Fire and Emergency says powerless over long grass hazard

By Ray Lilley  Long grass is a key feature in incidental fires which have sparked across the dry, dusty, drought-hit Wairarapa since before Christmas. Despite repeated warnings late last year, and a current fire ban, some locals warn that uncut long grass poses a huge fire danger – and the …

Lions help make a wheel difference

A Martinborough Lions Club member learnt recently of a family who might need a bit of assistance. The family consisted of mum, dad and seven children – of whom two are fostered. If that was not challenging enough, one of the children in their care has special needs.  The Lion’s …

How Well Do We Know People in our Community?

Michael Bing talks to Lyle Griffiths Michael was raised in Auckland, attending St Peters College where he loved playing both cricket in the summer months, and rugby in the winter. But there were always connections to Martinborough.  “My father had relatives here, and as children we used to return frequently …

Local accommodation can seek DarkSky recognition

DarkSky, the international body responsible for world-wide dark sky accreditation, is offering accommodation providers the chance to be accredited to their just-launched “DarkSky Approved Lodging Program,” and a listing on their international website.  Accommodation businesses in the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve area _ the Wairarapa region stretching from south of …

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Country Dog City Dog

February 13, 2024 February 2024, Regular Features Comments Off on Country Dog City Dog

Human behaviour crisis drives earth overshoot

February 13, 2024 February 2024 Comments Off on Human behaviour crisis drives earth overshoot

(Reprint from The Guardian)

Record heat, record emissions, record fossil fuel consumption. One month after Cop28, the world is further than ever from reaching its collective climate goals. At the root of all these problems, according to recent research, is the human “behavioural crisis,” a term coined by an interdisciplinary team of scientists.

“We’ve socially engineered ourselves the way we geoengineered the planet,” says Joseph Merz, lead author of a new paper which proposes that climate breakdown is a symptom of ecological overshoot, which in turn is caused by the deliberate exploitation of human behaviour.

“We need to become mindful of the way we’re being manipulated,” says Merz, who is co-founder of the Merz Institute, an organisation that researches the systemic causes of the climate crisis and how to tackle them.

Merz and colleagues believe that most climate “solutions” proposed so far only tackle symptoms rather than the root cause of the crisis. This, they say, leads to increasing levels of the three “levers” of overshoot: consumption, waste and population.

They claim that unless demand for resources is reduced, many other innovations are just a sticking plaster. “We can deal with climate change and worsen overshoot,” says Merz. “The material footprint of renewable energy is dangerously underdiscussed. These energy farms have to be rebuilt every few decades – they’re not going to solve the bigger problem unless we tackle demand.”

“Overshoot” refers to how many Earths human society is using up to sustain – or grow – itself. Humanity would currently need 1.7 Earths to maintain consumption of resources at a level the planet’s biocapacity can regenerate.

Where discussion of climate often centres on carbon emissions, a focus on overshoot highlights the materials usage, waste output and growth of human society, all of which affect the Earth’s biosphere. … Continue Reading

EV charger/s needed in tourist town Martinborough?

February 13, 2024 February 2024 Comments Off on EV charger/s needed in tourist town Martinborough?

Trickle-down EV charging doesn’t cut it in a tourism centre.

More than 101,000 electric cars _ EVs _ drive New Zealand roads, with more and more coming down the pipe _ or over the hill as EV-driving visitors add to the growing numbers of local electric carss.

Local business is already finding limitations, with no public charging units in Martinborough, the closest in Featherston, with up to two designated for installation – but not in place – in Greytown.

Carterton’s car park has four.

The problems faced locally boil down primarily to power infrastructure.

The power load drawn by a single Tesla, Leaf, Ioniq, BYD, MG or Peugeot which is on trickle charging may be fine – but the present power system can “flip its fuse” if two of the above try charging at the same time. 

Let alone the prospect of installing a fast charger for public use on a basic infrastructure system currently unable to supply the electric juice. The State Highway 2 infrastructure “corridor” has those necessary facilities.

