Though June has rushed by, SIFT did not want to neglect the well deserved attention owed to the recent winners at the Green Ribbon Awards. Held on June 9th, the Honorable Nick Smith described the awards as “Recognizing the efforts of New Zealanders who are taking action to address environmental challenges” (Beehive Press Release).

Comprising of eleven categories, individuals as well as companies and organizations, were recognized for their contribution within an array of environmental issues. The overall supreme winner was Eco Stock Supplies. Collecting food waste previously destined for landfill, Eco Stock upcycles the waste to stock feed. It is estimated that through the 25,000 tones of food waste utilised by Eco Stock within the last year, the production of 13,625 tonnes of CO2 has been prevented. While not only preventing green-house gas emissions, Eco Stock also offers a local alternative to imported stock-feeds.

Here is the full list of categories and the respective winners – all deserving for their commitment and effort towards New Zealand sustainability.

Category 1: Protecting our Biodiversity (joint winners)
Pomona Island Charitable Trust, Kiwi (Tokoeka) Crèche (Te Anau) – For its outstanding work in creating pest free sanctuaries on Pomona and Rona Islands in Lake Manapouri, Fiordland.
and Tuhoe Putaiao Charitable Trust  (Opotiki) – For its outstanding commitment to environmental protection work in the Bay of Plenty, in collaboration with the Department of Conservation, local iwi, the Regional Council and forestry operators.

Category 2: Protecting our Coasts and Oceans
Sustainable Coastlines Incorporated (New Zealand-wide) – For its outstanding commitment to improving the New Zealand coastal environment through public education, beach and coast clean ups and removing debris and rubbish that poses a risk to coastal and marine flora and fauna.

Category 3: Caring for our Water
NZ Landcare Trust (New Zealand-wide)  – For their outstanding contribution to improving fresh water management across the country by engaging private land owners in environmental protection work.

Category 4: Reducing our Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Wellington City Council (Wellington) – For its 2010 Climate Change Action Plan, and demonstrating outstanding commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in collaboration with all sectors of the community.

Category 5: Small Businesses Making a Difference
Eco Stock Supplies (Auckland) – For the development of an innovative commercial operation making a measurable difference to waste minimisation and reducing food waste.

Category 6: Community Action for the Environment: Young People
Brittany Packer (Nelson) – For her outstanding commitment to raising the profile of environmental issues, locally and internationally and demonstrating leadership for other young people.

Category 7: Community Action for the Environment: Volunteers and Not-for-profit Organisations
Mana Recovery (Porirua) – For its outstanding commitment to volunteer resource recovery services and providing a supportive environment for members of the community to learn and grow.

Category 8: Minimising our Waste
Conscious Consumers (Wellington, Auckland) – For its outstanding commitment to reducing waste and raising consumer awareness of waste issues.

Category 9: Environment in the Media
Emma Heke (Nelson) – For her outstanding contribution to environmental education through her DVD “OURS” that teaches children about conservation, sustainability and environmental care.

Category 10: Environmentally Responsible Large Organisations (joint winners)
Downer NZ (New Zealand-wide) – For its outstanding work in setting an example in environmental responsibility by implementing an environmental sustainability programme across its company operations in New Zealand.
and Meridian Energy and Department of Conservation, Project River Recovery – For their outstanding commitment to improving and protecting the unique braided river habitat around Twizel, Tekapo and Omarama in Canterbury and Otago.

Category 11: Central and Local Government Stepping Up
Kapiti Coast District Council (Paraparaumu) – For its outstanding contribution to reducing their environmental impact beyond statutory obligations and providing measurable benefits for the environment and the community of Kapiti Coast.

Supreme Winner Green Ribbon Award Winner 2011
Eco Stock Supplies (Auckland)
For the development of an innovative commercial operation making a measurable difference to waste minimisation and reducing food waste.

Congratulations to all of the winners. No doubt there were many more that entered but did not win that are working hard to create a more sustainable future for New Zealand.

