Waikato researchers have removed 14,892 perch from the reservoir. (11 March, NIWA).

Kakapo population hits triple digits. (11 March, Otago Daily Times).

Scientists hope new species discoveries in Fiordland will enhance its case to become a world underwater heritage park. (12 March, Southland Times/Stuff).

Re-linked awards, submissions, consultations etc:

• Nominations called for Community Service Awards. By Thursday, 9 April. (5 March, CCC).
  
  
• Latest Canterbury DOC Newsletter. (February, DoC).
  
  
• Strategy to stop traffic increasing.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).
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• Environment Canterbury’s Living Streams Project: Anyone can apply to become part of the programme. 
  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).
  
  
• CCC: Strengthening communities fund: Information sessions to explain the fund and the application process, dates and venues here.
  Applications close 31 March.
  
  
• 2009 Green Ribbon Awards nominations. Know a green champion? Send in your nomination - before 5.00 pm Monday, 23 March. Categories and nomination information here. (Ministry for the Environment).
  
  
• School teachers: LEARNZ trips for the first term 2009. (LEARNZ Virtual field trips are FREE for all NZ registered teachers and their classes).
  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).
  (More: at the LEARNZ site).
  

• 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).
  

& from there

• Copenhagen, Denmark: International Scientific Congress on Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions, 10 - 12 March. Key messages from the congress. (12 March, climatecongress.ku.dk).
  Also:
  Climate fears 'being realised'. (12 March, BBC).
  
  
• UK: Welcome to the world warmed by 4 °C: Alligators basking off the English coast; a vast Brazilian desert; the mythical lost cities of Saigon, New Orleans, Venice and Mumbai; and 90 per cent of humanity vanished. (25 February, New Scientist).
  
  
• Why?: How come some of the world’s best and brightest minds underestimated how quickly we’re scorching the atmosphere ...Actual emissions are at or above the total range of possibilities considered in the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment. (Spring, Earth Island Insitute).
  
  
• UK: Researchers: 85% of Amazonian rainforest at risk of destruction. (12 March, Times Online).
  
  
• US: Financial crisis: Forget about recovery. (James Kunstler, Clusterfuck Nation, 9 March).
  
  
• Blackstone CEO: 45% of the world's wealth destroyed in global credit crisis. (10 March, Reuters).
  
  
• Inside view of the September bank run. c 5 min video. (11 March, Life After the Oil Crash).
  
  
• US: Credit crunch tent city returns to haunt America. (6 March, Daily Mail).
  
  
• Clean tech: made record money in 2008. (11 March, Reuters).
  Also: Clean energy trends 2009. (12 March, enn.com).
  
  
• UN: Green jobs could tackle global unemployment. (10 March, Reuters).
  
  
• US: Could a 'smart grid' turn us on to energy efficiency? A 5 percent improvement in efficiency of the national electricity grid would be the equivalent of eliminating the fuel use and carbon emissions of 53 million cars. (2 March, CNN.com).
  
  
• US: Agricultural revolution required. 100 million new farmers? (9 March, Energy Bulletin).
  
  
• UK: England's oldest allotments celebrate 200 years. (11 March, Telegraph).
  
  
• Falkland Islands go organic, with Australia's help. (3 March, ABC Rural).
  
  
• Holland: Saltwater power - clean renewable and 30 - 40% more efficient than coal. (8 March, ecoworldly.com).
  
  
• Breakthrough battery can charge up in seconds. (12 March, Times Online).
  
  
• US: Replacing plastic with 'liquid wood' - to create domestic products currently made from petroleum-based plastics. (6 March, ecoGeek).
  
  
• Ikea: launches new solar lighting line: pretty, functional and, best of all, IKEA-priced. (9 March, ecoGeek).
  
  
• Pursuing the elusive goal of a carbon-neutral building. (3 March, environment 360, Yale University).
  
  
• Are green roofs the new mirrored glass? (19 February, Treehugger).
  
