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CONTENTS
JULY 2014
03 FROM THE EDITOR
organic natural
07 A CONVERSATION WITH THE ORGANIC
CRUSADER
11 BEE DECLINE IN NEW ZEALAND
sustainability
12 SAVING THE EARTH WON’T COST THE EARTH
13 NITROGEN:THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
16 CENTURION PRINT: GREEN CONCEPT
19 ARE WE SEEING THE LIGHT AT THE END OF
THE TUNNEL?
21 ECO-LABELS: THE DIFFERENCE YOU CAN
TRUST
ecobuild
33
25 GREEN ENERGY? LET’S ASK THE EXPERTS
27 PEEKING UNDER THE SKIRTS OF AN OLD
AUCKLAND DAME
29 DESIGNING HOMES TO COPE WITH CLIMATE
CHANGE
31 BIOLOGIC GREEN HOME DESIGN
healthy lifestyle:
mind body wellness
33 NATURAL MEDICINE:THE BENEFITS OF
NATUROPATHY
35 ARE YOU LIVING UP TO YOUR POTENTIAL?
22 ONE OF OUR GREATEST DISCOVERIES!
RE-DISCOVERED!
23 ELECTRIC VEHICLE PROGRAMME: TO
KICKSTART A BILLION DOLLAR OPPORTUNITY
FOR NZ
19
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
2
FROM THE EDITOR
the
GREEN
LIVING
magazine
The Green Living Magazine is a Green
Living Network Publication
Editor: Tina Raines
Art Director: Margriet O'Reilly
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Thinking
Ahead
Welcome to The Future
Tomorrow is Today!
We are delighted to invite you to our 4th Green Living Show & NZ
Organic Natural Expo 2014 to be held on 5th and 6th July at the
ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane.
It is show time again and I would like to thank all our faithful partners sponsors, supporters, exhibitors including our speakers, food demos,
the team at Green Living Network and all those who have helped in
every way to make this expo a success.
We are targeting mainstream NZ to visit our show to learn what green
living and sustainability are about and to make the right choices with
the planet in mind. This year’s show is about living tomorrow and the
‘future consumers and businesses’ which will inspire quality living and
working in a near future but NOW!
We have come up with a two day non-stop free conference – health,
fitness and wellness. A Healthier You and a Healthier Planet. We also
have a wide range of seminar topics and amazing products for the
Ecobuild sector not to be missed.
Do we care about sustainability and transparent brands? Would we
choose a product or service if the prices were comparative? Have
we started paying more attention to labels? We are what we eat and
use, be it animal or plant products. Be safe with certified organics or
certified green services and products. It is easy to laugh at our foibles
but breaking habitual patterns and doing it differently is not easy and
we must start, for the future is here.
Green was once enough for businesses and consumers. Reduce
Recycle Reuse and Plant a tree are vital but it is more than that;
bringing sustainability to life is king now. The future must be clearer
and cleaner for NZ. People, the planet and strong profits are central to
making sustainable practices alive for the good of consumers, clients,
customers and the workforce.
Sign up for a FREE subscription to The Green Living Magazine and
enjoy Green Drinks - FREE Entry on Saturday 5th July at 5.15 pm - Up
style Eco Fashion show and sustainable shoes and a Green Comedy
with Matt and Andy.
Have a good time and be inspired at The Green Living Show!
Best Wishes
Tina Raines
Editor
3
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
be
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Our vision is that all businesses hav
that
their bottom line. We work hard so
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Our mission therefore is to provid
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inesses to support positive change
• Leads from the front of green bus
organic NATURAL
A conversation with
the Organic Crusader
Tina Raines interviews Adrian Barkla, Owner of Remuera New World
Adrian Barkla, this is your fourth interview
with the Green Living Magazine and
readers have voted you as the Organic
Crusader for New Zealand. We have
had several phone calls from readers,
businesses and others who want to go into
organic business and have said they want
to meet you at the Green Living Show to
explore their thoughts with you.
How do you feel about this, being the
Organic Crusader and what will you say to
these people?
Sounds pretty frightening to me, I just
think strongly that NZ has this huge image
of being clean and green and we are not
as clean and green as we should be so I
am simply trying to get NZ to walk the talk
by doing my bit and helping the little guys.
For those who do not know, can you
tell us what it is that you are doing that
makes you different from other organic
companies and wholesalers? What do you
offer producers and what is your concept?
There are some good companies out
there and we are happy dealing with
them - Ceres, Fresh Direct, Chantel, etc
and I believe that it really helps to be
a wholesaler as well as a retailer. This
gives us the opportunity to drive product
purchased from the farm gate via retail
fast, whilst the product is still fresh. In
some cases we will purchase the full
amount from the farmer, simply keep
enough for ourselves and move it on to
other retailers quickly whilst still fresh,
rather than hogging the lot for ourselves
and selling at a later date, product that is
not so fresh.
We offer what I think is a fair price for
their produce and weekly payment and
we simply work with them by telling them
the amount we think we would sell, so this
gives the grower some certainty with sales,
then they can concentrate on what they
do best and grow great organic goods.
What are some of the challenges you face
when implementing your ideas so that
consumers know they are getting highquality organic products? What should
they look for?
Perception that it isn’t any different,
they think there is not much wrong with
products sprayed with all sorts of toxic
chemicals as it is “approved “ by some
sleepy Govt Department. Cancer is on the
rise and most don’t get it that you are what
you eat. I suppose just make sure they are
7
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
certified and if you are comfortable with
your retailers integrity if they say they are
spray free I would believe them.
I honestly find it hard to believe that
organic produce coming from countries
such a China is organic - no disrespect
to China intended - there are too many
negative stories out there and the
systems are too corrupt to think the
producers have integrity re organics.
What is the biggest misconception that
Kiwis have about organic products?
That it is the same as the toxic low
nutrient muck that is perceived as normal.
Your move to try to keep organic prices
close to conventional prices - does this
put pressure on other wholesalers and
grocers?
Maybe, I mean I have to work really hard
to keep costs out of organics and pay the
farmer more for their products - we all
need a good shake up now and then.
Will you change your standards on
bottom-line concerns should this arise?
I am always evaluating what we are doing.
Abhi, my produce manager is a rock star. I
honestly could not do this without his buy
in, his passion, enthusiasm and energy. He
is a great guy and I think the world of him
- he makes me look good. I am just really
lucky to be working with such a great guy.
What would you like to see happen in NZ
with regards to Organics?
Simply be 100% organic.
What is the next move for the Organic
Crusader?
Try and be 100% organic fresh in store for
a start. ■
ECO GLAM
Certified
Organic
LEADERS IN
NATURAL COSMETICS
www.inikacosmetics.com
Certified
Vegan
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Halal
Certified
Cruelty Free
Distributed in New Zealand by
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www.wainhousedist.co.nz
organic NATURAL
Healthier and wealthier
the state of organics today
Food values
New Zealand has recently seen a big increase in the
demand for organic food, with domestic retailers selling
nearly 50% more than they were five years ago. So has
the world - New Zealand's exports of organic produce has
grown at the same rate. Both markets are still expanding
steadily, with demand often exceeding supply. The global
organic food market is expected to grow to US $105
billion in 2015 - almost double 2010s US $57.5 billion.
Ironically, as the industrial food system keeps generating
more actual and potential health threats (such as new
diseases from factory farming like mad cow disease,
avian flu and antibiotic-resistant bugs, dairy products
contaminated with chemicals or toxic organisms, and fruit
and vegetables drenched in pesticides) the winners are
organic producers whose food can be trusted to be free of
toxic chemicals, genetically modified organisms, non-food
additives and other contaminants.
In New Zealand organic food is now available almost
everywhere, including most supermarkets and some
cafés. As long as one buys seasonally, the cost is usually
reasonable for the extra value in health returns that
organic food represents. Organic beverages - both
alcoholic and non-alcoholic - are now widely available, and
are generally regarded as top value by both wine critics
and juice-lovers.
Total health
While demand for organic food continues to grow
steadily, demand for organic personal care and home
care products has really taken off in the past few years.
Consumers have made the obvious link between what
one puts into one's body, and on to it, as well as what
is used in the home and may be taken in through the
skin, like cleaning products. Companies growing and/or
manufacturing organic cosmetic and hygiene products,
or herbal health products (such as hemp and flax seed
oils, or healing creams, drops and teas) are currently a big
growth sector for NZ organics, supplying both local and
export markets.
Natural beauty
Organic farms are the opposite of industrial monocultures.
