Please pass around your networks! The group is promoting commuter cycling in Hamilton.
Great prizes and handouts - come and find out about Hamilton's newest cycle group

Museum January Holiday programme

note:  bat tours again, recycled toy making, riverside plant exploring, clay and mosaic days and lots else.
Looks fun, so book quickly - Phone 838 6562 or email Nicole.thorburn@hcc.govt.nz to secure a spot for your children.

Free Wool carpet
red- Approx 75m² (in pieces)
Good for weed mat and some may be salvageable for a bach or garage
Pick up from Waikato University
Contact Rachael Goddard:   rgoddard@waikato.ac.nz

Error: Apologies that the doc attached to yesterday's notice did not open. If you still want a word version pls contact the Environment Centre. 

Toy Trade Fair - 6 Jan 2014.pdf

Fostering Sustainable Behaviour change workshops coming up February

Doug McKenzie–Mohr, Ph.D., Environmental Psychologist, will be delivering introductory and advanced community-based social marketing training in Auckland this coming February. These workshops will be of interest to those working to promote waste reduction, water and energy efficiency, conservation, modal transportation changes, catchment protection, and other sustainable behaviour changes.

Introduction (February 11 & 12):  a comprehensive introduction to community-based social marketing and how it is being applied throughout the world to foster sustainable behaviours.

Advanced (February 13 & 14): This two-day advanced workshop provides an in-depth exploration of how community-based social marketing can be used to foster sustainable behaviour. 
Reduced rates are available for attending both workshops.

https://register.cbsm.com/workshops/auckland-2014

Solar cookers now available - as trialled and recommended by the Nelson Environment Centre.
Put together by a NZ company www.ebrightenergy.co.nz
For those not wanting to make their own solar ovens, Trek'n'travel now have Sunflair solar cookers for sale, which include with the oven a carry bag, 2 collapsable silicon pots, racks, baking trays, thermometer, water pasteurisation indicator, roasting pot, and user guide. Can be used to dehydrate fruit. Can be used in places where fire restrictions are in place. Sounds great! (shame Christmas is gone)
(Could also be useful for boiling water to kill weeds without using electricity, or having to resort to nasty companies' chemicals)

Welcome to 2014!

Saturday 18 January 2014.
Hamilton Toy Trade Fair 2014

Garden Place, Hamilton. Trading starts 10am. (setup from 8.30am)

Here’s the beauty of the Toy Trade Fair: not only will kids get rid of their unwanted toys and other belongings, but they’ll also learn the value of money and business. Children between the ages of 5 and 12 will have the opportunity to operate their own stall or walk around and swap their toys with other children!

There’s another upside: trading is also an environmentally friendly way to get rid of items the kids longer want.
What can you sell? Children can bring along any unwanted or gently used toys, books, trading cards, clothes, comic books, video games (or anything else you think of). It just has to be stuff other children would like to buy or swap . There are two exceptions – no selling food or drinks.
Children can bring as many items as they wish. If only a few items are being brought along and the child(ren) do not want to set up a stall, they can just walk around the fair trying to sell or swap their items. The only conditions are they must be registered and have an accompanying adult on-site.

Please note: Only children’s items may be sold and children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. And because the event is an educational experience for the kids, each stall must have at least one child participating . Adults without a registered child will be asked to leave.

See attached for more details 

SIGP - Toy Trade Fair - 6 Jan 2014.docx

WCEET Annual Funding Round Now Open

The Waikato Catchment Ecological Enhancement Trust is now seeking applications for its 2014 funding round for ecological enhancement projects in the Lake Taupo and Waikato River catchments. Applications close on 31 January 2014.

To obtain an application form or further information about the Waikato Catchment Ecological Enhancement Trust email: enquiries@wceet.org.nz or visit www.wceet.org.nz

Funding will go towards assisting organisations, agencies and individuals with projects that foster and enhance the sustainable management of ecological resources in the Lake Taupo and Waikato River catchments

The Trust is seeking applications from projects throughout the Waikato Catchment consistent with the Trust’s objectives:

· Enhancement of wetland values in the Lake Taupo and Waikato River catchments.

