Welcome

Hi & welcome to 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:

Opinion survey expert blasts CWMS efforts to give the public a say on the future of Canterbury's water. (13 May, The Press/Stuff).

Full house at hearing for reduced CPW scheme. (13 May, The Press).
Also: Commissioners urged to leave the hearing open and hear further evidence. (11 May, The Press/Stuff).

Govt funding for AMI stadium upgrade frees Council to upgrade dangerous intersections and put more into community grants. (11 May, CCC).

Parts of North Canterbury included in Govt's widened drought assistance. (12 May, Beehive).

Marlborough: Judge holds off on hydro ruling. Wairau Valley farmers John and Joan McLauchlan have refused to let TrustPower's proposed 48km canal cross their land. (12 May, Marlborough Express/Stuff).

Timaru: New port equipment to combat harbour oil spills. (8 May, ECan).

Timaru: Scourge of Centennial Lake gone: DOC removes pest fish rudd. (11 May, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Dunedin: Annual plan hearings: Walking and cycling strategy fast-tracked. (12 May, Otago Daily Times).

Central Otago: Hearing on whether to ban dams on Nevis River. (14 May, Otago Daily Times).

Southland: Global warming may hurt oysters as ocean acidity rises.(14 May, Southland Times).

North Island & national:

Researchers' talks tackle climate change finds. (15 May, NZ Herald).

Next phase of RMA reform outlined. (8 May, National Business Review).

Economist to Select Committee: Business could get 'practice run' at Greenhouse emissions trading. (12 May, NZ Herald).

PM pledges $50m over three years for cycle way project. (14 May, Beehive).

Govt looks at 'city limits' as house prices stay high. May intervene in deciding where urban sprawl stops and green fields begin. (14 May, NZ Herald).

New Zealanders' love affair with Eftpos cards continues, recession or no recession. (11 May, NZ Herald).

UN report: Govt needs to better protect Maori Rights. (12 May, Otago Daily Times).

Govt demands of Electricity Commission a secure power supply. (11 May, NBR).

Packaging Council accused of meddling in Govt funded contract. (13 May, NZ Herald).

Tourism: Spending dips as fewer visit. (11 May, NZ Herald).

Multimillion-dollar boost for Kiwi project: could transform the way world's electricity is transmitted. NZ made superconductor wires carry up to 10 times the current. (13 May, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Researcher measures sustainability on organic orchards. May one day be able to trade carbon credits. (13 May, Otago Daily Times).

Consultants: New railcar link to Hamilton will be a winner. (13 May, NZ Herald).

Whangarei Growers Market: How small scale bears fruit. (11 May, Northern Advocate).

Auckland: City wildlife sanctuary a step closer. (10 May, NZ Herald).

Waikato River partnership: Waikato-Tainui and Fisheries Ministry begin managing the aquatic life of the river under iwi values. (13 May, Waikato Times/Stuff).

Waikato: District Council wants Government to introduce national standards for the siting of wind farms. (13 May, Waikato Times/Stuff).

Waikato University's new roofing iron acts as a solar panel. Interest from around the world. (9 May, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Taranaki water quality: Expert pours scorn on claims of improvement. Says Regional Council presented its research in a misleading way. (9 May, Taranaki Daily News/Stuff).

Kawau Island, Hauraki: Roaming dogs kill at least 14 weka. (9 May, Otago Daily Times).

NZ scientists sound warning on ocean acidification. (13 May, Otago Daily Times).

Spectre of seas without shells. Assoc. Prof Abigail Smith, University of Otago. (13 May, Stuff/opinion).

Kapiti Coast to host 23rd NZ Fungal Foray. Around 50 participants from NZ, Australia, the US, UK, and Sweden will collect and identify fungi of the Tararua Ranges, Rimutaka Forest Park , and other podocarp forest remnants in the area. (11 May, Landcare research/Manaaki Whenua).

Landcare Research's carboNZero programme the first greenhouse gas certification scheme in the world to receive international accreditation. (8 May, Landcare Research/Manaaki Whenua).

Native fish swim for their lives. (9 May, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Ever thought of adopting a Kaimanawa horse? Apply now to DOC - June muster coming up. (8 May, DOC).

Re-linked awards, submissions, consultations etc:

• Interested to show at Eco expo? Organisers want still more exhibitors for their event (5 - 7 June) in the Convention Centre. See here or under diary of events: Coming up).
  