Organic farmers plant and protect a great diversity
of trees and shrubs - native and exotic, useful and
ornamental. They know that farm animals should free
range on grass, not be crammed into cruel, ugly factory
sheds, and that birds, bees and butterflies should be
attracted to the farm, not repelled by it.
Organic farms not only create a cleaner and safer local
rural environment, they also have a big part to play in
helping solve global environmental problems, like climate
change. That's because organic farming systems have
been shown to emit only half the amount of greenhouse
gases given off by industrial farming systems. In New
Zealand, where 49% of our greenhouse gas emissions
come from agriculture, increasing the number of organic
farms would have huge benefits not just for us, but for the
world.
9
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
Better business
It is important to organic producers that they not only create a healthier,
safer farm environment for themselves and their families, but also that
consumers can be sure that they have taken this extra care to produce
safe and nutritious food. Independent third party organic certification
systems have been set up to make sure that producers are doing things
right, and consumers can be sure that high standards of chemical-free,
ecologically sound and humane production have been met. In New
Zealand the two largest certification organisations are BioGro and
AsureQuality. Demeter is the certification mark for biodynamic organic
farmers, and OFNZ (Organic Farm NZ) is the certification system for
smaller producers who only sell within New Zealand. Look for the logos
of these four certifiers on packaged products
you buy, or on the bins or stalls of sellers, to
be sure that what you are paying for is 100%
organic. ■
By Christine Dann
Organics Aotearoa New Zealand
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
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organic NATURAL
BEE DECLINE
IN NEW ZEALAND
“If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth,
man would only have four years left to live.”
Albert Einstein
In Aotearoa we have lost one third of our
bee population since 2006. If bee decline
continues at this rate, it won't be too long
before bees are gone altogether. Bee
decline is a catastrophe, yet it is incredible
that so little is being done about it.
There is a consensus among scientists
that there is more than one cause. The
effects of the varroa mite, viruses, bacteria,
poor nutrition, genetics and loss of habitat
are given as the main reasons that our bee
population is waning. Pesticides are listed
too, but they are given far less attention in
NZ than they are overseas.
In Europe, three of the seven
*Neonicotinoid insectides have been
banned. A large body of scientific evidence
shows that these three: Clothianidin,
Imidacloprid and Thiametoxam cause a
'high acute risk' to bees.
What are Neonicotinoids?
Nicotine is not just lethal to humans in the
form of cigarettes, but the chemical is also
extremely toxic to insects.
They act on the nervous systems of
insects.
Pesticides made in this way are water
soluble which means they can be applied
to the soil and taken up by the whole plant
- they are called 'systemic', meaning they
turn the plant itself into a poison factory
with toxins coming from roots, leaves,
stems and pollen.
Neonicotinoids are often applied as seed
treatments which means coating or
soaking the seeds before planting.
A recent EEU report talked of mounting
scientific evidence of the harm that
Imidacloprid is causing and that this
has been systematically supressed for
many years. “Where such evidence exists,
uncertainty should not be an excuse for
inaction,” the report says.
While only three of the seven
Neonicotinoids are banned in Europe, this
is seen by many as only a start, and they
would like to see a much more extensive
ban.
In New Zealand there is no such ban on
any of the Neonicotinoids. Our FDA has
no plan to even investigate their use or
the connection with bee decline in our bee
population.
As organic gardeners, we welcome bees
into our vegetable gardens. Many people
plant the blue and purple flowering plants
such as lavender, borage and phacelia to
encourage bees in, to help with pollination.
Planting flowers amongst vegetables has
long been standard practice for organic
gardeners.
When we grow food on a large
commercial scale, the idea of companion
planting is completely lost. In the
documentary movie about bees - 'Queen
of the Sun', the aerial shot of thousands
of acres of nothing but almond trees is
astounding. To me it would make so much
sense to have flowers growing under
the trees to bring in the bees needed to
pollinate the almond trees. Instead, hives
are trucked in to do the work, and then
moved on. This is common practice, even
though bees hate being moved around.
Bees give us more than just honey. We
are dependent on bees to pollinate 2/3
of our food, including vegetables, fruit,
nuts, seeds, coconuts, coffee, buckwheat,
avocado, berries and cacao. I'd like to see a
movement to encourage the New Zealand
EPA conduct their own research on our
bee decline. But we'd better hurry, if Albert
Einstein's prediction is correct! ■
Romi Curl
East West Organics
Sustainability - agriculture
Saving the earth
won’t cost the earth
Seven years work and 3 comprehensive reports on climate
change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) confirm that climate change is happening, we are
causing it, the consequences are likely to be dire, and that we
have to apply technical knowledge to overcome it.
If we take immediate action we could limit global warming
to less than 2 degrees celsius this century. We could build a
green economy that would not cost us the earth, literally.
Burning fossil fuels for energy, transport and industrial uses,
agricultural production and forest clearing are the principal
sources of greenhouse gas emissions. In a massive exercise
the IPCC in the third of its reports maps out an achievable
plan to deal with each of them.
point out that the energy and fertiliser inputs used in growing
crops to feed animals to provide meat is not sustainable and that
the world will need to get used to eating less of it.
New Zealand relies primarily on pasture to produce meat and
in this regard is different from many other meat producing
countries. Our farming methods can give us a significant
competitive advantage. We have the potential to supply high
quality meat products at a significantly lower carbon cost than
other countries. ■
Derek Broadmore
Organic Farmer
Chair BioGro Society
For each of these sources of greenhouse gas the IPCC
identifies alternative strategies and technologies to reduce
them. Adopting such technologies does not need to
significantly affect our current living standards and would cost
us, globally, a reduction in growth of only about 0.6% annually.
New Zealand is well placed to take a lead in moving to a
green economy. We have a great start in that over 70% of
our electricity is produced from renewable sources such as
hydro, geothermal and wind. We have the sunshine and wind
to boost our renewable power sources. We need the political
vision and leadership to build infrastructure that will use that
capacity for electrically powered transportation, both public
and private, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
Our challenge is agriculture. 48% of New Zealand’s
greenhouse gas emissions are from our primary production
sector. We need to rethink our farming methods and systems.
Our current focus is on producing more. We have gone
through a 20 year period of increasing intensity in farming,
particularly dairy. The environmental strains of that process
are now reflected in polluted rivers, degraded soils and more
greenhouse gas.
Our future focus needs to be on producing less but of higher
quality. We must reverse the industrialisation of agriculture
and its current reliance on fossil fuels both on the farm
and in the production of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides and
herbicides. We need to move to what the United Nations
calls agri-ecological farming. Integrated farming based on
the efficient re- utilisation of the by-products of the farming
system itself with minimal external inputs.
As the IPCC notes, we have the technologies available to
transform our farming systems to low input low emissions
methods. Organic farming, biological farming and biodynamic
farming are all in that space. We can build on those systems
to achieve a truly sustainable primary production system in
New Zealand.
For agriculture the IPCC identify the excessive use of
chemical fertilisers and current production methods as the
main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. They also
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
12
Sustainability - agriculture
Nitrogen:
the double-edged sword
Plants need nitrogen. That’s a fact. But
plants have always needed nitrogen.
What was the source of this N, prior to the
advent of synthetic fertiliser?
The earth’s atmosphere is 78% nitrogen.
Fortunately, all plants (not only legumes)
have the capacity to form relationships
with special kinds of bacteria that are able
to fix atmospheric nitrogen - for free.
While some forms of non-symbiotic
N-fixing bacteria obtain energy from
decomposing plant material, the majority
of diazotrophs, including endophytic
bacteria (living inside plant tissue),
symbiotic bacteria (in root nodules)
or associative bacteria (free-living in
the rhizosphere), are totally reliant on
sugars fixed by green plants during
photosynthesis.
Why has this important relationship
between green plants and nitrogen-fixing
bacteria been inhibited on much of our
agricultural land?
The reason is two-fold. Firstly,
photosynthetic capacity has been
markedly reduced by many current land
management practices and secondly,
the flow of carbon to microbes has been
inhibited by inappropriate use of inorganic
fertiliser, particularly nitrogen.
An inverse relationship
The activities of both symbiotic and
associative N-fixing bacteria are inhibited
by high levels of available N. In other
words, the more nitrogen fertiliser we
apply, the less N is fixed by natural
processes.
The ‘myth’ that building soil carbon
requires expensive fertiliser inputs
(Passioura et al. 2008) could not be
further from the truth. The widespread
use of high analysis fertilisers is one of
the main reasons soils deteriorate in
conventional farming regimes (Leake et
al. 2004).
