One year on from the Wellington Smart Energy Challenge we catch up with Russell from NoCar Cargo and Ryan from Switched On Bikes to see how their smart businesses are faring and the challenges of being small business owners in the CBD.
We are always told that planting a food garden could save us money, But now I am hearing that gardening could save our world? Really?
So in this interview we talk to three of Welly’s most well known gardeners,Linnea Lindstroem of and , Mel Beirne from Brooklyn Orchard and Garden trainer for , and Tim Packer of the who discuss how gardening just might do that.
In this interview we chat with the Kiwi innovators behind a wasp-killing bait, an Iwi-led restoration project from Tolaga Bay and a new-generation native lizard monitoring system from Wellington based . They have each been awarded $25,000 from a grant to recognize their contribution to innovation in conservation.
The awards, now in their second year are a celebration of Kiwi innovators whose ideas look set to make a real difference in the fight to protect our special places and wildlife.
http://www.wwf.org.nz/what_we_do/community_funding/innovation/
http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/2003261-135/award-for-iwi-led-tolaga-project
I have recently had the pleasure of meeting Peter Gilberd, founder of the , a community planting group based in Northern suburbs of Wellington. They were recognized for the massive work they have done with an highly commended award in the Wellington Airport Community Awards. The Woodridge Planters are also part of a riparian tree planting project with the Streams and are crowdfunding to plant out 400 meters of one of Welly’s few streams, the Belmont Stream. However through the simple act of planting trees, it is clear this is having a huge effect not only on the environment but on the entire Newlands community.
Founder of , Erin Leigh would describe her business as a wellness revolution, but not only is she taking our office workers health by storm, she has now paired up with permaculture activist Linnea Lindstroem to connect with the growing “edible city” movement! They are starting a series of urban farm sites throughout Wellington, with the first one right here in Newtown called .
“…if we can have a fast food restaurant on every corner then we can have urban farms in every city.” Nice vision.
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Local organisation Conscious Consumers were recently described by the Herald as a “phenomenon,” as since only 2010 they have been helping to shape a better world in the NZ hospo industry by accrediting the good stuff that 300 cafes and restaurants do, and communicating that to 40 000 Conscious Consumers, who have signed up to support those businesses.
Melissa Keys is one of the backbones of the Conscious crew, and in this interview she talks about why she cares about the work she does and why she wants us to be part of their next revolutionary idea, the – !
The Good Spend Counter will mean that more free range produce, fair-trade coffee and more local suppliers will be supported by our cafes. That can only be a good thing for our animals and our local economy and our environment, so yes please .
For more info www.countmein.nz, only one week to go.
Not every city in the world can boast an eco-sanctuary just 10 minutes from it’s center and while we Wellingtonians may sometimes take the 20 year impact of this for granted, ranger Neil Anderson certainly doesn’t, even after working there for 15 years. In this interview we hear about Neil’s diverse daily work at the sanctuary and how he went from creating one night parties for Louis Vuitton, at New York Fashion Week to working towards a 500 year vision for Zealandia Ecosanctuary.