Treated Timber Source: Lockwood.co.nz

New Zealand’s forestry industry contributes 12% of the country’s annual export earnings, making it New Zealand’s third largest industry. Within this powerful industry, there is the manufacturing of CCA treated timber. In 2005 4,215, 000 cubic metres of rough sawn timber was produced within New Zealand. We found a great report on Extended Producer Responsibility within the Timber Industry by Simon Love (2007) which is a great resource for information on Treated Timber and finding a solution and states that estimates for 2006 show that the amount of treated timber within that timber production total is 830,250 cubic metres.

Data from the Ministry for the Environment from their waste composition analysis from 2008 statistics states that for the whole country Timber makes up 11% of the total waste to landfill. An estimated 3.156 million tonnes of waste went to landfill in 2006 so that’s 347,160 tonnes of timber waste. More here.

A certain percentage of this timber to landfill is CCA Treated Timber which is an issue for all landfills and the surrounding environment.

Radiata pine is one of the world’s most widely planted plantation species and has the ability to grow to a large diameter faster than almost any other tree species. In New Zealand, both the ideal climatic and soil conditions exist for advanced radiata pine plantations, making pine New Zealand’s number one commercially grown tree species and is used for external building structures, including fences, decks, landscaping, pole houses, playground structures, marinas and walkways. However, due to a natural susceptibility to fungal decay, radiata pine must be extensively chemically treated in order for it to withstand the outdoor exposures.

Internationally, CCA treated timber has been banned or had restrictions placed on it due to the growing concern over its possible health implications for humans, and the environmental implications that can result from the chemicals leaching during landfill.

In 1997, The Department of Conservation commissioned a report on CCA treated timber within New Zealand. Written by Dr. Michael Hedley, the report explored the possible future disposal of treated timber, including controlled incineration and fully encapsulated landfill disposal. Dr. Hedley stated in the report that  ‘Though these may be possibilities…while there has been little significant evidence produced within New Zealand on the effects of CCA timber landfill disposal, municipal landfills, will continue to be the most viable option for CCA timber disposal.’ Download the report.

Here are some facts on what exactly CCA treated timber is, and why internationally, jurisdictions have been placed on its use.

What is CCA treated timber?The most commonly treated timber is CCA treated, or Chromate Copper Arsenate. The chemical mixture is injected into the wood under pressure, ensuring that the wood is saturated with the chemicals.

What are the possible health effects from exposure to it? According to the United States’ EPA’s Incident Data System, exposure to treated timber can result in ‘itching, burning, rashes, neurological symptoms, and breathing problems after handling lumber; damage to nerves in feet and legs from CCA sawdust and fumes from construction; chronic rash; eye swelling from dust; headache, nausea, shakiness, and thirst from cutting timber; rashes on arms from dust; nausea and headache from drilling timber’. These side effects are linked to the exposure to high arsenic levels. Internationally, the concern for the health implications has led to the United States, Canada and the European Union banning the use of CCA-treated wood in residential and recreational settings.

Why is their concern for the environment? Currently in New Zealand, the most common disposal for CCA treated timber is straight to landfill. The concern for the environment comes from the issues of chemicals leaching from landfill into the soil. For Christchurch, CCA treated timber is to be placed in kerbside red wheelie bins – for  landfill dumping.

With such prolific use of treated radiata pine within New Zealand, and landfill being the most common disposal of treated timber within New Zealand, it seems worth taking a look at international responses and the reasoning for so many countries placing jurisdictions on the use of treated timber and also to find a solution to the large amount of treated timber that goes to our landfills and affects our ecosytems and human health.

Is there a solution out there that could remove the CCA from the timber so it can be reused or a solution for recycling the timber in some way? Would the Extended Producer Responsibility programme describe in Simon Love’s research work for New Zealand. What could we do? What do we need to do to solve this waste stream issue?

We would love to know. Treated Timber is one of SIFT’s key waste streams to be solved. As such we are inviting expressions of interest to help solve this problem from anyone who thinks the have an idea, the solution, or could help set up a Producer Responsibility Program.

If you know of someone worthy of the title of Environmental Champion then consider entering them or the project into the 2011 Green Ribbon Awards through the Ministry for the Environment. There are twelve catergories and entries must be received by 5pm Friday the 15th of April.

The categories are:

• Protecting our biodiversity
• Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions
• Caring for our water
• Minimising our waste
• Improving our air quality
• Protecting our coasts and oceans
• Community action for the environment: Young People
• Community aciton for the environment: Volunteers and Not-for-Profit organisations
• Environment in the media
• Small businesses making a difference
• Environmentally responsible large businesses
• Central and local government stepping up.