Data from North America’s longest
running field experiment on the impacts
of farm production systems on soil quality
has revealed that high nitrogen (N) inputs
in conventional cropping systems deplete
soil carbon, reduce crop yields, impair soil
water-holding capacity - and ironically,
also deplete soil N (Khan et al. 2007,
Larson 2007).
Taken together, these factors reduce soil
productivity and the agronomic efficiency
of fertiliser and have been implicated
as the underlying cause of widespread
reports of yield stagnation around the
world (Mulvaney et al. 2009).
The evidence suggests that despite the fact
that nitrogen is essential to plant growth,
the application of large amounts of N in an
inorganic form is detrimental to soil.
And not only to soil. In the United States,
for example, runoff from the Corn Belt has
contributed to a large dead zone in the Gulf
of Mexico, while runoff from farmland on the
eastern seaboard of Queensland has been
instrumental in the demise of over 70% of
the iconic Great Barrier Reef.
Turning things around
The news is not all bad. Rates of fertiliser
application have decreased in recent years in
some developed countries. France, Germany,
and the United Kingdom have achieved
success in this area, maintaining high yields
with forty to fifty percent less fertiliser than
used in the 1980s (Krietsch 2014).
However, we need to do more than simply
modify existing practice. The time has come
to redesign the framework within which
agriculture sits. Redesign has the potential
to significantly reduce the impact of many
‘problems’ associated with chemical farming,
including loss of soil C, reduced soil N,
soil compaction, declining pH, low nutrient
availability, herbicide resistance and impaired
water-holding capacity.
Sustainability - agriculture
Redesign is based on a set of principles, forming the basis from
which landholders can build an integrated land management
package that suits their individual property and paddock needs.
There are four basic principles for regenerative agricultural
techniques proven to restore soil health and increase levels of
organic carbon and nitrogen.
1) The first principle is the maintenance of year-round living cover,
via perennial pastures on grazed land and cover crops on farmed
land. Almost every living thing in and on the soil depends on
green plants (or what was once a green plant) for its existence.
The more green plants, the more life.
It’s well accepted that groundcover buffers soil temperatures and
reduces erosion, but it is perhaps less recognised that actively
growing green groundcover also fuels the liquid carbon pathway
(Jones 2008) which in turn supports, among other things,
mycorrhizal fungi, N-fixing associative diazotrophic bacteria and
phosphorus solubilising bacteria - all of which are essential to
both crop nutrition and the formation of organic N and stable
humified carbon.
2) The second principle is to provide support for the microbial
bridge, to enhance the flow of carbon from plants to soil. This
requires phasing out high analysis N & P fertilisers that interfere
with root formation and the complex biochemical signalling
between plants and microbes.
3) The third principle is to promote plant and microbial
diversity. The greater the diversity of plants the more checks
and balances for pests and diseases and the broader the range
of microhabitats for the soil organisms involved in nutrient
acquisition, nutrient cycling and soil building.
4) The fourth principle is that land responds positively to the
presence of animals provided management is appropriate. As
well as the benefits arising from the addition of manure and
urine to soils, rest-rotation grazing increases root exudation
and stimulates the number and activity of N-fixing associative
diazotrophs in the rhizosphere, which fire up in response to
defoliation and provide the extra N required by the plant for the
production of new growth.
The bottom line is that there is no mechanism for building topsoil
and biologically fixing atmospheric N for free other than the year-
round presence of green plants and the microbial populations
they support.
For further information, visit www.amazingcarbon.com ■
Christine Jones, PhD
www.amazingcarbon.com
Dr Christine Jones is an
internationally renowned and highly
respected groundcover and soils
ecologist. Christine is currently the
Scientific Advisor on Plant Nutrition for the Australian division
of Best Environmental Technologies (Canada). Christine has
organised and participated in workshops, field days, seminars
and conferences throughout Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, Zimbabwe, Europe and North America and has a strong
publication and presentation record.
Literature cited
Jones, C.E. (2008). Liquid carbon pathway unrecognised. Australian Farm
Journal, July 2008, pp.15-17. See www.amazingcarbon.com
Khan, S.A, Mulvaney, R.L, Ellsworth, T.R. and Boast, C.W. (2007). The Myth of
Nitrogen Fertilization for Soil Carbon Sequestration. Journal of Environmental
Quality 36:1821-1832. DOI: 10.2134/jeq2007.0099
Krietsch, B (2014). Artificial fertilizer use levels-off as regions reach state
of diminishing returns. http://foodtank.com/news/2014/04/fertilizer-uselevels-off-as-regions-reach-state-of-diminishing-returns
Larson, D. L (2007). Study Reveals that Nitrogen Fertilizers Deplete Soil
Organic Carbon. University of Illinois news, October 29, 2007. http://www.
aces.uiuc.edu/news/internal/preview.cfm?NID=4185
Leake, J.R., Johnson, D., Donnelly, D.P., Muckle, G.E., Boddy, L. and Read, D.J.
(2004). Networks of power and influence: the role of mycorrhizal mycelium
in controlling plant communities and agroecosystem functioning. Canadian
Journal of Botany, 82: 1016-1045. doi:10.1139/B04-060
Mulvaney, R.L, Khan S.A, and Ellsworth, T.R. (2009). Synthetic Nitrogen
Fertilizers Deplete Soil Nitrogen: A Global Dilemma for Sustainable Cereal
Production. Journal of Environmental Quality 38:2295-2314. DOI: 10.2134/
jeq2008.0527
Passioura, J., Kirkby, C., Baldock, J., Kirkegaard, J., and Peoples, M. (2008).
The hidden costs of carbon sequestration. GRDC Groundcover, Issue
76, Sept-Oct 2008, p.19. Also see http://www.pi.csiro.au/enewsletter/
previousEditions/023story4.htm
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Green Concept
Environmental responsibility, sustainability and renewable resources are big issues which every organisation
needs to deal with. There is no opt-out clause.
We’re committed to running a business that takes a best practice approach to environmental responsibility.
Printing has a number of points of contact with the physical environment, including the sourcing of paper stocks,
inks, machinery and high energy usage.
Green: coexistence of the environment, people and nature
At Centurion ‘green’ symbolizes the coexistence of the environment, people and nature. A mutually beneficial
balance among these three elements ensures a bright future- this is the thinking behind Centurion’s green
concept. This concept drives our decision making through every step of the printing process. From the sourcing
of high tech ‘Green Machines’, paper stocks from renewable resources, extensive use of vegetable –oil based inks
and lowering the use of carcinogens by applying water-based coatings.
Eco-Friendly Press Room
Our commitment to this concept starts in the press room, with the installation of our latest Komori G640
Lithrone H-UV printing press. Whilst we have used Komories for some twenty years ,this latest machine from the
Japanese manufacturer can truly be called a Green Machine.
The Lithrone G640 H-UV printing press was developed as a GREEN PRINTING
MACHINE that is ENVIRONMENTALLY friendly.
The H-UV system does not discharge ozone thanks to the reduction of light emitted in the ozone-generating
wavelength of the spectrum that occurs with conventional UV lamps. In addition, the H-UV system requires no
powder in the press room and is nearly odourless thus improving the conditions inside the factory. The ecofriendly performance continues with the low energy use, approximately 1/3 of conventional UV. The quick start up,
reducing paper waste and remarkably low noise levels all contribute to a truly Green Machine.
This machine is the only one of its kind in New Zealand
To complement this great technological advance in offset printing, Centurion has Digital Printing capacity for
short run sheets and labels on rolls. This technology is ideal for those urgent jobs that are needed in low volumes,
for personalised projects from as little as ONE copy! There is no waste and energy requirements are low.
Turning over a new leaf
The production of paper and boards is certified at each step, environmental management systems conform to
the ISO 14001 standard and a chain of custody is established. Centurion Print is FSC certified and partners with
suppliers that hold similar credentials.
Creating a more sustainable world requires an unwavering focus
on the effects our actions will have on future generations.
To this end Centurion Print are focused on providing our customers a solution for their printing, labelling and
packaging requirements that have the least possible impact on the environment and the greatest impact on their
target audience.
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
16
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SEE
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SUSTAINABILITY
Are we seeing some light
at the end of the tunnel?
New Zealand is facing up to some hard questions about how to
manage its ecological assets and setting more ambitious goals
to underpin sustainable development. But are we doing enough
to maintain our brand as a clean and green nation? Sustainability
experts Simon Harvey and Sophie Heighway explore some of the
recent highlights.
