Was held on Saturday 4th October at

 ENZA International, Nayland Road, Stoke; &

 Fonterra, Takaka

We collected 45 tonnes of equipment from 910 car loads and a school's drop off in Stoke and 3 tonnes from 101 cars in Takaka.

Nationally 946 tonnes were collected from 16,522 cars

It was an amazing day and thanks go to the volunteers; the sponsors (locally they were Nelson City Council; Tasman District Council; ENZA International; Nelson Environment Centre; Fonterra; Nelmac; Fulton Hogan and BlueBerryIT); and the public for bringing their computer waste on the day.

The eDay website is at http://www.eday.org.nz This contains information on what will be done with the materials collected.

We now have an expanded team at Nelson Environment Centre. We are intending to update our website shortly. In the meantime if you would like more information please use the contact details below.

Transition Nelson

Trevor and Kathy Houghton - more information on the project and how you can get involved at http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz/nelson. Email them on transitionnelson@nec.org.nz

Carbon Reduction Reward Scheme

Carolyn Hughes and Nick Kiddey - contact either for more information - carolynhughes@nec.org.nz or nickkiddey@nec.org.nz or 03 545 9176

Sustainability Centre Project

Ruth Copeland - is managing the project to develop a sustainability centre for Nelson. Contact Ruth at ruthcopeland@nec.org.nz or 03 545 9176

Sustainable Business Network

Kirsty Quickfall is running the Nelson SBN office from NEC. Contact Kirsty on Kirsty@sustainable.org.nz or 03 545 9176. The website for the SBN can be found at www.sustainable.org.nz

adapted from Stuff http://www.stuff.co.nz/4371540a10.html

Christchurch airport second in the world to go carbon neutral

Thursday, 24 January 2008

Christchurch International Airport has gone carbon neutral, making it the second airport company in the world to do so after Stockholm's LVF.

Chief executive Rene Bakx today announced that after much measuring, managing, mitigating and reducing, the airport had received its carboNZero certificate from Landcare Research.

To get certified a business must measure its emissions, develop a plan to reduce them and purchase carbon credits to offset any remaining emissions.

Mr Bakx said there were a number of ways to immediately curb the airport's environmental impact.

"We are using a building management system to maximise our energy efficiency, and energy, electricity is by far the biggest contributor to our carbon foot print from this site.

"We've got waste recycling programmes. We are recycling former road materials in the runway maintenance programmes. We are investing in specific grass species that don't require us to spray and don't grow as fast as other grasses."

Other initiatives include using ground water to cool the terminal and converting heating systems from diesel to LPG.

 - NZPA

Story taken from the Ministry for the Environment Website - link below

What to Do if You See Numerous Dead Birds on the Shore?

If there is a significant number of dead birds, eg 3 or more, then there are two options:

1. Ring the MAF hotline 0800 80 99 66 as they are supposed to investigate die offs.  They will be especially interested in shorebirds due to the risk of bird flu arriving in this way. The person on the phone may try to pass it off as a "DOC problem" but if you mention bird flu, it might get some better action.  
2. The second option is to send some bodies to Massey.  DOC has a contract which covers the cost of the post mortem and it will hopefully provide us with answers.  Sending fresh is best, but frozen is ok as a second choice.  Instructions on how to send are below:

For post mortem examination of threatened species:

See the website at htpp://ivabs.massey.ac.nz/centres/wildlife and read ≥Massey Submission Instructions≈ for details on how to submit a specimen.

Email: Brett  Gartrell or Maurice Alley at Massey:  B.Gartrell@massey.ac.nz ; or M.R.Alley@massey.ac.nz ; to let  them know it's coming.

Email Brett for more information if you need interpretation of results or advice. 

adapted from http://www.stuff.co.nz/4366832a4560.html

Slower boats to China

Oil at more than $US90 ($NZ118) a barrel is concentrating minds in the shipping industry. Higher fuel costs and mounting pressure to curb emissions are leading modern merchant fleets to rediscover the ancient power of the sail. 

The world's 50,000 merchant ships, which carry 90 per cent of traded goods from oil, gas, coal, and grains to electronic goods, emit 800 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. That's about 5 per cent of the world's total.

Also, their fuel costs rose by as much as 70 per cent last year. 

