Selwyn_Times: July 06, 2022

Selwyn Times Wednesday July 6 2022
34
OPINION
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
ince Environment Canterbury
climate-change emergency
Wash your car on grass not driveway
Environment
Canterbury Chair
Jenny Hughey
by sea-level rise this century and
our productive and protected land
jeopardised by the arrival and
spread of new, exotic weeds and
pests from warmer climates.
All these eventualities have
to be planned and prepared for,
and Environment Canterbury
will remain in the vanguard of
these climate change efforts.
One example is the $40 million
Waimakariri River flood
protection project, completed
late last year. The network of
floodgates and stopbanks will
protect half a million people and
$8 billion of community and
business assets from a possible
“super flood”.
The last major flood was in
threatened and facing increased
pressures due to river system
change.
Wetlands are also ecosystems
at-risk nationally and regionally,
degraded by draining, damming
and diversion affecting their
ability to sequester carbon,
cleanse freshwater and mitigate
flooding, as well as impacting on
biodiversity and mahinga kai.
With biosecurity, we are
putting greater emphasis on the
risks of new pests establishing
in Canterbury. Warming
temperatures, changing soils and
new land uses mean new weeds
especially, will be able to gain a
better foothold across the region.
More broadly, we have to
IMAGINE and enhance TAKING that work. a bottle then fleet you’re hybrid not or alone. long-range electric
of That detergent work down included to your setting local by A 2018 2022. Christchurch Carbon emissions City from
stream, up a climate-change opening the lid, integration and Council air travel survey across found the organisation
close to
pouring programme the contents in the Long-term straight Plan half are of offset the respondents via our own either biodiversity
TAKE
into 2018-28, the water ensuring – into climate the habitat change didn’t programmes. know where stormwater
CARE:
of was fish actively and other considered creatures. across flowed According to thought to a Madworld it went to report a
Use the
workstreams, Of course, you increasing wouldn’t visibility do treatment in 2019, plant. our gross emissions were
lawn or
this. But did you know that a Unfortunately, it’s just not feasible
to treat it all – which is why
of gravel
an area
of the science and what we know 2253 tonnes of carbon dioxide
lot of everyday things we do
about the impact of climate (CO2) equivalent, compared with
can have similar effects. When it’s so important that we all do
if you
change on Canterbury, and liaising removals of 7883 tonnes of CO2-
large portions of communities our bit to keep things like litter,
wash your
on the issue with iwi and regional equivalent through our efficiency
car with
do
partners,
these things,
other local
it can
authorities
negatively paint,
efforts
metals,
and from
plastics,
forestry
chemicals
planting
detergent.
impact
and central
the health
government.
of our rivers,
across
and
2700
animal
hectares.
poo out of our
streams and bays.
stormwater drains.
December 1957, when parts curb reliance on fossil fuels and
As an organisation, we have The changing climate will pose
For instance, when you wash The amount and number of Washington. of Coutts Island in Belfast and In the find meantime, environmentally I encourage suitable a big contributor to stormwater
your
also made
car on
significant
the driveway,
progress
the
in
contaminants
many risks to
that
life
end
and
up
livelihood
in rivers In Kainga 2015, the were US swamped automotive by river you to alternatives, look at your such own as backyard
– hydrogen, literally – to and power think our about public For more tips, have a read of
electricity pollution. and
run-off
addressing
that
our
goes
own
down
greenhousegas
emissions, grate with usually our goes we
the and
in
streams
Canterbury.
is quite
In
astonishing.
recent years industry flow peaking and the at US 3990 Environmental
metres Protection per second Agency (cumecs). signed ways you transport. can help keep our our Council’s stormwater page at
cubic
stormwater For
have
instance,
seen
each
how occasional,
year around
straight Christchurch to waterways. building receiving a 31 but tonnes extreme, of zinc weather and 4.5 events tonnes have a voluntary The protection agreement scheme to roll has out been waterways When clean. my predecessor Steve ecan.govt.nz/stormwater.
