One of our key contacts is Jane Parfitt from the Christchurch City Council. She is the General Manager, City Environment Group at the Christchurch City Council.  Jane is responsible for the management of 300 staff, an operating budget of $154m and a capital budget of $120m.

Jane is responsible for such things as maintining the safety and quality of Christchurch City’s infrastructure services with a long-term sustainability view, maintaining our lovely parks and gardens, helping to ensure the Long Term Council Community plan is delivered and that there are organisation strategies, plans and structure to support it and the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) on behalf of the City.

Here are Jane’s answers to our Green Collar Job Q&A:

1.    What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?
Walk whenever I can, use a shopping basket instead of plastic bags and use solar heating.

2.    How do you live more sustainably at work?
I don’t print emails and try not to make any more ‘copies’ than needed

3.    What do you  think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?
Christchurch – to get people to use public transport, cycle or walk.
NZ – how and where we general energy.

4.    What makes you smile?
Freddy – my new grandson

5.    What is your biggest pet peeve?
Channel surfing!

6.    What is your favourite colour and why?
Yellow because it’s a happy colour

7.    Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?
Christchurch of course! It’s a garden city by the sea, close to the mountains with an international airport which has great connections to the rest of the world.

8.    What’s your connection to Sift?
Linda Norris

9.    Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?
Miss Tait because she was an inspiring PE teacher who played music for us.

10.    What do you want to leave behind?
A Scottish flavour for our family.

11.    What do you think the future will bring?
This question is just too hard! – maybe pigs will fly

12.    Who is someone you really admire and why?
The Queen because she’s gracious, works hard and copes with a modern, independently minded extended family.

13.    What is happening outside your window right now?
Our dogs are trying to get inside!

14.    What is your favourite breakfast?
Toast and avocado

15.    What is the best piece of advice you can give us?
Be yourself.