Something controversial is stirring in Hawkes Bay. A proposed
$275 million mega-irrigation scheme has squarely raised the
issue of whether New Zealanders should indirectly subsidise the
environmental costs of intensive agriculture’s dependence on
artificial fertilisers. After a comprehensive hearing and thousands
of pages of expert evidence, the board of enquiry’s draft decision
on the Ruataniwha dam scheme has farmers up in arms claiming
that the permitted nitrate limits for runoff make their operations
commercially untenable.
The Ruataniwha debate raises important principles that New
Zealand desperately needs to grapple with if we’re serious about
so called “green growth”. Should economic interests, protecting
jobs and export income prevail over ecological integrity? What is
the true cost to ratepayers of water, soil and other environmental
degradation? Is regulation the best means of spurring innovation
and new solutions? And how should the Resource Management
Act balance economic and ecological interests?
In future these sorts of decisions may be easier to weigh up, with
models that can value ecosystem contributions in economic
terms gaining mainstream acceptability. And, as an agricultural
nation, proper ecosystem management is vitally important to
our economy. Following the Valuing Nature conference last year,
a group of regional councils have advanced work to develop and
integrate ecosystem valuation methods into decision-making.
Horizons Regional Council in Manawatu is already leading the
way with its ‘One Plan’ nutrient management system. And, with
water quality still falling across the country, the partnership
between Fonterra and the Department of Conservation to
administer a $20 million community investment over 10 years is
another important step in the right direction.
New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise, up
20% since 1992. With 49% of total emissions coming from the
agricultural sector, New Zealand is wise to play a leading role
in international research to reduce methane from cattle and
sheep farming. But growing emissions from our cities also need
addressing. Auckland Council has taken a lead with its Low
Carbon Action Plan and a target of reducing emissions 40%
below 1990 levels by 2040. That’s a challenging goal in the face
of population growth forecasts for the Auckland region. The
Action Plan has a focus on waste, with a ‘philosophical’ goal of
zero by 2040. It’s going to be a stretch. The total waste to landfill
for Auckland from industrial, commercial and domestic sources
in 2010 was 1.2 million tonnes, which works out to about 0.8
tonnes per person; so there’s plenty of work to be done. Over
the coming years the council plans to establish a network of
resource recovery centres and start a city-wide organic waste
collection service. These initiatives will at least make a dent in
the current amount of waste being dumped as a legacy for future
generations to deal with.
There’s progress too in the construction sector with Greenstar
rating tools enjoying growing credibility. The new Auckland
sustainability
Unitary Plan includes provisions for the first time that will require
new developments of five or more houses to achieve a Greenstar
rating. And with the New Zealand Green Building Council
celebrating more than 100 Greenstar rated buildings earlier this
year, there is real momentum to lift building standards in the
interests of improving resource efficiency, reducing waste and
creating healthier homes.
New Zealand also has its first Living Building project which has
set a new standard for the industry. Located in Taneatua, the new
Tuhoe headquarters was designed by Auckland firm Jasmax to
meet the Living Building Challenge criteria which include selfsufficiency for energy, water and waste. The energy generation
issue appears to be getting easier, and there’s been a surge
of investment into solar now the economics of photo-voltaic
generation are well proven. Even the banks are jumping onboard with finance programmes targeted towards home-owners,
farmers and businesses.
It’s been really encouraging to see a new breed of entrepreneur
breaking through with smart solutions and strong ethics. Social
enterprise initiatives are finally proving that innovative business
models can help solve some of the challenges that local and
national government bodies have long struggled to get to grips
with. A great example is Rekindle in Christchurch that transforms
waste wood into furniture and other products; whilst providing
skills training and meaningful work opportunities. The idea of
social enterprise is relatively new here, and the success of the
Wellington based Hikurangi Foundation has really helped put it
on the map. Hikurangi recently rebranded as Akina, the Maori
word used as ‘a call for bold action’, is accelerating its efforts to
facilitate new market and investment opportunities for social
enterprises that offer solutions to sustainable development
challenges like climate change and environmental degradation.
This is all good news but the best may still be yet to come.
Launched earlier this year in partnership with UK based Forum
for the Future, the Sustainable Business Network is running an
ambitious systems-change programme with four work-streams
called The Big Shift. The focus is on waste, corporate social
responsibility, smart transport and food. All this will be launched
at The Project New Zealand conference later this year. Together
with the ongoing work of Pure Advantage, we’re starting to see
more serious attempts to accelerate change in New Zealand by
tackling whole industries and value chains. That’s been going on
overseas for many years, so just maybe we’re reaching a turning
point. ■
Simon Harvey is a director of progressive strategy firm
BusinessLAB and a Senior Advisor for The Natural Step, an
internationally award winning NGO focused on accelerating the
transition to a sustainable society.
Sophie Heighway is a corporate sustainability specialist with
expertise in community engagement, corporate responsibility and
supply chain management. Her most recent roles have been at
Downer and NZ Post Group.
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sustainability - ECO
Eco-labels:
The difference you can trust
more about this certification, and which
businesses have been certified, at
enviro-mark.co.nz.
Eco-labels are on the rise, appearing on
more and more goods in the marketplace.
Voluntary sustainability certifications,
like Fairtrade and Organic, are becoming
mainstream, but there are many other
credentials that are less familiar. Knowing
which eco-labels to trust can be confusing.
Developing an understanding of which
eco-labels are trustworthy is the difference
between supporting companies that share
your ideals instead of companies who are
greenwashing.
Just as there are many ways to tackle
environmental performance, there are
also various eco-labels that are equally
important and credible - each looks
at different solutions for sustainability.
Some might look at social impacts,
like Fairtrade, or whether a product is
organic. Others look at how a business
is improving its performance. No matter
what they are checking, the best ecolabels are independently certified
and meet international practices and
standards. The best eco-labels will also
have public information about what a
company has to do to achieve that mark.
Once you find a mark that you trust, look
at the certification website to find other
companies taking the right steps for a
better environment.
Some companies take a holistic approach
to how they impact the environment.
A sustainable business with an
environmental management system looks
21
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
at all the different ways it impacts the
environment, from energy use and waste
disposal, to how something is made, or
used by its suppliers or customers. The
business then looks for ways to reduce its
impact and continually improve what it is
doing.
A business with a certified environmental
management system, such as EnviroMark® certification, is checked by an
external expert to ensure it is taking the
right steps. Enviro-Mark certification
progresses through five levels of
achievement as a business develops and
improves its plans and outcomes, ensuring
that the company is always doing better.
Top companies, such as Abe’s Bagels, Eco
Planet, Caffe L’affare, Toyota dealerships,
OfficeMax, and the manufacturer of
EcoStore products, are all certified by
Enviro-Mark Gold or better. You can learn
Other companies may want to target
specific environmental impacts, like
greenhouse gas emissions. A business
that wants to measure its carbon
footprint and work to reduce its impact
would look for a carbon certification,
such as CEMARS® (Certified Emissions
Management And Reduction Scheme)
or carboNZeroCertTM certification.
These programmes ensure a company
measures its entire carbon footprint
and works to reduce it each year. Those
with carboNZero certification take the
additional step of offsetting their footprint
each year, meaning they have a neutral
impact on the environment in terms of
carbon emissions. Yealands Wine and
Antipodes Water are two companies that
are carboNZero certified for both their
business and their products. EasiYo yogurt,
Auckland Museum, and Croxley Stationery
are all CEMARS certified. You can learn
more about these certifications, and
which businesses have achieved these
certifications at: carboNZero.co.nz.
Remember to check for environmental
certification when making your purchasing
decisions. Supporting businesses that
are doing the right thing, and having their
work independently certified as correct,
will ensure we all can enjoy a better
environment. ■
sustainability - ECO
One of our Greatest Discoveries!
Re-discovered!
The diesel engine is only now coming to life for its ability to use
vegetable oil due to the ever decreasing supply and high cost
of petroleum. Unfortunately for mankind the cleaning industries
‘eco’ products do not use petroleum based ingredients and the
supply chain for these ingredients will not run out. No one is
being forced to look at alternatives to what is currently available.
We are living in a false sense of security that all is good in the eco
cleaning world.
Every week new chemicals are being discovered or created.
Depending on their end use companies do not need to verify
that they are safe. It is not until an ingredient causes a reaction
that it is often tested. Sodium Laurel Sulphate (SLS) is a known
irritant yet because it comes from vegetable oils it can be used
in personal care and cleaning products without warning or
disclosure.
In the last issue I wrote an article about Dr Rudolph Diesel who
was a vision beyond his life time! He was an inventor that created
the internal combustion engine which he designed to work on
vegetable oil.