Press Release

Green Ribbon Awards Nomination form

Found this very restful yet powerful video by Jesse Rosten (via Black Eiffel) about Redwood forests of Northern California in Growing is Forever. It is a wonderfully shot video that makes you sit up and take notice – we should take notice of our trees more often! Canterbury is full of many great places to enjoy the solidity, strength and longevity of trees: Riccarton Bush, the old podocarps of Peel Forest, Hanmer Springs, Banks Peninsula (especially our favourite walk to the Sign of the Bell Bird), any of the Botanical Gardens in the Canterbury towns and any of the trees in your backyard. No doubt there are many more forested and woodland (native and exotic) places around Canterbury to enjoy.

Take a breather and watch this great video.

Growing is Forever from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Back in November there was a TedX on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the US organised by the Plastic Pollution Coalition. Beth Terry from Fake Plastic Fish was a speaker at that TedX conference and she has now posted the list of speakers with links to the videos including her own which is great. We have watched a few and so far our favourites are:

• Beth Terry’s on why she has changed her life habits to reduce her plastic waste
• Dianna Cohen (Founder of Plastic Pollution Coalition – refuse disposal single use plastics). We featured some of her art with plastic in a previous blog post here.
• Van Jones on the link between pollution and the poor, between the environment and social justice. This is important.
• David de Rothschild on his Plastiki boat and tackling what he calls the Nature Deficiency Disorder – this is great. Dreams, adventure, collaboration, stories, fun, action.
• And Dr Sylvia Earle’s talk on the ocean being connected to everything.

And these are only a handful. There are still many we have yet to watch. But, just these further the desire to create a life with less plastic. Less plastic being produced, less plastic being wasted, less plastic pollution. It is no longer right or ethical to pollute the earth and harm other species and ecosystems and waste resources as we do.

And with only a few days of Christmas it’s time to think and say “We have enough!”.

Sustainable Spoon Mug Wall via Re-Nest

It is a lovely 26 degrees (C) in the garden city today and no doubt the rest of Canterbury will be enjoying the lovely weather as well. Here are a few tid bits from home and abroad to tide you over till Monday.

• Last Friday Environment Minister Nick Smith stated that the government is in discussion with the Australian government for a joint processing plant to extract the lead from old televisions. Hon. Dr Nick Smith stated that they expect “a surge of about 500,000 older TV’s containing about 1000 tonnes of lead”. More here at the NZ Herald and originally via PattersonEnvironmental.
• A summary of the Signs of Change conference SIFT attended on Monday and Tuesday from the Hot Topic team.
• A new laptop has been designed so that all of the individual parts can easily be pulled apart and recycled or disposed of appropriately. More from GOOD USA here.
• Doing good – the businesses that won this year’s Sustainable Business Network awards via Good New Zealand. Top prize went to Resene who are doing the right thing and being innovative everyday.
• The spoon wall – a place to put reusable mags in a school via Re-Nest – genius. A small but very practical and impactful sustainable living solution.
• The House of Contamination made entirely of Waste via Inhabitat.
• DIY Snack Bags made from old magazines via Re-Nest.
• Announcement from the Beehive – the Environmental Protection Authority Bill. One regulator to rule them all.
• Trashing the planet ultimately trashes people - Beth from Fake Plastic Fish looks into how waste (specifically plastic ) is also a Social Justice Issue.
• Love this – wood planks made from newspaper – can you imagine what a whole “weatherboard” house would look like covered in these planks?!

Have a great waste free weekend (start making Christmas presents from things around the home, second hand goods or baking).

It’s time for us all to wake up and recognise what our actions are doing to our environment, our only home.

Time to recognise that everything is connected and we need to care about our impacts in order to care about ourselves, our families and our communities. Our future.

I am currently reading You Are Here – Exposing the Vital Link Between What We Do and What That Does to Our Planet by Thomas M. Kostigen. I am only half way through and already I am more awake to the links and connections of my actions on other parts of the world, on the lives of other human beings, eco systems and species. And not just the impact that my waste has on the people who handle once it leaves my home and office (the drivers and hand sorters) and truck it to Kate Valley landfill and what the impacts are on the land but my actions on the humans and other species overseas (China, the Amazon for example).

