The winners of the Hawke’s Bay Environmental Awards 2009 were announced tonight, as well as two highly commendeds.
The awards are an annual event to encourage positive change and environmental leadership in the region and are a combined council initiative supported by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Hastings District Council, and Napier City Council.
“All the winners are to be congratulated. This year, once again, we were really pleased with the standard, but each year the bar seems to be lifted and people are aiming for and achieving more in environmental care in Hawke’s Bay,” said Dave Pipe, Napier Councillor and chairman of the awards joint working group.
The Community award category was won by St Vincent de Paul Society Recycling Hastings. This community organisation is recycling computers and associated equipment, preparing them for resale where possible, and chipping plastic and other elements for reuse or for export where other countries are able to recover materials. Computer recycling is one of the most difficult and labour intensive waste minimisation operations. St Vincent de Paul is working to a business plan and uses a mix of paid, work experience and voluntary labour.
A Highly Commended certificate for the Community category was presented to Hastings & Havelock North Forest and Bird Society for their development and restoration of Blowhard Bush (alongside the Napier –Taihape Road) including new visitor facilities, planting, tracks and pest control.
The joint winners of the Ede Award (pronounced Eddie) environmental education category were Taikura Rudolf Steiner School and Havelock North Playcentre.
Both of these learning centres have developed environmental education programmes that include students participating and learning from a native plant nursery and vegetable garden. They also learn about healthy eating options and take part in community planting projects. Taikura is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and has always had an ethic of environmental care, whereas Havelock North Play Centre developed their initiative with parents and children during an 18 month period.
“The judges found it very difficult to choose between the achievements of the play centre and the school, as despite their different age groups, they had both achieved a significant amount in connecting children with the environment, whether it’s growing, cooking or curriculum studies. So a joint award was made for the first time in this award programme, and congratulations go to both organisations,” said Councillor Dave Pipe.
Highly commended in this section was awarded to Hastings Intermediate School for further developments of their in-school environmental programme which includes a Fresh Tastes Best Cafe serving food grown in the school gardens. This EnviroSchool is a past Environmental Award winner.
Winner of the Business Resource Efficiency category is Quantum Laboratories Ltd, a Waipawa based company helping farmers to improve nitrogen and other elements in farm soils to increase productivity and animal health. This company offers an alternative approach to farmers wanting to improve their farm performance.
The Product and Service category award was won by BBE Architects Ltd (Building, Biology and Ecology) for their contribution to more sustainable housing and buildings in the region, using a range of techniques and services. The company also provides education programmes on sustainable building and living.
The event was hosted at Hawke’s Bay Opera House by the Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Environmental Awards working group, Napier Councillor Dave Pipe, and the awards were presented by guest speaker, Dr Susan Krumdieck, a sustainable energy specialist from the University of Canterbury. The Audience also enjoyed a short performance by Kids 4 Drama, a group of students touring schools in Hawke’s Bay with a theatre presentation on waste.
The winners were presented with art awards designed by Julia Godfree of Havelock North which are Oamaru Stone with a blue glass inset this year to mark the 2009 awards. Winners also receive a certificate and a cheque for $500 to assist with the further development of their project, while Highly Commended receive a certificate.
No winners were awarded in either the rural or individual/family categories this year. |