“market-leading” While most people energy don’t efficiency give of had copper huge enter effects the on Heathcote, residents and similar designed measures. to defend Christchurch Washing Lowndes your retired car on as grass chair of I believe everyone has an ethical
duty to help the environment,
stormwater rating of 5.0 a out second of 6 in thought the year in Avon, infrastructure Styx and Halswell around the rivers. South I fear from other a flood countries, of as much including
cumecs. New Zealand, are dragging absorbs highlighted the detergent. some Keep of the your big and it starts at home. If we all
as 6500 or gravel this is council a good late start, last as year, this he
their to February daily lives, on the I’m National hoping I can Island. Vehicles are a big contributor.
convince Australian you Built to look Environment at the topic When The you driest pump parts the of brakes, our region, fine their heels Environment the issue. Canterbury’s vehicle changes well maintained, on the way. including
checking optimistic for we oil would leaks. be able to can be huge.
He was make small changes, the results
Rating a new System light. New Zealand. particles along the of copper Marlborough fall onto coast the and Christchurch leadership of mayor biodiversity Lianne and
In The fact, building’s you may features have seen include road. across When much it rains, of the these Canterbury shavings
Plains, get washed are expected into the to storm-
get even the underpinned Government, by calling climate-change for paintbrushes climate change in the laundry and sustainability. sink, waterways go even further down
Dalziel biosecurity and I recently programmes wrote to is also When deal doing with DIY, the “pressing rinse your issues” of Let’s not let the health of our
some 184 solar recent panels ads encouraging
generate people more to be than a Stormwater 55,000 water drier. system North-westerly – along with storms zinc are more concerns. action with this issue. We not directly I share into his the confidence. stormwa-
As a the drain.
which can
Superhero. kilowatt hours of electricity per from predicted tyre wear. to become more intense, want further analysis undertaken
drain. Sweep up things like
year. If you didn’t know that stormwater
grates It’s almost always year lead matter since of reducing the Environment amount of calities of implementing such a Canterbury
The United States is taking the practi-
Canterbury’s distinct braided community, and as a council,
263 x 180
There has been a 26% reduction turning our braided rivers into
we are taking some bold steps to
many challenges. The rivers form property. ensure we are in a better place to
directly per staff to member waterways in emissions (particularly
in declared urban Christchurch), a climate-change emergency
passing
copper brake pads seriously, policy – and we’re asking to meet And, always pick up after your
roaring laws rapids, in California fuelling landslides
and a officials vital ecological on the matter. link and provide cope with the changing climate
since 30 June 2010. We now have dog. E. and coli the from tests animal it will poo set us. is But
access to electric and hybrid
Canterbury’s coastal
nesting grounds for 26 species of there will always be a need to do
vehicles
JENNY
and hope
HUGHEY
to have
explains
half our
what
communities will be threatened native birds – most classified as
by sea-level
more.
rise this century and threatened and facing increased
Need
the council has been doing.
A
our productive and protected land pressures due to river system
The formal declaration of a
jeopardised by the arrival and
state of climate emergency across Environment
Massage?
Chair
change.
spread of new, exotic weeds and Wetlands are also ecosystems
Canterbury was one of the most
pests from warmer climates. at-risk nationally and regionally,
serious, and colourful, moments
Jenny Hughey
All these eventualities have degraded by draining, damming
in the regional council’s more than
to be planned and prepared for, and diversion affecting their
30-year history.
and enhance that work.
fleet hybrid or long-range electric
and Environment Canterbury ability to sequester carbon,
A year ago this Saturday,
That work included setting by 2022. Carbon emissions from
will remain in the vanguard of cleanse freshwater and mitigate
at 11.49am, Environment
Canterbury became New Zealand’s
these climate change efforts. flooding, as well as impacting on
Stop suffering from stress, tension, headaches, anxiety,
One example
stiff
is the $40
muscles
million biodiversity
and
and
fatigue.
mahinga kai.
programme in the Long-term Plan are offset via our own biodiversity
first council to proclaim such an
Waimakariri River flood
With biosecurity, we are
2018-28, ensuring climate change programmes.
emergency, formally dedicating
protection project, completed putting greater emphasis on the
was actively considered across According to a Madworld report
itself to consideration of climate
late last year. The network of risks of new pests establishing
workstreams, The increasing State-of-the-art visibility in 2019, our gross emissions were Robotic
change at the heart of all it does.
floodgates and stopbanks
Massage
will in Canterbury.
