ECO's analysis and submission guide for the Resource Management Amendment Bill is now available on their website. To access the guide, please click here.

The closing date for submissions is THIS Friday 3 April.

John Key with Nick Smith (Minister for the Environment)

A nationwide campaign to push for a levy on plastic supermarket bags was launched today.

The 'Get Real' campaign wants Progressive Enterprises and Foodstuffs, owners of New Zealand's largest supermarkets, to charge for plastic bags at their supermarket counters.

Both companies signed the Packaging Accord in 2004 which set a goal of reducing the number of bags used by a fifth (144 million bags) this year. An open letter to the supermarkets can be signed at www.getreal.org.nz.

Sustainable Wanaka general manager Sophie Ward, whose organisation was involved in the campaign, said supermarkets needed to make a real commitment to reducing the number of plastic bags given away each year.

WHAT A WASTE: Mountains of plastic bags stored in Bromley, Christchurch.

Nearly a billion plastic bags were buried in landfills each year, with others polluting outdoor spaces and being ingested by wildlife, she said.

Progressive Enterprises public affairs manager Bill Moore told NZPA the company had agreed to trim its use of plastic bags by 20 percent by June this year, and was doing its ''utmost to get everyone behind us to reduce plastic bag usage even further''.

''We all want to reduce the number of plastic bags in the environment, and we continue to make good progress towards this goal.''

He said Progressive Enterprises, which owns Foodtown, Woolworths and Countdown, trains staff to pack at least seven items into bags where possible, and to ask customers if they want a bag if they are purchasing less than four items.

''Our customers want to reduce their use of bags, but they also like to be able to use them as and when needed,'' he said.

"If the Government were to mandate a charge on plastic bags, we would of course support this move, but we believe voluntary efforts make the most sense.''

Campaigner Angus Ho said experience here and overseas showed having to pay for plastic bags changed people's behaviour.

Plastic bags never completely broke down, Mr Ho said.

"They disintegrate into smaller and smaller pieces, taking over 500 years and ending up as plastic dust in the air and soil.''

In a letter to Mr Ho, Environment Minister Nick Smith said the ministry was investigating the effectiveness and feasibility of a levy on plastic bags.

The 'Get Real' organisers praised The Warehouse, which would introduce a 10 cent levy on plastic bags from April 20.

A survey of 600 Warehouse customers showed 78 percent supported the change, with 85 percent of those affected by trials at stores saying they would choose not to use a plastic bag once the charge applied.

The cash collected from the levy would go to community groups and the bags could be returned to Warehouse stores for recycling.

The Warehouse, along with Mitre 10 and Caltex, also signed the Packaging Accord.

By January this year, 100 million bags had been taken out of circulation as the campaign gained traction.

Bunnings and Borders had their own bag reduction schemes, with Borders reducing usage by 80 percent in one year with a 10 cent levy.

The New Zealand Retailers Association opposed a ban or mandatory tax on plastic bags and rejected calls for New Zealand to follow the South Australian government, which introduced a Plastic Shopping Bags (Waste Avoidance) Act on January 1.

The association previously said the industry was on track to reach targets voluntarily, so a ban or tax was not required.

Ireland and Taiwan both reduced plastic bag usage by more than 90 percent through a small levy, 'Get Real' organisers said.

India introduced a fine of 100,000 rupee ($3800) and possible jail time for selling or even carrying a non-biodegradable plastic bag.

An open letter to the supermarkets can be signed at www.getreal.org.nz.

- NZPA

Wind powered Greenbird reached speeds of 126.1 mph

A British engineer from Hampshire has broken the world land speed record for a wind-powered vehicle.

Richard Jenkins reached 126.1 mph (202.9 kmh) in his car Greenbird on the dry plains of Ivanpah Lake in Nevada.

Mr Jenkins told the BBC that it had taken him 10 years of "hard work" to break the record and that, on the day, "things couldn't have been better".

American Bob Schumacher set the previous record of 116 mph in 1999, driving his Iron Duck vehicle.

"It's great, it's one of those things that you spend so long trying to do and when it actually happens, it's almost too easy," Mr Jenkins told the BBC.

The Greenbird is a carbon fibre composite vehicle that uses wind (and nothing else) for power. The only metalwork used is for the wing bearings and the wheel unit.

Sail away

The designers describe it as a "very high performance sailboat" but one that uses a solid wing, rather than a sail, to generate movement.