The world's first commercial ship powered partly by a giant kite set off on a maiden voyage last week, in an experiment which inventor Stephan Wrage hopes can wipe 20 per cent, or $1600, from the ship's daily fuel bill.  If the maiden voyage is a success, inventor and chief executive Wrage hopes to double the size of its kites to 320 square metres, and expand them again to 600 square metres in 2009.  The company hopes to fit 1500 ships by 2015.

GO-SLOW

But if Skysails is a relatively elaborate solution, another development shows the march of progress is not always linear: shipping companies seeking immediate answers to soaring fuel prices and the need to cut emissions are, simply, slowing down.

Slowing down by 10 per cent can lead to a 25 per cent reduction in fuel use. 

In Hamburg, the Hapag-Lloyd shipping company last year reduced the standard speed of its ships to 20 knots from 23‹ knots, and said it saved a "substantial amount" of fuel.

"We've saved so much fuel that we added a ship to the route and still saved costs," said Klaus Heims, press spokesman at the world's fifth-largest container shipping line.

"Why didn't we do this before?  We calculated that 5 knots slower saves up to 50 per cent in fuel."

Slowing down has not involved a decrease in capacity for the company. For container ships carrying mainly consumer goods from Hamburg to ports in the Far East, the round-trip at 20 knots now takes 63 days instead of 56, but to make up for this it added a vessel to the route to bring the total to nine.

Seven Habits of Highly Efficient Drivers

You could reduce fuel use by 10-20%, a potential $300 a year saving on fuel alone for a typical car, with the following tips developed by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA)... 

1.  AVOID UNNECESSARY DRIVING

§        Use public transport

§        Walk or cycle

§        Car pool

§        Plan ahead (reduce the number of trips and how far you will travel)

 

2.  DRIVE WITH A SMILE

§        Go easy on the pedal (accelerate smoothly)

§        Look ahead (to avoid heavy breaking)

§        Keep within the speed limit and what is safe for the conditions

§        Avoid congestion

§        Ease off the accelerator as you reach the top of a hill

 

3.  MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE

§        Keep tyres inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressure

§        Check your wheel alignment regularly

§        When was your engine last maintained?

 

4.  KEEP VEHICLE LOAD TO A MINIMUM

§        Remove roof racks and rack loads when not required

§        Remove unnecessary weight

§        Close windows and sunroofs when travelling at open-road speeds

 

5.  TURN OFF THE EXTRAS

§        Use air vents rather than air conditioning

§        Use rear screen demister only when you need it

 

6.  SWITCH OFF THE ENGINE IF IDLING FOR MORE THAN 30 SECONDS

§        Allow plenty of time to restart the engine

§        Also, when starting from cold, switch on and drive off immediately, but stay light on the throttle for a couple of minutes

 

7.  LONGER TERM, CHOOSE THE RIGHT VEHICLE

§         Choose a vehicle that suits your needs

§        Try to find out the fuel economy of the vehicle you are considering buying

§        Generally, the smaller the engine capacity, the better the fuel efficiency

 

For more information check out www.eeca.govt.nz

 

Here are some easy ways that YOU can make a difference to the environment in your own home:

Insulate your house: Did you know that 40% of your heat is lost through your roof?  Upgrade your open fire or old woodburner: check out the NEC Clean Heat - Warm Home scheme by phoning 5460220. Wear warm clothes to reduce heating bills. Use low wattage light bulbs and turn lights off when not in use. Put the plug in the sink and avoid washing vegetables or hands or brushing teeth under running taps. Fix dripping taps. Create a 'recycling station' in your home for paper, plastic, cans, and glass. Make compost with all kitchen scraps as this will add vital nutrients back into your soil. Mulch your garden with garden waste etc to preserve moisture. Pass on unwanted clothing and household goods to 'op' shops, school fairs etc. Use the Trashtrader web site for exchanging useful stuff. Use natural cleaning products: Euchalyptus oil and vinegar are both powerful disinfectants. Store and dispose of household cleaners, paints, solvents and pesticides safely without tipping them down the drain.  

We have some of the most beautiful rivers, lakes and streams in the world but they are under threat by invasive aquatic pests like Didymosphenia geminata aka Rock Snot. Thick growths can adversely affect native freshwater fish, plant and invertebrate species and aesthetic impacts to river users are high. If you are moving items between waterways, you could be spreading Didymo without realising it because it only takes two microscopic cells of algae to be moved in a single drop of water, which can then form massive blooms in freshwater systems.