  
• Offices built of cardboard. (3 March, Treehugger).
  
  
• The selfless gene - rethinking Dawkin's doctrine. (9 March, New Scientist).
  
  
• Antarctica: the race to reach Antarctic's hidden lakes. (10 March, New Scientist).
  
  
• England: world's oldest spider web found. (5 March, BBC).
  
  
• Blue gays: NZ Blue ducks likely to die out in UK - the two remaining males have fallen for each other. (10 March, The Telegraph).
  
  
• Germany: 5000 year old sandal unearthed. (11 March, The Australian).
  
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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• Ellerslie Flower Show, 11 - 15 March:

  Schedule of Talks: NZ Gardener Speaker series. (Several on organics, home gardening etc).
  Flower Show homepage here.
  
  

• Culture Galore: a community festival

  Celebrating Canterbury's cultural diversity. More than 50 groups: performing arts, ethnic food, crafts, demonstrations, sports, games and language.
  When: 12.00 - 4.00 pm Saturday, 14 March.
  Where: Ray Blank Park, Maidestone Rd. (near the university). (Bus nos. 21, 23, 24 from Platform B).
  More info.(CCC) & more here. (CCC).
  
  

• Course: Bruce Springsteen and the decay of American Capitalism.

  For three decades Springsteen has reflected, refracted (& often rejected) major trends in US society. Course includes video footage & music. 
  Tutor: Dr Philip Ferguson.
  When: 1.00 – 5.00 pm Saturday, 14 March. Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $13.
  More info: cwea.org.nz (see item 7) or WEA 366 0285.
  
  

• Workday: Marley's Hill revegetation release.

  When: 1.00 - 3.00 pm Saturday, 14 March.
  Where: meet top end of Worsleys Rd, (off Summit Rd, 1.6 km west of Sign of the Kiwi - ie from ChCh turn right). For car pooling meet at carpark (nearest to Coffee Culture) by Princess Margaret Hospital at 12.30 pm..
  Bring: Gloves.
  Contact/more info: Di 941 7572, or 027 201 5653.
  
  

• Free bike checks, service and maintenance:

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

• Celebrate your legs!: Walk to work.

  MC: Steve Gurney.
  When: 7.00 – 9.00 am Wednesday, 18 March.
  Where: Cathedral Square.
  Free: breakfast treats, spot prizes.
  See also: www.walk2work.org.nz
  
  

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

  Music Therapy: an introduction.
  Speaker: Kim Jones.
  When: 1.30 - 2.30 pm Wednesday, 18 March
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $4
  more info: WEA 366 0285.
  Website: cwea.org.nz
  
  

• Talk: Health Lecture Series 2009: The naked truth. Skin cancer uncovered.

  Speaker: Dr Martin Keefe, Dermatology, Dept of Medicine.
  When: 7.30 pm Wednesday, 18 March.
  Where: Rolleston Lecture Theatre, Christchurch Hospital.
  Contact/more info: 364 1199.
  Free.
  Sponsor: University of Otago, Christchurch.
  

• Google talk: Fifth annual Condliffe Memorial Lecture 2009.

  How computer-mediated transactions continue to transform business practices.
  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.
  More: here.
  Hosted by the College of Business & Economics.
  
  

• Talk: Pacific Pattern.

  Speaker: Glenn Jowitt, photographer, on his work for the exhibition Pacific Pattern (now showing at the museum, to 29 March).
  When: 6.00 - 7.00 pm Wednesday, 18 March.
  Where: Visitors Lounge, Canterbury Museum.
  
  

• Talk: What an iPod, a flock of birds and DNA have in common...

  Moore's Law holds that computing power doubles every 18 months. Most of the wonders of the computer age can be attributed directly to this law. Alas, its days are numbered. What then? More info here. (University of Canterbury)
  Speaker: Bernard Chazelle, Eugene Higgins Professor of Computer Science, Princeton University.
  When: 5.30 pm Thursday, 19 March.
  Where: The Big Room, Christchurch Boys' High, Straven Road.
  All welcome.
  Sponsored by NZIMA (NZ Inst of Mathematics and its Aplications).
  
