Council showcases activities to address climate change

Council showcased some of the activities it has in place to tackle climate change, conserve water and help the environment yesterday.

Labour MP and Spokesperson for the Environment & Climate Change, Megan Woods, joined Councillor Penny Gaylor (Environmental & Community Development Committee Chair), Councillor Janet Holborow and some college students for a presentation at the Civic Building to learn more about these activities. 

They were then taken on a tour of the Wastewater Treatment Plant to see what council is doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when treating the district’s sewage.

The work at the plant, along with other activities (such as more efficient council vehicles and energy efficiency measures in its buildings) resulted in council reducing its carbon footprint by 49 percent in 2013/14 compared to the baseline year 2009/10.

After the tour, the group went on to visit Paekākāriki to see the town’s seawall and discuss the coastal challenges facing the district.

Ms Woods said she was impressed with the council’s level of activity around addressing greenhouse gases and the impacts of climate change.

“The thing that was most important for me today was to see a really good example of what this council does to decrease emissions and also reduce costs on ratepayers,” she said. “It’s clear how committed it is to climate change issues.”

Councillor Gaylor said it was great to have the students, who are part of their college’s environmental group, join the visit.

“It's crucial that younger generations get involved in these issues as, aside from being our future decision-makers, they are often eager to embrace changing behaviours and help educate us all.”

Council’s next goal in this area is to decrease its emissions by 80% by 2021/22 compared with the baseline year.