  
• Early childhood environmental education (for 3 – 7 years). New DVD from Kindle Films: (100% down to earth Kiwi & set to influence a generation!). About our land, creatures, environment & sustainability. More info, including preview video clips, here: www.oursdvd.co.nz.
  Contact: Emma Heke, Kindle Films Ltd, T/A Red Heke Productions, PO Box 719, Nelson 7040.
  
  
• Canterbury@DOC: May 2009 issue. (Department of Conservation's Canterbury region bi-monthly newsletter).
  
  
• LEARNZ field trips:
  Ancient NZ - A trip to the Chatham Islands with Canterbury University Scientists to look at native birds including the Black Robin. Spread over the month of May.
  Wetfeet - A trip to Lake Ohia in Northland to learn about wetland ecosystems and the cultural significance of the wetlands to Maori. 20 -22 May.
  Trout - Freshwater Ecology - A trip to the Turangi Trout Centre to investigate management of fisheries and freshwater conservation. 10 - 12 June
  Geo Hazards - A trip to walk over the Auckland volcanoes, stay on Rangitoto Island and learn about impacts of volcanic events of the past, present and future. 24-26 June.
  More info: www.learnz.org.nz. or contact: charmaine@learnz.org.nz.
  
  
• Heat pump water heaters: New funding pilot programme for efficient water heating - same grant as for solar. (EECA).
  
  

& from there

• Latin America: The century of the rights of mother earth. (11 May, alainet.org).
  
  
• Indonesia: Global ocean talks underway in bid to influence crucial climate change talks in Denmark in December. (11 May, Google).
  
  
• Bolivia: World's highest ski run melted away. (7 May, eco worldly).
  
  
• Bolivia: The river turning to desert. Catastrophe for the oldest (4000 years) culture in the Andes. (12 May, Guardian Weekly).


• US: Obama's key climate 'cap and trade' bill hit by massive PR campaign: oil, gas and coal industries fight to cut off support for a clean energy economy. (12 May, The Guardian).
  
  
• China: Far outpaces US in cleaner coal-fired plants. (10 May, New York Times).
  
  
• Singapore: Hundreds of cargo ships tread water, waiting for work. One of the largest fleets of ships ever gathered. (12 May, New York Times).
  
  
• UK: Thames offshore windfarm gets green light from investors. World's biggest offshore project. (12 May, The Guardian).
  
  
• US: Swell Fuel's wave power electricity could help revive coral reefs. (6 May, CleanTechnica).
  
  
• US: Research into fuel cell cars dropped. Not practical in the next ten or twenty years, says Energy Secretary Chu. (12 May, New York Times).
  
  
• Australia: New technology hopes to boost tyre recycling by 50%. About a billon tyres a year are discarded, mostly to landfill. They're almost impossible to recycle economically and create health and environmental hazards when burned. (11 May, Treehugger).
  
  
• US, EU: One step closer to a compostable car, thanks to bioplastics. (12 May, Cleantechnica).
  
  
• US: Man builds world's first fully solar-powered motorcycle. (14 May, Gas2.0)
  
  
• Vauban, Germany: Life without cars. Going where few soccer moms or commuting executives have ever gone before. Cars are forbidden on most of Vauban's streets, and houses cannot have driveways or garages. (11 May, New York Times).
  
  
• US: Obama administration pledges $50 million for organics. (5 May, Mercury News.com).
  
  
• Denmark: Govt's new green growth farming plan e.g. double organic farming area, use energy in farm animal manure. (11 May, thepigsite.com).
  
  
• UK: 550 acre dairy farm named the most wildlife friendly. (8 May, BBC).
  
  
• UK: Crunch time for Cox's Orange as NZ's Gala and Braeburn take a bite out of sales. (7 May, Daily Mail).
  
  
• Belgium: Ghent goes vegetarian to save the planet. Meat, fish & seafood off the menu every Thursday. (14 May, The Guardian).
  
  
• US & Europe: Newspapers seek a formula for survival. Hyperlocal newsrooms-cum-cafes: a latte with journalism on the side. (10 May, New York Times).
  
  
• Australia: Daydreamers might solve problems faster. (12 May, The Age).
  
