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Nov 2015 10

Waitohu Stream Care is a voluntary community group who work together to restore the dunes, wetland and estuary of the Waitohu Stream. They were established in 1999, with a goal to improve the quality of the then ‘filthy’ stream. With numerous accomplishments now behind them they are going strong with members aging from 7-86 years. They meet every Monday morning for planting followed by morning tea. In doing so they are By Vanessa Crowe able to grow from seed and then plant over 1000 plants

each year, slowly repairing the dune. Adding an annual Time banking, community gardening, creating local hubs, winter swim and Christmas party into the mix ensures the supporting local families, promoting community safety, group enjoys a great mix of socialising and the rewards sharing local assets to encouraging generosity and of their communal efforts. Their hope is that those transforming local environments. These are just few of upstream will be inspired to take an interest in the the skills and interests of a passionate grass roots crew stream also. who recently came together to be a part of Boost Camp. Held at Tatum Park in September, Boost Camp brought After a guided tour around the dunes and stream banks together over 30 community leaders from across the Boost Camp participants were invited to share in an North Island. It was developed in response to research by incredible spread of home baking for morning tea. Seeing Strengthening Neighbourhoods in Aotearoa who the results of all of group’s work doubled with supreme identified the need for more opportunities for the hospitality encapsulated what makes the Waitohu community group leaders to connect and upskill, Stream Group so special. It was certainly inspiring for the focusing on wisdom around what works and enables Boost Camp crew to see how such a simple approach can neighbourhood-led action to thrive. enable a group to grow, thrive and sustain themselves over a long period of time. I had the privilege of being a part of the weekend, having it happen in the Kāpiti area provided an excellent Boost Camp was run through Inspiring Communities, a opportunity to show off an example of the amazing national network that shares stories, as well as things that are happening within our local community. connecting people and projects. Visit their facebook page On Sunday afternoon Boost Camp went on an outing, or website for more information. visiting the Waitohu Stream Care group at Ōtaki beach. For more information on the Waitohu Stream Group, The group were fantastic ambassadors for the Kāpiti particularly an overview of what they have achieved, click Coast, sharing their inspirational story and the tangible here. Sue says the group will be weeding from now until results of their years of hard work. June and they welcome any able bodied volunteers who We meet at the Moana St nursery in Ōtaki Beach and Sue would like to help out. For more information contact Sue McIntosh, the group’s Chairperson explained how McIntosh: 06 364 0641 or email: [email protected]

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The cloth bags were actually donated, so the funding went towards screen printing a beautiful design onto the bags. Flo set up a local design competition to involve the wider Paekākāriki community in the project right from the beginning. The designs had to identify the purpose of the bag bank, and to communicate how it works, other than that, it was over to locals to use their creativity. The competition winner then had their design printed onto Popping down to the shops in Paekākāriki has just the bags as well as receiving prizes donated by local changed for the better, thanks to the new reusable bag businesses. A judging panel of three bank instigated by Flo McNeill. Those shopping and Paekākāriki personalities, Horace the Mayor of visiting local businesses will no longer have to walk away Mainstreet, Sir John Trimmer, and Councillor Janet with yet another plastic or paper bag to be thrown away Holborow had the tricky task of selecting the final after serving its average 12 minutes of function. winner, and announced it to be the stunning design by Instead they can opt for a free to use-and-return cloth local artist Rachel Gannaway. Her print features local eels bag. and kowhai flowers.

Flo felt inspired to do something with a broader reach The bags are now printed and available to be borrowed after participating in Plastic Free July. "Although plastic from two spots outside the local shops, providing a may be terrible environmentally, even I have to admit it is practical way for community to bring about change and really useful and something most of us rely upon daily, so to support more sustainable consumer behaviour. In true we can't just expect to successfully live in a vacuum if it Paekākāriki style the project makes visible the were to be eliminated over night. I prefer to crowd it out community's commitment to reducing their demand on with better, more sustainable options." the world's resources, raising consumer awareness about

the issues of waste and pollution while also providing "When I was sourcing feedback and ideas for this project, cool designer bags for local use. many people asked why we couldn't just have paper bags as an option. To be honest I was really surprised when I For more information went looking for comparison studies of the full product email [email protected] or check out: life-cycle of different bags only to find out that paper can https://www.facebook.com/paekakarikibagbank be many times worse than plastic for it's toxic legacy."

