Choosing the best fish to eat

Anchovies - top of the list in terms of ecological sustainability

I am sure many of you enjoy eating fish for dinner and some of you may even go fishing from time to time.  Many of you will also be aware that there are ecological risks associated with various fishing methods and that many of the fish that we see in shops are species that are critically endangered from overfishing or habitat destruction.

It is important to be aware of the best fish to buy in order to minimise the ecological impact of fishing and to support healthy fish populations. To help us achieve this, the Best Fish Guide is a handy chart that provides easy interpretation of the best fish to purchase, and ones to definitely avoid. At this same link you can download a Best Fish Guide 12-13 mobile app too which is handy to have when out shopping.



Yellow fin tuna - the best tuna choice, but still well down the list the list

Relax

My colleague, Jennifer Hamlin has shared a couple of links with me over the last few weeks which are complimentary to my previous post on Optimising your productivity.  The link below provides further evidence of changing how you do things can make your more productive whilst having more time to do other things.  All those things you are always saying you are too busy to do.  Here is the link: Relax, you'll be more productive

What does this have to do with this future-focused blog?  Well, many of us are so busy we have little time to to look after ourselves or do things that are really meaningful in our lives, this in its self is not sustainable. Finding more time for important things is sometimes a matter of thinking creatively and carefully managing the time that you do have.

I know many of you find your email in boxes completely overwhelming and checking emails can take up a lot of time each day......maybe this innovative email management system is a solution for you: Sanebox

BTW - if you are an Otago Polytechnic student using Moodle for your studies - don't forget to set the forum posts digest to one email a day! That in itself could reduce your email count by 50!  Click on your name and then select 'edit profile' then follow your nose. 

Don't forget to share your thoughts!

Have a great week.

Mapping our Future

The video below is 20 min presentation by Sir Paul Callaghan, delivered in March 2011. It does take some time to get to the bits that are relevant to this blog, but in getting there it paints an important picture about the importance of maintaining a livable environment.

We can argue whether the ideas proposed in this video are truly sustainable but the overall message is important - why does government set our direction, and would a different way of doing things be a better way to a sustainable future?


Strategy New Zealand - Mapping our Future

If you have trouble viewing the video above, you can also click the link here.

I look forward to your comments.

Riparian Strips

In the launch issue of the new magazine, Green Ideas; there was an article titled From Muck to Money telling the story of a farmer and his family who boosted milk production in his dairy herd and slashed fertliser costs for his paddocks by rescuing two lakes on his property. 

He did this by engaging with DOC and the local regional council who helped share the costs of removing willows which were choking the lakes. Willows are not good at absorbing nutrients from the farm runoff and they blocked growth of natives that act as better absorbers of excess nutrients.  Once the willows were removed, a planting effort took place to build up a 10m wide strip on either side of waterway system all throughout the property. Fonterra also played a role sponsoring volunteers to help with planting. The farmer also engaged help to reduce the amount of nutrients he was putting on the pastures and developed a plan with consultant Alison Dewes from Headlands Consulting to maximise outputs while minimising the eco-footprint. This new native riparian strip created a significant effect on wetland regeneration and greatly promoted effective waterway restoration.

This is a really awesome story and one that could be used as an example and repeated nationwide.  As the farmer quite rightly said: "If we have to put up signs saying 'You can't swim in this water' then something has gone wrong somewhere".  This does of course not address the question of just how much dairying we can sustain if we treat the environment better because developing a mono-culture of farming must be detrimental  in the long term; however, if we can manage what we currently have with less run-off and less inputs, that has to be good for everyone.

Read more about riparian strips on:
1. Lifestyle block website
2. NIWA website

The Department of Conservation (DOC) website has this useful practical guide for environmental restoration projects

Replanting a riparian strip

Optimising your productivity

Image source

Sustainability is not just about the environment but about people too - being productive while enjoying life and having time for yourself is importnat but seemingly increasingly harder in this day and age.

This link goes to a blog on habits of highly productive people.  Its makes for great reading and is timely as the academic year moves into a higher gear.  The habits covered in the blog are: 

1.  Meditate
2.  Optimize your morning ritual
3.  Visualize your ideal day
4.  Rest before you’re tired
5.  Get active during your breaks
6.  Work with intention
7.  Unplug
8.  Optimize your work set-up
9.  Learn to speed read
10. Be grateful
11. Practice optimal breathing
12. Ask for help

This set of ideas is of significant benefit to everyone trying to be productive - whether its study, in a paid work place, a stay at home parent, or life in general.  These tips will help help you optimize your day and improve outcomes and quality of life.

From my perspective the 'unplug' advice just on its own has made a huge difference.  I no longer take my laptop or iPad to bed.  They are now designated as office equipment only.  

Its about working smarter not harder - you pass this way but once so make sure  you make it a good one!

The link again is: http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/11/05/12-unconventional-habits-of-highly-productive-people/

Have a great week!

Change of drink vending machines

As our readers who are associated with Otago Polytechnic are aware, the polytechnic has made a committment to sustainability.  It is a slow process but over time changes are being made to the gardens and grounds around the living campus concept, buildings are being checked for energy efificency and being improved upon, and so on. 

A recent announcement is that there will be a change of vending machines from Coca-Cola to Frucor. As well as energy drinks, Frucor have brands for bottled water, fruit juices, the Pepsi range and the likes of 'Up and Go'. As part of the contract change, the polytechnic has specified that the vending machines contain NO energy drinks and they must offer healthier drink options. 

If you visit the Frucor website you will find information on what they term 'social responsibility'.  Their philosophy includes "community,environment and health," according to the website. You can read more about their social responsibility philosophy by clicking here. It is great they have this commitment, it is up to you to assess it. 

Firstly, I would like to commend the polytechnic on making changes - small steps towards something better.  I imagine the battle of the big corporates is a hard battle to fight and I am aware that the change from Coca-Cola to Frucor must have been a long running challenge. 

Secondly, I would like to comment that taking it further would be a fantastic step but a larger voice is required.  For students, as members of the student body, it is your campus, whether you are on campus or based remotely.  What commitments need to be made for us to be the leaders in terms of sustainability?  Consider what you would want/expect about sustainable leadership and lobby with your student voice through OPSA.  Vote with your money - will you spend it on bottled drinks or fill up your reusable water bottle? 

Perhaps we could lobby Frucor to supply vending machines that provide drinks in bulk refill packaging so that you can refill your reusable drinking vessels and reduce packaging waste.  Perhaps we could say 'no' to vending machines all together?  It really is up to the collective voice.  One person doing their best to try and negotiate changes is slow and requires huge efforts.  A loud collective voice will really start to be heard. 

I wanted to leave you with a parting diagram titled: The illusion of choice..................

Enough said

Have a great week

An alternative to coal?

I came across this product in a new magazine called "Green Ideas".  Carbon Scape, a company based in Blenheim, has developed an activated carbon product that is not only cheaper, but it has the potential to replace coal and cut steel mill emissions by 31%.  This new product is generated from sawdust - wood waste from the milling industry.  The company has won some international awards for sustainable technology in the development of this product.

A diagram of the process that produces Carbon Scape's products

See their website for more information: http://carbonscape.com/about/overview/

There is masses of information on this website about activated carbon and about other products as well.  It looks as though activated carbon can be used to soak up CO2 emissions too and clean water, another product biochar can be used to reduce leaching from soil and to improve soil quality.  This is a website well worth taking some time to read and digest. 

Don't forget to post your comments and thoughts.