At the Top 10 Holiday Park in Martinborough, trickle-down is the only option, with the electric infrastructure unable to supply at the power demand levels needed for even two Teslas to charge simultaneously. 

It just took a couple of Teslas charging on the same power supply to blow the camp’s fuses last year, said camp ground owner Lisa Cornelissen.

Now the campground has “rules and conditions in place” that people need to abide by if the fusebox is to remain functional, she told The Star.  … Continue Reading

Martinborough community rallied for Santa

February 13, 2024 February 2024 Comments Off on Martinborough community rallied for Santa

Martinborough’s Christmas Parade attracted many hundreds of people, with some picnics on the grass in The Square, as well as thousands of flying toffees along the route of the floats _ which included trucks, tractors, mobility-driving seniors, marching Martinborough pipers and the essential Big Red Suit Guy.
Martinborough Community Board member Angela Brown said the last-minute rush of registration of floats was “fantastic. It was a microcosm of everything that’s Martinborough.”
“It was free … a range of people took part, from playcentre kids to seniors on their mobility scooters.”
The parade helped spark Christmas buzz through the community.

By Angela Brown

A belated and sincere “thank you” to everyone involved with the 2023 Martinborough Community Santa Parade – there was lots of work behind the scenes to make this happen. The support of the community was overwhelming. 

Mary Smith and Kay Mills kicked the planning off early last year and their experience was invaluable in ensuring the parade embraced elements of the past. 

The Mens Shed constructed a sleigh for Santa, the talented MADCAPS entertained with carols, the Toy Library set up a grotto and photo opportunity supported by the Martinborough Community Market. Rotary offered financial support and, together with Lions, acted as marshalls on the day. Members of the Community Board and all your local councillors were there offering support with traffic management or entertaining the crowds. 

Biggest thank you goes to our amazing Santa who has taken time away from his Christmas delivery preparations for the past 30 years! We hope he enjoyed riding in his new sleigh. 

If anyone would like to get involved with organising the 2024 parade, please get in touch. … Continue Reading

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Sports

Golf pro-am success _ without clubhouse

By Karen Stephens A record field of 172 players, including 43 professionals from New Zealand and Australia, battled light winds, warm temperatures and even light early-morning fog at Martinborough golf’s 2024 CER Electrical and Holmes Construction pro-am on February 1. At least that was the range of excuses for some …

Featherston wrestlers go offshore

Two members of Featherston Amateur Wrestling Club’s senior class have again been asked to join a New Zealand team overseas.  Wairangi Sargent and Angus Read will take part in the Journeymen Tournament and Training Camp over Easter in New York state.  Over the week they are there they will be …

Martinborough Golf Club has tumbled down

The demolition of the Martinborough Golf Club is complete. In the last days prior to Christmas a fully-insulated pole shed, much like a top end farm outbuilding, was erected to act as both office and temporary clubhouse. New septic tanks, internet connectivity, power, water, and Porticom loos were installed. On …

Regular Features

News from First Church

 Many folk imagine that going to church is a bit of an ordeal, a waste …

FROM THE MAYOR

By Martin Connelly In February the local Lions Club invited me for dinner and asked …

Driving Growth and Collaboration: Martinborough Business Assn Committee

The Martinborough Business Association Committee plays an important role in fostering economic growth and collaboration …

How Well Do We Know People in our Community?

Michael Bing talks to Lyle Griffiths Michael was raised in Auckland, attending St Peters College …

BOOK REVIEWS FOR HOT SUMMER DAYS

By Brenda Channer – Martinborough Bookshop “Whether Violent or Natural” by Natasha Calder This debut …

Community Garden News

By Debbie Yates This is definitely the month of thank you. Nga Mihi Nui! We …

EVENTS

Saturday 10 February: 10th annual Citizen Science Kākahi Count at Western Lake Shore Reserve, 18km …

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