Sustainable Living in Northland, June 2023

SUST AINABLE LIVING IN NOR THLAND

KMR’sdrive to protectand restore theKaipara Moana... 2023

Northland andAuckland landowners arebeing encouraged to join the Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR) programme and take advantage of funding opportunities to fence off waterways andplant them in native trees.

Althoughtheprogrammehasbeen operationalforlessthantwoyears,KMR isnowworkingwithalmostathirdofthe 1500-oddlandownerswithintheKaiparaMoana catchment

KMRleaderJustineDawsaysherteamiskeen tocollaboratewithmorelandownerstoget moreplantingunderwaythiswinter

“Theimpactsoftherecentstormsareheartbreakingtosee,withmanyareassignificantly affected. Throughourinvestment,KMRhelps landownerstoretireandplantsteep,eroding hillsidesandlandborderingstreams,riversand thecoastitself,”saysJustine.

ThiswinterKMRisprioritisingplantingnatives toincreaseresiliencetofuturefloodsand storms.

“Thisisauniqueopportunitytojoinusin improvingthehealthoftheKaiparaHarbour, withKMRfunding50%ofthecosts”says Justine.

“AsaJobsforNatureinvestment,ourfocusis ondevelopingmeaningful,local,nature-based employment.Wearelookingtooffertraining anddevelopmentopportunities,buildinglongtermrelationshipswithtangatawhenua,and

upskillingrangatahi.Atitsheart,KMRisabout growingpeoplebygrowingtrees.”

Sinceitbegan,KMRhassuccessfullyinvestedin localcommunitiesbyaccrediting24businesses and19nurseriesasKMRsuppliers,training51 FieldAdvisors–manyofwhomaffiliatetolocal iwi/hapū–andcreatingnearly100,000hoursof newwork

Underacollaborativegovernancearrangement, KaiparaMoanaRemediationisworkinghard tohalvesedimentflowsintotheKaipara.

AsAotearoa’slargestharbourrestoration programme,genuinepartnershipiskeyto retiringerosion-pronelandandplanting20 milliontreesovera6,000km2catchmentinjust tenyears

StrategicpartnershipswithFonterra,Environs HoldingsandTheForestBridgeTrusthelpKMR drawontrustedchannelstocommunicatewith farmers,iwi/hapūlandholders,community groupsandotherlandowners.

WorkingwiththeMinistryforSocial Development,TreesThatCount,theNew ZealandRuralSupportTrust,andBeef+Lamb NZ,KMRleverageswidernetworkstoengage landownersacrossthecatchmenttotakeaction

-The year of planting!

undertheKMRumbrella.

KMRalsosupportslocalactionthrough communityplantingdaysandpartneringwith EnviroSchools. JustineisreallyproudofKMR’s workwithschoolchildren:

“Everyonecanmakeadifference–whatmight looklikesmallactionsreallydoesaddupwhen youbringtogethermanyheads,manyhearts andmanyhands.”

KMRhasrecentlymadechangestoitsfunding forlocalaction.

“ThroughourWhenuaWhānuiFund,wecan nowbettersupportmaraetrusts,iwi/hapū, catchmentgroupsandothercommunitygroups toparticipateinrestoringtheKaiparaMoana. Wewelcomeallexpressionsofinterestonlineat www.kmr.org.nz.”

KMRhasalsomadechangestoofferfree supporttolandownersaffectedbytherecent storms. Forcompletedprojectsco-funded byKMR,KMRwillrepairorreplacedamaged fencingandplants.Wheredamageismore significant,KMRcanalsosupportrelocationof fencingandplantingtomoresuitablelocations. AffectedlandownersshouldcalltheirKMRField Advisororemailhono@kmr.org.nz.

LandownersworkingwithKMRtodevelop projectsmayalsobeeligibleforextrasupportif theyhavesufferedstormdamage. “We’realsoworkingwithotheragencies offeringsupportandmaybeabletohelpyou connecttoothersourcesoffunding,”says Justine.

■ Kaipara Moana Remediation leader Justine Daw

Moreactiontotackle climate change

WithDrEmilyHenderson,WhangareiMP

Holdontoyourumbrella,herecomes another“atmosphericriver”.Climate changeishereandcreatingbig challengesforWhangārei,andforNew Zealand.

Meetingtheclimatechallengehasalways beenaGovernmentpriorityandwe’vetaken arangeofstepstoreduceNewZealand’s greenhousegasemissions.Themostrecent data,releasedearlierthismonth,showsthat ouremissionsarestartingtodecline.While it’sencouragingtoseeouractionspayingoff, weneedtokeepgoing.

