from here

Canterbury & South Island news:

Help save our wild rivers: the Hurunui. A consortium of power companies and irrigators (the “Hurunui Water Group”) has lodged an application to dam Lake Sumner and the South Branch of the Hurunui River. The most important thing right now is to make your voice heard by writing to ECan to oppose the dam proposals before September 11. More here, including submission guide. (Forest & Bird).
Also:
Save the Hurunui River. Includes submission guide. (www.greens.org.nz).

Water charges to help fund the biggest shake up of water management in Canterbury. (3 September, The Press/Stuff).
Also:
New strategy 'a leap of faith' for the region. (3 September, Stuff/The Press).

Editorial: Stop squabbling, ECan. (31 August, Stuff/The Press).

Sea conditions hamper ocean outfall completion. (31 August, CCC).
Also:
New deadline for removing treated waste water from Christchurch estuary "unfortunate". (31 August, ECan).

Capital raising aims to complete wind farm. (1 September, Stuff/The Press).
Also:
Issues for Windflow Technology in withheld payments. (1 September, NBR).
Also:
Turbines stoush puts two firms in jeopardy. (2 September, NZ Herald).

Lyttelton: declared an historic area. (2 September, Stuff/The Press).

Canterbury kindergarten wins Enviroschools gold for environmental achievements. (31 August, infonews.co.nz).

Canterbury University PhD student wins award for blue duck research. (28 August, University of Canterbury).

Christchurch: Kate Valley protester wins judicial review case: Security watchdog's decisions shown to be flawed. Bruce Stuart-Menteath vs the Registrar of Private Investigators and Security Guards in the Christchurch High Court. (28 August, Independent Media Centre). Some background here. (8 May, Independent Media Centre).

Improvements afoot for Banks Peninsula libraries. (1 September, CCC).

Group hits back at junk mail onslaught. (3 September, Stuff/The Press).

Discounted Ellerslie flower show tickets for Christchurch residents. September only. (31 August, CCC).

Waimea Plains: Neighbours oppose 650,000 cubic metre gravel plan. (31 August, Nelson Mail/Stuff).

Wairau Valley: DOC does deal over hydro. (2 September, Marlborough Express/Stuff).

Marlborough: DOC plea: Have you seen this? Leonohebe cupressoides, one of NZ's rarest plants in the wild. (1 September, Marlborough Express/Stuff).

South Island high country: Govt undermines high country protection. (26 August, Forest & Bird).
Also: Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board: Lakesides and Tenure Review - policy reversal effectively puts high-country lakeside property firmly back in the sights of developers. (Word document). (29 August, Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board).
Also: Tenure Review fears 'addressed in plan'. (3 September, Timaru Herald/Stuff).

Central Otago: Gold mining set to begin. (3 September, Otago Daily Times).

Dunedin: Mahinerangi wind farm likely to get the nod. (3 September, Otago Daily Times).

Queenstown: Developer denied earthwork permission. Wants to improve the view. (2 September, Southland Times/Stuff).

North Island & national:

National's deal softens emissions trading scheme. "It is an outrage that a scheme meant to tackle the most pressing issue of our generation has been hijacked to line the pockets of the wealthy corporations, rather than protect the most vulnerable, our children." - Jeanette Fitzsimons. (1 September, Dominion Post/ Stuff).
Also:
No date set for agriculture's inclusion in ETS. The committee's report is a cop-out. John Armstrong. (1 September, NZ Herald).
Also:
Aim to get ETS nod before Copenhagen talks. Parties' platforms. (2 September, Dominion Post/Stuff).

Look internally to make ETS savings, says EECA. (1 September, NBR).

The ins and outs of trading in pollution. NZ contributes about 0.2% to the world's GHG emissions. I think, if we're honest with ourselves, about a similar proportion of us truly understand what an emissions trading scheme is. Guyon Espiner. (1 September, TVNZ).

Greens: Fuel economy standard a missed opportunity. Means the rejection of "one of the simplest and most effective" ways of reducing emissions. (30 August, NBR).

US Admiral: US ships won't come until NZ drops nukes ban. (3 September, NZ Herald).