Mr Jenkins, from Lymington, spent 10 years designing the vehicle, with Greenbird the fifth vehicle he has built to try and break the record.

Richard Jenkins spent 10 years trying to break the record

Due to the shape of the craft, especially at such high speeds, the wings also provide lift; a useful trait for an aircraft, but very hazardous for a car. To compensate for this, the designers have added small wings to "stick" the car to the ground, in the same way Formula 1 cars do.

"Greenbird weighs 600kg when its standing still," said Mr Jenkins. "But at speed, the effect of the wings make her weigh just over a tonne."

Richard Jenkins spent much of his childhood sailing on the south coast and from the age of 10 was designing what he calls "radical contraptions".

He has also built a wind powered craft that travels on ice, rather than land.

"Now that we've broken the record, I'm going back onto the ice craft. There's still some debate as to whether travelling on ice or land will be faster," he said

"But I think we've got some time. 126.1 mph was a good margin to beat the record and I think it will be some time before anyone else breaks it."

If you missed this interview with Dr Eric Martinot, please click here to listen to this Radio NZ National broadcast:

10:05am on Nine to Noon 23 March 2009: Dr Eric Martinot is a scientist and convening author for the Intergovernmental for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He is also a renewable energy expert, a consultant to the UN and formerly in charge of the World Bank's renewable energy programme. He and 140 researchers from around the world have recently led a stocktake report of global investment in renewable energy.

If you missed this Kim Hill interview with Geoff Waterhouse, please click here to listen to this Radio NZ National broadcast.

Geoff Waterhouse and his wife operate, among other ventures, Paihia Taxis & Tours Limited, which is committed to sustainable tourism, reducing CO2 emissions, and combating global warming. As far as is known, it is the only company of its kind in New Zealand that runs its vehicles on 100% Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO). He is an enthusiast for Pacific Ecologist, Transition Towns and the upcoming Currencies Conference.

Geoff has imported a number of David Blume's book "Alcohol Can be a Gas! Fuelling an Ethanol Revolution for the 21st Century".

The book costs NZ$98.00 including GST and postage within New Zealand. The price also includes a free copy of the DVD. Anyone wishing to order a copy can contact Geoff on 09 402 7506 or by email on paihiaradisecabs@yahoo.com

The Paihia "it's not a HYBRID, it's a FRYBRID" shuttle

In the coming week the Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group will start using their new email address info@livingseadoubtlessbay.org.nz to communicate the group's activities and relevant marine issues.

To date the Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group has utilised the Far North Environment Centre to distribute Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group emails. Email addresses that are currently on the Far North Environment Centre's marine interest email list will be added to the Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group emailing distribution list.

If you do not wish to be on the Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group's email distribution list, please reply to this email with REMOVE in the subject line.

For more information on the Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group, please visit their great new website www.livingseadoubtlessbay.org.nz


Many thanks

The Team
Far North Environment Centre

If you missed this programme, please click here to listen to this Radio NZ National broadcast.

For a Far North perspective, please visit the Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group's website (click here). All Doubtless Bay marine discussion document questionnaires need to be completed by 1st April 2009. If you would like to complete the questionnaire, it is downloadable here.

Ideas Sunday 15th March 2009: Marine Conservation - Marine Reserves, Marine Parks or Both?

More than two decades after marine biologist Bill Ballantine first started promoting the idea that 10 percent of New Zealand's waters should be set aside as no-take marine areas, the country's 30-plus marine reserves account for just 0.3 percent of our marine environment. In Ideas, we ask whether we're doing enough to protect our marine diversity. We hear from Bill Ballantine on why he's frustrated by the speed of progress. Victor Anderlini - a Californian by birth and Wellingtonian by choice - who has dedicated the last decade or so to educating people about the importance of looking after Wellington's South Coast and by extension all of New Zealand's marine environment. And pioneer undersea explorer and photographer Wade Doak on his idea for a network of marine parks - where any fish caught can only be sold locally.

LINKS:

Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group: http://www.livingseadoubtlessbay.org.nz/
Department of Conservation: http://doc.govt.nz/conservation/marine-and-coastal/marine-protected-areas/marine-reserves-a-z/
Bill Ballantine: http://www.marine-reserves.org.nz/
Wade Doak: http://www.wadedoak.com/
Island Bay Marine Education Centre: http://www.octopus.org.nz/

Presented by Chris Laidlaw
Produced by Jeremy Rose