Sometimes it is not an invention that is important to mankind
but ‘discoveries’ and the ability to see their value.! ! Fire is one of
mans earliest and most important discoveries. Since its initial
discovery, which is now believed to be by ‘Homo Erectus’ around
1.8 million years ago, many people have invented ways to create
and harness fire. Fire is a basic chemical reaction that requires a
heat source, fuel and oxygen. If one of these elements is absent
then fire cannot be created.
Soap is a discovery that is believed to have been made by
the Romans. Similar to fire, it is a basic chemical reaction that
requires just three elements. Cooking of animals over open fires
combined with rain leaves a soap residue amongst the ashes.
Oil/ fats + alkali + water = soap.
Soap recipes have been recorded as far back as 2800 BC, nearly
5000 years ago. Basic soaps were used, initially, for washing of
clothes and later for the house and body.
It wasn’t until around 1916 when fats and oils were rationed
during the war that a synthetic soap was invented in Germany.
Combining this with phosphates in the 1940s gave rise to the
ever expanding synthetic detergent market that we know today.
With the advances of science and technology it is now time to
rediscover the huge benefits of natural soaps. Due to its long
history, if soap was going to cause major problems to our skin or
environment we would have plenty of evidence.
Science has given us the understanding of different oils, their
benefits and saponification levels. We no longer need to make
soap like grandma did - caustic. We have the ability to create
recipes for all sorts of situations and ailments. From moisturising
soaps for the face and body, soothing soaps for eczema and
psoriasis to harsh soaps for commercial cleaning. We can blend
soaps with minerals for laundry and dish washing.
Soap goes through fewer processes, it requires minimal energy
to make and biodegrades faster than synthetic detergents. Soap
is the re-discovered ingredient to replace synthetic detergents so
that we can advance up the environmental and ecological ladder.
Most importantly soap works and this has been proven for over
4500 years. What better testimony do we need than that? ■
ecowoman
SUSTAINABILITY
Electric vehicle programme
to kickstart a billion-dollar
opportunity for NZ
and componentry,
revolutionary ICT,
or niche vehicle
prototypes. This
is their chance to
put their backshed tinkering
to the test, with
the possibility of
commercialisation
as the end goal.”
A new initiative launched
by the Association for
the Promotion of Electric
Vehicles (APEV) is aimed
at stimulating innovation
in the electric vehicle
sector and its related
ecosystem, providing a
significant global growth
opportunity for New
Zealand.
The Orion EVolocity
programme is
comprised of a series of
competitions and events
designed to encourage
grass roots learning and
knowledge-sharing about the benefits of
electric transport, and to nurture youth
interest in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics.
APEV chief executive Rob McEwen says
electric vehicles are “the way of the
future”.
“The most cautious projections are for
80 million electric vehicles to be in use
worldwide by 2040, up from 400,000
today. If New Zealand had a $1000 input
in just five per cent of those vehicles, it
would produce $4 billion in earnings representing a significant opportunity in a
global growth sector.
“As well as export opportunities, electric
transport means reduced reliance on
fossil fuel imports and better use of our
existing clean energy infrastructure. We
have one of the cleanest electricity grids in
the world, capable of powering over 75 per
cent of the light passenger vehicle fleet in
2040 - or 2.5 million, from a fleet of 3.2
million - with about eight per cent more
generation than the no electric vehicle
option.”
The Association for the Promotion of
Electric Vehicles (APEV) is a non-profit
society focused on promoting the
environmental and economic advantages
of electric transport in New Zealand. The
organisation is a sister association of
APEV Japan and APEV Germany.
The Orion EVolocity programme is
comprised of a number of project-based
competitions. The high school competition,
23
The Green Living Magazine JULY 2014
in partnership with CPIT, Enviroschools
and Electroflash, encourages projectbased learning as a tool to encourage
interest in science, technology and
engineering - all areas currently
experiencing acute skills shortages.
Competition categories include motor
controller, electric vehicle build, sound
effects synthesiser, overall performance
and design, video, and social marketing.
An inaugural boot camp for high
schools was held on the campus of
Christchurch Polytechnic on 13 April, with
approximately 50 students from nine high
schools in attendance. A second boot
camp is scheduled for 21-22 June. Mr
McEwen says it is likely that around 20
high school teams will participate in the
Canterbury pilot programme in 2014, well
above projections of ten to twelve teams.
APEV has plans to expand the high school
programme nationally over the coming
years.
There are two categories in which tertiary
institutes, businesses and innovators can
compete: eBuild and Dragon’s Den. eBuild
encourages entrants to build an electric
vehicle, such as a go kart, motorbike or
car. APEV has simplified the process by
offering a standard kit for each section,
with the challenge to manipulate the
kits to extract the best performance and
economy.
The Dragon’s Den is ideal for engineers,
mechanics, university and polytechnic
students, and even DIY innovators with
“game-changing innovation”, says Mr
McEwen. “This could be power electronics
The 2014
programme will
culminate in New
Zealand’s first
electric motorsport
event on 30
November 2014 at Mike Pero Motorsport
Park, Ruapuna, in Christchurch. The event
will include an electric car efficiency rally,
standing sprints and lap sprints. In the go
kart category, entrants are encouraged
to get imaginative with both their vehicle
designs and team costumes, with an
award for the most creative entry, as well
as best performance. In the motorbike
and car categories, there will be awards
for best presented vehicle, in addition to
performance awards. There will also be
performance combustion cars versus
electric car sprints and public test drive
opportunities.
“New Zealanders are known for innovative
number-eight wire mentality, particularly
when it comes to developing ‘green’
alternatives, such as the use of electricity
as a renewable, low-emission transport
fuel,” says Mr McEwen.
“This is a multi-million dollar innovation
opportunity - and what better way to
encourage the bright spark of learning
and ingenuity than through a motorsport
event.”
Entries for each competition are open
now. For more information, visit evolocity.
co.nz. ■
For more information, please contact:
Rob Ewen
Executive Director
Association for the Promotion of Electric
Vehicles
www.facebook.com/APEVNZ
www.apev.org.nz
www.evolocity.co.nz
www.facebook.com/evolocitynz
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ECObuild
Green Energy?
Let’s ask the experts
Since the privatisation of our energy
companies, Kiwis have seen their
power bills surge. New Zealand has just
experienced the fifth highest power price
increase in the developed world since
New Zealand has had a current electricity
market. This is one of the many incentives
for Kiwis to increase their energy efficiency,
and they are indeed, making sustainability
and energy efficiency a priority: research
carried out by realestate.co.nz/Homestar
revealed that for 65% of the more than
5000 respondents, making their homes
more energy efficient and sustainable is a
priority.
However, consumers are faced with a large
range of energy generation technologies,
efficiency measures, and insulation
options - so I spoke with the professionals
in order to make sense of it all.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and hot
water heat pumps (HWHP) are two key
products available to consumers looking
to improve their energy efficiency. Dana
Darwin, managing director of Energy
Alternatives NZ Ltd., helped give a clearer
understanding of what these are and how
they work:
“An Aquarian hot water heat pump
(HWHP) uses the same proven technology
to heat water as air to air heat pumps
which are used to heat houses in NZ and
is by far the most economical answer to
water heating. There are two main designs,
an “All-in-One” (or integrated system),
which has the heat pump mounted
on top of the water tank, and a “split
system” which has the heat pump unit
mounted outside. An Aquarian HWHP
uses electricity to extract additional energy
freely available in the ambient air to very
efficiently heat water.
“Photovoltaic (PV) panels (solar electric
panels) are used to generate electricity
from the sun to directly supply your
power needs, feed into the grid, or store
power in batteries. Energy Alternative PV
systems are a good option to reduce your
monthly energy bills and the best way to
25
The Green Living Magazine JULY 2014
do this is to target your daytime energy
consumption while the sun’s energy is
freely available.”
One of the benefits of installing HWHP or
solar PV technologies is reduced reliance
on big power companies and lowering
one’s power bills. However, for many, solar
PV panels are still a significant investment,
so, naturally, one of our first questions
is; How long will this solar technology
actually take to pay off? Emma
Thompson from SolarCity explained:
“With Solar PV you can either feed the
excess power generated into the main
electricity grid for a credit, reducing
or eliminating your bill, or you can go
completely off the grid and store the
excess power in a battery bank … The
price of solar technology has declined by
over 300% since 2008, whilst the price
of power has increased by over 85%. So
on average, using your massive monthly
savings, you will pay off your SolarCity
system in only 8-10 years.”