  

• Seminar: Better living for a better planet.

  Choices: a new way of engaging households and communities in sustainable living.
  When: 9.00 - 4.30 pm Friday, 20 & Saturday, 21 March. (ie two seminars).
  Where: Board Room, Christchurch South Library, Colombo St.
  Free.
  Info/contact: rebeka.whale@gmail.com
  Suported by the Ministry for the Environment &
  the Hikurangi Foundation.
  
  

• Event: RSPCA Fundraiser: Concert and lunch.

  Roger Buckton and Jonathon Le Coq perform a variety of music using early and modern instruments.
  When: 11.30 am Saturday, 21 March.
  Where: Nut Point gallery, Langdales Rd,
  (off Old West Coast Rd), West Melton.
  Tickets: $25.00 includes vegetarian lunch.
  More info & bookings: www.nutpointgallery.com or ph 342 1033.
  
  

• Talk: Money & community resilience.

  An exploration of money, alternatives to the current financial monoculture, & the design of complementary currencies to build community resilience in the face of global financial disorder
  Speaker: Christoph Hensch.
  When: 9.30 - 4.00 pm Saturday, 21 March.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: gold coin.
  More info. WEA 366 0285. or cwea
  
  

• Workday:  Travis Wetland

  When: 9.00 -12.00 pm Saturday, 21 March.
  Where: Meet at Travis Wetland 9am; no exit end of Beach Rd.
  Bring: Gumboots & work clothes helpful, tools   provided and variety of tasks available.
  Contact: Dave Evans 366 0628.
  Also:
  

  Travis Wetland Trust: planting and weeding.

  When: 9.00 – 12.00 pm Saturday, 21 March.
  Where: meet at Beach Rd Education Centre.
  Bring: gumboots, water, warm clothes.
  Contact: Joe Greenaway 383 2073.
  
  

• Multi-media event: The Armed Man.

  Hopes for peace and the terrible consequences of war. Excerpts from Hindu texts, the Koran, & poems of Tennyson and Kipling set with the Christian Mass. Massed secondary school choirs accompanied by Christchurch Symphony Orchestra .
  Conductor: Brian Law.
  When: 7.30 pm Saturday, 21 March.
  Where: Christchurch Town Hall.
  More info here.
  Video here. (Youtube).
  
  

• Free home composting workshops:

  hot composting of kitchen scraps & garden waste, Bokashi and worm farms. All methods demonstrated.
  When: 1.00 - 2.30 pm each Saturday, starting 21 March.
  Where: Opawa Community Gardens, 176 Opawa Rd (at Aynsley Tce).
  
  

• World Water Day 2009: Sharing water, sharing opportunities.

  When: Sunday, 22 March.
  Info: worldwaterday.org
  
  

• Garden tour: How to maximise home food production with minimum effort.

  ‘Multi-purpose’ garden design ensures year-round productivity. Different fruit and nut trees and large vegetable gardens supply the kitchen with seasonal produce; & eggs and honey also often on the menu.
  When: 2.00 pm Sunday, 22 March
  Where: 5 Ombersley Tce, Opawa
  Cost: $2.00
  More info: organicschch@gmail.com
  

• EARTHWISE, Plains FM 96.9

  Each Monday & Wednesday at 9.00 pm.
  Conservation, environment and peace with justice.
  This week's interview: Damien Lawson, Friends of the Earth, Australia.
  Climate campaigning in Australia, and reflections on Victoria’s terrible bush fires.
  Presenters: Martin and Lois Griffiths.
  NB: Listen again to Earthwise programmes on archive.
  

Coming up:

• Talk: Health Lecture Series 2009: The snake in the grass. Our unseen genetic risk of heart disease.

