Dear Members,
Keep those memberships coming in – thanks to you who have already signed back on for another year – marvelous! If you haven’t yet managed to, do it now, it’s easy - just go to our website http://www.sustainabledunedincity.org.nz/?page_id=174
You may have heard that Ministers Brownlee and Wilkinson are inviting submissions on the Schedule 4 Stocktake – we encourage you to take up this offer and contribute your thoughts to pieces of conservation land being made available to mining.
In August 2009, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Department of Conservation were directed by Ministers to complete a stocktake of public conservation areas listed in Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991. Schedule 4 restricts mineral-related activity in specified public conservation areas.
The stocktake has involved evaluating existing information on the mineral potential and conservation values of Schedule 4 listed areas via a desk-top mapping exercise. Tourism, recreation and cultural values have also been considered. No new studies of mineral potential have been undertaken.
Four main conclusions were reached from the stocktake:
* New Zealand is mineral rich and the environmentally responsible development of this potential is a very real possibility.
* Much of the country’s mineral potential is concentrated, often in public conservation areas with high conservation and cultural values.
* The mineral potential of Schedule 4 lands could be developed with only a very small proportion of the land being directly impacted.
* Information on New Zealand’s mineral potential is limited and Government has a role to improve our knowledge of the mineral estate.
* The stocktake has identified areas covering 7,058 hectares for potential removal from Schedule 4, and areas covering 12,400 hectares for addition to Schedule 4.
No decisions have yet been made. On 22 March 2010, the Government released a discussion paper to seek public feedback on these areas, and a number of related policy initiatives. Submissions are due by 5.00pm Wednesday 26 May 2010.
Another option to you is to go to the Greenpeace website and use their submission form- http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/action/mining/action.asp
Also, the Commissioner for the Environment has made a public submission, which makes some good points, and this can be found at:
http://www.pce.parliament.nz/reports_by_subject/briefing/submission_on_the_schedule_4_stocktake_discussion_document
And that’s not all – there’s a lot to think about in this fortnight’s edition – so grab yourself a coffee, and read on!
1. Upcoming Sustainability Events and Courses
i) Saturday, May 29 & May 30, 3pm – Amazing Animal Adaptors, Otago Museum
ii) Sunday, June 6, 3pm - Celebrate Arbor Day with the Yellow Eyed Penguin Trust. Okia Reserve, Dick Road
iii) July 6 - 11- New Zealand International Science Festival, Dunedin
iv) Saturday, September 11, 9am - Coastal Community Climate Change Workshop
2. Dunedin Sustainability in Action!
- From the Get the Train Group
- Celebrate Biodiversity throughout 2010 – the International Year of Biodiversity
- Healthy Homes
3. Food for Thought
- From the guys at GetUp
- BP Oil Spill
- From the New York Times
- From Pundit by Claire Browning
- Sustainable Development in the Gaian Perspective
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1. Upcoming Sustainability Events and Courses
Another good calendar for sustainability-related events around Dunedin can be found at http://dect.org.nz/modules/extcal/calendar.php. We’d love to advertise your sustainability-related event or course - please send contributions in to dk.sk@xtra.co.nz.
i) Saturday, May 29 & May 30, 3pm – Amazing Animal Adaptors, Otago Museum
Amazing Animal Adaptors exist in every corner of the globe – from the barren wastelands to frozen seas and fierce desert storms. All over the world animals have adapted to thrive in every known environment. As the landscape of our world changes, what new Amazing Adaptors lie waiting to be born?
Sponsored by Natural History New Zealand
ii) Sunday, June 6, 3pm - Celebrate Arbor Day with the Yellow Eyed Penguin Trust. Okia Reserve, Dick Road
Join the Yellow Eyed Penguin Trust as members and friends continue their plantings of native trees and shruubs on the Okia Reserve.
You will be helping create homes and breeding sites for generations of rare Hoiho.
www.yellow-eyedpenguin.org.nz, www.dunedin.govt.nz or yeptrust@gmail.com
iii) July 6 - 11- New Zealand International Science Festival, Dunedin
The 2010 festival, themed “food for thought” will stimulate your senses, inspiring discussion on the intersection between food and science. From farm to fork, topics such as food production, nutrition and consumption will be on the menu. Be prepared to be challenged.