Chair.
Warming
of the science and what we know 2253 tonnes of carbon dioxide
The declaration highlighted
protect half a million people and temperatures, changing soils and
about the impact of climate (CO2) equivalent, compared with
that all the work Environment
· Enjoy a luxurious, professional $8 billion full body of community massage and in the new comfort land uses mean of your new weeds
change on Canterbury, and liaising removals of 7883 tonnes of CO2-
Canterbury does – from
business assets from a possible especially, will be able to gain a
on the issue with iwi and regional own equivalent home through our efficiency
freshwater management to
“super flood”.
better foothold across the region.
partners, other local authorities efforts and from forestry planting
biodiversity and biosecurity,
The last major flood was More broadly, we have to
and central government.
across 2700 hectares.
transport and urban development
· Advanced optical sensors combined December 1957, with when intelligent parts bio-mapping curb reliance on for fossil a fuels and
to air quality, and also regional
As an organisation, we have The changing climate will pose of Coutts Island in Belfast and find environmentally suitable
leadership – has a climate change
also made significant progress in customised many risks life massage and livelihood Kainga were swamped by river alternatives, such as electricity and
focus.
addressing our own greenhousegas
emissions, with our · Hi-tech we have seen intelligent how occasional, robotic hands
in Canterbury. In recent years flow peaking at 3990 cubic hydrogen, to power our public
Currently, under the Resource
metres
deliver
per second
a
(cumecs).
3D massage
transport.
to melt away stress
Management Act, regional Christchurch building receiving a
&
but
tension
extreme, weather events have The protection scheme has been When my predecessor Steve
councils are required only to adapt “market-leading” energy efficiency had huge effects on residents and designed to defend Christchurch Lowndes retired as chair of
to climate change, not mitigate rating of 5.0 out of 6 in the year infrastructure around the South
· Multiple massage types including from a flood Shiatsu, of as much Swedish as 6500 & Thai this council Foot late Massage last year, he
it – that responsibility is the to February on the National Island.
cumecs.
highlighted some of the big
Government’s, but could change. Australian Built Environment The driest parts of our region, Environment Canterbury’s changes on the way. He was
Even in ‘adapt mode’ many Rating System New Zealand. along the Marlborough
Free
coast and leadership of biodiversity and optimistic we would be able to
of Environment Canterbury’s The building’s features include across much of the Canterbury biosecurity programmes is also deal with the “pressing issues” of
existing policies and plans already 184 solar panels which can Plains, are expected to get even underpinned by climate-change climate change and sustainability.
contribute to reduced emissions. generate more than 55,000 drier. North-westerly storms are concerns.
I share his confidence. As a
In declaring the climate
kilowatt hours of electricity per predicted to become more intense, Canterbury’s distinct braided community, and as a council,
emergency, the Council noted it year.
with torrential alpine rainstorms rivers and unique wetlands face we are taking some bold steps to
would continue to show leadership There has been a 26% reduction turning our braided rivers into many challenges. The rivers form ensure we are in a better place to
on climate-change and do so per staff member in emissions roaring rapids, fuelling TEBO landslides a Neck
vital ecological link and provide cope with the changing climate
without adding new programmes
at ratepayers’ expense. It also gave
staff a clear mandate to continue
since 30 June 2010. We now have
access to electric and hybrid
vehicles and hope to have half our
and causing widespread erosion.
Canterbury’s coastal
communities will be threatened
an abundant food supply and
nesting grounds for 26 species of
native birds – most classified as
and the tests it will set us. But
there will always be a need to do
more.
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