Talk sustainability
News and views on sustainability
Issue 1, August 2007
Welcome to issue one of talk sustainability, the essential monthly update for those who follow the fast-moving field of sustainability.
This monthly newsletter covers central and local government sustainability initiatives. It includes policy work and activities that are helping New Zealanders take practical steps to live more sustainably.
There are many central and local government agencies with sustainability-related responsibilities. talk sustainability is one of several initiatives bringing together a coherent picture of the activities under way.
Many of the agencies involved have websites rich in practical information, and there is now a single 'front door' leading to them: www.sustainability.govt.nz. This page will be replaced later in the year by a comprehensive sustainability portal with information, advice, competitions and an ecological calculator.
To reinforce the coordinated approach, a new logo is being introduced to connect the distinct programmes that bring about sustainability outcomes. The logo, which appears in the title of this newsletter, helps people make connections between the word ‘sustainability’ to various sustainable actions, like riding a bike, taking a bus, and not using plastic bags.
We hope you enjoy talk sustainability, and we welcome your feedback – please send to susan.bisset@mfe.govt.nz To join the distribution list, please email jane.tier@mfe.govt.nz – we encourage you to be sustainable and subscribe electronically!
Kind regards
Lindsay Gow
Deputy Chief Executive
Ministry for the Environment
Sustainability hits the home shows…
Visitors to this year’s Auckland Home Show, including thousands of potential home builders and renovators, will get to see the latest developments in sustainable home building and design, as well as energy efficiency tips.
For the first time, a sustainability booth will feature at the show on 12-16 September, run by staff from the Ministry for the Environment, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, and the Department of Building and Housing.
“This is an exciting new way of reaching homeowners, at the point when they are most receptive to learning about how to make sustainable choices in their homes,” explains Vicki Connor of EECA. “If this trial goes well, we will take the idea to other home shows around New Zealand.”
Last year 55,000 people visited the Auckland Home Show, of whom 85 per cent were planning home projects including building and renovations.
…and hits the road
The sustainability message is being taken to the heartland, through forums with business, local government and community groups. The aim is to increase awareness and take-up of sustainability actions.
The business partnerships for sustainability programme, led by the Ministry of Economic Development, aims to promote sustainable business practice. More than 100 business people attended initial meetings in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in June and July.
Household sustainability regional forums are also under way. These meetings encourage people to identify barriers and think about how they can take action in their own communities.
Thirty people attended the first event in Palmerston North on 20 July. Further events will be held in Hawke's Bay on 24 August and Hamilton on 28 September. The Environment Ministry is talking with Auckland, Wellington, New Plymouth, Christchurch and Dunedin councils about holding forums after the local body elections.
Energy Efficiency campaign under way
Dozens of sensible, practical tips on saving energy while staying warm – and saving money – are starting to reach the media.
An Energy Efficiency campaign, run jointly by the Department of Building and Housing and the Consumer’s Institute, aims to help householders cut their power bills, improve their health and comfort, and maintain and improve property values, while also reducing their own environmental impact.
Mike Stannard, of the Department of Building and Housing, said the campaign started in late July with community newspaper inserts to 1.2 million households. Some 60,000 Your Guide to a $marter Home booklets have been printed with more detailed information, and television advertising will run from August to September, referring consumers to the Smarter Homes website and the booklet.
Smarter Homes website popular
The Smarter Homes website www.smarterhomes.org.nz has had more than 18,000 visits since being launched on 21 June.
The site, run by the Department of Building and Housing, brings together information on making homes warmer, drier, healthier, and more energy-efficient, so New Zealanders can make smarter choices for themselves and the environment.
The site has something for everyone with an interest in property, including homeowners, renters, and building and property professionals. Topics covered include design, energy, water, siting and landscaping, materials and construction. There are several case studies, and a Homesmarts Calculator for browsers to check how their homes measure up.
Packed sustainability work programme
Sustainability is now at the forefront of the government’s work programme, with agencies working on more than 100 separate sustainability policy initiatives.
Sustainability work is under way in diverse fields including climate change, energy, transport, the building sector, waste, natural resources, biodiversity and conservation, and research, science and technology.
Major initiatives include consideration of an emissions trading scheme; the New Zealand Energy Strategy; public transport investment; fuel efficiency and emissions improvement work; review of the Building Code; sustainable natural resource management programmes for land, water, air quality and fisheries; biodiversity conservation; marine protected areas; and environmental research funding.
There are also programmes encouraging sustainable practices in households and businesses, and government departments are 'leading by example' through work towards a carbon neutral public service and sustainable procurement.
Product ecolabelling takes off
Consumers can now choose from an expanding range of certified New Zealand made environmentally preferable products.
Environmental Choice New Zealand, the government’s ecolabel, has certified 800 products. This continues the trend of a doubling each year in the number of companies gaining approvals for their products.
The New Zealand Ecolabelling Trust runs the certification programme for the Ministry for the Environment. General Manager Robin Taylor says 25 companies currently have licensed products. He has another 11 companies with products going through the thorough assessment process.
“It’s pretty comprehensive. We need documented evidence that they comply with our internationally based specifications. We use a rigorous process that covers the full life-cycle of the product,” he said.
