SPEECH

They say we are the clean and green country but are we really? From poverty and environmental destruction, to war and economic crises, many of the big problems we face as a planet are rooted in natural resources. While monopolists instigate wars over oil, diamonds, and other precious minerals in poor countries, the real estate sector profiteers from property bubbles land and water in rich countries. People are dieing because our world isn’t surviving

Urban land is the most precious natural resource of all, for it determines how well we use all other natural resources. The more space that is wasted in cities, the more people must sprawl to outlying areas, causing a slew of environmental problems. Therefore, saving the environment, and using resources efficiently means using land and water efficiently, first and foremost

In towns and cities we are surrounded by buildings, roads and footpaths. Rainwater cannot soak through these hard surfaces and instead runs into gutters, picking up pollutants as it travels. It then flows into the stormwater network, which carries the water straight to our streams, rivers and lakes. Unlike wastewater, stormwater doesn’t get treated, so whatever goes into the drain will end up in the nearest stream or river. Stormwater pollution reduces water quality, destroys habitats and kills plants and animals. Our water is becoming polluted more and more each day  “Our clean green image has worked as a marketing promise in the past, but if we don’t do more to actively live up to it, in 50 to 100 years’ time, there won’t be anything to market. Many lakes and rivers were deemed high contamination levels  meaning they were not suitable for swimming at any time. But the government has a new target of having 90 percent of the country’s waterways swimmable by 2040, Prime Minister Bill English says, but critics say it does not go far enough. Environment Minister Nick Smith said the cost of the proposal to the government, farmers and councils was estimated to be $2 billion over the next 23 years with that money it could go to people in need like the sick, homeless , new schools, new areas for housing, and much more. But the target is based on meeting the swimmable water quality standard at least 80 percent of the time, in line with European and US definitions.”It will make us a world leader in water quality standards for swimming, and that’s important for New Zealand’s growing tourism industry. It will return our rivers and lakes to a standard not seen in 50 years while recognising that our frequent major rainfalls mean a 100 percent standard is not realistic. Another major Government report found water quality was worst in agricultural and urban areas where there was reduced water clarity and aquatic insect life, and higher levels of nutrients and harmful E.coli bacteria. In Auckland, 54 per cent of the 100 or so streams and rivers it monitors are in a poor or degraded state which is just over half – and summer monitoring data showed dozens of other regularly-checked sites elsewhere weren’t safe.”We shouldn’t have a situation where our waters are not-swimmable or the water can’t be drunk by livestock or animals. This is not right. The government has been slow in making changes that stop the progression of these rivers deteriorating.” the policy was an improvement but did not go far enough in putting the environment first. that is our current position and we need transformational change.” Mr English said cleaning up freshwater was a complex issue, but hugely important to New Zealand’s economy, and the government was taking a balanced approach. Freshwater ecologist Mike Joy told RNZ News there had been a “subtle shifting of the goalposts” for water quality, which could allow more faecal matter in river and lake water now deemed swimmable. He said there was now a one in 20 chance of getting waters swimable in an river rated “excellent” by the Ministry of the Environment. “By saying that a river with a grade of ‘excellent’ can be so polluted that one person in 20 gets sick from a waterborne disease, Bill English is deceiving our kids and grandkids, who are missing out on clean rivers. “Bill English can dress up these changes as conceding to New Zealanders’ demands for clean water, but he’s just shifted the goalposts.”

This is only a couple photographs of the water population in the philippines children our age, older, and younger live like this everyday, imagine living in this type of condition where you can’t drink the water thats surrounds you, can’t wash in it cause you’re afraid as you know there’s bacteria that could kill you. We sell our water to these types of countries because they can’t keep their water clean what is going to happen when  our clean and green country becomes just like the photos here??? Who will we sell our water to when we become a country thats cant drink, bath or swim in the water that surrounds us?

We live in a city where water is want surrounds us, we see it everyday, drink it, bathe in it, swim in it. It all comes from that one place where you can see the tourists taking that special photograph or coming to see the beautiful view of the mountain that reflects of it or the mountains that are like a cardboard cut out in the background but it’s also what in 50-100 years is want is going to kill us if we drink it, bathe in it, swim in it. the wanaka lake will eventually be that ice cold murdering machine if we don’t help preserve it we’ll all die with it.  

The Otago Fish and Game Council has resolved to seek urgent action from the Minister for the Environment and Minister of Tourism. The Otago Regional Council this month begun a new round of trophic studies on Lakes Wanaka, Hawea and Wakatipu to improve understanding of what is happening. While filter and treatment systems need to be developed, it was more important to research and collect long term data on water quality to allow informed decision making, he said.

