SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable development considers the interrelationships between economic, environmental and social factors and focuses on
policies and activities which are equitable, bearable and viable. Unfortunately when decisions are based primarily on
conventional economic thinking and imperatives, social and environmental costs are not adequately considered and real
viability is never established. Read more here.
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DRAWDOWN: 100 SOLUTIONS TO REVERSE GLOBAL WARMING
According to this book and website, "Drawdown is the point in time when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere begins to decline on a year-to-year basis." Solutions are ranked in terms of the reduction of carbon dioxide
(in gigatons) and the top ten are as follows:
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1. Refrigeration Management (89.74)
2. Onshore Windfarms (84.60)
3. Reduced Food Waste (70.53)
4. Plant Rich Diet (66.11)
5. Tropical Forests (61.23)
6. Educating Girls (59.60)
7. Family Planning (59.60)
8. Solar Farms (36.90)
9. Silviopasture (31.19)
10. Rooftop Solar (24.60)
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Refrigeration Management
According to Drawdown every refrigerator and air conditioner contains chemical refrigerants that absorb and release
heat to enable chilling. While refrigerants like CFCs and HCFCs have been phased out because of their role in depleting
the ozone layer, HFCs, their primary replacement, spare the ozone layer, but have 1,000 to 9,000 times greater capacity
to warm the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Because 90% of refrigerant emissions happen at end of life, effective
disposal of those currently in circulation is essential. After being carefully removed and stored, refrigerants can
be purified for reuse or transformed into other chemicals that do not cause warming.
Reduced Food Waste
Drawdown says that the food we waste is responsible for roughly 8% of global emissions. The world already produces
enough food to support the world's population so it's an absolute travesty that a third of our food goes to waste while
there are 800 million of people either malnourished or going without food every day.
Plant-Rich Diets
Drawdown says that plant-rich diets reduce emissions and also tend to be healthier, leading to lower rates of chronic
disease. According to a 2016 study, business-as-usual emissions could be reduced by as much as 70%
through adopting a vegan diet and 63% for a vegetarian diet, which includes cheese,
milk, and eggs. $1 trillion in annual health-care costs and lost productivity would be saved.
Tropical Forests
Drawdown says that in recent decades, tropical forests have suffered extensive clearing, fragmentation, degradation, and depletion of biodiversity.
Once blanketing 12% of the world’s landmass, they now cover just 5%. While destruction continues in many places, tropical forest restoration is growing and may sequester as much as six gigatons of carbon dioxide per year.
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AFFORESTATION
Young native trees, including Kahikatea, Karaka, Kohekohe, Miro, Pukatea,
Rewarewa,
Rimu, Tanekaha and Totara. Some of these trees have been planted in a reforestation
project at the edge of Egmont National Park. |
PERMACULTURE IN ACTION
Harvesting beans off a bamboo frame. Forest garden (fruiting forest) and vegetable beds run according to
permaculture principles.
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EVOLUTION OF A GARDEN (1)
The same area of garden with subsequent plantings. Following the removal of the bean frame,
plant material was mounded in a pile at the rear. Some remaining vegetables have been allowed to flower, which will help
attract bees into the garden. These plants then go to seed, eventually producing new seedlings. |
EVOLUTION OF A GARDEN (2)
The compost bin has been lifted and started again further over to the right, making more compost available. The pile of plant
material has now broken down, producing a very rich mulch/compost and replanting has started at the right rear.
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EVOLUTION OF A GARDEN (3)
The garden has been cleared and some replanting has been done. An area at the front is ready for further planting. At the left
rear, white polythene covers the unused compost pile to prevent it drying out too much.
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SEEDLINGS IN A MULCHED BED
Mulch produced from the breakdown of plant material, combined with leaf mulch, helps to retain soil moisture and limits weed growth.
The containers with their bottoms removed help protect plants against slugs and snails.
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PEST PROOF GARDEN CAGE
This 3300L x 1200W x 900H cage was designed to prevent vegetables being eaten by possums (in the first instance). It
can be opened at the front to access or harvest crops, or opened right up if needed.
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POSSUM TRAPPING
The trap pictured below replaced a bait station on the property, enabling us to help control possum numbers in the area
while ensuring that no other animals would get secondary poisoning consuming dead possums.
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LINKS
Bioregional Development Group, Surrey, U.K.
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Drawdown
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
Greenpeace Aotearoa
Permaculture Magazine - solutions for sustainable living
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