Environment
Sun-powered freezers in store at Beco
Monday 16 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Using heat to freeze your food seems like an unusual way to go about freezing. Beco Limited now has in stock solar powered freezers and fridges. These run on DC power (most models run on AC power) and can be hooked up to solar panels and 12 to 24 volt batteries. This way they run […]
Nine apply for Suwarrow jobs
Saturday 14 April 2012 | Published in Environment
The National Environment Service (NES) has received nine applications for two Suwarrow park ranger positions. The positions were advertised recently, and the deadline to submit passed this week. Elizabeth Munro of NES says a panel of three people will be interviewing all nine applicants, as there is “no need for shortlisting”. The interview panel will […]
Second climate change report to be launched
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Environment minister Henry Puna and the National Environment Service (NES) will be launching the Cook Islands Second National Communication Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) today at USP from 12.30pm. This report outlines the Cook Islands’ progress in addressing the issue of climate change since the Initial National Communication report […]
Leaders still worried by mining impacts
Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Environmental concerns and the unknown impacts of deep sea mining are two major issues causing unease among the Cook Islands’ traditional leaders, who gathered in Avarua yesterday to join a Secretariat of the Pacific Community workshop discussing the undeveloped industry. The aptitude of Pacific nations and territories in regulating deep sea mining in their oceans […]
Toa's move subject to EIA
Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Environment
In anticipation of Toa Petroleum’s lease on its Avatiu property expiring, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been prepared detailing the risks of the depot relocating to Nikao. To all intents and purposes, the report deems the relocation safe and says it poses “negligible environmental and social risks”. “In general, the proposed bulk fuel storage […]
Hundreds of dolphins sighted
Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Environment
A pod of between 200 and 300 dolphins was sighted off the Muri coast on Saturday. Fisherman Wayne Barclay of Reel Time and his two South African passengers noticed a line of splashing about two miles off Muri Beach. “We thought it was a school of fish feeding but we came closer and it was […]
'Biogas' could be viable here
Saturday 7 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Renewable energy specialist Peter Hails, who is on Rarotonga for a holiday and to visit his parents, Sunset Resort owners John and Gunilla Hailes, is keen to share his knowledge and expertise with government. Hailes, who carries a degree in environmental geography and a Master’s in business, created and manages a renewable energy project for […]
Rising sea levels film threaten Takuu
Tuesday 3 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Yet another island in the Pacific is facing the daily challenge of dealing with climate change. The plight of the inhabitants of Takuu, or Mortlock Islands, was the subject of a documentary that showed at the Pacific Media Centre at AUT University in Auckland recently. Film producer Lyn Collie screened ‘There Once Was An Island: […]
Aitutaki stars in global Earth Hour
Tuesday 3 April 2012 | Published in Environment
After travelling through 150 countries across the globe, Earth Hour has drawn to a close in the Cook Islands for 2012. The community in Aitutaki was officially the last in the world to join the global initiative and switch off its lights on Saturday evening to raise awareness of the effort to combat climate change. […]
Daytime Earth Hour saves 210kw
Tuesday 3 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Businesses in Avarua have led the way in Rarotonga during last week’s salute to Earth Hour, recording the biggest drop in electricity use in the hour-long event. When midday struck on Friday – signalling the beginning of Earth Hour in Rarotonga – energy provider Te Aponga Uira (TAU) recorded a 210 kilowatt reduction in demand […]
Campaigning for sharks
Monday 2 April 2012 | Published in Environment
About 25 people showed up to New Hope Hall last Thursday night to talk sharks. The Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI) ran a public meeting for all interested parties to explain its vision for a proposed shark sanctuary in Cook Islands waters. PICI founder Stephen Lyon describes the meeting as successful and straightforward, and reports […]
Stanford searching for world's strongest coral
Saturday 31 March 2012 | Published in Environment
A team of marine biologists from the renowned Stanford University in the United States is on a search to find the world’s strongest coral, the itinerary for which includes the Cook Islands. Currently the team is in American Samoa. Stanford marine biologist Stephen Palumbi describes the back reefs at Ofu Island in American Samoa as […]
Earth Hour at the OPM
Saturday 31 March 2012 | Published in Environment
Offing the lights for yesterday’s Earth Hour – Office of the Prime Minister’s climate change director Ana Tiraa with Harriette Kimiora and Celine Dyer of the central policy and planning office.
Crush to the rescue!
Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Environment
It was like a magic act mounted on the back of a truck – a few metallic crunches, the smallest shake and, hey-presto, a car has disappeared. Well, transformed at least. But it’s not an ace up the sleeve or an invisible wire that makes this trick a reality, instead it was a semi-trailer mounted […]
OPM switches off and saves
Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Environment
Assessing power use and offering energy conservation tips to staff in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has paid off with a decrease in power consumption and an estimated saving of nearly $1000 in its electricity bills for the past month. The OPM Corporate Services Division and the Renewable Energy Development Division undertook an […]
Earthly lessons for schools nationwide
Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Environment
Cook Islands schools as far away as Manihiki will be taking part in Earth Hour commemorations today to help raise awareness of the fight against climate change among our students. But it’s not one school in the north that will join the Earth Hour push – almost all schools in the Cook Islands will be […]
Atiu, Aitutaki 'important bird areas'
Thursday 29 March 2012 | Published in Environment
Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) recently visited the islands of Atiu and Aitutaki to raise awareness in the community about the identification of their islands as Key Biodiversity Areas and Important Bird Areas (KBA/IBA). KBAs and IBAs mark the places on earth that have global importance for conservation. They must meet one or more internationally accepted […]
Agriculture must return to its roots
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Environment
Crop prioritisation and sustainable crop intensification were the two topics that captured discussions attended by agriculture minister Nandi Glassie at the 31st FAO Regional Conference for Asia and Pacific held in Hanoi, Viet Nam earlier this month. Glassie was one of 39 ministers of agriculture who attended the conference, including minsters from Samoa, Tuvalu, Tonga, […]
Shark sanctuary bid goes regional
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Environment
Representatives of the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) attending the WCPFC meeting in Guam this week will have more than tuna to talk about. Bycatch is a major concern in any commercial fishery and as a result, a portion of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting is dedicated to mitigating fishing impacts on […]
Marine park doco in production
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Environment
A team of renowned videographers was in Rarotonga and Aitutaki last week to shoot footage for a documentary that will launch the proposed Cook Islands marine park on to the international stage. Accompanying the crew were Conservation International president Russell Mittermeier and his son Mickey and project director Peter Stonier. Freelance cameraman Richard Wollocombe, who […]
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