Solar electricity is, therefore, proving to
be cost-competitive with grid electricity
in many instances. Moreover, solar panels
prove to be great investments for other
reasons. Emma enlightened us about
the long-term value of solar panels: “Our
SolarCity PV panels are maintenance free
as they have no moving parts, and they
have a minimum 25 year lifetime and
are very easy to upgrade.” Furthermore,
“Research shows that homes with solar
sell for 30% more than homes that don’t
have solar,” she says.
Therefore, since alternative energy
technologies first appeared on the market,
they have become increasingly more
inviting investments. HWHP technology
has been around for a significant period of
time, first being used in the 1940s. Dana
Darwin, from Energy Alternatives NZ Ltd.,
explained why HWHP technology is now
an attractive investment.
“Most of these highly efficient products
on the market produce two to three
times as much energy as they use …
With improvements in manufacturing
capabilities and economy of scale, price
points have now come down to the point
where paybacks for Aquarian All-in-One
systems can be less than 2 years for
higher water users.”
What is even better is that HWHP
technology can be effectively utilised
together with solar PV panels. Dana
explains:
“An energy efficient Aquarian hot water
heat pump cost-effectively reduces your
electricity demand so that fewer solar
panels are required to provide for your
home or business needs. These are two
different technologies that work very well
together as an energy solution for your
home or businesses that is healthier both
for your bank balance and our precious
environment.”
More and more Kiwis are taking steps
towards improved energy efficiency
by investing in new forms of energy
generation - but energy is not only about
electricity generation, it is also about
conservation and insulation. New Zealand
homes have a reputation for being very
poorly insulated. Traditionally, we hunker
down in our damp, draughty, weatherboard
homes, wrap ourselves in blankets, and
huddle by the fire - and I learnt from Ella
Te Huia from Greenstar Energy Solutions,
that, “As much as 42% of heat loss is
through the ceiling and 25% through the
floors.”
This is an important point to note, not
just because this relates to the efficiency
of your home, but it affects your health.
Ella informed us that, “[The] World Health
Organisation recommends that homes
in the living room should be no lower
than 18 degrees, and bedrooms should
be no lower than 15 degrees. In particular
children and the elderly are affected more
by poor insulation in the home.”
Therefore, Ella recommends, “If the
insulation is more than 8-10 years old, it
sustainability - ECO
is good to get an insulation expert in to
inspect the thickness and condition of the
existing insulation.”
heat pump water heating, space heating,
lighting, or PV for larger daytime energy
users.
The NZ government has also emphasised
the importance of having warm, dry, wellinsulated homes, and so has been pushing
a home insulation programme, Warm Up
New Zealand, to encourage and enable
New Zealanders to improve the health
and energy efficiency of their homes. We
asked Ella to give us more information
about this.
Firstly, understand your home and energy
footprint. If you don’t have a pot of gold
handy, and most of us don’t, then consider
making a transition plan which you can
chip away at as your time and budget
allows. All homes and user habits are
unique and an energy assessment and
benefits review should be considered
carefully prior to investing in energy
efficiency.” ■
Compiled by Nicola Pyper
“[The] Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy
Homes Programme is a three year
insulation programme (year one finishes
on June 30th, 2014) delivering warmer,
drier, healthier homes to households that
have a community services card and who
have high health needs. Greenstar Energy
Solutions is an approved service provider
- working within our local community
to make sure that the programme is
delivered to those who most need it and
meet the criteria.”
There are too many reasons to make sure
your home is insulated properly, but how
can we insulate our homes in a ‘green’
way? Ella said, “You have Greenstuf which
is manufactured by Auxtex Industries,
made from up to 40% plastic PET
bottles, itch-free, 25 year manufacturer’s
warranty, and best of all NZ made and
manufactured - got to love that!”
There are many energy generation and
conservation options, however, overall, as
consumers, we are looking for the best
way to reduce our energy costs, increase
our efficiency, and do our bit for our
valuable environment. In the face of many
alternatives, technologies, and possible
investments, consumers can have some
daunting decisions to make. I asked Dana
from Energy Alternatives NZ Ltd. to give
us his insight into the best way that we, as
consumers, can achieve this.
“We encourage customers to adopt a
holistic “whole of house or business”
approach in the context of your lifestyle
or business requirements and financial
abilities. Minimise and manage your
energy use first and then look towards
generating power after that. Look to
where the low hanging fruit is for some
quick wins. This is very often Aquarian
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
26
ECOBUILD - New Build Renovate Retrofit
Peeking under the skirts of
an old Auckland dame
I am under a house, fighting cobwebs and the attentions of an
overzealous toy guard dog, trying to figure out what the owner’s
priorities should be during her proposed renovation.
All in a day’s work for an eco design advisor (EDA) working for
one of the seven councils who perform this free service for
thousands of New Zealand homeowners and builders every year.
This property is typical of many of our houses - cold, damp,
draughty, expensive to heat and badly in need of being brought
up to modern insulation standards.
This visit also features the hallmarks of our unique EDA process
- conveying what can be complicated building science into
language understandable by anyone.
The owner, Nancy, has been living in this large, turn-of-the20th-century villa on the southern slopes of Remuera with her
daughter and a Tshizu for a year or so. She now wants to repile
and put a garage in the basement.
We sit in her sunny dining room at the back of the house. She
clutches her Tshizu to stop it chewing on my leg. She tells me
the kitchen needs a onceover, but how does that fit into the list
of other issues she faces? I test the kitchen extractor over the
rusty oven, and advise Nancy to replace it with something more
powerful. Otherwise the kitchen seems serviceable, and a new
one is an expensive proposition.
We look at her bathroom and again it seems presentable. I
measure the showerflow with my trusty collapsible bucket - 12l a
minute - not bad, easily turned into a low flow shower with a little
aerator disc inserted into the shower hose.
The bathroom fan seems adequate, but I suggest she consider
getting an electrician to install a timer and connect the fan to the
light switch so it comes on automatically and saves her coming
back after 10 minutes to switch it off.
We move on to the bedrooms. They seem perfectly clean and
tidy, but Nancy says they’re cold and musty-smelling, perhaps due
to dampness rising from the ground under the floor, particularly
at the southern, lower corner of the section. That’s when I find
myself under the house, shaking my head at the structural
underpinnings and turning her attention from the much desired
basement garage to mundane maintenance tasks.
I suggest a damp proof membrane (DPM - basically a black
polythene sheet on the ground and taped to the piles under
wooden floored houses). She already knows she should upgrade
the underfloor insulation, currently largely ineffective - aluminium
foil tacked under the joists - and ripped in places.
She has quotes for the underfloor insulation - an R1.8 polyester
segment to fit between the floor joists at a cost of some $2400.
The DPM moisture barrier would add another $500-700. Both
are needed, but the costs seem quite high. I advise her to get
another quote and see if she qualifies for the new Government
subsidy programme for low-income earners.
Back upstairs, we discuss the ceiling insulation, though I don’t
offer to inspect the attic on this occasion. These old villas have
high ceilings (or studs - the vertical frames that hold the house
up), 3 metres high or more, and the lovely pressed steel ceiling
tiles are expensive to replace if you happen to fall through (not to
mention any resulting injuries).
The insulation company had already inspected it and proposed
an R2.9 wool/polyester product, at a cost of around $1900. I
advise Nancy to consider upgrading to R3.6, for another couple
of hundred dollars. It will pay for itself over time in lower heating
costs and better occupant health.
The insulation company had also quoted for a 6kW heat pump
for the lounge, and to cap the old open fire (enabling her to keep
her rather beautiful cast iron, tiled fire surround). But can she
afford it and is a heat pump the most suitable option?
I introduce her to Auckland Council’s targeted rate scheme, called
Retrofit Your Home (other councils may offer similar assistance
programmes under different names). The scheme allows
homeowners to access up to $5000 for insulation and heating
improvements, and (from later this year) extract fans, rainwater
tanks and low flow taps, toilets and showers. The amount is
repaid over nine years at around seven per cent interest.
The second question is more difficult. On one hand, the heat
pump is probably the best option to heat a 24m2 lounge,
(although the high stud necessitates a larger kW unit). But she
does burn wood in the open fire occasionally. Maybe she would
be better off removing the fire, selling it and putting in an efficient,
low-emission woodburner, generating enough heat for the lounge
and the adjacent bedrooms, through a ceiling-ducted heat
transfer system.
Alternatively, she could consider a central heating system, the
27
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
neoflam cookware
most appropriate for her situation being a radiator wall unit
running hot water from room to room, heated by wood pellets
or mains gas. While less expensive to install than central air
conditioning, the running costs of $1.20-1.50 an hour pushed this
out of Nancy’s comfort zone.