  

Miscellany from the more or less natural world:
A quarter of a million Mongolian gazelles gather on the grassy steppes. The largest herd ever recorded. (12 May, BBC Earth News).

Stone Age superglue found - used as adhesives for shafted tools. (11 May, National Geographic).

Study: Rare islands species at risk of being lost because generally overlooked by current conservation models. (12 May, BBC).

NZer's flight simulator finds clue to monarch migration. (13 May, Yahoo!).

Predators ignore peculiar prey. (12 May, EurekAlert).

Project launched to fight lightning fast frog-killing fungus. "We're looking at losing half of all amphibians in our lifetime." (11 May, msnbc).

Carribean: The big fish completely gone in some parts. (8 May, National Geographic).

Scientists: Wild ancestors of domestic fruit trees face extinction. (7 May, BBC).

Lizards manage their time in the sun with extreme precision to ensure ideal vitamin D production. (7 May, ABC Science).

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

• Free screening: Black Gold

  Documentary expose of the multi-billion dollar coffee industry, tracing one man's fight for a fair price.
  When: 7.30 pm Friday, 15 May.
  Where: Addington Coffee Co-op, 297 Lincoln Rd.
  Contact: Ph 943 1662.
  An event in support of Fairtrade Fortnight.
  
  

• Event: Fundraising clothing sale:

  Women's second hand designer clothes
  sale. see here.
  When: 9.00 - 1.00 pm Saturday, 16 May.
  Where: Fendalton Community Centre, 170 Clyde Rd.
  Nothing over $50. Cash only.
  More info: www.dressforsuccess.
  
  

• Guided tour: Bromley Ponds.

  Birdwatching before they fly inland for winter.
  Guide: Niall Mugan, ardent ex-UK birdman, & former ECan Park Ranger.
  When: 9.00 - 11.00 am Saturday, 16 May. 
  Meet: Northern end of sewage ponds, Dyers Rd (by the normally locked gate).
  Contact: Janice 332 9009.
  Organised by Forest & Bird. 
  
  

• Travis Wetland Trust: planting and weeding.

  When: 9.00 – 12.00 pm Saturday, 16 May.(every third Saturday).
  Where: meet at Beach Rd Education Centre.
  Bring: gumboots, water, warm clothes.
  Contact: Joe Greenaway 383 2073.
  
  

• Work day: Quail Island restoration.

  When: Sunday, 17 May. (Ferry leaves Lyttelton 9.20 am returns 3.30 pm). 
  Booking essential.
  Contact: Ian 384 5338 or id.mclennan@xtra.co.nz
  website: www.quailisland.org.nz
  
  

• Fair trade fortnight: 2 - 17 May.
  Protecting the environment through fair trade.

  Christchurch events here. & Background info here. (www.tradeaid.org.nz).
  
  

• AGM: Mt Cass Ridge Protection Society.

  Speaker: Rob Gould, former owner of Mt Cass Ridge: "Sixty years on Mt Cass".
  When: 7.30 pm Tuesday, 19 May.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  All welcome.
  
  

• Talk: Understanding epidemics.

  Speaker: Genevieve Evans.
  When: 1.30 - 2.30 pm Wednesday, 20 May.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $4.00.
  More info/contact: cwea.org.nz or 366 0285.
  (WEA Issues of the day series).
  
  

• Climate change: The view from space.

  Global climate monitoring.
  Speaker: Dr Wolfgang Rack, Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury.
  When: 7.00 pm Thursday, 21 May.
  Where: Venue on enrolment, University of Canterbury.
  Cost: $15.00.
  More info here.
  
  

• Presentation: 2009 Antarctic exploration tour evening.

  To listen to reminiscences and about an upcoming (November) tour.
  Tour leader: Bryan Storey, Professor of Antarctic studies.
  When: 6.00 - 8.00 pm Thursday, 21 May.
  Where: Okeover House, University of Canterbury.
  
  

• Human Rights Film Festival:

  When: May 21 - 29 (Christchurch screenings).
  Where: Regent on Worcester.
  Website: www.humanrightsfilmfest.net.nz
  
  

• Talk (excitation for left brainers?): Some idle speculation on the quantum two-electron problem.