You will not want to miss the events in store for 2010!
http://www.scifest.org.nz/whats_on/
iv) Saturday, September 11, 9am - Coastal Community Climate Change Workshop
Powering up coastal communities for climate action
A morning workshop will be held at the Long Beach Community Hall starting at 9 am, Saturday 11th September 2010.
Presentations will focus on the predicted impacts of climate change on our coastal dunes and will cover natural dune form and function, explain how dunes can be restored using indigenous plants, and the all-important role of the local community in such projects
Find out more at:
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/events/garden-and-environment/coastal-community-climate-change-workshop
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2. Dunedin Sustainability in Action!
This section is about some of the inspirational things happening in our community, as well as ’sustainability’ volunteer opportunities in and around Dunedin. If you’ve got a project you need more hands for (or even a project that needs hands to get started!), or a group you think our members may like to join, send me a paragraph…and don’t forget your contact details. And if you’re doing something inspirational, or know of someone that is, let me know (dk.sk@xtra.co.nz).
- From the Get the Train Group
The Walk2Work train was a resounding success with 235 people catching it into Dunedin and 155 home. Thank you everybody for supporting it.
Now we would like a train for Car Free Day 22 Sept 2010!! We need to get funding from the NZ Land Transport Authority for this.
We had a meeting with Charlotte Flaherty from the DCC, Grant and Lynette from Taieri Gorge who have been amazing organising the Walk2Work train. We talked about doing our own feasibilty study for a train, developing a relationship with KiwiRail, organising continuing Walk2Work and Car Free day trains, or maybe combining one of these with the suburban rail day, fixing up stations along the route (Port Chalmers have a wonderful sign at Upper Port Chalmers station now) maybe we can put signs at the other stations. We also talked about writing to MP’s for support.
If anybody would like to help out writing letters and coming to meetings please call Danielle on 482 1233 or email getthetrain@gmail.com
- Celebrate Biodiversity throughout 2010 – the International Year of Biodiversity
Dunedin City Council has produced a local event calendar booklet called Let’s Grow Native to help you do just that! You can pick up a copy from DCC’s Service Centre or DOC office or ask for one to be posted to you. Alternatively, you can view it online at http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/biodiversity
The programme will be updated with additional events throughout the year. For more information see http://www.countdown2010.net/year-biodiversity or contact Fliss Butcher fbutcher@dcc.govt.nz or Debbie Hogan dhogan@dcc.govt.nz or ph 477 4000.
- Healthy Homes
Healthy Homes is an energy efficiency and home insulation retrofit scheme that aims to improve the health and quality of living for Dunedin’s low income residents. The DCC initiated the scheme in 2005 in partnership with the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA), Whare Mahana Ltd and the Otago District Health Board.
Since 2007, EnergySmart has been administering the scheme with support from Aurora Energy, EECA, primary health organisations and the Otago Regional Council. It has grown to be an Otago-wide programme overseen by a regional governance group.
Find out more at:
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/community-development/community-funding/healthy-homes
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3. Food for Thought
Do you know of an amazing podcast everyone should listen to? An article or a blog or a site that would be of interest to all SDC members? Send me a short explanation and the link (dk.sk@xtra.co.nz), and we’ll add it in here. Links preferable to attachments, because they tend to fill up everyone’s inboxes.
- From the guys at GetUp
Kevin Rudd has betrayed his promise to take action on climate change. Click here to hold him to account.
“Absolute political cowardice… an absolute failure of leadership.”1 That’s what Kevin Rudd said just months ago about those who wanted to delay action on climate change. He was right.
Yesterday Kevin Rudd betrayed his promise to act on climate change, deferring action until 2013: six years after he called climate change the moral challenge of our age.
So what can we do about it? To start, we have to ensure this doesn’t go unnoticed - doesn’t go unanswered. Every Australian who took the Prime Minister at his word should see this video of his climate backflip. Together, GetUp members number 350,000. If we each forward this to five friends, we can reach millions.
www.getup.org.au/campaign/climateinaction
The Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme was a mess of a policy: a paltry 5% target, and what the Government’s own advisor, Prof. Ross Garnaut, called “one of the worst examples of policy making we have seen on major issues in Australia.”2 But this is about far more than another policy delay.
Time and again, Kevin Rudd has betrayed the support Australians gave him last election. And yesterday, he broke faith with us on “the great challenge of our time.”3 It is time to say enough. It is time to take a stand and declare a vote of no confidence in Kevin Rudd’s leadership on climate change:
www.getup.org.au/campaign/climateinaction
We could say a lot about this latest back flip, but Kevin Rudd himself perhaps said it best. Here’s what he said just months ago about delaying climate action:
“….When you strip away all the political rhetoric, all the political excuses, there are two stark choices - action or inaction.”