Here is a quote that resonated:

“Of course we should care about other people. Too often we don’t connect our morality with the practicality of everyday things in our lives.”

If we put a face to our actions we would change our behaviour. But, all too often the environmental and social impacts of our actions are not in our face, not even in our backyards – we just don’t see it. Most don’t even know where their waste goes (mostly up the road to Kate Valley Landfill or ‘recyclables’ off shore to other countries to ‘deal with’). And you don’t see the carbon emissions coming out of your tailpipe either.

We as individuals emit carbon emissions through our activities: electricity, eating, drinking, transportation, and what we consume for example. But, a lot of the products that we purchase are not made in New Zealand. Most come from China where there is a coal fired power plant being installed every 4 days and a town called Linfen that is constantly covered in brown, toxic smog that the residents breath in from those coal fired power plants (that also amongst other things emit carbon). Those coal fired power plants produce energy to make the products that are exported to NZ for us to purchase and ultimately waste. Constant production. Constant waste. And where does the carbon and smog emitted from those power plants go?

So, what do we do.

1. Wake up.

2. Ask questions – where does my product come from? Who makes it? How does it get here? What other people, environments or species does the production of that product (and its whole lifecycle) impact on? Where does my waste go? What sustainable business practices doese that company genuinely have?

3. Make changes to our purchasing habits. Start buying more New Zealand made (but still make sure those products are low or positive impact). Support local producers. Support sustianbly product, organic and fair trade. Make your own products. Live more simply – live with less. Grow your own.

4. Research the connections of impacts and talk about it – get others to start making changes too. Educate and stay informed.

5. Help. Donate time or money to good causes that are trying to or are making a difference to key areas of the world  like the Amazon, your local environmental group or national organisation.

With China now exceeding the United States in carbon emissions the only way we can help them to reduce their emissions by 80% (which is what they need to do) is to start demanding sustainably produced products or we stop buying those products – talk to the importers, the retailers here in NZ and start demanding. And start demanding NZ options (and NZ producer responsibility programmes) too – and that will help the NZ economy as well.

It is no longer enough to expect others to make the changes first – it needs to come from us all starting today.

As read in Blessed Unrest social and environmental justice is linked. Your actions have an impact on other people’s lives and the environment and it is taking its toll. It is time to start changing our habits for a healthier future for all on this Earth.

Now. Today. Because it may already be too late for many. We may, instead,  need to start thinking about how to live completely differently for tomorrow.

SIFT Vision Poster on the wall at our After 5 Drinks and Nibbles event on Tuesday

Welcome to the end of another working week. We met some potential new projects, had a bit of an After 5 drinks and nibbles event for few key people at our offices, met with current projects to get updates and generally continued to do what we do.

On the way we also found some interesting tid bits that you might be interested in perusing. Here are this week’s Friday Favourites:

• A great article here from Nick Potter on his affair with the word “sustainability” – what will be the new words? You can see more of what Nick Potter does on his website Re-Be.
• A dining room made from recycled plastic bottles that floats – a unique eating experience here.
• Another great link from the team at Re-Nest who found an article in a recent Martha Stewart Living magazine about using real peanuts for packing (definitely better than styrofoam “peanuts”).
• The latest Environmental Indicators Quarterly from the Ministry for the Environment here (pdf).
• A great little tutorial on how to make reusable sandwich bags – (no velcro, glue, and only minimal sewing) – great idea here.
• A move in the US to replace ornamental gardens with food producing gardens here.
• More disrespect for and damage to the environment – will the fine work? More here.
• The kitchen of the future – bringing the vege garden inside – more here.
• The fridge that grows food not just stores it here.

Have a great waste free weekend.

Congratulations to this week’s Green Collar Job Q&A person Rhys Taylor for being short listed (as national Coordinator of the Sustainable Living Education Trust), with two others, in the Environment category for the 2010 Intrepid Travel National Volunteer Awards. You can read more here – results to be announced on the 8th of June. These awards are also back by Good Magazine. Good luck Rhys.

