Articles in ‘Environment’

In December 2020 Jacinda Ardern called climate change ‘one of the greatest challenges of our time’ and pledged a carbon-neutral government by 2025 The declaration of a climate emergency was supported by the Green Party and Māori Party and opposed by the National and Act parties. Speaking in parliament after its introduction, Ardern said the country must “act with urgency”. …

exclusivley on Voice Media The Rural Vote. The Farmers Voice. Govt NOT Listening! Trevor Simpson has been involved in farming for much of his life. The family farm, Simpson Farm dates back to 1964 when his Dad bought a small block which his lawyer warned was “undesirable” swampy bushland. Based in Rangiriri, North Waikato, it now milks over 1200 cows and claims to have the…

Carbon & Food Production Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 A three part series of articles explaining the United Nations change in climate warming predictions; the effects those changes will have on New Zealand’s agricultural industries and the impact that those changes will have on carbon sequestration and GHG emissions from agriculture. Carbon footprint of New Zealand…

Engineers design plants using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to improve taste, nutritional content, and resilience. However, people have concerns over their safety, and there is much debate about the pros and cons of using GMOs. Scientists create GMO foods by introducing genetic material, or DNA, from a different organism through genetic engineering. Most of the currently…

In the lead-up to the 2020 general election, the Prime Minister announced Labour will bring the target of 100% renewable electricity generation forward five years to 2030. Renewable electricity You’ve probably heard the terms renewable electricity and green electricity used a lot lately. While there are subtle differences, both terms refer to the fuel source used to produce…

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its black-and-white navigation cameras to capture panoramas of this scene at two times of day. Blue, orange, and green color was added to a combination of both panoramas for an artistic interpretation of the scene. On Nov. 16, 2021 (the 3,299th Martian day, or sol, of the mission), engineers commanded Curiosity to take two sets of mosaics, or…

Over the past three years ratepayer-funded Tūpuna Maunga Authority has been on a mission to rid Auckland’s volcanic cones (maunga) of exotic trees – some 2500 in all. In defending its actions, the Authority claims it will replace them with thousands more natives, giving the impression it will “cloak” the maunga in trees. Yet it has become clear there is no intention to return…

Last Month the electricity in various parts of the North Island was deliberately turned off on Monday evening 9 August. The finger-pointing and blame-game started early the next morning and has been the topic of conversation and media attention for the past week. It is not over yet and nor should it be. The official investigations are under-way. My August elocal article talked…

In my late teens I spent time hunting in the bush around lake Waikaremoana. Off the forest tracks, I stood in places that I was sure no man had ever stood. In unspoiled bush, there is a sense of peace and quietness so tangible, that people often catch themselves speaking in whispers, just as they would entering an ancient church. It seems like the presence of God hangs in the air…

If you have ever exclaimed dismay at your amount of monthly power bill and wondered how it could possibly be so high, and what you can do to reduce it, you are not alone. Over the next two months, elocal will examine the different components that go into your power bill, what that means for you the end user and ways to best ensure you are getting the most out of your energy…

For those planning on buying an EV the big news for the month is the Government ‘feebate’ announcement. There will be a rebate of up to $8625 for a new imported electric vehicle and up to $3540 for used imports. Trade Me reported over a 400% lift in EV enquires in the first week, but before you click “buy now” or dash to your nearest dealer, make sure you read the fine print.[^1]

Increasing numbers of Aucklanders are turning to environmental activism as concern mounts over Tūpuna Maunga Authority’s plans to destroy 2500 healthy mature trees on the city’s volcanic cones (maunga). Most Aucklanders had not heard of the Authority until 2019, when it began clear-felling exotic trees on Mangere Mountain, Pigeon Mountain / Ōhuiarangi and Mt Wellington /…

Wild horses galloping through wild country, manes and tails flying as they bound through the tussock, snow capped volcanoes in the background. It’s a romantic image, one that appeals to our love of the landscape and wide open spaces and speaks to the freedom we all yearn for. But the horses of the Kaimanawa ranges have had a long struggle that’s been far from romantic, not only…

Bees are the world's most numerous and arguably most essential livestock. Going quietly about their buziness in farms and gardens all over the country, honey bees are directly responsible for earning us billions of dollars in gross domestic product. They make honey, of course, but more importantly they pollinate horticultural and specialty agricultural crops, and by pollinating…

DC fast charging technology for 34 buses at depots in Christchurch and Auckland with an overall power capacity of around 3.7 Megawatt Flexible charging systems to easily expand the infrastructure and adapt to future battery voltage levels of up to 1,000 Volt Integration with one of the world’s major bus suppliers Yutong Siemens Smart Infrastructure received an order from Go Bus,…

It beggars belief that at this critical point in earth’s history when climate change is making its presence felt, Auckland city is set to lose thousands more trees. We have already lost one third of our tree canopy between 2012 and 2017 according to Dr Mels Barton from the Tree Council. In the Waitematā Local Board area alone, a 2018 report recorded tree canopy loss of an area…

This is the final article in the 1080 series and will look at how 1080 is delivered, any potential revenue losses for NZ, the results after 60 years of using 1080 and the alternatives? Doc employs an aerial dispersal method, usually by helicopter. This method has major issues with accuracy. Pilots use a GPs layout in an attempt to hit targeted areas. This is affected by wind…

by Shelley Hedges In the first article of Simplifying the 1080 Evidence I looked at technical aspects of the scientific research, the effects on aquatic fauna particularly freshwater trout and eels, and at the 1080 concerns raised in the 2007 ERMA report. This article looks at how 1080 kills and potential impacts on human and animal food and health. Death by 1080 is an…

Each year the debate intensifies as supporters and detractors line up on opposing sides of the fence. Both sides are equally passionate in their presentation of evidence, and fervent in their claims to be preserving our native wildlife. This article seeks to give a simple, easy to read explanation of the scientific evidence offered. The Department of Conservation (DoC) and…