Primary Enviroschools Hui, Aramoana

This year’s Primary Enviroschools Hui in Dunedin saw over 80 people, from 14 schools checking out what lives in the sandy/muddy marine environment, planting native trees and getting a great look at a magnificent Hookers Sea Lion at Aramoana.

 

Despite the horrific forecast the sun shone.  The jackets and hats were still needed for the chilly southerly wind, though the shelter of the Aramoana Arboretum and tree planting work had us all shedding layers.  The Aboretum protects the unique saltmarsh from the road to town.  The Aramoana Conservation Charitable Trust is regenerating the natives that are tough enough to handle the salt air and soil in this area.  Students learnt how and why to plant trees, so important to life on earth.

Looking for evidence of life!

 

The New Zealand Marine Studies Centre is soon to launch the sandy/muddy shore guide, along with the Marine Meter Squared (MM2) activity that allows us to monitor change over time in our local marine environment.  The MM2 requires the identification and counting of the animals and plants that live in this environment.  It is recorded on the MM2 website enabling us to see seasonal, climatic or human induced change over time.  With it we can truly be kaitiaki of our marine environment.

 

Male 7-8 years old Hooker Sea Lion on Aramoana Split

In Otago we are so fortunate to share our beaches with the endangered Hooker Sea Lion.  Coastal Otago is the other breeding ground of this magnificence animal.  Most of the breeding occurs in the Auckland Islands between here and Antarctica.  These beautiful animals are under threat from people’s dogs and a lack of harem structure they have during breeding and pup raising on the Auckland Islands.  The Auckland Island population are in decline due to net fishing for squid.  If you eat squid ensure that it has been caught with a jig or hook and not a net.  This will encourage more sustainable and sea lion friendly squid fishing techniques - a brighter future for the Hookers Sea Lion.  As consumers we have the power to make positive change!

 

It was an action packed day and I’m sure everyone had tired bodies and increased brain cells.  Look out for the 2014 Otago Enviroschools Primary Hui.  We’d love to have you along!

 

Come along and have afternoon tea with Wilson and Kelly on Monday 4th November from 3:30-4:30pm in the Plaza Conference Room at Dunedin City Council

Fair Trade tea, coffee, hot chocolate and some nibbles will be available.

 

Get Together Tuesday 13 August Plaza Conference Room Dunedin City Council

Tena koutou

Great to catch up with you all yesterday – a busy meeting and my apologies for not having time to talk about what was happening for you at your schools. I know you are all mostly gearing up for exams so happy studying and go well!

Just a few bits of information about the people who spoke yesterday

Jacob Anderson –  Masters Student in the Geology Department at Otago University - https://www.facebook.com/NZYouthDelegation

Each year the New Zealand Youth Delegation sends a team of young people to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change annual Conference of the Parties (COP).  Jacob is one of 4 young people heading to Poland in November. He talked about the need for us all to encourage the government to take steps towards reducing our carbon emissions and for us as individuals to take steps in our own lives to reduce our impact.

Jacob is available to come and talk to school groups/assemblies this month.

Taieri College – 27 August 12:50pm – Hannah to confirm this

KVC – 30 August 12:05pm - Injy to confirm this

Liz Carroll-Lowe-  Dunedin TimeBank Coordinator- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dunedin-TimeBank/175582572515797?ref=tsfref%3Dts

Members of the Dunedin Time Bank share their skills with other members within their community and are given time credits for the work they do. With the credits they gain, each member can ‘buy’ someone else’s time and get the service they need. Everyone’s time is equal, you give one hour’s work, you receive one hour’s credit.

Phil Bishop – Associate Professor Zoology Department Otago University and acting director of Science Communication Centre – Frogs are his thing!!!

Phil is also a friend of Jane Goodall-  http://www.janegoodall.org/

Phil is keen to help set up one of the Jane Goodall Institutes international programmes – Roots and Shoots

Roots & Shoots program is about making positive change happen—for our communities, for animals and for the environment. With hundreds of thousands of young people in more than 120 countries, the Roots & Shoots network connects youth who share a desire to create a better world. Through service projects, campaigns, inspiring events and an interactive website, Roots & Shoots is helping youth create a hopeful tomorrow.

This group could be the Action Group that was discussed at the last meeting – something outside of school was positive action focussed. Are you or any of your classmates keen?

I have also attached the information about

Global Poverty Project event – 1.4 Billion Reasons  - https://www.facebook.com/GPPNZ#!/GPPNZ/events

Fairtrade New Zealand  Big Fair Bake: Choose it, Bake It, Share it - https://www.facebook.com/NZYouthDelegation#!/FairtradeNewZealand

Otago Farmers Market Enviroschools Stall – 31 August – sell your Fairtrade baking – Enviroschools will give 2 blocks of Fair Trade chocolate to each school who shares some baking at the Farmers Market stall

Blog reminder – remember to check out your blog site for the latest updates and events - http://otagosecondaryenviroschools.blogspot.co.nz/

Next Get together

Tuesday 3^rd December 4-5pm at the Plaza Conference Room – Bring a Buddy – bring along a (or a few) year 11 or 12 buddy/ies to introduce them to Enviroschools and other like- minded students from other schools.  There will be food and chocolate! See you then!

Jennie, Anna, Ian

Unmask Palm Oil Petition

Petition: 20 Days! We are rapidly approaching the presentation of our petition on 29th August. Help out by collecting those last minute signatures and making sure you send in all your completed forms! If you haven't already you can Sign it here » Come along and join us on the steps of parliament when we present the petition to MP's from Labour, Greens and NZ First. Join the Facebook event» Completed forms should be posted to: Unmask Palm Oil PO Box 106627 Auckland City Postshop Auckland 1143

1.4 Billion Reasons to halt global poverty!

Term 3 catch-up

Tuesday 13th August
Plaza Conference Room
4 - 5pm

Agenda
What's happening at your school?
Dunedin Time Bank - http://dunedin.timebanks.org/
Action?
Next catch-up

See you there!

Dunedin Marine Reserves

Interested in helping to get a Marine Reserve somewhere off the Coast of Otago?

Then come along to the next meeting

Wednesday 7 August
5-6pm
Plaza Conference Room
Dunedin City Council

Our Green Roadie

1 Aug  7 pm

Dunedin screening of Our Green Roadie Red Lecture theatre, Dunedin (near the side entrance of the Scott building,  260 Great King Street across the road from the emergency entrance of  Dunedin Public Hospital) "This heartening kiwi documentary shares snapshots and stories from  50 New Zealanders, from Riverton to Northland, who have eco-conscious  and economically viable businesses and lifestyles.” Tickets from Taste Nature, High Street, Dunedin or  from mindmade@hotmail.com $10 waged/$8 unwaged. Seating and Door sales from 6.30pm

Unmask Palm Oil workshop

2013 Unpackit Packaging Awards - Vote now!

The finalists in the 2013 Unpackit Packaging Awards have been announced and voting has begun at www.unpackit.org.nz.  It only takes a few minutes to vote and you can raise money for your favourite school or community group in the  Cash4Good competition.

Previous year’s finalists and winners of the awards have made significant changes to their packaging.  Foodstuffs, who won the worst packaging award last year, asked all of their stores to stop putting fruit and vegetables on polystyrene meat trays and Sealord who were a finalist in 2011 have switched to a recyclable cardboard box for their Tuna Snackits.

Vote now and help send the message to New Zealand companies that you want to see great packaging on our shelves.  Because bad packaging is just rubbish.