The Wire with Caeden

ACT Party Leader David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill passed its second reading last week. But, there's still an uphill battle before it actually becomes legislation. 

Host Stewart Sowman-Lund spoke with David about his Bill and what has to happen next.

Last year the government announced its plan to plant a billion trees by 2028 as part of offsetting our carbon footprint as a country. As great as that is however, the sudden demand for land on which to plant these trees has had unforeseen effects on NZ farmers. 

Andy Scott is an ex-farmer and now a real estate agent in the Wairarapa. We were put in contact with him by the new lobby group “Fifty Shades of Green” which claim the planting incentives under the Emissions Trading Scheme, combined with changes to the Overseas Investment Act have lead to foreign investors buying up good farmland to plant trees and reap the carbon credits. These plantations tend to be pine rather than native trees, which is problematic becuase of the short life span of pine trees and their impact on our natural environment. 

Scott speaks about the effect of increased land prices on farmers in his region as well as the importance of planting the right trees in the right place.

Tonkin and Taylor sustainability engineer Kate Boylan, runs the Internal green team at her workplace and shares how to get business and groups and individuals on board with Plastic Free July. Sherry talks to Kate about on her work in setting up safe landfills, construction and demolition waste, and establishing a circular economy. According to Plastic Free July Aotearoa, “New Zealanders still use 309 million single use coffee cups, 541 million straws and 105 million single-use bottles per year. the average person uses about 31kg of plastic packaging each year.”

Sherry begins by asking Kate what the biggest issue is currently in New Zealand’s sustainability process.