Next week from Monday 16 January to Friday 20 January 2012 we'll be trialing an electric bike provided by More Mobility Hamilton. If you'd like to  take a spin and to find out more about electric bikes, then feel free to drop in to our office at 25 Ward Street, Hamilton. 

We also have available information from Cycle Action Waikato regarding cycling facilities and cycle routes in and around Hamilton.

If you're keen on cycling to work in the CBD but are discouraged by a lack of showering facilities at your office, then Velo Espresso in Garden Place offers offers cycle commuter facilities including showers, lockers and secure bicycle storage.

Green Card holders: show your card at Velo Espresso for 10% discount on coffee, food, bikes and cycle workshop costs.

A unique lifestyle opportunity in beautiful bush surroundings of Te Kauri Park.

Part-time Custodian position includes managing lodge bookings, welcoming lodge guests,  lodge operation and general maintenance.

Would suit a recently retired or semi-retired person or couple with an interest in conservation, excellent customer relations and general handy-person skills. Physical fitness and computer experience also required.

Accommodation provided (unfurnished 3-bedroom house).

Full job description available by request to  president@junats.org.nz,  or Dave Matthews 07 846 4013 or Mike Safey 07 855 1242.

CV  and covering letter to be sent to: Custodian Position, Hamilton Junior Naturalist Club (Inc), PO Box 7030 Hamilton 3247, or to president@junats.org.nz

Applications close 12 January 2012

special evening market

4pm to 7pm, this Friday 23 December 2011

Rugby Park, Mill Street, Hamilton

(in substitution of the usual Sunday market, which would fall on Christmas Day). 

Stock up for Christmas - it will all be there, all locally grown and made.

Plump strawberries, pots of Horsham Downs honey,  fresh dug potatoes (of all varieties) and beans, beans, beans. The artesan bread makers will be there, as well as many other regulars.

How much better can it get?

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Green Card holders - if you find the following traders at the Market then do present your Green Card for discounts: Celtic Cuisine (10% discount on purhases of 2 or more items of delicious bread and baking  marketground.co.nz/celticuisine) and Nature's Country Gold (10% discount on pure NZ honey, excluding Active Manuka www.naturescountrygold.co.nz)

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

We hope you're taking a summer break - we certainly are!

Our hours over December/January period

Monday - Friday 10 am-4pm

CLOSED from 23 December 2011, OPEN from 9 January 2012

Over 60 people attended the Waikato Environment Centre’s Green Christmas and Environmental Awards evening on Monday 12 December 2011

Awards were presented to recognise and reward the hard work of environmental volunteer groups and individuals in the Waikato region. Thanks also to our fabulous sponsors!

HAMILTON CITY COUNCIL KOWHAI AWARD $400 to Mangaiti Gully Restoration Group for its work in the local environment through community involvement, pest control, clearing, and planting.

PRINT HOUSE GREEN PROMOTION AWARD to Hamilton Permaculture Trust for continuing to inspire and encourage individuals and communities in the Waikato region to adopt sustainable practices.

WAIKATO ENVIRONMENT CENTRE COMMUNITY AWARD to Graham and Di McBride for their outstanding contribution to sustainability.

WAIKATO ENVIRONMENT CENTRE INDIVIDUAL AWARD to Bunny Mortimer in recognition for her outstanding contribution to environmental awareness and action in the Waikato.

WAIKATO ENVIRONMENT CENTRE SPECIAL AWARD to Don Osborne for many years of ecological restoration work in Sandford Park, Hamilton.

Many thanks to Waikato Show for providing the venue, to Edible Solutions for catering and to Hamilton Wine Company for a selection of sustainably produced NZ pinot noir.  Local band “Apronstrings” provided stringed entertainment (thank you to Hillcrest Normal School for the loan of 30 ukuleles!), while guests trialed electric bikes from More Mobility Hamilton.

A very enjoyable night that brought community together with fun and awards.

Photo of all award recipents here: http://www.envirocentre.org.nz/http_envirocentre_wordjot_co_n/green_christmas_2011/

Put your Green Card to work by presenting it at;

Poppie’s ‘My kind of bookshop’

Casabella Lane, off Barton Street, Hamilton

 Green Card holder discount: 10% off stock not already discounted

Poppie’s wide range of titles is admirable and this Christmas one of our favourite ‘green’ books is;

Green Urban Living, by Janet Luke

Janet Luke BLA, MRP (Hons) holds a Masters degree in Environmental and Resource Planning and is a qualified landscape architect. Her book details the art of “gurbing” or ‘Green Urban Living’ - a way of working with nature to create a productive urban garden. It might just be a worm-farm on an apartment balcony or some herbs in pots but the basic principles are the same. Traditional Kiwi backyard methods sit alongside modern concepts like recycling, organics, using water sustainably to grow food, and keeping chickens and bees in an urban environment. The book also includes handy hints from green community forums, and easy and original ideas - from planting a tree, to building a chicken tractor, a garden bug Hilton hotel, or growing lolly flowers for the kids to enjoy.

For more information about Janet Luke, her book Green Urban Living, and of course all the other titles in Poppie’s Christmas catalogue, visit Poppie’s website: http://poppiesqueenwood.circlesoft.net/catalog/36470-ChristmasBrochure

To become an individual member of the Waikato Environment Centre – or to renew your individual membership - and thus receive (amongst other good things) a Green Card offering discounts at over 25 local businesses within the Waikato, please visit our website: http://www.envirocentre.org.nz/register/

Save money, save the environment, and conquer distance and hills with ease with electric bikes.

More Mobility Hamilton’s Brian Parker recently allowed Waikato Environment Centre to test drive several of his electric bikes at our Green Christmas celebration – on a soggy December afternoon, on wet grass, we easily achieved powered speeds comparable to, say, a scooter in a busy traffic.

Electric bikes allow you to arrive at work feeling and smelling fresh having let the rechargeable battery ‘drive’ your trip. On the way home, leave the battery off for an exercise workout. And More Moblity’s electric bikes allow you to combine pedal power and battery, to zip around even faster both on and off road.

At around the same purchase cost as a good quality new pedal bike, More Moblity’s electric bikes win hands-down on low maintenance and running costs. A fully charged battery usually travels up to 50km and is easily recharged by being plugged into your normal household power supply – when used daily for trips around town, recharging normally takes less than 60 minutes (or can be done overnight). A driver’s licence is not required, making electric bikes perfect for younger family members or those who are unable or chose not to drive.

More Mobilty’s electric bikes offer:

• Power assisted cycling to help you go the distance, and climb hills easily

• Low running costs

• Faster travel through reduced congestion

• Work as little or as much as you want and arrive fresh at your destination

• Increase your fitness

• Clean, green mode of transport

• Sustainable – just charge and go

• Motorised, but still a bicycle - none of the costs of a car!

More Mobility Hamilton (corner Palmerston and Pembroke Streets, Hamilton). For more details visit: http://moremobilityhamilton.co.nz/electric-bikes/

Funding Workshop for sports clubs and community groups

6pm - 8.30pm, Monday 20 February 2012

Matamata Piako District Council Offices (corner Tui and Tainui Streets, Matamata)

Spaces are limited!  RSVP by Wednesday 15 February 2012 to Ruth Stanley 07 880 9088 or 027 478 3077 ruths@sportwaikato.org.nz