Energyuse–inhome,atworkandon transport–accountsforabout40%ofNew Zealand’semissions.Weneedpracticalhelp toreducerelianceonfossilfuelsandincrease renewableenergygeneration,sowe’re cuttingred-tapeinRMAdecision-makingto expandNewZealand’srenewableelectricity infrastructuremorerapidly

Thesechangeshelpfast-trackprojectslike theRuakākāBatteryEnergyStorageSystem, whereMeridianEnergyisconstructingNew Zealand’sfirstlarge-scalegridbatterystorage system.EarthworksstartedinearlyMarch

withcompletionexpectedbySeptember 2024,Meridiansays.

Meridiansaysthefirststageoftheenergy parkwillcoveranareathesizeoftwo rugbyfieldsandprovideadditionalreserve powerandresiliencetothenationalgrid, acceleratingthegrowthofrenewable generationandsupportingthetransitiontoa net-zeroeconomyby2050.

Planningaheadforrenewableenergyis especiallyimportanttosupportEVuptake, andsincetheCleanCarDiscountschemewas introducedin2021,Kiwishaveprovedtobe amongsttheworld’sfastestEVadopters,with over100,000rebatesalreadygranted.

Expandingonthissuccess,we’renow targetingrebatesfornewandusedimports emittinglessthan100gramsofCO2per kilometre,comparedto146gramsoriginally Thiswillincludebatteryelectricvehicles,and plug-inhybrids.

We’realsoincreasingtherebateforusedEV imports,meaningsavingsofupto$3,507 pervehicle,helpingmanyNewZealanders

getintolower-emittingvehiclesthanthey otherwisecouldafford.

Theschemeisforecasttosaveusfrom importing1.4billionlitresofpetrol.At currentprices,that’ssavingthecountryan averageof$325millionayearlessonfuel, outto2035.

SwappingoutfossilfuelsforNewZealandgeneratedrenewableenergyisalsocrucialto tacklingthecost-of-livingcrisislong-term.

SwitchingtoanEVislikebuyingpetrolfor 40c/litre,whichisobviouslyabigdifference forhouseholdbudgets

Climatechangeisahugechallenge,but withtargetedGovernmentsupportwecan allmakechangesthatwillhelpprotectour planetandourtown.

Exploring NewZealand’s GreatOutdoorswith

Electric Bikes

Electricbikes,orebikes,havebeen gainingpopularityallovertheworld inrecentyears,andNewZealandisno exception.Withafocusonsustainableliving andreducingcarbonemissions,ebikeshave becomeapopularmodeoftransportationfor Kiwiswhowanttoenjoytheoutdoorswhile doingtheirpartfortheenvironment Oneofthebiggestadvantagesofebikesis theireaseofuse.Withanelectricmotorthat providesassistancewhilepedaling,riders cantravellongerdistancesandtacklehills withoutgettingtired.Thismakesebikesa greatoptionforcommuterswhowantto avoidtrafficandenjoythefreshair,aswell asrecreationalriderswhowanttoexplore thecountrysidewithoutworryingabouttheir fitnesslevel.

Inadditiontotheirpracticalbenefits, ebikesarealsoalotoffuntoride.Withthe electricmotorprovidingassistance,riders canexperiencethethrillofcyclingwithout

worryingaboutfatigueorstrugglingtokeep upwithfriends.Thishashelpedtomake ebikesapopularchoiceamongyounger riders,whoappreciatethetechnologyand convenienceofthesevehicles.

Anotheradvantageofebikesistheir environmentalimpact.Withconcernsabout climatechangeontherise,manypeople arelookingforwaystoreducetheircarbon footprint.Ebikesemitfarfewergreenhouse gasesandpollutantsthangas-powered vehicles,makingthemamoresustainable optionfortransportation.

Asmorepeoplediscovertheconvenience, sustainability,andfunofebikeriding,we canexpecttoseeevenmorebusinessesand servicescateringtothisgrowingmarketin NewZealand.Withthegovernmentsupporting sustainableinitiativesandtheindustryworking tomakeebikesmoreaffordableandaccessible toall,thefutureofthisexcitingmodeof transportationlooksbright

Whe you’ commuting wo countryside,anebikecanbea greatwaytoenjoythejourneywhile doing yourpartfortheplanet.

This award recognises and celebratesbusinesses who:

Demonstrate astrong sustainability focus and display acommitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions and limitingtheir climate impact, ensuring ahealthyenvironment for current and future generations.

More plasticbans from 1stJuly2023

Getprepared

Everwonderedhowyouwere goingtosurvivewhensingle useplasticbagswerenolongerin circulation?Weallknewtheyhad togo,buttheywerehandy.Do youmissthem?Maybeonceina while,butwehavelearnttoadapt prettywellwithoutthem

FromthefirstofJulythis year,moreplasticisgoingtobe bannedsonowisthetimetostart preparingforthechange!