“…The resolve of the Australian Government is clear: we choose action, and we do so because Australia’s fundamental economic and environmental interests lie in action. Action now. Not action delayed.”
“…the eighth excuse cannot be far away - which will be to wait until the next year or the year after until all the rest of the world has acted at which time Australia will act.
“…What absolute political cowardice. What an absolute failure of leadership. What an absolute failure of logic.”4
The Prime Minister said it right: what absolute cowardice. And as he said in that same speech:
“It’s time to remove any polite veneer from this debate. The stakes are that high.”
Right again: it’s time to remove the veneer and speak truth to power - and that’s what GetUp members do best. Please share this email and video with friends, and click below to join the vote of no confidence in Kevin Rudd’s climate decision:
www.getup.org.au/campaign/climateinaction
Together we are 350,000 voices and 350,000 votes that cannot be ignored. Let’s stand together to say ‘no more excuses, no more delays: it’s time to act on dangerous climate change.’
Thanks,
The GetUp Team
PS - On refugees, on human rights and now on climate change, Kevin Rudd has broken faith with us. It is time to stand up with one voice and tell the Prime Minister he has lost our confidence. Click here to sign the declaration.
–Sources–
1The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, Distinguished Speaker Series, the Lowy Institute, 06/11/ 2009.
2Prof. Ross Garnaut, The 7.30 Report, ABC, broadcast: 12/10/2009, reporter: Kerry O’Brien.
3The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, Opening Remarks to the National Climate Change Summit, Parliament House, Canberra, 31/03/07
4The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP, Distinguished Speaker Series, the Lowy Institute, 06/11/ 2009.
- BP Oil Spill
You’ve probably seen the devastating images of the BP oil spill in the Gulf–it’s shaping up to be one of the largest environmental disasters in American history.
It’s a crisis - but it’s also a huge opportunity to push for stronger environmental protection and a shift towards clean energy. President Obama has put a “temporary moratorium” on offshore drilling in the wake of the disaster, but we need more. We need a PERMANENT BAN on offshore drilling.
If you agree, go to: http://www.350.org/drilling-ban
You can also join the Facebook group by clicking here: http://www.facebook.com/dont-drill
Thanks - working together we can make our voices heard and help stop future disasters like this.
- From the New York Times
FENGHUA, China — Chen Hsien, an employee of Fenghua Ningbo Plastic Works Ltd., a plastics factory that manufactures lightweight household items for Western markets, expressed his disbelief over the “sheer amount of [garbage] Americans will buy. Often, when we’re assigned a new order for, say, ‘salad shooters,’ I will say to myself, ‘There’s no way that anyone will ever buy these.’ … One month later, we will receive an order for the same product, but three times the quantity. How can anyone have a need for such useless [garbage]? I hear that Americans can buy anything they want, and I believe it, judging from the things I’ve made for them,” Chen said. “And I also hear that, when they no longer want an item, they simply throw it away. So wasteful and contemptible.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/opinion/08friedman.html?_r=4
- From Pundit by Claire Browning
State of the environment: reports urge NZ to act
‘Clean, green’ New Zealand is the only OECD country without an Act requiring environment health checks. What will we do about it, asks the Parliamentary Commissioner?
http://pundit.co.nz/content/state-of-the-environment-reports-urge-nz-to-act
- Sustainable Development in the Gaian Perspective
http://www.pelicanweb.org/solisustv06n05page1.html
Outline
1. Humanity and the Human Habitat
2. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
3. Synopsis of Self-Determination Theory (SDT)
4. Looking Ahead to the Forthcoming MDG Summit
5. List of References and Online Databases
The importance of gender balance is discussed in sections 2 and 4.
Feedback is cordially invited.
Luis
Luis T. Gutierrez, Ph.D.
The Pelican Web (http://pelicanweb.org)
Editor, PelicanWeb’s Journal of Sustainable Development
A monthly, CC license, free subscription, open access e-journal
luisgutierrez@peoplepc.com
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Tēnā koutou katoa,
Suze Keith (SDC’s newsletter compiler)
dk.sk@xtra.co.nz
Janet Brady (SDC’s secretary)
secretary@sustainabledunedincity.org.nz