Precautions when moving between waterways: Always remove all obvious clumps of vegetation from all items that have been in fresh water and leave the clumps at the waterway. Always soak any items in hot water, a strong cleaning solution or salt solution. If cleaning is not practical (eg. animals) dry the item to the touch and don't allow in waterway for 48 hours.

Waste not, want not! This is a trash exchange programme for the Tasman/Nelson region.

The Trash Trader website provides a free listing service for businesses and people with unwanted materials that they would normally throw out. These items are available to be reused by others, thereby saving money, resources and space in the landfill. The website is aimed to divert construction waste, such as timber, concrete, bricks and tiles, but can be used by anyone who has unwanted resources to give away or sell at a minimal cost.

All areas of the Trash Trader website are very simple and self-explanatory so don't be shy, give it a try! Log on to www.trashtrader.co.nz and score yourself a bargain- and do your bit to care for the environment.

Sponsored by Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council

Buy Nothing Day International "Buy Nothing Day" is on Nov 25th but why not make it today! What a brilliant idea! A pause in the mad rush to spend, buying "things" all the time- much of which turns up unused at the next school gala. Nearly all of us are guilty of rampant consumerism, even the most conscientious of us, Buy Nothing Day reminds us to pause and weigh up the impacts of consumerism. You may be surprised to know that globally, 80% of what we make is thrown away within six months of production. Also, according to Statistics NZ (1992), each year, New Zealand produces over 3.5 million tonnes of rubbish, of which 1.1 million tonnes is domestic refuse. In total, this works out at approximately 2.1 kg of rubbish per person per day. 40% of which is packaging. This amount is increasing each year and our landfills are filling up fast. So what can we do? How about choosing 1 day a week when you make a pledge to buy nothing at all. Be creative or do something really good for yourself or someone else instead. And if you are planning your Christmas or Birthday shopping, investigate some of these excellent alternatives to expensive gifts. 1) Gifts of Service: give a nicely written voucher for something you are good at; such as an hour's gardening, a great massage, an hour's child minding, or cooking a meal for a busy mum, homemade baking or jams. 2) Gifts of Time: arrange to walk with a friend, or invite them home for lunch or a coffee. 3) Used Gifts: give something of yours you know they really like or something interesting from an antique shop or a school fair.

These ideas and a whole heap more can be found at http://www.hybridweb.co.nz/buynothing/ Generally when you are out shopping this Christmas and at anytime: 1. Before you buy a product, ask yourself "Do I really need it?" 2. If you are buying something, ask the retailer how long it will last and whether it can be repaired, reused and recycled. 3. Support businesses that are aware of ethical issues or promote environmentally sustainable goals. 4. Join campaigns to develop Government policy on reducing packaging, for example; the more people make their voices heard, the sooner Government will realise they have to act. Where did Buy Nothing Day come from? It originated in Canada in 1992, the idea of artist Ted Dave. Originally a local event, Canadian media activists The Media Foundation took it nationwide and then international. England, Holland, Australia, and the US are some of the participants. Happy Buying Nothing Day!

The recent formation of a national body 'Sanctuaries of New Zealand' shows that there is an exciting number of projects around the country looking to restore areas of forost with or without pest-proof fences. Through the development of sanctuaries like The Brook Waimarama, Karori, Maungatari, Bushy Park and Tawharanui, a lot is being learned. Fence designs and installation are being refined continuously and some challenges from rats and mice surviving eradication are being . One of the great achievements of The Brook Waimarama Sanctuary to date is its inclusive involvment in the local community and the hope it has brought to Nelson residents that our precious native flora and fauna can and will be preserved and revered.

Here is a fantastic opportunity for car pooling. The site is http://www.goldenbay.org.nz/~carpool/. It is designed to help people share rides and hopefully make it easier to fill up seats going over the hill and around New Zealand. It is easy to use, New Zealand wide, and offers both rides wanted and rides available. Go to it and get car pooling.

There is also a more local carpooling scheme initiated by the Nelson City Council. Be part of a car-pooling scheme that will save you money and help reduce pollution.Qualifying carpoolers can park for free in designated central Nelson parking spaces. This is not limited to greater Nelson but includes Richmond and Motueka as well. Go to www.clickcarpool.co.nz for more info or to register.

A new website has been set up to make searching for invironmental organisations easier. GreenPages is a directory of associations which are active in the areas of conservation and environmental protection, education and restoration in New Zealand. The groups are organised depending on the issues they cover.

See www.greenpages.org.nz