Prime Minister Helen Clark recently told EnviroNZ magazine that businesses using the eco-label now had a “competitive advantage” in terms of eco-procurement.
“There’s no doubt that both central and local government procurement managers are looking for evidence of sustainability,” Mr Taylor said. “It’s also in business to business – a lot of international organisations are looking for sustainability in their procurement.”
The Environmental Choice programme complements wider eco-verification work now under way. Details of this will be covered in later editions of talk sustainability.
Govt3 achieves huge waste improvements
Waste reduction efforts are leading to massive reductions in landfill rubbish from government agencies.
'Before and after' waste audits by the Ministry for the Environment show that most agencies are achieving overall waste reductions of more than 50 per cent, with some getting more than 80 per cent.
The Ministry for the Environment, which runs the Govt3 sustainable practice programme, has conducted baseline and follow-up audits of 18 government offices. All re-audited agencies have shown improvements, with 13 achieving 50 per cent-plus reductions.
Stand-out performers included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with an 82 per cent reduction, Treasury with 80 per cent, and the Environment Ministry itself, with 87 per cent.
Kirsten Haupt, who runs the Govt3 waste reduction programme for the Environment Ministry, said that experience showed large rubbish bins at working desks were counter-productive to a recycling scheme. Govt3 now promotes the double-bin system, which uses a small on-desk rubbish box, or 'cube', for general rubbish, and a paper-only bin under each desk. Both are sorted by staff into central waste and recycling bins on each floor.
“We have helped install 24 double-bin recycling schemes since June last year. This brings the total number of recycling schemes in government agencies, including Ministers' offices and the Prime Minister's office, to 36,” Kirsten says.
The waste audit data showed an average reduction of more than 50 per cent, from 58.77kg to 23.98kg per staff member per year (see table). The data also shows a reduction in paper and recyclable waste as a proportion of the total, with compostable waste going up.
“This is because not all agencies have introduced composting schemes yet,” Kirsten says. “As more move to composting, we expect to see further falls in total landfill waste.”
Average distribution of waste categories
Initial and most recent waste audits (Average of government offices audited)
Text description of the graph
This bar graph shows the decrease in waste at government offices.
The initial waste audit of government offices shows that the total waste was 58.77 kg. This was made up of 17% recyclables, 28% paper, 38% compostable waste and 16% general waste.
The most recent waste audit of government offices shows a drop in total waste to 23.98 kg. This was made up of 14% recyclables, 9% paper, 48% compostable waste and 28% general waste.
Sustaina-briefs
Building Code review
The government has announced a 'world first' proposal to require assessment of the overall carbon cost of producing, maintaining and using new buildings. Building and Construction Minister Clayton Cosgrove said the proposal, released as part of the Building Code review, raised the idea of factoring into new building design the embodied energy of the building’s components and lifetime energy use. In May, Mr Cosgrove announced new insulation requirements and moves to make it easier to install solar water heating as part of the review. Submissions close on 28 September.
Journalists rate sustainability seminar highly
A day-long sustainability and climate change training seminar at the Ministry for the Environment on 8 August was described as useful and informative by the 35 journalists who took part. The seminar, run jointly by the Journalists Training Organisation, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the Ministry, covered sustainability, climate change and related issues like emissions trading and food miles.
Speakers included Climate Change Minister David Parker, officials from Environment, Treasury and NIWA, PriceWaterhouseCoopers advisor Simon Upton, and Carthew Neal, producer of TV3’s Wa$ted series. A panel of specialist environmental journalists, chaired by the New Zealand Herald’s Brian Fallow, discussed how to get better stories out of the sustainability/climate change debate.
Christchurch less smoggy
Christchurch’s notorious winter smog is improving, according to Environment Canterbury data showing fewer high pollution nights in the month of July for the third consecutive year.
ECan Chairman Sir Kerry Burke said cleaner home heating was a factor in this. ECan has subsidised clean heat conversions in 10,000 homes over the past five years, and is targeting 26,000 homes by 2013.
Government shuttle trial
Public servants flying into Wellington will be able to do their bit for the environment by sharing a shuttle service into town. The trial service, a Govt3 initiative, will start in September and meet popular morning flights from 7.30am to 9.15am. Patrons should look for the driver holding a Govt3 sign.
EU sustainability consultation
The European Commission has launched public consultations on actions the European Union could take to meet the challenges of sustainable consumption and production and sustainable industrial policy. The consultation, which closes on 23 September, will help the EC prepare action plans.
Travellers seek sustainability
Travellers want to behave sustainably as they move around, according to a new global survey by Lonely Planet. The poll of 24,500 people showed 84 per cent of respondents would consider offsetting their emissions in future, and that 70 per cent had deliberately chosen a low-impact travel option such as busing over flying.
Shopping for the planet
New Zealanders favour shopping for eco-friendly products over other climate change activities, according to a Shape NZ poll by the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development. The poll shows Kiwis prefer buying energy efficient appliances, light bulbs and cars over alternatives like walking or cycling. Respondents chose from 19 activities, with recycling waste, conserving water and planting trees the next most popular after shopping. The least favoured activities were buying carbon offsets, and alternatives to driving.
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