  Speaker: Assoc. Professor Vicky Cameron, Christchurch Cardio-endocrine Research Group.
  When: 7.30 pm Wednesday, 25 March.
  Where: Rolleston Lecture Theatre, Christchurch Hospital.
  Sponsor: University of Otago.
  
  

• Talk: How different does sustainable business have to be for business to be sustainable?

  Speaker: Prof Markus Milne, Dept of Accountancy & Information Systems, University of Canterbury.
  When: 7.30 pm Wednesday, 25 March.
  Where: Knox Church, Bealey Ave.
  Contact: John 384 1281, or njpeet@gmail.com
  More info: sustainablechristchurch.org. (SOC).
  
  

• One day workshop: Enviro-Mark.

  "a must for any new Enviro-Mark Member and highly recommended for all existing Members".
  When: 8.45 - 5.00 pm Wednesday, 25 March.
  Where: Landcare Research, Waikirikiri Seminar Room, Gerald Street, Lincoln.
  About Enviro-Mark.
  
  

• Enviro–Mark Drop In Session

  When: 2.30 – 5.30 pm Thursday, 26 March.
  Where: Landcare Research, Waikirikiri Seminar Room, Gerald Street, Lincoln.
  
  

• Talk: All about the (declining) NZ sea lion – among world’s rarest.

  Speaker: Dr Louise Chilvers, marine mammal scientist, Wellington (via Auckland Islands).
  When: 7.30 pm Thursday, 26 March.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Organised by: Forest & Bird.
  
  

• National Peace Workshops 2009

  Workshops and discussion on peace issues
  27 - 29 March, at Quaker Settlement, Whanganui
  info: www.converge.org.nz
  or: pma@xtra.co.nz
  Registration by Wednesday, 18 March.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• Kaikoura event: Kaikoura's biodiversity bonanza:

  to advertise/foster awareness of available information and services promoting biodiversity - on both private and public land.
  When: 9.00 - 4.00 pm Friday, 27 March.
  Where: in & around Kaikoura's Memorial Hall.
  info here. (www.canterburybiodiversity.org.nz).
  All welcome.
  Contact/info/those wishing to display: Jodie 03 319 5026 or jodie.denton@kaikoura.govt.nz.
  (Hosted by Kaikoura District Council, ECan & other supporters of the Canterbury Biodiversity Strategy).
  
  

• Event: Earth hour

  When: 6.00 - 10.00 pm Saturday, 28 March.
  Where: Cathedral Square.
  More info: www.earthhour.org.nz.
  
  

• Walk for the Planet.

  (Started Feb 24 in Invercargill). Due in Christchurch Saturday 28 March, to coincide with Earth Hour.)
  More info and for walkers, runners and
  cyclists wanting to register online:
  www.walk4theplanet.org.nz.
  
  

• Bio-blitz 2009.

  When: 3.15pm Friday 3rd — 3.15pm Saturday 4th April.
  Where: Liffey Domain, Lincoln.
  More info: BioBlitz (LandcareResearch/Manaaki Whenua).

Reminders:

• Exhibition: Banks' Florilegium:

  Plants collected by Banks on Cook's 1769 - 71 voyage.
  (A selection of engravings after Sydney Parkinson's watercolours).
  When: 10.00 - 4.00 pm daily till 22 March.
  Where: Robert McDougall Gallery, Botanic Gardens.
  Cost: $10.
  Info: ph. 365 5403 or festivalofflowers.co.nz
  
  

• 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 Trailwalker 2009: Lake Taupo, 4 & 5 April.

  A team challenge - walk 100kms in under 36 hours to help overcome poverty and injustice. More info here.
  
  

• NZCEL conference 2009: Property Rights and Sustainability:

  the evolution of property rights to meet ecological challenges.
  When: 16-18 April.
  Where: University of Auckland.
  More info: www.nzcel-conf.auckland.ac.nz/
  
  
  

• 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.