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

Seaweek 1 - 8 March 2009

One ocean - It starts with me
Kotahi moana - Ka timata mai i ahau

NZAEE is the national coordinator of Seaweek, the week for raising awareness of our marine environment; an opportunity to be inspired by and take action for it – and to enjoy it. This year’s theme - One ocean - It starts with me - reminds us we all need to look out for our marine environment; it is all connected and it is up to us to do our bit.
Visit www.seaweek.org.nz and find out what’s happening near you.

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:

Christchurch left off taskforce on leaky home problems. (26 February, Stuff/The Press).

New bus passenger lounge opens on Colombo St. (23 February, CCC).

Bikewise month finale: Christchurch challenged to ride 2000 km in 5 hours. (26 February, CCC).

Study reveals what seals eat in Banks Peninsula area - good news for seals and for fishers. (25 February, DOC).

Akaroa Basin study released for comment. Strategic issues and options for the eight settlements in the basin: Wainui, Tikao Bay, French Farm, Barrys Bay, Duvauchelle, Robinsons Bay, Takamatua and Akaroa. Consultation closes 5.00 pm Monday, 6 April. (23 February, CCC).

Update on toxic algae in Canterbury rivers. (ECan, 24 February 2009).

Lincoln: Ban on children playing in their lead-contaminated gardens. (27 February, Stuff/The Press).

Local professor backs up and comments on British research linking alcohol and cancer. (27 February, Stuff/The Press).

Marlborough: Volunteers flock to help out food bank. (26 February, Marlborough Express).

Timaru: Centennial Park Lake re-opens. Invasive hornwort killed off. (25 February, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Otago: Contact Energy soon to release hydro plans for the Clutha River in a bid to gauge community support. (27 February, Stuff/Southland Times).

North Island & national:

Nine day fortnight and a cycleway the length of New Zealand: expected to be among the centrepieces of the Government’s Jobs Summit today. (27 February, Michael Field, Stuff).

Global recession overshadowing concern about food miles. (24 February, The Press).

Environment minister: Recession prompts re-think on emissions. (23 Feb, NZ Herald).

Moves for easier travel between Australia and NZ. (22 February, TVNZ).

Auckland: Big increase in use of public transport. (25 February, NZ Herald).

PSA: alarmed at caps on staff & funding of government departments. (23 February, TVNZ). Also (Otago Daily Times): Government departments told to cut costs.

Electricity Commission under the gun. (24 February, National Business Review).

Hawkes Bay: windfarm on sacred Maori site gets thumbs down. Iwi delighted. (26 February, TVNZ). ...more. (25 Feb, Stuff/Dominion Post).

Palmerston North: Turitea windfarm: more than 400 submissions after Govt's calling in. (26 February, Stuff/Manawatu Standard).

RMA attacks encourage environmental vandals - Green Party. (25 February, Info News).

Real estate agent: "British and Irish farmers are quietly buying up New Zealand farms". (23 February, Otago Daily Times).

High rate of gastric disease in NZ. Giardia and cryptosporidium. (27 February, NZ Herald).

Feet first nationwide: Encouraging kids out of the car and onto the pavement. (26 February, Stuff). More here (feetfirst.govt.nz).

Study: Antarctic glaciers slipping swiftly seaward. (6 February, TV3).

Coromandel: Schools get native trees for recycling paper. (23 February, NZ Herald).

National Kiwi Trust hatches 700th chick. (26 February, TV3).

Whenua Hou/Codfish Island: two more chicks - world kakapo population approaches 100. (26 February, DOC).

Diary of a bat hunter. Forest & Bird's bat survey officer, Brian Lloyd. (25 February, Forest and Bird).

A Kiwi scientist has invented a unique spray that enhances plant performance but is not a fertiliser. (Organic Pathways).

Re-linked awards, submissions, consultations etc:

• 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).
  
  
• CCC: Strengthening communities fund: Information sessions to explain the fund and the application process, dates and venues here.
  Applications close 31 March.
  
  
• 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).
  
  
• 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).
  
  
• 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).
  
  
• National environmental standard on ecological flows and water levels. A summary of submissions now available. (Ministry for the Environment).
  

