Reel Earth Movies Re-Screenings:

Deep Green

Tonight Wednesday 28 September 2011

7.30pm @ Waikato Environment Centre

Level One, 25 Ward Street, Hamilton

Tomorrow Thursday 29 September 2011

Tide of Change

A Mongolian Couch

Landscapes at the World's End

Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000

7.30pm @ Waikato Environment Centre

Level One, 25 Ward Street, Hamilton

Tide of Change

(12 min)

BEST ULTRA SHORT AWARD

Director: Amie Batalibasi

Filmmaker Amie Batalibasi visited her family village of LIlisiana, Solomon Islands, at a time when the village was affected by the extreme high tides due to climate change. Batalibasi documents the stories of the people, interwoven with events surrounding the loss of a loved one, as the sea rises around a community on the brink of inevitable change.

A Mongolian Couch

(12 min)

Directors: Eva Arnold and George Clipp

Begzsuren lives with his wife and four children in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and possesses an inspiring passion to improve both his family's and his community's lot. Installing a rain water shower, changing his family's diet, planting trees, Begzsuren is a busy, dedicated and extremely forward-thinking Mongolian. Begzsuren welcomes guests into his home from all over the world, offering aspects of traditional Mongolian culture and in exchange his guests offer insight into how they live and work back home. Begzsuren is exploring and inviting the world into his home, slowly but surely improving his own world.

Landscapes at the World's Ends

(30 min)

BEST NEW ZEALAND CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD

Director: Richard Sidey

A non-verbal visual journey to the polar regions of our planet portrayed through a triptych montage of photography and video recorded above the Arctic Circle and below the Antarctic Convergence.  New Zealand nature photographer and filmmaker Richard Sidey documents light and time in an effort to share his experiences and the beauty that exists over the frozen seas.

Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000

(30 min)

BEST SHORT FILM AWARD

Director: Dorie Clark

An unlikely activist, Marion Stoddart lived next to one of America’s most polluted rivers and unexpectedly transformed herself from a housewife and mother to an environmental leader and citizen hero honored by the United Nations. Film chronicles Stoddart's unwavering belief that one person can make a difference.

from Barry Harris, Chief Executive, Hamilton City Council.

As an individual or representative of a group, with a particular interest in our city, I am writing to let you know about some key Hamilton City Council meetings coming up as part of the next stage of our city’s 10 Year Plan for 2012 - 2022. 

We are at the start of the process of reviewing all areas of Council’s business to ensure we’re in a stronger financial position for the future.

In order to keep the city’s debt under control, a target of $14.5 million in operational savings has been set.  This requires Council to make some difficult decisions around which services should stop, which services and grants should be reduced, changes to fees and charges, reductions in project spending as well as considering new initiatives and ownership of Council owned assets. 

Between now and the end of October Council will be scrutinising 22 areas covering all of our business. Decisions made by Councillors will feed into the draft 10-Year Plan which will be formally consulted on with the public in March/April next year, before being adopted from July 2012. 

The public is welcome to attend all these meetings, with a 30 minute public forum at the start from 9.30am. There is also the opportunity to share views informally at our online forum.  Meeting papers relating to the meetings can be found on our website.

The programme of meetings and areas being scrutinised at each meeting are outlined below. I would invite you to get involved and make your views known, either now and/or early next year when the draft 10-Year will be available for formal consultation. 

Kind regards 

Barry Harris, Chief Executive, Hamilton City Council.

Barry Harris

Chief Executive, Hamilton City Council

Level 1, Council Building, Garden Place, Hamilton

Private Bag 3010 Hamilton 3240

Phone 07 838 6975, mobile 021 307 221

barry.harris@hcc.govt.nz

Reel Earth Environment Film Festival continues

All movies in the Waikato Environment Centre, 25 Ward St, Hamilton

28th September 7.30pm  $10

As some people missed  Deep Green last week we have decided to rescreen it, and will be also using it as a fundraiser to help a very inspiring young New Zealander attend the next Climate Conference in Durban. Brittany Parker was awarded a Green Ribbon award last year, and is an inspirational young woman and potential leader, who is being supported by Environment Centres to attend the conference as a youth delegate.

Deep Green  focuses on solutions to climate change, and commentaries by some of the world's most articulate and thoughtful leaders - Amory Lovins, Lester Brown, David Suzuki.Nice to have a movie looking at a range of options for the future.

29th September 7.30pm 

$10  (free entry for those who came last friday)
We have rescheduled the movies that were due to be shown last friday, but due to technical hitches, the showing did not happen. The Environment Centre apologies to those who turned up, and hope that you might be able to attend this evening - Screening guaranteed.
The movies are
A Mongolian Couch (12 mins)
A forward thinking Mongolian family welcome visitors to their yurt home, and make changes to improve their lives
Tide of Change (12 Min) about sea level changes in the Solomons.
Landscapes at the World's Ends (30mins)
A non-verbal visual journey to the polar regions portrayed through a triptych montage of photography and video.
Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000 (30min)
The story of a housewife, mother and unexpected activist, who becomes an environmental leader and citizen hero honoured by the UN.

Friends of Waiwhakareke Working Bee

Saturday 24 September 2011, 9am-12midday

Meet on Baverstock Road entrance to the Park near the signage. Bring gumboots, spades, gloves and morning tea. We will be planting.

