Building materials recycled

CTA submissions to Auckland Council have often included words like the following:  “We suggest that there should be much less building waste. Too much existing building fabric gets thrown out, including native timber, and there should be the necessary investment in education and the development of rules to encourage or...

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Camera footage on fishing boats – petition

Since cameras were installed on 127 commercial fishing boats, reports of dolphin captures have increased by 680% while albatross captures and fish dumping have also increased hugely. This shows that cameras on boats work, but this information must be made available. This Greenpeace petition calls on the government to make...

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Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

12 countries and 100 cities (to date) are seeking a negotiating mandate for a Fossil Fuel Treaty. These countries are: Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Niue, Timor-Leste, Antigua and Barbuda, Palau, Colombia, Samoa, and Nauru. They have been supported by the World Health Organization, the European Parliament and thousands...

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New tree species for Auckland Domain

Auckland Council’s urban forest and botanic specialists have chosen six new exotic species to add to the domain’s collection. Senior Urban Forest Specialist Bernardo Santos says heritage protection of the domain and its governing framework mean the chance to plant new specimen trees within Auckland’s oldest park is rare.  Restoration...

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Restoration of the Auckland Town Hall Prow

Using built heritage conservation contractors, the first part of an important repair and restoration project of the Town Hall has commenced. The distinctive classical-styled stone façade of the building, completed in 1911, needs a range of repairs in response to ongoing decay and atmospheric factors. Ōamaru stone is being used...

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Free Fares Campaign petition

The Free Fares Campaign has a petition here: https://transport4all.org.nz/petition In summary, it reads: We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the new coalition government’s approach to transport, which fails to recognise the crucial contribution trains, buses, ferries, walking and cycling make to maintaining and improving the efficiency, value and speed...

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Protection updates for historic heritage places

The decision of independent hearing commissioners on Plan Change 82: Amendments to Historic Heritage was notified on 16 February. This plan change amended the Unitary Plan historic heritage schedule and maps to update the category status and/or other information for 99 historic heritage places already scheduled. Key changes include the...

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Pollution in Manukau Harbour

Sea Cleaners and Manukau Harbour Forum chair Jon Turner recently spent a morning in a hovercraft ferrying up and down the mudflats to remove tyres that had been used in old seawalls. They collected about 250 but there are thousands of them. Sea Cleaners report the volume of rubbish removed...

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