Welcome

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

Do 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:

Latest Canterbury DOC Newsletter. (February, DoC).

Christchurch: new state-of-the-art organics processing plant opens. (6 March, CCC).

Steps taken against stores caught out on TV3's Target. (5 march, CCC).

Nominations called for Community Service Awards. (5 March, CCC).

Culture Galore: Sustaining Culture in Christchurch. (5 March, CCC). See also under diary of events: Culture Galore, 14 March.

Algal bloom in Church Bay a non-toxic phytoplankton, Gymnodinium. (27 February, ECan).

Sumner's one day (March 15) sculpture show: Poor Racer, a Thomas Hirschorn installation. Explication here. (3 March, CCC).

Ngai Tahu sets Te Waihora lake fishing levy. Eel fishers not happy. (5 March, Dominion Post/Stuff).

New book on the computer anti-virus industry. (4 March, University of Canterbury).

Kaikoura: Black-market paua dealer jailed. (5 March, Nelson Mail/Stuff).

Nelson: Wake-up call for Wake atoll rats. (5 March, Nelson Mail/Stuff).

Nelson: Going solar may get easier. (5 March, Nelson Mail/Stuff).

Otago: Crayfish catch limit increased. (6 March, Otago Daily Times). Other limit changes: Otago up, Gisborne, Wellington/Hawkes Bay down. (3 March, NZ Herald).

Dunedin: More than 400 low-income houses to be retrofitted with insulation before winter. (2 March, Otago Daily Times).

Otago : Prosed Dunedin windfarm loses NZ Windfarms 50% backing. (5 March, Otago Daily Times).

Windflow Technology hopes for changes. (5 March, NZ Herald).

Southland: DOC wants to hear of rare southern reptiles. (21 February, Southland Times/Stuff).

North Island & national:

Govt's three strikes proposal: Attorney-General says he is simply "doing his duty" by raising concerns about possible breaches of human rights.(4 March, NZ Herald).

Foreshore and sea-bed: fresh controversy looming. (4 March, The Press/Stuff). Also: Foreshore and sea-bed review announced. (4 March, Beehive).

English: "Kiwi Rail has negative value." (5 March, National Business Review). Also: Kiwi Rail to spend $75m on new trains from China. (3 March, NZ Herald).

McCully axes Pacific aid programme. (6 March, Otago Daily Times).

Thousands of Kiwi homes rotten & non-compliant: due to poor council consent processes? (5 March, Dominion Post/Stuff).

A company that treats quarantined waste from cruise ships is alleged to have been dumping rubbish without treating it properly. (6 March, NZ Herald).

Downturn hits waste industry. (2 March, NZ Herald).

NZ still ranked in top twenty global tourist destinations. (6 March, NZ Herald).

Wellington: City Council considers cutting the Heritage Grant Scheme from its annual budget. (3 March, Historic Places Trust).

Kaipara Harbour: Always a great place for snapper fishing. Now scientists know why. (4 March, Northern Advocate).

Auckland: Three nice parks sitting atop unsealed landfills. (4 March, NZ Herald).

Tongariro: Ferrets cause havoc in the Tongariro Forest kiwi sanctuary. (27 February, DOC).

Blog: Our long fin eels: This beautiful and enigmatic natural treasure is under immediate threat from a very small group of people with the active collusion of a government department. (Mike Joy & Amber McEwen, Massey University. 3 March, Forest & Bird).

Re-linked awards, submissions, consultations etc:

• 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).
  
  
• 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 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).
  

• 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

• Research: Prehistoric global cooling caused by C02 reduction. (26 February, Perdue University)
  
  
• Global retreat: as world trade plummets, bustling ports stand idle and foreign workers track back home. (5 March, Washington Post).
  
  
• US: The collapse of complex systems...What next? James Kunstler, Clusterfuck Nation, 2 March).
  
  
• US: Don't fix Wall St, replace it. Why not an economy of real wealth? David Korten, Yes! Magazine, Spring 2009).
  
  
• US: big box of trouble dealing with the coming plague of empty superstores. (25 February, Infrastructurist).
  
  
• Berlin: Poverty protects it from downturn. (4 March, Spiegel Online).
  
  
• Surviving two billion cars: In January, for the first time ever, more cars were sold in China than in the United States. Yet China may offer the best hope of a greener transportation model. (5 March, Yale Environment 360).
  
  
• Commercial ships spew half as much particulate pollution as world's cars. (26 Feb, Eurekalert).
  
  
• US Clean coal spokesperson: 'doesn't know' if coal plant emissions cause global warming. (12 sec Video clip). (3 March, Treehugger.)
  
  
• Australia: Coalition pins its great green hope on carbon trio. (24 February, Sydney Morning Herald).
  
  
• Denmark: proposal to tax methane emissions from farm animals. (9 February, Politiken).
  
  
• Bottled water: Drink up, energy hogs. Bottled water consumes between 1100 and 2000 times more energy on average than does tap water. (26 Feb, Science Now).
  
  
• Global seed vault marks 1 year anniversary with 4 ton shipment of critical food crops. (26 feb, Eurekalert).
  
  
• UK: 10 Things you didn't know about food. How the authors of the new Rough Guide to Food lost their appetites for the food industry. (3 March, Times online).
  
  
• An amazing and prolific homestead in the city. Jules Dervaes. (Began his farming/growing learning curve in NZ). (4 March, Energy Bulletin).
  
  
• China's new organic industry. (Celsias).
  
  
• Solar flashlight: does more than just give light - in Africa, it serves a much greater purpose. (5 March, ecoGeek).
  