Enquiries: Moira Cursey 07 846 5066 (Waikato Biodiversity Forum Co-ordinator)

www.waiwhakareke.co.nz

Monday 26 September 2011, 6:30pm

$10 entry (inc hot drinks – no eftpos, sorry)

The Greenspace – 60 Te Aroha Street, Hamilton East, Hamilton

Just in time for your spring building projects, Hamilton East’s unique meeting venue, The Greenspace, is offering a great evening seminar on eco-thrifty renovation for homeowners.

You’ll see two informative presentations from owners who remodelled their own character buildings – as well as get a “backstage” look at The Greenspace and find out why it has won awards for green building design and management. The two different projects on show will give you a lot of insight into the marriage between economical and ecological renovation, and prove that it’s not expensive to create your own green home.

From discussing different perspectives on “greening” your home, to sharing mistakes and pitfalls along the way, these projects offer a practical how-to guide for anyone who’d like to reduce their eco-footprint whilst still saving money. Ian Mayes (HCC’s Eco-Design Advisor) will also be on hand to answer questions about local support for environmentally-friendly design initiatives.

 Register your interest at: http://www.thegreenspace.co.nz/EcoRetroFitTalkandTour.html

Plant and Animal Pest Information Evening

7pm Monday 26 September 2011

Waikato Environment Centre, Level One, 25 Ward Street, Hamilton

Help rid gullies of weeds and protect tui chicks from rats and possums this spring.  Information and practical demonstration of products will be provided by Duncan MacMorran and Steve Hix from the Connovation: Conservation by Innovation. Hosted by Hamilton City Council and the Gully Restoration Programme.

Connovation is leading the fight against introduced threats to local habitats. Connovation's vision is that natural ecosystems are retained and enhanced, special places are protected and threatened species return and thrive. 

www.connovation.co.nz     www.gullyguide.co.nz

Contact Tim Newton 8386878 for more information.

FLEETBIKES

Cycle Action Waikato (CAWaikato) have 2 Fleetbikes for loan to Hamilton Businesses free of charge.*

With congestion and other traffic and parking issues increasing, these bikes enable your staff to reduce vehicle usage for short work-based trips. Great for travelling to inner city meetings, the bikes are fitted with large waterproof saddlebags for carrying items.

Your organisation could be the next to benefit!

REGISTER NOW. Copy and complete the Application of Interest Form below and email it to: cawaikato@can.org.nz  by Wednesday 28th September 2011

Lease period October 2011 - 30 September 2012.

*Minor Maintenance costs of $70 per Fleetbike apply

Application of Interest Form – Cycle Action Waikato FLEETBIKES

Loan period from October 2011 to end of September 2012.

• Name and Postal Address of Organisation.
• Physical Location of Organisation workplace.
• What is the business of your Organisation?
• What environmental initiatives does your company do?
• How many vehicles are there in your current vehicle fleet?
• How many staff are employed by your Organisation?
• How often do your staff make short local trips? and where to? (e.g. remote depot).
• Would your staff be prepared to travel for short work trips by bike?
• How many bikes would your organisation utilise? (1 or 2), and why?
• Who is the person(s) in your organisation who will “champion” the promotion and organisation of the fleetbikes?
• Do you have management buy-in to support the loan fleetbikes use, and the purchase of your company’s own fleetbikes provided there is sufficient use?
• Do you have safe storage space for fleetbikes? Describe it.
• There is a standard $70.00 per bike maintenance fee, and also any expenses incurred through accident or theft. Is your organisation prepared to cover this?
• How did you find out about the Fleetbikes?
• Briefly, tell us why your organisation would like these fleetbikes?

Contact: Robbie Price - Chairman, Cycle Action Waikato. 07 859 3791daytime, 07 850 1217 evening,  cawaikato@can.org.nz

Have you snapped a fantastic image of a bellbird or tui in Hamilton this year? Send in your photo to go in the draw to win!

Categories: child (up to age 14), adults (14 years +)

Prizes: child (best 2 images) - soft toy tui. Adult (best 2 images) - family pass to "Eco Tour: Kiwi Watch" at Otorohanga Kiwi House.

Prizes courtesy of Otorohanga Kiwi House kiwihouse.org.nz

Competition closes Friday 30 September 2011. Send images to halo@waikatoregion.govt.nz

Terms and conditions:  All images must be taken during 2011 and within 20 km of Hamilton. All images entered into the competion may be used by Hamilton Halo to promote Hamilton Halo project (in a variety of media) including the photo competition. If photos are used by Hamilton Halo project in any way the photographer will be attributed.

waikatoregion.govt.nz/hamiltonhalo

facebook.com/hamiltonhalo

twitter.com/hamiltonhalo

Hi Everyone,

This is the third night of the Reel Earth Environment Film Festival.
Tonight's movie is Deep Green, which focuses on solutions to climate change, and commentaries by some of the world's most articulate and thoughtful leaders - Amory Lovins, Lester Brown, David Suzuki.Nice to have a movie looking at a range of options for the future.

So come along and support the festival - audiences have been a disappointingly thin the last couple of showings, we need your support to run these events. First here get the comfy seats. Refreshments provided,

No movie tomorrow night - there is a Forest and Bird Conservation Week talk at Hamilton Gardens.  Another session of interesting movies on Friday night for those who do not want to watch rugby.

See you at 7.30pm

Cheers,
Katherine