& from there

• US: The axis of upheaval. Economic volatility, ethnic disintegration, and an empire in decline: the combination is about the most lethal in geopolitics. Niall Fergusson, Harvard economic historian. (March/April, Foreign Policy).
  
  
• Study: Most wars occur in earth's richest biological regions. (20 February, escience news).
  
  
• US: EPA likely to regulate emissions for the first time. President Obama promised change when he was elected, and now it appears he has enabled a big one. (21 February, ecoGeek).
  
  
• China: Report finds China could become hugely more energy-efficient in the next 20 years, but even if it did all it could, a growing economy means its carbon footprint would still increase.
  Graph showing world carbon emissions. (25 February, Reuters).
  
  
• NASA's satellite crash a setback for studying CO2 emissions. (24 February, ecoGeek).
  
  
• Antarctic glaciers melting faster than thought. (26 February, Associated Press).
  
  
• New Delhi: Lectures don't make lessons. The rich world continues to give lectures on energy conservation. But what is it doing itself ? (Business standard.com/India, 13 February).
  
  
• Argentina: Drought sucks life from Argentina's farms. (23 February, BBC).
  
  
• US: Los Angeles nears water rationing. (17 February, Reuters).
  
  
• Japan turns to work-sharing to avoid lay-offs. (20 February, Yahoo.com).
  
  
• UK: Fair trade fortnight: across the developing world, times are desperate for smallholders, yet they could help solve the food crisis and tackle poverty. (23 February, The Guardian).
  
  
• UK in Australia: Food security. When Patrick Holden (Director of the Soil Association, UK) first started to consider the implications of trying to run his organic farm without fuel or even electricity, he became so alarmed he re-thought his entire philosophical approach to organic farming. (audio, c 15 mins, abc radio - abc.net.au).
  
  
• Scientists: The true cost of food: Hamburgers are the Hummers of food in global warming. (15 February, AFP).
  
  
• The world: running out of time to develop new seed varieties for confronting climate change and to head off food shortages. (25 February, Reuters).
  
  
• US: Recession grows interest in seeds, vegetable gardening. (USA Today).
  
  
• US: Portland rescinds chicken ban - but hens only, no roosters. (19 February, Portland Press Herald).
  
  
• US: Environmental studies enrolments soar. (26 February, New York Times).
  
  
• Canada: University bans plastic cutlery. Compostable bamboo now the norm. (17 February, Vancouver Sun).
  
  
• Holland: In Amsterdam, the bicycle still rules. (20 February, Worldchanging).
  
  
• Solar aeroplane to fly over Europe this (northern) spring. (25 February, Treehugger).
  
  
• Australia: Solar cells by the metre - just like printing money. Potential for cheap mass production and installation over large areas such as rooftops. Picture here. (19 February, CSIRO).
  
  
• Study: HIV quickly evolving amongst large groups - to avoid triggering the human immune system. (25 February, Reuters).
  
  
• Precocious? Fish having sex a lot sooner (30 million years) than thought. (26 February, The Guardian).
  
  
• Sick of reading? Here's a re-cycling site for looking - for inspiration and for just, well, looking: recycleart.org.
  
  

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• Weedbusting day (Boneseed):

  When: 9.00 - 12.00 pm Saturday, 28 Feb.
  Where: Barnett Park, Redcliffs.
  Bring: gloves, saw and/or loppers if you have them - otherwise supplied.
  Contact: Nigel 941 7573 or 027 234 1353.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• Events: Children's Day 2009.

  Gift some time to a child.
  When: Sunday, 1 March.
  Where: Times and venues here.
  
  

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

  When: Sunday, 1 March. (Ferry leaves
  Lyttelton 9.20 am returns 3.30 pm).
  Booking essential.
  Contact Ian McLennan ph 3845388 or id.mclennan@xtra.co.nz.
  
  

• Adult free event: Behind the Scenes at Canterbury Museum.

  Children’s Day (5 years & over). 
  Ever wondered what’s behind that door, or what the museum has in its basement?
  When: 10.00 -11.00 am, 11.30 am - 12.30 pm & 1.00 - 2.00 pm, Sunday, 1 March.
  Where: Meet at Information.
  Bookings (essential): ph. 366 9429 ext 817.
  