We canvass some other options - her curtains are relatively good,
in fact the best I’ve seen in a while; full length, heavy and lined,
with the only improvement I can suggest being to change the rail
for a track and attach it directly to the top frame of the window.
Or else install the much-maligned and yet conceivably makinga-comeback window pelmet - to stop the heat escaping over the
top.
Time is up, so after summarising our recommendations, it is a
quick goodbye, paying her a compliment on the lovely architraves
and stained glass front door on the way out. Another happy
customer and at last the little Tshizu had stopped barking. ■
Eion Scott, Auckland Council eco design advisor, offers two-hour
free in-home consultations, freephone 0508 326337.
See www.ecodesignadvisor.org.nz for contacts for other EDAs.
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ECOBUILD - New Build Renovate Retrofit
Designing homes
to cope with climate change
Year by year life seems to be getting more complicated. And
that is certainly the case in the housing sector. Do we have
enough land available in urban areas for all the houses needed?
What can be done about spiraling costs? Can we trust building
professionals to produce weathertight buildings? What density of
housing developments can be considered beneficial in terms of
community development?
For a growing number of us there is the additional concern about
the environmental effects of building and how their ecological
footprint can be minimised. The prospect of climate change and
how to keep it to a manageable level is a major driver in our aim
to live and build more sustainably. But however well we might
do on this level we can’t deny that climate change is already
happening and that it is going to get worse - with the implication
that we also have to design for climatic conditions that we expect
to occur in the future. After all, our houses are expected to last
for about 100 years. They will need to be able to cope with
considerably harsher climatic conditions than our current ones.
Designing for both sustainability and resilience are the logical
consequences.
So what are the climate scientists telling us to expect in New
Zealand?
• higher temperatures, more in the North Island than the South
• rising sea levels
• more frequent extreme weather events such as storms (in the
north of the North Island) droughts (especially in the east of New
Zealand) and floods
• a change in rainfall patterns - higher rainfall in the west and
less in the east
These changes in weather and sea levels will have a significant
impact on the built environment.
Future-proof design of Buildings
We will need to consider (source BRANZ):
• incorporating passive solar design to reduce the need for
heating in winter and air-conditioning in summer
• designing buildings with more shading in response to increased
solar radiation
• increasing structural design to deal with increased wind loading
• designing buildings to make more use of natural ventilation
Floods in Otorohanga
Effects of Taranaki tornado
• designing the roof, roof drainage and stormwater run-off to
cope with higher and more intense rainfall
• incorporating water-saving features in homes to reduce
pressure on urban water supplies
• the potential flood risk in low-lying areas
• limiting building in flood-prone areas or coastal regions that are
likely to experience increased erosion in the future
Storm Events
To cope with more severe storms, it is prudent to increase a
building’s strength to a higher design wind speed than is currently
required for its location. In timber construction, this means
closer stud spacing, increased wall bracing, stronger roof trusses
with closer purlin spacing, additional connections and possibly
additional flashing.
On more exposed sites it is wise to avoid large single-pane
windows, as damage from flying debris is likely during storms.
Dividing the opening into multiples of smaller units makes
emergency weatherproofing more feasible as the imploding of a
large panoramic window might be impossible to deal with during
a storm and lead to severe water damage.
As roof failure is most common in storms, renovations can be
used to upgrade the fixing of roof members.
Flooding
Flooding is considered the number one natural hazard in New
Zealand. An estimated 20,000 properties in Auckland alone
are at risk of flooding. It is predicted that increased rainfall and
cyclones will lead to more severe flooding both in coastal and
inland areas. The best way to minimise the risk of flood damage
is not to build in flood prone areas in the first place.
However, there are ways of reducing flood damage such as
ensuring the floor structure is above any predicted flood level,
and constructing foundation walls from water-resistant materials
such as concrete masonry.
Developers and property owners can help mitigate the impact
of more extreme rain events by not building up to the allowed
maximum and by incorporating permeable paving. Greater use
of water tanks would also reduce the impact of flash flooding by
absorbing some of the initial downpour.
29
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
ECOBUILD - New Build Renovate Retrofit
energy savings associated with maintaining cool temperatures
during summer are equally important, particularly as a study by
NIWA has predicted that by the end of this century most New
Zealand cities will have a doubling or more of the frequency of
days above 25°C. These increases in summer temperatures
mean that the shading and ventilation aspects of passive solar
design will become ever more essential. ■
Johann Bernhardt has been designing
green, sustainable homes for many years.
He has published the book ‘A deeper
shade of Green’ - the only comprehensive
book on sustainable urban development,
building and architecture in NZ. Currently
Johann teaches at the architecture school
of the University of Auckland.
www.bernhardtarchitecture.co.nz
Northland Coastal Storm
Coastal Erosion
Coastal development requires particular care as the natural
erosion of shorelines will undoubtedly be exacerbated by
increased rainfall run-off and storm surges. There is little that can
be done from a design point of view to mitigate this. A shift back
from the current trend of replacing batches with large dwellings,
however, is advisable. A significant fall in coastal land values in
vulnerable locations might make this inevitable, as properties
become more difficult to insure. Insurance companies are already
refusing to cover some flood-prone properties and refusals to
insure vulnerable properties are expected to increase during the
next twenty years.
Designing with the Sun in Mind
Although the primary objective of passive solar design is to keep
buildings warm during winter, the increased comfort levels and
Eddie van Uden of Equinox Design Ltd.
operates from a home office in an
extensively upgraded ex-state house that
provides prospective clients with a working
example of the benefits of eco features
such as passive solar design, high levels
of insulation, solar panels, rain-water tanks
and re-use of salvaged materials.
With a focus on environmentally sustainable design, Eddie’s
passion lies in providing his clients with homes that are not only
energy efficient but also healthy and comfortable to live in all
year round.
www.equinoxdesign.co.nz
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ECOBUILD - New Build Renovate Retrofit
BIOLOGIC
GREEN HOME DESIGN
Biologic and sustainable Home Design
incorporates the logic of nature by
planning the outside and the inside of a
new building:
• Site ( infrastructure, geological
occurrences, power lines, traffic, dust)
• size and position of rooms and windows
• natural light
• naturally occurring heating and cooling
options ( passive solar and passive
shading, cross ventilation, wind and rain
shelter)
• water sources and re-use options,
• non or low-toxic structural / decorative
materials which are chosen for their
sustainable criteria (origin, transport,
durability, maintenance requirements,
production components , recycling,
disposal and health hazards)
Designing with bio-logic and building
for life: greener spaces for sustainable
habitats.
Green Design and Green Building
internationally manifested as expressions
for describing ecological awareness and
sustainability in conjunction with the wider
building industry. Historically Building
Biology as a science has been established
over the last 40 years in many countries
to describe, research, educate and regulate
concepts of creating sustainable habitats,
aiming at
• efficient use of resources regarding
manufacturing, maintenance and transport
of building materials (embodied energy)
• reducing the cost of living by enlarging
the productivity of a building itself and
diminishing the usage of energy/water
• better indoor quality for a healthier
population
• reduced environmental strain (waste,
pollution, environmental destruction). More
than 40% of worldwide landfill and waste,
mainly toxic, stem from the wider building
industry.
Since the 1950s and the Chemical
Revolution we find ourselves in the
presence of 80 000 chemicals used
by the industry, partly toxic, and 20%
of the overall amount are being kept
secret according to EPA ( Environmental
Protection Agency). Green Building
Designs continuously work on establishing
biological and organic concepts to
reconnect with nature in an otherwise
predominantly synthetic environment.
The way to a healthier environment starts
31
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
at people's doorsteps. Interior spaces are
the places most people spend the greater
part of their lives. Materials we choose
for our homes and work places need to
be sustainable in their manufacturing
process, maintenance requirements,
disposal processes, and to pose no threat
to personal health.
Biologic Interior Design works for a healthy
and beneficial living climate in new
buildings as well as for retrofitting existing
houses. It favours natural building and
decorating materials (timber, wool, clay)
to regulate humidity and mould naturally,
also limits smell, dust and emissions
originating from synthetic surfaces and
materials. Toxic chemicals e.g. volatile
organic compounds have serious effects
on a growing percentage of our population
(allergies, sensitivities, disease).
