The price of petrol is continually on the minds of New Zealanders these days. Going up, going down (the former being the ever-present this month), the price of this essential commodity is causing public concern and media interest all over the country. I was sure that not too long ago I used to fill up my car for less than $1 per litre, but others around me seem to think it was much longer ago that I did, so I set out to get to the bottom of this and find a petrol pricing archive.

To Google I went, and I searched, and searched. Unfortunately, this was proving one of those few moments in life where Google simply cannot find the information you’re looking for. While daily petrol prices were readily available, there seemed to be no online source with an archive for the past decade. After much frustration, I contacted the good folks at Statistics New Zealand, who happily collected the data for me from their archives and promptly e-mailed it to me, even though the data was not even published on their own website.

So I am proud to say that, to the best of my knowledge, NZS.com is the only online source with an archive of petrol prices for the last decade…and the last time 91 Unleaded was under $1 per litre? Just five years ago in June of 2003.

Image from Flickr.

When you hear statistics like ‘one-third of your total home energy bills are from heating’, the media-hyped energy saving techniques can suddenly seem relevant to you and your home. It is easy to block out the advertisements for heat pumps and fireplaces during summer, but when the weather cools you can suddenly find yourself stuck with so many home heating options you do not know where to start.

A warm home is vital for comfort and health. Before you go out and spend hundreds or even thousands on a new heater of some type, use these tips to make your home heating more efficient:

• Insulate your home

Make sure the heat you are paying for can’t get out. Thermal curtains and double glazed windows are two of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to ensure your home is heated smartly.

• Place your heater wisely

There is a reason many fireplaces are surrounded by brick walls. Place your heater near a source of thermal mass such as an internal concrete wall – the heat will be absorbed and re-radiated.

• Use the winter sun

The low morning and evening sun in New Zealand is great for heating your home naturally and for free, so don’t close curtains during the day.

• Use the thermostat

Many heaters have thermostats to keep a room at a consistent temperature. Instead of using the maximum settings to keep your room toasty, use the thermostat to intermittently keep you comfortable by turning on and off while in use.

Image from Flickr.

With just one day left until Earth Hour this Saturday, have you made plans to reduce your carbon footprint and take part in this worldwide event yet?

At 8pm on March 29th, Earth Hour asks you to turn off your lights and non-essential appliances for one hour to promote the conservation of electrical energy in an effort to lower carbon emissions. The first Earth Hour started in Sydney last year, and as many as 2.2 million people took part. This year, Earth Hour is spanning the globe for participation, with 34 official sister cities taking part including Christchurch in New Zealand.

This doesn’t restrict all Kiwis from helping out the earth this weekend, here’s what you can do to make a difference:

• Turn off all lights around your house – luckily daylight savings‘ end is still a week away, and it’s not pitch black yet at 8pm.
• Turn off your television, heated towel rails, air conditioners, and don’t forget that computer monitor!
• Have a salad or other meal that doesn’t involve cooking for dinner – go without the oven, stove or microwave for one night.
• Don’t use your car – stay at home or walk to a friend’s place.

Many major landmarks around the country will turn their lights off for this hour – take a look around your city and see the difference we can make together.

Image from Flickr.

During the the summer holidays this year, we spent time in Dunedin. There are plenty of great things to do in Dunedin but one of the things that really stood out was the Marine Studies Centre.

Not only is it a great aquarium but is also a research centre for the University of Otago. It was fun to check out their amazing collection of fish inside the glass tanks and even get to handle some of the creatures in the touch-tanks.

This centre is at the forefront of research into the marine environment as well as being a popular outdoor education provider to all ages.

In recent days, the publication of graphic whaling photos showing the reality of Japanese whale hunting has outraged the international community and added fuel to the anti-whaling campaign.

Video footage and photograph stills of two dead whales – claimed by some to be mother and calf – have circulated throughout the world. The images were captured by the Oceanic Viking, an Australian ship sent to make a visual record of Japanese whaling activity. The photographs will be used as evidence in planned legal action by the Australian Government, in a bid to stop illegal whaling in the Southern Ocean.

Greenpeace Japan’s website has been inundated with thousands of visits every day from Japanese citizens questioning the need for whale hunting – either for scientific research or as a source of food. While Japanese whalers claim the images of whale slaughter are all part of the anti-whaling campaign’s “emotional propaganda”, the footage has reignited the issue of whaling and triggered outrage around the world.

Mark Rocket, an ardent anti-whaling supporter, said:

Whaling has to stop. For the Japanese whaling establishment to say that they are killing thousands of whales for research is a blatant lie. It is clear to everyone that they are processing these whales for food… because whale meat is openly sold! Do they also want to kill thousands of Japanese cranes or snow monkeys to ‘research’ them?

Whales are protected by a 1986 moratorium; since then, Japan has used a ’scientific research’ loophole to justify the slaughter of thousands of endangered whales. This year, Japanese whaling was halted for 14 days when the Esperanza, a Greenpeace vessel, pursued the Nisshin Maru whaling fleet and brought worldwide attention to Japanese whaling activity. For the first time, media coverage and public debate on the issue is being openly aired in Japan, forcing Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda to raise the issue in Parliament.

Will it be enough to save the whales? To show your support, sign the Dominion Post’s anti-whaling petition or become a Greenpeace Whale Defender.

Image from Flickr.

Here are two words for you: Personal. Responsibility.

As an advocate for the environment, I also harp on about personal responsibility when it comes to these things. If you’re not going to do something positive, then those around you won’t bother either. But if you do take positive action, then others around you may be inspired to do the same (think how wide your social circle reaches). On a larger scale, if people take action on an issue, the trend will gain momentum until it’s a fully-fledged social movement.

Now Hubbards (yes, the friendly face of breakfast cereal) has launched the Carbon Crusade, with lofty ambitions to battle climate change. Er, I mean Climate Change. Yes, it’s big, but they’re doing it one step at a time with the philosophy that every step counts.

The Carbon Crusade is a series of off-road running and walking events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Each participant will walk or run a 13-15km course, stopping halfway to plant four native trees. Climate change is caused by rising levels of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, which are attributed to (among other things) the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, petrol, gas and coal. Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) is the most predominant greenhouse gas – trees absorb and store CO₂, so they’re the perfect antidote. By taking part, you’ll also get the chance to admire stunning views from usually inaccessible parts of our be-oot-iful country.

Get into it; you know you want to.

Who do you go tramping with?

People you can get along with, and who are reliable, and have good judgement.

You will be spending most of the time on your tramp in the company of your tramping partners. