Tag Archives: Volunteers

Oliver Vetter – love your coast

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Oliver_Sus_Coast_lines

have had a massive impact on New Zealand beaches by educating nearly 110 000 of us about caring for our coasts, as well us getting 35 000 of us to pick up over 1,000,000 million litres of rubbish. Now Welly has our own Sustainable Coastlines representative, a big welcome to Oliver Vetter, who is already very busy leading the  campaign through schools, a harbour dive clean up this Saturday and a beach clean up at Makara next Saturday.

In this interview Oliver shares his take on why we have so much rubbish on our beaches, how you can start your own beach clean up through Sustainable Coastlines and even though he has alot of dirty work to do,why  he loves his job.

http://www.loveyourcoast.org/Events/cleanup/2587

Mandy Coleman – the life of a Sea Shepherd

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Mandy Coleman Sea Shepherd

Mandy Coleman is the Wellington coordinator for  and the  crew, who are back in town with the ocean defender, the Sam Simon. The Sam Simon is docked at the Taranaki St. wharf, preparing for it’s next Antarctic campaign. In this interview we talk with Mandy and her husband Micheal about why they have been so dedicated to the Sea Shepherd Movement for 6 years, the big issues our oceans are facing and what simple actions we can do to help this potentially very fragile situation.

Mandy and Michael also spend a lot of their weekends picking up rubbish from around Wellington’s beaches and do a monthly clean up at Evans Bay beach. Find out more here https://www.facebook.com/events/310566425809314/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming


For more on the fundraiser at Bar Bodega on Saturday the 29thhttp://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2014/sea-shepherd-antarctic-fundraiser/wellington

Sea Shepherd Antarctic Fundraiser

Here is a link to the Forest and Bird Nest Fish Guide http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/best-fish-guide-13-14

 

Myfanwy Emeny – our urban ecology

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Myfanwy Emeny Cropped

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you know that we have an Urban Ecologist at the Wellington City Council? Neither did I. But I do now, as I wanted to know what Conservation Week means for Wellington city. So in this interview Myfanwy Emeny, that Urban Ecologist, talks about the native communities that share our fair city, as well as the 90 volunteer community groups doing a good job replanting and helping our diverse environment thrive. She also bought in 2 local native superstars into the studio, although they were not that confident on the radio.

More on the pest fest at Waitangi Park to celebrate Conservation Week, this sunday.http://www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/events-and-awards/regional-events/family-pest-fest/

Emily Dowding Smith – arctic snorkeler

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Meet Emily Dowding-Smith an ex Welly girl, (well Taranaki really) environment lawyer and scientist who has just returned from a test run, snorkeling the Arctic as part of a team of 10 women selected to raise awareness about disappearing sea ice and altered eco systems. And she was the only kiwi. Wow! In this interview Emily shares her reasons why this trip was important to her and her perception on what she saw on this once in a lifetime experience.

For more on this and Emily’s other adventures read her blog http://emtere.com

Anj Barton, Kim Partridge – raising the bar for Shakti

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Ange Barton

And I have only recently heard of the Women’s Support Group who are having a big fundraiser at Meow this Saturday. Organizers Kim Partridge and Anj Barton tell us what Shakti Wellington do AND there is a LIVE sneak performance from artists playing at the fundraiser, a stunning new song from  and Anj Barton’s and Tin Gau’s band Ready Sett. Yahoo…..

http://www.shakti.org.nz/

Jean Watson – star of the star people

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Jean Aunty and the Star people. unblurred

No one would know this 80 year old Berhampore resident, Jean Watson would have such an unusual life creating a children’s orphanage in India called the . And after 30 years of doing this, Jean is now the star in the film telling her own story, which featured in the NZ International Film Festival and has just been released in theaters around New Zealand.

In this interview I had the amazing opportunity to talk to Jean for and get some simple yet real insights on her life that could be meaningful to us all. 

http://www.karunai-illam.org/

http://www.nziff.co.nz/2014/wellington/aunty-and-the-star-people/

What makes Aro Valley our Eco Valley?

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aro_community_20140727_5537Aro Valley is quickly taking the title of Eco Valley, as recently resident Julia Stace, Te Aro School and the Aro Valley Community Center have all had solar panels installed, which will produce their own renewable power. This will add to the valley’s legacy of already being a leader in community action.

In this two part series these Aro Valley initiators talk about what they think contributes to Aro Valleys constant action towards positive environmental change.

In part 1 resident Julia Stace ( far left) on why she installed photo Voltaic cells on her home and Charles Barrie (centre) from Aro Valley’s community gardens  on the surprising benefits of the community gardens and his idea on a vision for Aro Valley.

In Part two Louise Sherrell of , (represented by other Aro Solar project team members Miranda Voke  2nd right and Ollie 2nd left), resident Karen MacIntyre ( centre back) on some valley history that changed it forever and community coordinator Kelvin Aris talks about community resilience.

A must listen for all communities and neighborhoods trying to kick start change.

Part 1

Part 2

Thanks to Virginia Woods Jack for the photo.