Remembering a “Bag Bank” idea that Stacey Gasson had Thanks to the Paekākāriki Community Board, Foresight talked of a few years earlier, Flo decided that with so Clothing, the Paekākāriki Fruit & Vege Shop, Paekākāriki many disposable plastic and paper items being Village Grocery Store, The Beach Road Deli, The Perching practically unavoidable in our daily lives, shopping bags Parrot Cafe, In Use Clothing, Roots Hair Design, Hearts & did not have to be one of these. She pitched the idea to Roses, Paekākāriki Chiropractic, Paekākāriki the Community Board and successfully received funding 88.2FM, Finn's Pub, and Paekākāriki School. to establish the Paekākāriki Bag Bank. On To It is a publication of the Kāpiti Coast District Council

Rod showed that we have overshot the biophysical limits of the planet not just on climate change, but also on By Vanessa Crowe biodiversity as well as phosphorous and nitrogen

Hosted by Energise Ōtaki, Award-winning business emissions. Species are now becoming extinct at 100 times journalist Rod Oram visited Ōtaki to talk about the town's their natural rate. Through artificially fertilising our soils place in the worldwide Energy Revolution. I attended the we are pumping more energy into our system than what evening discussion which was introduced by we can sustain. A picture of the earth upside down by the representatives from Energise Ōtaki and Ōtaki College. A Apollo astronauts, provided another visual pun to support business breakfast was also held the following morning. his suggestion that we need to turn things on their head Both events had excellent turn outs with over one and find ways to link ecology, economies and ethics hundred people coming to the evening talk and 86 at the together so we can change our relationship with each breakfast. other and our relationship between us and the planet.

Rod began by saying his talk was about “electrifying the Rod reiterated that while the issues are global the future”, with a disclaimer that though this was a dreadful solutions need to be local. He used the Doughnut pun, it is apt as, “the future is electrifying in the exciting Economics model developed by Kate Raworth to explain sense”, with regard to the scale, speed and complexity of how local communities where individuals are helped, change that we are about to see. He explained for the valued and encouraged to contribute their energy, insight most part we presently have large power companies and creativity are key to establishing sustainable providing energy to consumers, with some efforts being economic development. made to help reduce demand by encouraging households to become more energy efficient through home “Paris will help but we can only get this right if we build it improvements and insulation. However to meet the out neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, challenges that lay ahead we need radically rethink the town by town, region by region” supply side of our energy system. From a Kāpiti perspective it was heartening to hear that The technology used to generate and distribute electricity small towns and local communities will play such an is changing very fast. Rod envisions that we will move important part in future sustainable economics. Referring away from big power companies distributing to everyone, the work of Energise Ōtaki, Rod said Ōtaki is exactly on towards a system where consumers are also a part of the track towards developing smart energy systems, doing supply side too. Interestingly what is happening in absolutely the right things through learning fast, electricity aligns with what is happening more generally in experimenting continuously, knowing where you are economics and business. ‘Post Capitalism, A Guide To Our going with room to manoeuvre. Future’ by Paul Mason highlights initiatives such as Uber, Wikipedia, Air bnb which operate according to similar new View slides from the evening discussion and the business economic models. breakfast.

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to other people’s homes, baking, making school lunches, freezing left overs and making an hour long round trip to help someone out. The individuality of the exchange also has enormous value, showing people that even if they feel like no one cares about them or their situation, there are strangers who will “Love Food Hate Waste”, is a campaign launched go out of their way to show them they are loved earlier this year, to raise awareness and change and cared for. Meanwhile people can give according behaviours around food waste. According to recent to their ability and at their convenience. research collectively New Zealanders are throwing away approximately $900 million worth of food, or Since its launch multiple groups in different $560 per household. This totals about 120,000 locations have popped up, including Social Pantry tonnes of food annually, enough to feed about Kāpiti. At a similar time former Greener 260,000 people. These alarming statistics are a Neighbourhoods participant Helen Heath recently wake-up call. In Kāpiti people are becoming more in launched another Facebook group, Pāekākākriki Kai. tune with what’s being thrown in the bin and She wanted to find a way to help ensure that no interesting new ways to prevent food waste have one, particularly children were going hungry. After started to emerge. it was initially established, Helen noticed that there

seemed to be an imbalance with more people Established earlier this year in Wellington, Social having things to give than those taking up offers, Pantry is an online initiative whose goal is to perhaps because there was a perception that there eradicate hunger in New Zealand through social were others in greater need. So the group changed action. Currently operating via community to have more an emphasis on minimising waste Facebook groups, Social Pantry uses the through the exchange of excess food amongst its connectivity potential of social media to make it members, where there was not expectation of a easy and accessible for people to be generous and trade or money to be exchanged. give what they don’t need to those who do. People can make posts of things that they have on offer, While online you can also check out the individual those in need can reply or private message to efforts of local blogger Amy Helm, who gave up accept. The system works effectively because it ‘having it all’ to live a slower, simpler life. In doing mimics the process of buying and selling online, so she provides some inspiration and guidance on however in this case there is no exchange of money how to avoid food waste. or otherwise.

