Environment
Earth Day at CITC
Thursday 21 April 2011 | Published in Environment
All CITC stores are ditching plastic bags today in honour of Earth Day. While Earth Day is officially on April 22 (tomorrow), CITC has elected to observe it today, which is April 22 in New Zealand and Australia. Last year, as part of its Environment Sustainability Policy, CITC made a commitment to reduce the number […]
Should plastic bags and glass bottles go?
Thursday 21 April 2011 | Published in Environment
Last year the National Environment Service launched a survey to obtain feedback from the community on whether the country should ban non-biodegradable plastic bags and beverages in glass bottles. The aim was to generate a public discussion on this idea so that the issues are all laid out and hopefully assist us in coming up […]
MMR consults public on fishery
Thursday 21 April 2011 | Published in Environment
The Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) is organising a public meeting on Rarotonga next week for those interested in its plan to undertake exploratory fishing (research) on skipjack and bigeye tuna as well as swordfish. This will be held on Thursday April 28 at the Pukapuka Hostel from 4.30pm. A similar public consultation was held […]
Call to ban phosphate soaps
Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Environment
A recommendation to legislate against the importation of washing products and soaps that contain phosphate met with widespread support during the Environment session at the Economic Summit yesterday. Ngatangiia businessman Keta Williams said it would relatively be a simple matter for government to ban products that are not environmentally friendly. He said washing powders and […]
Protect our biodiversity
Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Environment
Extinction is forever. That was the reminder given by Te Ipukarea Society programme manager and active environmentalist Jacquie Evans during yesterday’s environment session at the economic development summit. She said Dr Graham Matheson’s presentation was a perfect example of why it is so important, so essential, that we protect our biodiversity. “Biodiversity means all the […]
TIS shows purse seine doco on Vaka TV
Monday 11 April 2011 | Published in Environment
The environmental organisation Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) will be televising a documentary on the environmental impact of purse seine fishing tomorrow evening on Vaka TV. The screening coordinated by TIS is part of an awareness campaign “Te Ki o to Tatou Moana ei angai rai ia tatou – our ocean of fish is for the […]
SPREP team helps with waste plan
Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Environment
A South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) waste team is on Rarotonga to learn more about the successful E-Waste Day held on the island in December and to help prepare the National Waste Strategy. The team met with Infrastructure and Planning Minister Teariki Heather to discuss plans and preparations for the National Waste Strategy before […]
$3m waste and sanitation project underway
Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Environment
A $3 million programme aimed at improving lagoon water quality in Rarotonga and Aitutaki is now underway. The Waste Management and Sanitation Improvement Programme is being funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme and has been developed in consultation with Cook Island Government agencies, businesses and civil society. “Effective waste management and sanitation infrastructure and […]
Region reports on climate change preparations
Tuesday 29 March 2011 | Published in Environment
Pacific nations are working together to better prepare communities for climate change, following a regional conference in Niue. The Cook Islands was represented at the 2011 Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (PCCR) by National Environment Service (NES) island futures division manager Pasha Carruthers. Carruthers made a number of presentations to the roundtable, and gained some valuable […]
CICC to celebrate Earth Hour
Friday 25 March 2011 | Published in Environment
The Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) Sunday school grounds at Avana will be the venue for an official Earth Hour party tomorrow evening. A candlelight service will include prayer, song, and purua reading. Local artists at the gathering will also make presentations during the hour between 8pm and 9pm, when all residents are encouraged to […]
Greenpeace against it
Wednesday 23 March 2011 | Published in Environment
Operating in the region today are “super super purse seiners” which take almost double the entire annual catch of some Pacific island countries in a single fishing trip. Greenpeace identifies the biggest and most devastatingly efficient tuna catching vessel in the world as the Spanish-owned Albatun Tres which has been fishing far west side of […]
Conserving water is 'fairer'
Wednesday 23 March 2011 | Published in Environment
Greater water pressure and increased water reserves for emergencies are the likely benefits of water conservation efforts by all those living on Rarotonga. During World Water Day yesterday, Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning water works officer Adrian Teotahi urged residents to use water wisely and consider the consequences of water wastage. Teotahi says at present […]
String bands by candlelight
Tuesday 22 March 2011 | Published in Environment
Cook Islands businesses, individuals, and government organisations are being encouraged to conserve electricity during Earth Hour on March 26. The 60 minutes between 8pm and 9pm this Saturday provides a chance for people worldwide to switch off non-essential lights and appliances in a bid to save energy and recognise the effect climate change is having […]
Campaigning to save wetlands
Monday 21 March 2011 | Published in Environment
Projects to mark the Cook Islands’ year of wetlands are being organised to coincide with the country’s national environment week later this year. National Environment Service (NES) environment education and awareness officer Deyna Marsh says 2011 has been recognised as the year of forests by United Nations, and SPREP is recognising it as the year […]
Games training squad in sprints
Wednesday 16 March 2011 | Published in Environment
This Saturday’s oe vaka sprint races will see paddlers battling it out on Muri lagoon in the V6 canoes over the course distances of 1000m and 1500m. At the weekend races were over 50m in the V6 division with some great results seen overall. A small but enthusiastic group of paddlers enjoyed the day’s racing […]
Library and museum goes solar
Friday 11 March 2011 | Published in Environment
The Cook Islands Library and Museum Society has gone solar thanks to the German Embassy in Wellington. The embassy donated $8573 for solar panels for the roof of the library and museum in September last year and last month six solar panels were installed. The $700 monthly power bill for the library and museum was […]
Women explain carbon emission effects
Thursday 10 March 2011 | Published in Environment
Even if developed countries adhere to pledges to reduce carbon emissions, global temperatures will rise by 3.2 degrees, says Myra Patai, who headed the Cook Islands delegation to the COP16 (United Nations Climate Change Conference) in Cancun last year. While the world is pressuring developed countries like the US, the EU, Japan, Canada, Australia and […]
Call for 'bold action' on climate change
Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Environment
Climate change adaption advocates are pushing for a new unit to be established within the Office of the Prime Minister, as a central entity to manage climate change functions for the Cook Islands. It is envisiged the unit will primarily coordinate and integrate existing climate change-related bodies and individuals within the Cook Islands government as […]
'Leave Maina Iti alone'
Friday 4 March 2011 | Published in Environment
An Aitutaki lagoon tours operator is accusing one of the islands’ most entrepreneurial families of causing irreparable damage to Maina Iti – a naturally occurring sand-cay. For some years Andrew Katu has been operating his lagoon tours and he’s not happy that the Henry family is using Main Iti as a recreational area. It took […]
Harbour spoil headed to Panama
Thursday 3 March 2011 | Published in Environment
Members of the public have until March 30 to endorse or object to the proposed Ports Authority project to store spoil dredged from the Avatiu harbour at an abandoned Panama dump site. The National Environment Service (NES) this week made public its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, drawn up in response to a Ports Authority […]
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