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LATE AUTUMN EDITION
Kia ora
We're back with more climate and biodiversity stories from across Queenstown Lakes district.
In this season's edition we have articles on waste-minimisation opportunities, our local New Zealander of the Year, reforestation successes, and more. We've included story snippets below with links to full stories hosted on our swish new Climate and Biodiversity website.
Ngā manaakitanga, QLDC climate and sustainability leaders Bill, Kath, Kirsty and Tilly.
Waste Minimisation Community Fund applications close Friday!
Do you have a great idea for a project that will help move our community toward zero waste? Individuals, community groups, and businesses can apply to the Waste Minimisation Community Fund for grants that support waste reduction (reducing waste at source) and/or resource recovery (diverting waste from landfill).
Esteemed Climate Reference Group member named NZer of the Year!
Huge congratulations to Queenstown’s Dr Jim Salinger CRSNZ for being named Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year 2024!
Help them help you — this survey is worth the energy
Local non-profit organisations Rewiring Aotearoa and Mana Tāhuna are running a survey to better understand our communities’ energy consumption and the impact on energy hardship and power bills in the Queenstown Lakes area.
The energy survey’s 20 multi-choice questions take fewer than five minutes and cover topics such as what energy sources people use to heat their homes and cook, affordability, solar power, and awareness of Warmer Kiwi Homes funding and rental home compliance with Healthy Homes standards.
A huge milestone for the Whakatipu Wilding Control Group
Whakatipu Wilding Control Group (WCG) recently announced an impressive and hard-won milestone: after 16 years of consistent effort, the Shotover Management Unit has moved into a ‘maintenance-only phase’ of controlling wilding pines.
Whakatipu Reforestation Trust 2023 Impact Report
The Whakatipu Reforestation Trust recently released their 2023 Impact Report which highlights some of their incredible mahi from across the district.
Council's carbon reduction efforts officially certified
Council's carbon reduction efforts officially certified.
Slow Fashion Month:
Embracing conscious consumption
Slow-fashion superstars recently hit the catwalk at Refashion shows in Queenstown and Wānaka as a part of Slow Fashion Month in March. The sustainability-themed events were organised by Wastebusters and Sustainable Queenstown and promoted a more thoughtful approach to fashion via the power of choosing well, buying less, shopping second-hand first, and caring for and repairing our clothes.
New Queenstown Lakes Climate and Biodiversity website
We were thrilled to launch our new Climate and Biodiversity website in February. At the site you can read about the Queenstown Lakes Climate and Biodiversity Plan 2022-2035 and keep up to date with how we’re progressing on the plan’s 70 key actions to respond to biodiversity loss and climate change in the district.
To achieve our goals, we work in collaboration with local organisations who do amazing work across our district. You can check out some of these organisations and their efforts on our website.
The site provides an opportunity to celebrate the collective progress made and helps to strengthen the partnerships and collaborative efforts that’ll guide our district going forward. We’ll also use it as a key tool for sharing stories from across the district and any relevant research.
Kerbside recycling made easier
Earlier this year, the Ministry for the Environment made it easier for everyone to recycle right no matter where they live in Aotearoa New Zealand by standardising kerbside recycling across the country.
In Queenstown Lakes district, that means more items are now accepted in your yellow bin for recycling.
Check out our helpful 'what goes in your bins' guide at bottom of this email.