Meanwhile off the computer and further up the line “It provides a practical and accessible way to give in Ōtaki, Seasonal Surplus is in full swing. A and be helped in relation to one’s own situation.” Transitional Town initiative, where a stall is set up say David Cross, the founder who is pleasantly each Thursday on Main St in the town centre, at surprised to see it is growing just as he had hoped. 10:30am producers are invited to sell their excess There has so far been outstanding displays of produce to the stall, which is sold on to the public generosity, with people grocery shopping for the from 11am onwards. Any left overs are given to a specific purpose of giving food away and community group. completing online grocery shopping to be delivered

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Katharina Kennedy joined the Kāpiti Coast District Council as new Waste Minimisation & Services Officer in September. She has a background in research and is passionate about sustainable production and consumption. “I’m excited to work in this hands-on role where I can support the community in their waste reduction endeavours. Even though I’ve only been in the district for a short while, I am amazed by the number of people and projects that are doing great things to make waste a thing of the past. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in!”

In her role as Waste Minimisation Officer, Katharina will deliver the council-funded Zero Waste Education programme at local schools, and support residents, community groups and businesses with advice and hands-on activities to reduce waste. This includes waste audits, advice on implementing recycling, composting or worm farming systems, For more information about the council’s waste supporting litter clean-ups, and helping event minimisation initiatives and services please organisers realise zero waste events. She also visit http://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/services/A---Z- administers the council’s contestable Waste Council-Services-and-Facilities/Rubbish-and- Reduction Grants programme, which funds Recycling/ or contact Katharina on 04 296 4700 innovative projects that lead to waste reduction and or [email protected] is open to both community groups and businesses.

The Goldsborough/Gabriel/Nugget Greener Neighbourhood group got busy over Labour weekend, building compost bins and a produce swap table for the neighbourhood. Three more bins were made for the neighbourhood plus Share and Swap table to sit on the Goldsborough St berm for swapping their excess summer produce. The children finished it off with some creative painting, making for a distinctive icon for the Street. Find out more at http://greenerneighbourhoods.net/

For more information about Greener Neighbourhoods contact Vanessa Crowe: [email protected]

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November in the organic garden By Hannah Zwartz, Green Gardener

In November, even non-gardeners feel a stirring urge to get outside. Evenings are longer, mornings lighter, and with growth at its fastest between now and the December solstice, everything looks fresh and lush. • Keep planting summer vegetables a few at a time, Little and often is a good habit for gardeners. Take for a steady supply. your cup of tea outside and notice what needs doing; • Stake tomatoes, beans and peas at planting time even ten minutes a day in the garden adds up to an to prevent root damage later. Tomatoes need 2m hour a week. ish tall, strong stakes. For cherry tomatoes, which If you want to be harvesting veges this summer, now have a more sprawling habit, try cage-type support is the time to set up. November is the main planting such as a ring of netting or tripod of canes. month for beans, tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers. • Cut the bottoms off 2-litre bottles, take off the lids Lots of compost helps feed plants and also holds and bury them upside down next to tomatoes, moisture, meaning less watering will be needed over zucchini or pumpkin at the time of planting. Or use the dry months. ollas (unglazed terracotta pots: See this link). These encourage deep rooted plants that won’t wilt when things get hot • Weed and mulch fruit trees and berries. Plant comfrey from root cuttings (pieces of root) around If I had just one word for gardeners, it would be, the base of deciduous fruit trees. mulch. It keeps weeds away, feeds soil life and stops • Compost- It’s great rotting weather and there are plants from drying out. lots of weeds and grass clippings at hand. Pile up At this time of year I make my way round the garden new heaps, and turn older ones to find the black with three receptacles (which could be buckets, bags gold at the base. or barrows). One is for compostables – prunings, • As you weed an area, follow up with mulch spent veges, weeds without seeds, leaves etc, all of straight away to prevent weeds and keep the which rapidly build up the compost heap. One is for ground moist over summer. bad weeds - oxalis and grass with seeds – which I don’t want in the compost. These go to the chickens or the Sow seed: drowning barrel. The last is a barrow of mulch - as Salad greens, beans, peas, beetroot, tomatoes, each area is weeded, I try to mulch right away to stop basil, zucchini, kamokamo, pumpkin, cucumber, weed seeds re-sprouting. I don’t get as much time in leeks, red onions, carrots, rocket, coriander, parsley, the garden as it ideally needs, but at least this way sunflower. each part that’s weeded, however small, will stay weed free over the summer. Plant out:

Beans, tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, peas, spinach, lettuce, potatoes, all sorts of herbs.