· Enhancement of indigenous biodiversity in the Lake Taupo and Waikato River catchments.

· Enhancement of the sports fishery and game bird population in the Lake Taupo and Waikato River catchments.

· Mitigation of any adverse effects of the operation of the Waikato Hydro System on the ecological environments in the Lake Taupo and Waikato River catchments.

Since 2004, WCEET has distributed over $3.2 million throughout the Waikato catchment with a further $669,000 committed over the next four years. WCEET supports projects throughout the catchment that maintain and enhance indigenous biodiversity, sports fisheries and game bird populations. Projects funded previously have included riparian fencing, improved fish passage, pest trapping, native tree cultivation and planting.

In 2013 WCEET distributed grants to organisations throughout the Waikato such as: Whaingaroa Harbour Care, Ngati Haua Mahi Trust, Tauhara No. 2 Trust, Waahi Pa, Lower Mangapiko Streamcare Group, Eastern Region Fish and Game, Waikato RiverCare, Waikato Regional Council, Thomas and Ruth McCaughan, Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, Mandy and John Villacorte, Auckland Waikato Fish and Game, Waikato Raupatu River Trust and Ngati Rongomai Trust. As in previous years, WCEET will continue supporting both small and large projects in 2014.

Dr Verkerk said WCEET was made up of a wide range of Waikato organisations that have a close association with the Lake Taupo-Waikato River catchment.
“Members of the Trust include representatives from Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, Department of Conservation, Fish and Game New Zealand, Mighty River Power and the Advisory Committee for the Waikato Regional Council”, she said.

For further information contact either:

Dr Gwyneth Verkerk
Mobile 021 131 8234
Email: verkerkg@paradise.net.nz

Larnie Chrystall
Phone 07 858 8501
Email: Larnie.chrystall@mightyriver.co.nz

Advisory Committee for the Regional Environment (ACRE)

Environmental advocacy group seeks nominations

The Advisory Committee for the Regional Environment (ACRE) is a voluntary organisation of 15 members who represent or have associations with many environmental groups regionally and nationally. ACRE acts as an environmental advocate and:

• advises Waikato Regional Council on new environmental policy matters, comments on the implications of existing policies and alerts the council to matters in need of attention
• networks and promotes conservation and good environmental practices in the region
• acts as a forum for ideas and concerns on environmental matters.

There are currently seven vacancies on ACRE, with nominations closing on 5 December 2013.

You can download a nomination form below:

Download a nomination form

Alternatively, contact Emma Wright on  0800 800 401  (emma.wright@waikatoregion.govt.nz).

Job Vacancy – National Coordinator

Sustainability Trust (Wellington) is seeking a part-time coordinator to establish a National Collective of Environment Centres.

This position would project manage the establishment of a functional collective, building on an existing Feasibility Study completed in January 2012. The successful candidate will update research from the Study, facilitate monthly Steering Committee meetings with Environment Centre representatives, research and offer appropriate recommendations, establish an efficient communication system between all environment centres, and coordinate effective sharing of resources and information. The position will also organise a national hui of Environment Centres and will action agreed items to progress the National Collective.

This position will be based in Wellington at Sustainability Trust, but will have a working relationship with 11 other Environment Centres around the country. It is a 15 hour/week position for one year commencing January 2014.

Please send CV and Cover letter to Christina, christina@sustaintrust.org.nz.

Applications close 4^th December 2014. (JD attached)

JD_EC National Collective Coordinator.docx

Westpac: Stop Financing Coal Mining on the Denniston Plateau

Bathurst Resources wants to turn the spectacular Denniston Plateau into a large open cast coal mine. And Westpac is helping finance them.  

Tell Westpac you want them to stop funding climate change, especially coal mining on the Denniston Plateau.

A group, 350.org. and Coal Action Network is organising an action outside Westpac at the beginning of December to tell them to call in their loan and stop extending financing to Bathurst Resources Ltd.

This action is based around climate change issues; that we should be developing alternatives to digging coal out of the ground.

If you are interested in helping with the action, contact the Environment Centre 839 4452 or email and we will organise a meeting early next week.