Signatory News

IAG welcomes the release of the draft National Adaptation Plan

IAG welcomes the release of the draft National Adaptation Plan

Amanda Whiting, CEO IAG New Zealand says, “Climate change is happening. It is a critical issue for our country, and it is already having serious impacts on the lives of New Zealanders through more frequent and intense storms, floods, droughts, wildfires, and in time, rising sea levels.

“As New Zealand’s largest general insurer, with a relationship with one in two households, we see first-hand the devastating impact these events have on New Zealanders and how they put people’s lives at risk.

Victoria University of Wellington – Changing behaviours of a university community

Victoria University of Wellington – Changing behaviours of a university community

With approximately 22,000 students, Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington is its own small city in the heart of the capital.

As a sustainability engagement coordinator, or kaitaupua toitū, Andrea Marsden is one of a small team whose goal is to change the habits of that number for the better, from worm farms to reusable coffee cups.

The world’s climate is changing; the latest IPCC report says there is still time left to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. That means changing behaviours drastically.

Hydrogen-powered car-share scheme a first for New Zealand, Toyota says

Hydrogen-powered car-share scheme a first for New Zealand, Toyota says

Eight New Zealand companies will share a fleet of four hydrogen-powered cars in what is being described as the first commercial application of hydrogen fuel cell technology in New Zealand.

Toyota will provide The Warehouse, Air New Zealand, Saatchi and Saatchi, TVNZ, Beca, Westpac, Spark and Z Energy with Mirai cars which run off green hydrogen (hydrogen produced from renewable energy).

Spark – Successful trial of solar-compacting bin in Nelson’s central city

Spark – Successful trial of solar-compacting bin in Nelson’s central city

Results from a Nelson City Council and Spark New Zealand joint trial of a ‘smart’ solar-compacting bin in Nelson’s city centre, shows that collection frequency is reduced by more than 50 per cent.

The trial bin, on loan to Nelson City Council from Bigbelly bins, is equipped with a small solar-powered compactor. A sensor inside the bin activates the compactor, which crushes the rubbish, allowing the bin to hold up to five times more than a standard New Zealand rubbish bin.

Silver Fern Farms – Regenerating the meat industry by taking care of the land

Silver Fern Farms – Regenerating the meat industry by taking care of the land

The red meat industry can regenerate both their land and the relationship they have with their consumers, meat industry experts say.

Speaking at a recent webinar about regenerating the meat industry, Simon Limmer, chief executive of Silver Fern Farms, said the agriculture industry needed to adapt to survive in an environment where consumers have changed the way they approach meat.

Meat was not the centre of the plate any more, with conscious consumers thinking of both the health benefit and the environmental impact of the products they consumed, Limmer said.

SkyCity – Sky Tower switching lights off for Earth Hour

SkyCity – Sky Tower switching lights off for Earth Hour

This Saturday, the Sky Tower lights will be switched off in support of Earth Hour, the global initiative shining its own light on climate change.

The tower will ‘go dark’, with the lights going off from 8.30pm to 9.30pm to raise awareness for the need to grow sustainably as businesses, individuals, and a nation.

3R –  Trash into treasure

3R – Trash into treasure

Hawke’s Bay is one of the country’s biggest food producers, which also means we are one of the biggest creators of food production waste.

But an exciting new project is set to tackle this.

The recently launched initiative – Sustainable is Attainable Hawke’s Bay – is working to change trash into treasure, not only keeping waste from landfill but developing high-value by-products. With around 30 local businesses already committed to the project, it’s off to a strong start.

Kowbucha: Fonterra researching natural ways to stop cows burping

Kowbucha: Fonterra researching natural ways to stop cows burping

Fonterra has been busy researching the answer to the dairy industry’s million-dollar question; how can we stop cows from burping?

The co-op’s research and development (R&D) centre has been looking at natural ways to inhibit cows from producing methane and has come up with something they’re calling Kowbucha.

The aim of Kowbucha is to create new fermentations that switch off the bugs that make methane in cows.