Even though individual eco-products may
be more costly than their mainstream
counterparts, the healthier approach as
a holistic design concept does not have
to be more cost intensive. To bring light
to the jungle of available products and
the consequences of their use, a building
biologist is trained to lead the way to
affordable, sustainable and healthy spaces,
quite often by using common sense and
naturally simple solutions. ■
Susanne Brutscher
Interior Design Studio Mapua
www.callfordesign.co.nz
Tasman Building Biology
www.building4life.co.nz
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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE - Mind Body Wellness
Natural Medicine
The Benefits of Naturopathy
When people first ask me what I do, and I
say I’m a Naturopath, the next question is
usually "what is a Naturopath and is that
the same as a Homeopath?” I’ve also been
asked, “Is that to do with Naturalism…
or religion”, and the answer to all of the
above is “NO”!
It seems a good time to let you know
what a Naturopath is, and how a qualified
Naturopath can help you in sickness, and
in health.
Naturopathy is one of a collection of
natural health therapies which support
the body’s innate ability to heal without
the use of surgery or synthetic drugs.
Other natural health therapies include
Homeopathy, Herbal Medicine, Hemaview,
Nutrition, Massage and Body Therapies,
Chiropractic Treatment, Acupuncture,
Osteopathy, NLP, Reflexology and many
more.
A Naturopath draws from specialised
nutrition, lifestyle changes, herbs, vitamins
and minerals - specifically tailored to
the patient - to assist the natural healing
processes. A Naturopath is very much a
general practitioner, and works individually
with patients to assess not only their
current health issue, but what may be the
underlying cause.
So what qualifies a Naturopath to give
you this advice?
Times are changing. Natural Medicine
Practitioners - including naturopaths,
homeopaths and medical herbalists these days have science based degrees
and professional practise organisations.
Therapies are based on international
university research with biochemical and
pharmacological based practices.
It’s amazing for every day health
concerns.
Natural Medicine is excellent for
supporting a huge range of issues from
colds and flus, headaches, inflammation
and pain, and even digestive concerns,
hormonal imbalances, depression, fertility,
skin conditions and so many more.
We encourage you to find a Naturopath
who suits your needs, providing quality
advice to help you achieve both
immediate and long term solutions to lead
you to a healthier and more vital life.
The aim is to be healthy.
Being healthy is absolutely fantastic
and should be your expectation. Natural
therapies can be utilised every day and
33
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
in every home. It doesn’t need to be
expensive or complicated and can be
achieved by getting a few basics right
to allow the body to ‘rest and digest’,
supporting stress and supporting the
immune system.
the changes natural medicine can bring.
Unfortunately, most people don’t visit a
Naturopath until they are sick. And in that
case we need to find out why they are sick
in order to support the body to function
optimally again.
What happens in a consultation?
An initial comprehensive consultation
usually takes about an hour. This is to
discover your health history. Not “what is
the condition”, but “why is the condition”.
By understanding not just what is wrong
now, but what has happened in the past,
to find out who you are, and how you ‘tick’
so that we can make a plan that suits you.
We need to understand what conditions
you are living with, what illnesses and
medications you have had, if there has
been high stress for a long time; what are
your nutritional habits; is the liver a little
overwhelmed from lifestyle choices; how
is sleep and energy?
Our body sends out little ‘flags’ long before
we become truly dysfunctional. These
‘flags’ may be digestive issues, fatigue,
bloating, headaches, sleep problems, or a
melancholy mood. We may see hormonal
‘flags’ such as painful or difficult periods,
PCOS, or issues around fertility. We may
see weight gain or weight loss. There may
not be a synthetic medicine or ‘label’ for
these issues, and we often hear from our
patients that “there’s nothing wrong with
me from my blood tests”, or “nothing
that can be done”. To this we say, “Let’s
have a look and see how we can support
your return to better health using natural
medicine practices”. It’s amazing to see
If you do need a little help to get back on
track or recover from illness, or if you need
support for a chronic condition, then it is a
safe and sensible option.
Then we can look at how the body has
coped. Is your mood or sleep affected?
Are there digestive issues? Are there
skin conditions, or allergies? All of this is
essential to find a path back to optimal
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE - Mind Body Wellness
health or to support a chronic condition.
Naturopaths make great use of testing such as Hemaview (Live
Blood screening), traditional blood testing, hair testing for food
intolerances, urinary testing and much more.
Once we establish and support the particular aspect of the body,
whether it is the function of the body, or the lifestyle choice that
may be causing the issues, we see a great improvement in the
general health and wellbeing of our patients.
It doesn’t have to be a choice between Medicine and Natural
Medicine; it can be a cooperative approach that allows you to be
healthier in spite of your condition.
So what do we focus on? It’s simple… not illness… but wellness!
Don’t wait to get sick, learn how to live a healthy, vibrant life
every day. Wellness is not just the absence of disease, but it is
attaining optimal health. ■
Written by Lynette Hill (BNatMed), Naturopath
(utilising Hemaview), Homeopath and
co-founder of My Remedy Integrated Natural
Medicine Clinic www.myremedy.co.nz
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HEALTY LIFESTYLE - mind body wellness
Are you Living up to
Your Potential?
move towards health.
2. Your body has fundamental
requirements (things that it must get) in
order to function at its best. Just like a
plant has certain requirements to survive
and thrive such as water, sunlight, nutrients
etc, humans have certain requirements
too. These requirements include: nutrients,
movement, healthy thoughts and a fully
functioning nerve supply.
3. Life By Design provides the best
strategy to fulfill those requirements.
It really is your blueprint to fulfill your
genetic potential and live an extraordinary
life.
With so few people actually meeting their
requirements for life and health is it really
any wonder that so many people are sick?
1. Take out a piece of paper
2. Write down the number 81. This is the
average lifespan of a New Zealander.
3. Subtract your age from this number.
4. Multiply this number by 365.
5. What is your answer?
What’s your number? This is how many
days that you have left in your life. Puts it
into perspective doesn’t it?
Now ask yourself the following… “Am I
living up to my potential?” and “When
is it a good time to start living the life I
deserve?" Then ask yourself… “What life
do I want to live?”
I don’t think that there is anyone that
doesn’t want to live an extraordinary life
or have amazing health with incredible
energy. Yet, somewhere along the way
you fall into bad habits or you have
decided that living an extraordinary life or
having incredible health and energy isn’t
possible for you. Perhaps you even make
the excuse that “You are getting older”
or perhaps you hear the words “I don’t
have time to be healthy” come out of your
mouth.
Health is the cornerstone for everything
that you want in your life. You have
probably heard of the saying that “Your
health is your most valuable possession.”
It’s unfortunate that more people don’t
look after their most valuable possession
better. So many people today have already
lost their health or are on the path to
losing it.
35
The Green Living Magazine July 2014
How do I know this? Well, year after year
we are getting fatter and sicker and worst
of all, research suggests that the current
generation being born will live shorter
lives than their parents.
So, when is it a good time for you to
start investing in your most valuable
possession? Hopefully, your answer to that
question was NOW!
Before you embark on regaining or
enhancing your health, you must first get
clear on what health actually is. Contrary
to what most people think, it's NOT the
absence of symptoms or disease (think
about it, when do most people start to
take care of themselves… usually when
something hurts or they are sick). Real
health is living every single aspect of your
life to its fullest potential.
It is my belief that every human being is
designed to be extraordinary.
Once you believe that you are designed to
be healthy and the fact that health is your
default state when you give your body the
things it needs to be healthy. How do you
then make that your reality? Well, you start
living your Life By Design. Life By Design
is your blueprint to living the extraordinary
life that you deserve. Your responsibility is
to put those steps into action.
Life By Design is based on three
principles (truths):
1. You are designed to be healthy in every
sense of the word. Your body is intelligent
and is constantly adapting in response to
your environment, always attempting to
Every day we work with people (and their
families), just like you, who want to be
better and live their life to the fullest.
In order to become healthier than you are
today, you first have to make the decision
that you want to be healthier and secondly
you must decide WHY that is important
to you. Once you have done that, it’s really
just a matter of putting the steps into
place, simple really.
No matter where your health is currently, it
is possible for it to become better and the
cool thing is, it’s probably not as hard as
you think.
Here’s to your extraordinary life! ■
About Dr Tammy Hume:
As a Mum, Wife,
Wellness Expert,
Business Owner,
Chiropractor, Nutritionist
and speaker, Tammy
knows first hand how
to fit a lot into your day
and still have energy to spare at the end
of it! Tammy loves helping gorgeous, time
poor women and their families to live
their Life By Design. The result? Happy
and healthy families that have awesome
energy. Tammy is also the co-owner of
Vital Chiropractic, the hub for vibrant
health.
“
Creating a more sustainable world requires
an unwavering focus on the effects our actions
will have on future generations.
P 09 849 8313 F 09 849 8314 A 11 McDonald Street, Morningside, Auckland W www.centurionprint.co.nz