Opinion: Vege class deserves equal care in garden of education. It is not more of the same that is needed but something entirely different...Shoehorning industrial era education policy into a 21st century curriculum has left many educators cold... A hitherto innovative Education Ministry is shell-shocked and the work to implement the revised curriculum... is in danger of being snuffed out before it has begun. (2 September, Stuff/Dominion Post).

Water group sued, accused of on-charging. Tens of millions of dollars. (2 September, NZ Herald).

Fonterra told to lift its game after series of illegal coastal discharges. (2 September, Taranaki Daily News/Stuff).

Tararua Ranges: Differences in turbine size unsightly, hearing told. (1 September, Manawatu Standard/Stuff).

Green Party starts petition against mining in protected lands and water areas. (2 September, Otago Daily Times).

Maori MP wants GST taken off 'healthy' food. (2 September, Otago Daily Times).

Anti-plastic bags campaign: NZ - 22% pure? (word document). (1 September, getreal.org.nz)

Wairarapa: Historic shipwreck vandalised. (25 August, DOC).

Ecological gems far too precious for open-cast mines. Kevin Hackwell, Forest & Bird. (2 September, NZ Herald).

Tamaki, Auckland: Hands-on project counts on pupils. (1 September, Manukau Courier/Stuff).

Devonport: Navy blocks green-fingered granny. (3 September NZ Herald).

Hauraki Gulf: DOC looking deeper into dolphin deaths. (2 September, NZ Herald).

New recreational fishing rules to start - in a bid to increase sustainability. (2 September, TVNZ).

2009 Garden bird survey: interim results (updated continuously). (www.landcareresearch.co.nz).

Signs bright for southern right whales - whales from sub-Antarctic waters are breeding with a population from near New Zealand, say scientists. (1 September, Dominion Post/Stuff).

MAF sustainable farming fund: applications for over $20,000 close 7 October. more info here. (MAF).

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 105,000 NZers so far). (www.signon.org.nz).

Re-linked awards, submissions, consultations etc:

• Bayerboost Environmental Scholarship Scheme: administered by Royal Society of NZ, in partnership with Bayer, to sponsor secondary school and tertiary students intending to study environmental sciences or related areas, in summer work/research programmes to gain experience that will support their future careers. Applications to RSNZ by 5.00pm 30 September. More info here. (www.bayerboost.co.nz).
  
  
• Entries for 2010 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards open 1 September and close 23 October, 2009. Entry forms/more info: www.bfea.org.nz or contact: Nicola Hunt, Canterbury Regional Co-ordinator, Ballance Farm Environment Awards, (03) 353 9711, email bfea@ecan.govt.nz
  
  

• Public views sought on Council's funding of new conservatorium of music at the Arts Centre. Till 23 September.
  

• Planned cycle lane for Harewood Road - public's views wanted. (CCC).

• Submissions wanted: Sustainable Biofuel Bill, NZ Parliament. By Sept 11.
  

• DOC wants feedback on St James Conservation Area discussion paper. By 14 September. Also on draft guidelines for aircraft access in the Canterbury Conservancy. (29 July, DOC).
  
  
• LEARNZ Field Trips: fully supported and free for all New Zealand teachers. All you need is a computer and internet connection. Go to www.learnz.org.nz to register or call 0800 22 55 53. Some trips :
  Waikato Dairy Farming 26-28 August - More
  And for Conservation Week: Kakapo 16-18 September - More
  
  
• The Outlook for Someday: A challenge to young New Zealanders (up to age 24) to make a short film interpreting the term ‘sustainability’. For more, see: www.theoutlookforsomeday.net. Closes 18 September.
  
  
• Have your say: current CCC consultations.

& from there

• Greenland: The Sermilik fjord: A chilling view of a warmer world. "We all live on the Greenland ice sheet now. Its fate is our fate." (1 September, The Guardian).
  
  
• UK: Thousands take emission cut vows at launch of 10:10. (1 September The Guardian).
  Also: The beauty of 10:10 is that it's both achievable and meaningful. (1 September, The Guardian).
  
  
• UK: Cutting emissions by 80% will not be enough. Europe's climate targets of 30 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050 may not be tough enough to get developing countries into a worldwide global warming deal, John Prescott, former minister who helped broker Kyoto Protocol, has warned. (3 September, The Independent).
  
  
• India: Urged on climate change. "But we need to at least triple the amount of electricity we are generating." How to develop without adding to warming? (You tube, 2min 56). (1 September, BBC).
  