Weallknowthatplasticcan beaveryusefulmaterialbutwe useittoomuch,wedon’tdispose ofitproperlyanditcancause significantharm.

Plasticisoneofourgreatest environmentalchallenges.

Itregularlyendsupaswasteinour landfills,ourmoanaandwhenua. Hard-to-recyclepackagingand productscaninterferewithour

recyclingsystemsandareoftenusedonly oncebeforebeingdisposedof

Shiftingawayfromhard-to-recycleandsingleuseplasticswillhelpreduceplasticwaste, improveourrecyclingsystems,andprotect ourenvironment

Thisshiftisalsopartofawiderambitionto moveAotearoaNewZealandtowardsalowemissions,low-wasteeconomy

ITEMS THATARE GOING TO BE BANNED OR RESTRICTED FROM THIS DATE WILL BE :

Singleuseplasticbagsliketheonesyouput yourvegetablesinwillbecomeathingofthe past.Solookatinvestinginanalternativelike asmallstringbag.

Single-useplasticstrawswillnolongerbe freelyavailable,youmayhavetokeepa stainlesssteeloneinyourbaginfuture. Onlydisabledpeopleandthosewithhealth needswillbeabletoaccessthem.

Gonewillbeplasticcutleryand

platesandthesewillbereplacedbyreuseable ornon-plasticalternatives. Youwillfinallystarttoseechangeswiththose peskyplasticfruitlabels.Theindustryis workinghardtowardsahomecompostable versionandIbetyouwillbesopleasedtosee thedaywhenyoudon’thavetopeel thoseplasticstickersfromtheoutsideoffruit! BannedfromOct2022weresomepolystyrene takeawayfoodanddrinkpackagingandsome PVCfoodtrays.Alsobannedweretheplastic stemsfromcottonbudsandplasticdegradant additivesandplasticstirrers.

Frommid2025,youwillseefoodand beveragepackagingprimarilymadefrom PVCorrigidpolystyrenedissapearfromshop shelves.

Ifyouwanttoreadanymoreinfoonchanges happeningwithplastic,checkoutthe followingwebsite: https://environment.govt.nz/whatgovernment-is-doing/areas-of-work/ waste/plastic-phase-out

KemOrmond

SUST AINABLE LIVING IN NOR THLAND

Zero Food Waste

Everyyearkiwissendover157,000tonnes offoodtolandfill,allofwhichcouldhave beeneaten.Notonlyisthiscostly,butit isalsobadfortheenvironment

WHATARE THE TOP 10 ITEMS WE WASTE?

Leftovers,bread,bananas,orangesand mandarins,beef,rice,lettuce,apples, potatoes,andpoultry.

SO,WHATCAN WE DO TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE?

Youneedtobuyless,useyourleftovers,and learnthebestwaytostorefood. Evenby observingthesethreethingsyouwillmakea hugedifferencetoyourwastage. Ifyoucansparethetime,planallyourmeals foraweekandthenbuythefoodaccordingly Whenitcomestoleftovers,usethem,orturn themintoaquiche,addsomepastaanda

freshtomatosauceorhaveagoodold generalfryupandaddaneggontop

Onceaweek,haveasortoutofyour fridge.Thatsinglecarrot,halfaredonion, partiallyusedredpepper,pumpkinthat needssomeattentionandthecoupleof parsnipsrollinginthevegetablebin,byadding afewpotatoestothem voila roasted vegetablesfortonight’sdinner

Youcanalsomakepestowithveggieleaves andstems.Freezecheeserindsandusethem toflavoursoups.Useyourcoffeegroundand eggshellstofertiliseyourgardenandkeep downtheslugsandsnailsanddidyouknow youcanalsoreplantrootsortrimmingsfrom onions,celeryandlettuce.

Althoughweintendtoeatthefoodwebuy, sometimesitinevitablyspoilswhilesittingon thecounterorinthebackoftherefrigerator. We’veallbeentherebefore.

Storageofyourfoodisessential,andyoucan

makeyourvegetablesforinstancelastlonger bystoringtheminthecorrectcondition.Don’t putanythingintothefridgeuncoveredand remembertoputlidsbackonthecondiments. Ifyouhaveanexcessfromyourgardenof fruitorvegetables,rememberyoucanalways freeze,pickle,bottleanddehydrate Repurposeorcompost Don’tputyourfoodscrapsinthebin,add themtoyourcompostheaporwhynotinvest inawormfarm.Ifyouhavechooks,cookthe foodscrapsuptillsoftandofferthemtothe chooks,theyaresuretodeliveranextraegg foryoureffort

KemOrmond

SUST AINABLE LIVING IN NOR THLAND