  Surveying some of the basic assumptions in the traditional approach to the many-electron problem - and proceeding from there.
  Speaker: Dr Eric Marsden.
  When: 4.10 pm Friday, 22 May.
  Where: Room 321, Rutherford Building, University of Canterbury. (map here).
  More info/contact: here.
  All welcome.
  
  

• Planting Day: Charlesworth Wetland Reserve.

  Help re-establish the estuary-edge ecosystem.
When: 10.30 - 12.30 pm Sunday, 24 May.
Where: Meet Charlesworth St (off Ferry Rd) carpark.
Bring: Spade, friends, family.
Info/contact: andrew.crossland@ccc.govt.nz or 0274 341155.

• EARTHWISE, Plains FM 96.9

  Each Monday & Wednesday at 9.00 pm.
  Conservation, environment and peace with justice.
  This week: Bill McKibben, author (The End of Nature; Deep Economy), environmentalist and founder of www.350.org. What cheap fossil fuels have done to how we live and, even more critically, to the climate.
  Presenters: Martin and Lois Griffiths.
  NB: Listen again to Earthwise programmes on archive.
  
  

• For kids at the Canterbury Museum:

  Cliff's treasure hunt: to learn about NZ's native birds. (Till end of May).
  
  

• Exhibition: 50 works by members of the Canterbury Guild of Woodworkers.

  Where: James Hight Library, University of Canterbury.
  Till 22 May.
  
  

• Palmerston North: REEL Earth environmental film festival.

  Over 50 films - the southern hemisphere's leading environmental film festival.
  When: 16 - 30 May.
  More: www.reelearth.org.nz.

Coming up:

• Course: Practical organic home gardening.

  Soil life, compost, worms, Bokashi & liquid fertilisers; permaculture; pests & diseases … more here (item 14).
  Tutor: Lily White.
  When: 3.30 – 5.00 pm, Wednesdays, starting  27 May. (6 Sessions).
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $32.00.
  Contact: cwea.org.nz or 366 0285.
  
  

• Talk: 3rd annual Hight memorial lecture: Global turmoil... global opportunities.

  Speaker: Rod Oram, financial journalist.
  When: 5.30 - 6.30 pm, Wednesday 27 May.
  Where: Great Hall, Arts Centre, Worcester Boulevard.
  More info/contact/RSVP: here. (University of Canterbury).
  
  

• Green drinks: A relaxed get together for any & all of an environmental hue.

  Guest speaker: Gabi Torkington: Mining & sustainability in Indonesia - an oxymoron?
  When: 5.30 pm Thursday, 28 May.
  Where: Downstairs, at the big bay window, Brew Bar, Dux de Lux, Arts Centre.
  Background info here. (www.greendrinks.org).
  Sponsor for the month: MWH.
  
  

• Climate change: Sea level rise.

  Rising sea levels from coastal science and management perspectives.
  Speaker: Dr Deidre Hart, University of Canterbury.
  When: 7.00 pm Thursday, 28 May.
  Where: Venue on enrolment, University of Canterbury.
  Cost: $15.00.
  More info here. (5th talk in a series).
  
  

• Open day: HIT lab NZ.

  More than 25 demonstrations of the latest in computer human interface technology: Speech and gesture input to computers, next generation teleconferencing, educational technology, etc.
  When: 4.00 - 7.00 pm Friday, 29 May.
  Where: ground floor, HIT lab, old Maths Building, University of Canterbury.
  more info/contact: here.
  
  

• Event: Eco Expo: New ideas, products, services for where you live, work, & play.

  When: 5 - 7 June.
  Where: Convention Centre, Kilmore St.
  Contact: Glen 021 756337.
  More: here. (www.ecoexpo.co.nz).
  
  

• Conference: Embracing the future - Te whakapumau te wa kai te heke.

  Adult Community Education Inc., Aotearoa (ACE).
  When: 12 - 14 June.
  Where: Te Puna Wanaka, Christchurch Polytech (CPIT).
  More info: here. (www.aotearoa.org.nz).
  
  

Reminders:

• 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.
  3. Lyttelton Community Garden, 54A Oxford Street, 4.00 – 5.30 pm each Monday.
  More info/contact: Annmarie 021 190 4559 or 942 7190 (evenings).
  Supported by CCC.
  
  
• Support the Get Real campaign against free and profligate plastic bags usage in NZ. (1 billion bags a year). And against unnecessary packaging in general.