  
• US: How psychology can help the planet stay cool. (19 August, New Scientist).
  
  
• US: The fallacy of climate action. In the 20 years since we climate activists began our work in earnest, the state of the climate has become dramatically worse, and the change is accelerating—this despite all of our best efforts.  Clearly something is deeply wrong with this picture. (25 August, Grist).
  
  
• Brazil points to sharp drop in Amazon destruction. ( 1 September, Reuters).
  
  
• US: Up to 82% drop in corn, soy and cotton crops without action to reduce emissions. (26 August, ecoWorldly).
  
  
• Russian professor says US will collapse by the end of 2009. (You tube, 46 sec).
  
  
• US: Old American dams quietly become a multi-billion dollar threat. (25 August, Wired Science).
  
  
• Africa: Acacia trees to save Africa, and the world? (26 August, ecoWorldy).
  
  
• Egypt: Cairo slums get energy make-over. "Our program is unique, in that we're implementing rural-type solutions in an urban environment," says the non-profit project leader. (28 August, National Geographic).
  
  
• UK/Canada: 50 days and nights in the wilderness - an experiment to see how long one man could survive alone in the wild. (30 August, Times Online).
  
  
• UK: Supermarkets in 'secret talks to introduce GM foods to the shelves'. (1 September, Daily Mail).
  
  
• Yorkshire, UK: Incredible edible Todmorden. There’s no clever pitch for Incredible Edible Todmorden. Just as with the idea of sustainability – it’s a new way of living and of looking at life.
  
  
  Technology:
  
• Japan: Mitsubishi electric to install huge solar farm in space. $21 billion. (1 September, greendiary.com).
  
  
• US: Cleaning toxic dump sites using plants. Phytoremediation. (2 September, Clean Technica).
  
  
• Italy: Estuary power? Mixing salt and fresh water = clean electricity (1kw/litre). (2 September, Treehugger).
  
  
• Australia: Scientists develop the world's most efficient solar cell. (Better than the old record by 0.3%). (25 august, Inhabitat).
  
  Natural world:
  
• Antarctica: Albatrosses set breeding record. (2 September, BBC).
  
  
• Angola: Final frontier for fossils. (1 September, BBC).
  
  
• US: Mouse set to be 'evolution icon'. (27 August, BBC).
  

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:

• forward ecoNet address to others you think may like to receive it - it's free
  
• become a subscriber
  
• send us information for the weekly diary.
• contact us

• Talk/discussion: Radical Abundance -

  Based on webcasts of a conference held January 2009 at Trinity Church, Wall Street, New York.
  When: 1.00 pm Sunday, 6 September.
  Speaker: Professor David Korten, proponent of a planetary system of local living economies, author of When Corporations Rule the World, & The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community.
  Where: Cathedral chancel, Cathedral, Square.
  More Info: www.christchurchcathedral.co.nz.
  
  

• Public meeting: Water Forum.

  Where: Sand Dance Cafe, New Brighton Mall.
  When: 8.00 pm Sunday 6 September.
  More info: http://waterforum.us.
  Ccontact: Rik Tindall 332-1069.
  All welcome.
  
  

• Film & discussion: The Iron Wall, 2006.

  Documentary about the establishment of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. "The best description of the barrier, its routing and impact is shown in the film The Iron Wall." - Jimmy Carter, US President 1976-1980.
  Speakers: Martin and Lois Griffiths, on their
  coming educational trip to Israel and Palestine, where they will meet with various aid groups to learn about their work in the region.
  When: 4.00 pm Sunday, 6 September.
  Where: New Brighton Union Church, corner Collingwood & Union Sts.
  Donations welcome - all proceeds to Defence of Children International (www.dci-pal.org) which supports Palestinian children held without trial in Israeli jails.
  Contact: 388 9220.
  New Brighton Sunday film series.
  
  

• Talk: WEA Issues of the Day series.

  All about Project Lyttelton.
  Speaker: Wendy Everingham.
  When: 1.30 - 2.30 pm, Wed, 9 September.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $4.00
  More info/contact: WEA cwea@xtra.co.nz or 366 0285.
  
  

• Talk: Wednesday nights at the WEA.