  

• Event: Farm Day: Discover the country.

  When: 10.00 am - 3.00 pm Sunday, 1 March.
  Where: Participating farms here.
  Sponsored by Federated Farmers.
  
  

• Heathcote River clean-up, Woolston.

  When: 2.00 pm Sunday, 1 March.
  Where: Meet at the historical wharf - corner Ferry Road and RichardsonTerrace
  Wear: gumboots, sunhat, gloves and sunscreen.
  Cancelled if raining.
  Contact: tanya.jenkins@paradise.net.nz
  A Seaweek event.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• Talk: Animals Working in the Garden.

  How rodents, birds, hedgehogs & co. work positively for your garden. (Part of the Festival of Flowers).
  Speaker:  Paul Scofield, Canterbury Museum’s Curator of Vertebrate Zoology.
  When: 6.00 – 7.00 pm Tuesday, 3 March.
  Where: Bird Hall, Canterbury Museum.
  Free.
  
  

• Talk: Health Lecture Series 2009: Altered brain function and depression.

  Speaker: Prof Richard Porter, Dept of Psychological Medicine.
  When: 7.30 pm Wednesday, 4 March.
  Where: Rolleston Lecture Theatre, Christchurch Hospital.
  Contact/more info: 364 1199.
  Free.
  Sponsor: University of Otago, Christchurch.
  
  

• Talk: What is happening in the world of work? Skills and the global economy.

  Speaker: Prof Martyn Sloman, visiting  Erskine Fellow.
  When: 7.00 pm Wednesday, 4 March .
  Venue: Canterbury University - upon enrolment.
  Audience: general public.
  Cost: $10.00
  More info/registration/contact: here. (Community education, University of Canterbury).
  
  

• 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.
  A Seaweek event.
  
  

• Sharks, seals and what lies beneath:

  Canterbury's marine world revealed - includes info about the recent seal diet survey and a talk on sharks. To mark the launch of DOC's new CD on Canterbury's marine-coastal area.
  Guest speaker: Clinton Duffy, DOC shark researcher.
  When: 7.00 pm, Thursday 5 March.
  Where: Southern Encounter Aquarium, Cathedral Square. Free. Discount of 10% on normal entry fee to view the aquarium before the talk - doors open at 6 pm.
  Contact/further info: DOC Marine Officer, Laura Allum, 371 3780, lallum@doc.govt.nz.
  A Seaweek event.
  
  

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

  When: 2.00 - 9.00 pm Saturday, 7 March.
  Speakers: 2 - 5 pm, shared meal: 5 - 7 pm (bring a plate (halal or vegetarian)), documentaries: 7 - 9 pm.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Contact: Joanna 382 0812 or palestinesolidarity@katipo.net.nz
  Cost: gold coin. All Welcome.
  
  

• 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
  

• EARTHWISE, Plains FM 96.9

  Each Monday & Wednesday at 9.00 pm.
  Conservation, environment and peace with justice.
  This week's interview: Dr Chris
  Challis, White-Flippered Penguin Trust, speaking about penguins, including Canterbury’s white-flippered penguin.
  Presenters: Martin and Lois Griffiths.
  NB: Listen again to Earthwise programmes on archive.
  

Coming up:

• University of Otago: Health Lecture Series 2009: How are your kidneys?

  Chronic kidney disease - a major public health challenge. (Kidney Health Week 9 - 15 March).
  Speaker: Prof Kelvin Lynn, Dept of Nephrology.
  When: 8.30 pm Wednesday, 11 March.
  Where: Rolleston Lecture Theatre, Christchurch Hospital.
  
  

• Talk: Forest & Bird monthly meeting:

  current F&B environmental issues & projects.
  Speaker: Chris Todd, F&B's South Island Field Coordinator.
  When: 7.30pm Wednesday, 11 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.

• 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.
  
  

• Celebration: 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
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• 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 is open now!  More info here.
  

• 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:

• Art exhibition: The colours of culture.

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

• 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.