One of the things scientists and the community needed to understand was how prevalent lake snow was. The council has initiated extra monitoring in Lake Wanaka and was aware that various groups had formed and were keen to get involved.

Wanaka residents are increasingly worried the unsightly algae, “lake snot”, will ruin the town’s most precious asset – the lake. The non-toxic algae was first observed clogging water pipes and filters more than 10 years ago. But concerns have spread well beyond the long-debated, multi-million cost of new water treatment methods.

Swimmers and anglers have emerged with algae-covered wetsuits and fishing lines to add their voices to the chorus of concern. The possible spread of the slimey snot to Lake Hawea was reported for more than a decade .was report but Scientists and others are now asking if lake snot is an “introduced” organism and biosecurity concern similar to didymo, a river snot that has been clinging in long tails to rocks on the Clutha River bed “I don’t think we know enough, not only about ‘lake snot’ but about what exactly is happening in the lake.” Board candidate Ed Taylor is calling for a public water summit, more publicly available information and a water quality report card that is updated every year. “There are different groups looking at different aspects of lake and river water quality.  Do they all know what each of them are doing? Is some of the work being doubled up on?” he asked. Deputy board chairman Bryan Lloyd says the council should spend “whatever it takes” on a drinking water treatment system. The council and board could also speed things up by making a financial contribution to research. “The precise nature of the “animal” we are dealing with must first be determined . . . This is not a quick fix, but is of paramount importance – the jewel in our crown must be kept in a pristine condition,” Lloyd said. Quentin Smith, an environmental management consultant, says a secure water supply is “incredibly important”, but of greater concern is the impact of lake snot on lake amenity.

“The lake is our greatest asset and letting it turn into a murky smelly mess is not acceptable,”  Dr Smith said, if the new standard was met, New Zealand would have the highest standard of freshwater in the world. He said the plan would be backed up by regulations requiring stock to be fenced out of waterways, new policy requirements for regional councils to strengthen their plan rules on issues such as sewage discharges, a new freshwater improvement fund and new maps that identified where improvements were needed. “This is an emerging environmental problem. We can’t follow someone else’s lead.. This is a totally new thing for people to have to grapple with,” he said Help us to improve the health of our waterways by doing your bit to prevent stormwater pollution. A campaign calling for cleaner lakes and rivers has been launched this summer, as monitoring data shows many spots across the country remain unsafe for a dip. But the group Choose Clean Water wants a tougher stance, ensuring waterways were suitable for swimming, and expects to collect 10,000 signatures for its petition by last March.

Massey University ecologist and Dr Mike Joy believed individuals and groups like Choose Clean Water could make a difference by speaking out and putting pressure on decision-makers. “This ambitious plan to improve the water quality in our lakes and rivers recognises that New Zealanders expect to be able to take a dip in their local river or lake without getting a nasty bug,” he said. Pick up any litter you see around the streets, such as cans, plastic bags and cigarette butts Pick up your dog’s droppings. Washed into storm water they increase bacteria levels in rivers and the sea, we need to be  a community that helps restore the water in our country even a little thing such as picking up that piece of litter you see on the sidewalk can help a river, lake or stream. Just the touch of your finger tip can help your home land.  They said we were the clean and green country but are we really? From poverty and environmental destruction, to war and economic crises, many of the big problems we face as a planet are rooted in natural resources. While monopolists instigate wars over oil, diamonds, and other precious minerals in poor countries, the real estate sector profiteers from property bubbles land and water in rich countries. People are dieing because our world isn’t surviving

Urban land is the most precious natural resource of all, for it determines how well we use all other natural resources. The more space that is wasted in cities, the more people must sprawl to outlying areas, causing a slew of environmental problems. Therefore, saving the environment, and using resources efficiently means using land and water efficiently, first and foremost

In towns and cities we are surrounded by buildings, roads and footpaths. Rainwater cannot soak through these hard surfaces and instead runs into gutters, picking up pollutants as it travels. It then flows into the stormwater network, which carries the water straight to our streams, rivers and lakes. Unlike wastewater, stormwater doesn’t get treated, so whatever goes into the drain will end up in the nearest stream or river. Stormwater pollution reduces water quality, destroys habitats and kills plants and animals. Our water is becoming polluted more and more each day what are you going to do? Let’s start by Helping our beautiful lake wanaka to be its clean  and natural self. Let’s stop polluting our lakes and rivers lets start being that clean and green image everyone makes us out to be .

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