  Contradictions: development and underdevelopment in Nepal.
  Speaker: John Kirby (was recently in North West Nepal and experienced the problems of development in this remote and poorest area).
  When: 5.30 pm Wednesday, 9 September.(Soup, bread, tea & coffee at 5.30, talk and discussion at 6.00 pm).
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: Gold coin.
  Register/contact/info: cwea@xtra.co.nz or 366 0285.
  
  

• Hopkins Annual Lecture: Using technology to unlock oil & gas reserves.

  Demand is forecast to increase by up to 70% by 2030. The capability of the global industry to supply is uncertain. A review some of the technical challenges and the engineering solutions being applied.
  Speaker: David Salisbury.
  When: 8.00 - 9.00 pm Thursday, 10 Sept.
  Where: Ngaio Marsh theatre, University of Canterbury.
  All welcome.
  More info/contact: Catherine catherine.oshaughnessy@canterbury.ac.nz or 364 2922 ext 6250.
  
  

• Public presentation: first Draft of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).

  When: 10.30 - 11.30 am Friday, 11 Sept.
  Where: Oxford Tce Baptist Church Hall).
  Other venues:
  September  4,  10.00-11.00am Benvenue Hotel, Timaru.
  September  4,  3.00-4.00pm Ashburton Hotel, Ashburton.
  September 11,  2.30-3.30 St Johns Hall, Amberley.
  RSVP: raewyn.crowther@ecan.govt.nz or 03 371 7188.
  Background info (includes a link to the draft CWMS): www.canterburywater.org.nz
  
  

• Work day: weedbusting - Boneseed removal.

  When: 9.00 - 12.00 pm Saturday, 12 Sept.
  Where: Barnett Park; meet end of Bayview Rd.
  Bring: gloves, saw, loppers. Otherwise supplied.
  Contact: Nigel 941 7573 or 027 234 1353.
  Organised by Port Hills Rangers Service, CCC.
  
  

• e-day: Cleaning up NZ's e-waste.

  A drive-through recycling event giving the opportunity to recycle old computers or mobile phones in an environmentally sustainable way.
  When: 9.00 - 3.00 pm Saturday, 12 Sept.
  Where: Canterbury Agriculture Park. (map here); & (schools only) see here.
  More info: www.eday.org.nz/
  
  

• Guided botanical walk:

  looking at recently established lagoons and waterways around edges of the Tamaki Maori Village, along the lower Heathcote, around the towpath track, across to Trees for Canterbury Nursery, Charlesworth Reserve and the estuary.
  Guide: Colin Meurk, botanist, Landcare Research/Manaaki Whenua.
  When: 9.00 am – 2-ish Saturday, 12 September.
  Where: Meet at Ferrymead Historic Park car park.
  Bring: Sturdy footwear, all-weather clothing, lunch, money for a possible shuttle bus.
  Contact: Anna-Marie, reesey@xtra.co.nz.
  
  

• Market: Rolleston Envirotown Market

  Produce and crafts.
  Opening Day: 10.00 - 1.00 pm Sunday, 13 September. (Once a month, 2nd Sunday).
  Where: Rolleston Square, Rolleston.
  Interested to have a stall?
  Contact: Catherine 347 8240 or Nicole: tonicermu@gmail.com (with Rolleston Envirotown Market in the subject line).
  
  

• EARTHWISE, Plains FM 96.9

  Each Monday & Wednesday at 9.00 pm.
  Conservation, environment and peace with justice.
  This week: Elvira Dommisse, Soil & Health co-chairperson: on NZ's exporting of GE eucalyptus trees; Green MP Metiria Turei: on the
  possible threat to National Parks from mining if Gerry Brownlee gets his way.
  Presenters: Martin and Lois Griffiths.
  NB: Listen again to Earthwise programmes on archive.
  
  

• Workshop: Investment Strategies for a turbulent future.

  Discussion and identification of strategies relevant to you or your organisation, and the opportunity to develop policies or guidelines to advise your financial agent.
  When: 8.45 – 4.30 pm Thursday, 17 September,
  Where: N 604 & N 605, CPIT (Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology).
  Cost: Commercial & Government $595. Individuals & non-profit organisations $395. (Concessions for 4 or more from the same organisation). Students $50. (Some places available for $25 for people on low-incomes or community organisation representatives).
  To register/contact: VerityR@cpit.ac.nz. (Registrations close Sunday, 13 September).