Brenda Harkin is the National Communications Manager and the Manager of the Central & Southern Regions for the Sustainable Business Network, of which SIFT is a member. The Sustainable Business Network pomotes sustainable business practices, helps businesses to become more sustainable  and provides a forum for people to talk about sustainble business practices, tools and ideas. You can find out more about what they do here and become a member here. The Sustainable Business Network is a valuable organisation for a sustainable future for New Zealand. Here are Brenda’s answers to our Green Collar Job questions:

1.    What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?
I endeavour to incorporate sustainable living choices in all areas of my life; from choosing eco-friendly cleaning products, to growing organic vegetables with my homemade compost.  During recent home renovations, I researched sustainable options with regards to hot water heating, showerheads, and insulation and so on.  We have two children so we spend time educating them around sustainability and helping them to understand the potential positive and negative impacts our choices have on our environment.

2.    How do you live more sustainably at work?
The whole purpose of the Sustainable Business Network, the organisation I’m employed by, is to help businesses to succeed through sustainability.  Inherently, everything I do links back to this purpose.  On a more personal level, SBN staff endeavour to ‘walk the talk’ at every turn and this manifests itself in managing work/life balance, office purchasing decisions, advancing sustainable action, and so on.

3.    What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?
The biggest challenge we face around sustainability is apathy.  Inaction and disinterest are the environment’s largest threat.

4.    What makes you smile?
The funny things my children say in complete innocence and at top volume, for example: ‘Mum, why does that woman’s hair look like a lion’s mane?’…oh dear!

5.    What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who complain about the world or their lives, but fail to take a stand and instigate the action necessary to facilitate change.  Paraphrasing Mahatma Gandhi, ‘If you want to see the change, you have to be the change.’

6.    What is your favourite colour and why?
Actually, its green…and surprisingly, it doesn’t relate to any green affiliations; I just like the colour!
7.    Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?
In New Zealand, it would have to be Matapouri Beach in Northland; one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting.  My partner’s family is from Whangarei so we usually spend Christmas holidays there.  If I’m thinking further afield, then I would have to say that I love returning to my hometown of Dublin, Ireland.  There’s just something special about the view of Dublin Bay as you descend into the airport that makes me feel like I’ve come home.  And as the youngest of seven siblings, it’s marvellous to spend time with my extended family as well.

8.    What’s your connection to Sift?
One aspect of my role with the Sustainable Business Network is Southern Regional Manager.  Sift is one of SBN’s members based in the Southern Region.

9.    Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?
My favourite teacher was when I was about eight years old – her name was Miss Bergin.  She wasn’t long out of teaching college from memory and she was just so LOVELY; she still had a wonderful enthusiasm which some teachers unfortunately lose over time.  Added to this was the fact that since I attended a Catholic Girls School, a reasonable portion of my teachers were strict nuns!

10.    What do you want to leave behind?
A life well-lived with no regrets.

11.    What do you think the future will bring?
I’m an optimist by nature so I have complete faith that the human race will make the necessary changes to ensure that the world will amend its flawed ways.  There is a huge groundswell evident at present and it’s only a matter of time before we reach critical mass.  Then, the people who care about sustainability will outnumber those who don’t and positive change is inevitable.

12.    Who is someone you really admire and why?
I really admire anyone who is willing to take a stand against wrongful activities, whether that’s where environmental issues or human rights are being concerned.  As a pacifist, I don’t support violent protest, but believe that the way to instigate change is to engage in meaningful dialogue with the affected parties and present reasoned arguments in an undeniably convincing manner.

13.    What is happening outside your window right now?
The sun is shining and, since its school holidays, there are lots of children around town laughing and having fun.  Oh to be young and free again…

14.    What is your favourite breakfast?
Despite being Irish and hating the taste of it upon my initial arrival in NZ, I’m proud to say that I’m now a ‘two slices of toast with marmite’ aficionado.  Now that’s what I call black gold…

15.    What is the best piece of advice you can give us?
Take a stand, embrace sustainability at home, at work and in your community, leave apathy behind…the rewards you’ll reap (environmental, social and economic) will far outweigh the efforts expended along the way.

Thanks Brenda for your wonderful, meaningful and thought provoking answers. We look forward to continuing our relationship with you into the future.