  
• MIT reveals their 90mph solar race car - for the annual 2000 mile event in Australia. (4 March, ecoGeek).
  
  
• 1.5 million year old fossil humans walked on modern feet. (26 Feb,
  Eurekalert).
  
  
• Exeter University: Horses domesticated much earlier than previously thought. In Khazakhstan. (5 March, BBC).
  
  
• The origins of morality: bad behaviour really does leave a bad taste. (26 February, a&s, Unversity of Toronto).
  
  
• UK: Children's green handbook wins Blue Peter Book Award. (4 March, Telegraph.co).
  
  
• Slideshow: 8 environmental art works. (5 March, Treehugger).
  

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• Event: St Albans Visioning Day - workshop and discussion on transition from oil dependence.

  Led By: Margaret Jeffries.
  When: 1.00 - 5.00 pm Saturday, 7 March.
  Where: St Albans Community Centre, 1047 Colombo St., St Albans
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• Family picnic day: Victoria Park in Motion:

  Guided walks with Port Hills Rangers, rural fire-fighting displays, mountain-bike skills course, orienteering, remote controlled glider demonstrations & games for all the family.
  When: 10.00 - 1.00 pm Sunday, 8 March.
  Where: Victoria Park.
  Free buses, cycle trailers from Sign of the Takahe. (Victoria Park Road closed).
  Supported by Spreydon/Heathcote Community Board, & CCC Recreation and Sports Unit.
  More info here. (CCC).
  
  

• Workday: Clean up Charlesworth Wetland Reserve

  (rubbish is endangering the bird wildlife).
  When: 3.00 – 5.00 pm, Sunday 8 March.
  Where: Charlesworth Wetland Reserve. Meet Charlesworth St carpark (off Ferry Road).
  Bring: children - for a 'Wetland Detective Activity' (small prizes to be won).
  Organisers: Avon-Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust & CCC Park rangers.
  
  

• Event: New Brighton Sunday Film Series:

  Restore the land. (CWS documentary. Info: click here & see under Environment).
  When: 3.00 pm (shared walk round Brighton), 4.00 pm (movie & discussion) Sunday, March 8.
  Where: New Brighton Union Church,  Corner Union & Collingwood Streets
  All Welcome. Gold coin koha.
  Contact: David Hill dphill@xtra.co.nz
  
  

• Event: Women in Film and Television (WIFT).

  Dorothy Fadiman’s celebrated documentary "Stealing America - Vote by Vote". Info here.
  (To mark International Women's Day)
  When: 4.00 pm Sunday, 8 March.
  Where: New Zealand Broadcasting School, cnr Madras & Southwark Streets.
  (Discussion afterwards).
  International Women's Day: background info here (Amnesty International).
  
  

• Talk: People, plants & priorities on the Port Hills.

  Learn about issues on Port Hills reserves.
  Speaker: Di Carter, CCC Ranger.
  When: 7.30 pm, Tuesday, 10 March.
  Where: Fire Station Hall, Ernest Adams Drive, Governors Bay.
  All welcome gold coin donation.
  Organised by Governors Bay landcare Group.
  Contact: Sally Tripp 329 7452.
  
  

• Ellerslie Flower Show, 11 - 15 March:

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

• Funding Expo 2009: workshops for community groups on funding options.

  When: 9.00 - 5.15 pm Wednesday, 11 March.
  Where: Community House Te Whakaruruhau ki Otautahi, 141 Hereford St.
  To register: Pick up a form from Community House.
  More info: 365 3139; fundingexpo@cch.org.nz
  
  

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

  Workers and the productivity debate.
  Speaker: Philip Ferguson.
  When: 1.30 - 2.30 pm Wednesday, 11 March
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  Cost: $4
  more info: WEA 366 0285.
  Website: cwea.org.nz
  
  

• Talk: Forest & Bird monthly meeting: F&B's 2009 conservation plan.

  Speaker: Chris Todd, F&B's South Island Field Co-ordinator.
  When: 7.30pm Wednesday, 11 March.
  Where: WEA, 59 Gloucester St.
  All welcome.
  
  

• Seaweek 2009: 1 - 8 March. One ocean - it starts with me/Kotahi moana - ka timata mai i ahau.

  to celebrate and raise awareness of our unique coastal and marine environment.
  Remaining Christchurch events: here.
  
  

• Free bike checks, service and maintenance:

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

• Talk: Health Lecture Series 2009: Chronic kidney disease - a major public health challenge.

  Speaker: Prof Kelvin Lynn, Dept of Nephrology.
  When: 7.30 pm Wednesday, 11 March.
  Where: Rolleston Lecture Theatre, Christchurch Hospital.
  Contact/more info: 364 1199.
  Free.
  Sponsor: University of Otago, Christchurch.
  ( Kidney Health Week 9 - 15 March).
  
  

• 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).
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• EARTHWISE, Plains FM 96.9

  Each Monday & Wednesday at 9.00 pm.
  Conservation, environment and peace with justice.
  This week's interview: Catherine Delahunty, Green MP, on Toxic contamination in NZ: the Tui gold mine in Coromandel, coal mining on the West Coast, fruit growers and their use of chemicals at Mapua near Nelson.
  Presenters: Martin and Lois Griffiths.
  NB: Listen again to Earthwise programmes on archive.
  

Coming up:

• 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.
  
  

• University of Otago: 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.
  
  

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

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

• 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
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• 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).
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• 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).
  
  

• 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.
  
  

• 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.
  

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.