The Council Green Gardener offers sustainable and waterwise gardening advice to local residents, community groups and schools. Community Visits and workshops are free. Phone 04 296 4700 or 0800 486 486 or email [email protected] or see www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/greenservices

On To It is a publication of the Kāpiti Coast District Council

November in the organic garden By Hannah Zwartz, Green Gardener

Name: Tree Echium, Pride of Madeira, Echium candicans (syn E. fastuosum) Family: Related to borage and other echiums (eg annual E. vulgare or Vipers Bugloss). Blue Bedder’ is a garden variety, flowering early then dying off in January. Size: Quickly grows to 2m high and wide. Likes: Sunny, hot, dry spots, great for coastal planting. Habits: Only lives a few years, but self seeds readily into sandy soil. Naturalises in some parts of NZ, but not a listed pest plant. Loved by bees. If you like this…Look out for E. wildprettii with one tall reddish spire, and E. pininana. (tall blue spire) There are also natural crosses and bred hybrids between E. pininana and E. candicans, eg Cobalt Tower’.

1. Shell beans and blanch for 2-3 mins until tender. Run under cold water then pop the inner beans out of their grey skins by making a small tear and squeezing gently (this isn’t essential for small young beans, but for larger beans it makes the dish a brighter green as well as improving the taste and texture).

2. Place beans with 2 cloves garlic, 2t cumin, 2T lemon juice, 2-3T olive oil and a handful of coriander in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine, but keep the texture slightly chunky (use a potato masher if you prefer.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn out onto a serving plate, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika or sumac.

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By Rosemary McCarthy, Librarian

by Helen Caldicott, 2012.

Caldicott, tireless campaigner over many years for a safe healthy planet, draws on 25 interviews from her weekly radio shows to delve deeply into the global issues of water use, deforestation, sea level changes, political instability, carbon trading, energy resources, information access, war, mining and nuclear contamination. Passionate to find the truth she exposes the many cover-ups of the nuclear industry’s contamination effects and the insincerity of nuclear disarmament agreements. She celebrates the commitment of those who have stood their ground with truthful information and been effective leaders in developing sound policies and initiating practical changes.

This book is available to Kāpiti Coast residents by reserving through Smart Libraries.

On To It is a publication of the Kāpiti Coast District Council

Book launch, Sunday 8 November, 11am Raumati Beach School Join ecologist Dr Mike Joy as he launches The Bugs and Me written by local author Bianca Begovich. The Bugs and Me is the final in a set of three environmentally-themed books. The set will sell at a reduced price ready for Christmas. Join us for activities, food and storytelling. Come dressed as your favourite bug, spot prizes.

Film Fundraiser, Monday 16 November Shoreline Cinema, Waikanae.

A movie fundraiser to help enable and promote The Peoples Climate March, (to be held nationwide on Nov 28th.) Tickets can only be purchased at the link below and the People's Climate March - Wellington receives 5% of the ticket sales: https://www.tugg.com/events/72959

Provocative, compelling, and accessible to even the most climate-fatigued viewers, This Changes Everything will leave you refreshed and inspired, reflecting on the ties between us, the kind of lives we really want, and why the climate crisis is at the centre of it all. http://thefilm.thischangeseverything.org/

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Friday 20th to Sunday 22 November Join us for 3 days of adventures in nature connection for mind, body and soul, with an off-grid lodge, hot pool, fire, massage and delicious food. This retreat is for anybody who is curious to find out what focused time in nature can do for them. We all know that getting out into the wild world can help you to see things differently, relax and recharge. The retreat, through fun, engaging and gently challenging micro-adventures will give you new techniques and insights into the power of nature connection. Reserve your place now by contacting [email protected] or phone 021 154 6034.

Christmas Market

Friday 27th November, 3-8pm The Raumati South Village - Christmas Market is on again! Stallholders of locally handmade goodness, please apply...e: [email protected]

Saturday 28 November, Civic Square, Wellington.

The People’s Climate March is a nationwide event, to coincide with the beginning of the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris from November 30 to December 11, A diverse range of groups and organisations including climate, environmental, action, health, church and unions are all working together to organise the March.

Prior to the march there will be a pray/meditation/ silent event 10 to 12noon at Civic Square. To make it really "The People's March" - people are encouraged to march in blocks to Parliament behind large banners - 350, nurses, parents, students, Gen Zero, unions, children, grandparents, Kāpiti communities, schools etc. Once the rally at parliament ends there will be a multi denomination vigil/church service at St Paul's Cathedral.

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