Coming up:

• Conservation Week: 2009 - Kia Mahia te Mahi: Get Involved.

  An annual series of national DOC events.
  When: 13 - 20 September.
  More info: here (www.doc.govt.nz/features-archive/conservation-week-2009/).
  Also:
  
• Conservation Week: teachers: Get your class involved first-hand with saving the world's rarest parrot. Take part, live, in the Kakapo virtual field trip to Whenua Hou (Codfish Island) 16-18 September.
  
  

• Talk: Climate Change Update

  When: 7.00 - 9.00 pm Tuesday, 15 September.
  Speaker: Melissa Clark-Reynolds, Al Gore climate change ambassador - sharing latest information and pictures on climate change to update the Al Gore movie 'An Inconvenient Truth', and to talk about prospects for NZ.
  Where: Open Stage Theatre, Hagley Community College. (Access from Hagley Avenue).
  
  

• Canterbury Restoration Field-days, September 2009: Bringing Back Biodiversity - “Get Inspired, Get Involved, Get it Right!”

  When: 10.00 - 5.00 pm, 19 September. (Field trips round central Canterbury 20 September).
  Where: DOC nursery, Motukarara.
  More info/registration & programme: www.canterburybiodiversity.org.nz/ .
  Contact: wayne.mccallum@ecan.govt.nz.
  
  

• UN International Day of Peace:

  WMD We must disarm.
  When: 21 September.
  Background info: www.un.org
  
  

• Community planting: Lake Heron, Ashburton Lakes.

  Part of the O Tu Wharekai Wetland Restoration Project - i.e. one of three Arawai Käkäriki projects, aimed at restoring three nationally significant wetlands with help from the community, and along the way learn more about methods to use on other wetlands.
  When: 2.00 - 5.00 pm Wed, 23 Sept.
  Where: Meet at the Lake Heron Rd end (from the Hakatere-Heron Rd, turn right at Lake Heron). It's an easy 20min walk to the site.
  Bring: gumboots, warm clothing, a spade, and a drink.
  Sausage sizzle at 5pm.
  Contact: Wendy Sullivan 03 693 1013.
  
  

• 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.
  

Reminders:

• 350.org: Global Day of Action, 24 October.

  Choir update - Join 349 other singers at Victoria Square (in front of the Plaza Hotel) 2.00 pm, for 2.30 start, 24 October, to sing a set of easy to learn songs (with an opportunity to practice before going 'live').
  Contact: Jocelyn jyc497@gmail.com so you
  can be kept informed of arrangements. Thanks to those who have already
  been in contact.
  Also:
  
• Ideas, volunteers, and donations needed for the Global day of Action on the 24th October (and plenty of action building up to it!)
  If you are concerned about Climate Change, now is the time to do something.
  Want to join in?  Already being planned - Dawn celebration, massed choir, massive bike cavalcade, & more - see: www.350.org.nz
  or contact: Torfrida 382-0580 or 021-107-3937 or torfrida@snap.net.nz.
  
  

• Exhibition: Snare/Mahanga:

  Contemporary artists draw inspiration from Canterbury Museum's bird collection and address issues of extinction, conservation, collecting and preservation. Includes displays of huia (and the only recorded huia 'call' as made by a human). Also a gallery of Ngai Tahu artists' work, historic film footage of food gathering (titi, tuna, oyster, inanga...), and eel migration out of Wairewa. Till 13 September.
  Where: Robert McDougall Gallery, open 10.00 am – 4.00 pm.
  
  

• Free home composting workshops:

  Hot composting of kitchen scraps & garden waste, Bokashi and worm farms. All methods demonstrated.
  At several sites:
  1. Seven Oaks Education Centre, 35 Hassals Lane. 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, 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.sscommunitygarden.net.nz.
  Further info/contact: 942 6630.
  Supported by CCC.
  
  

• Volunteers wanted: weed control in Mackenzie Basin - in November.

  Help protect the biodiversity of this striking landscape together with rangers from the Department of Conservation (DOC).
  When: 23 - 27 November.
  More info: Here (www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/...).
  NB: They want up to 7 people, tends to be popular, so if interested book now.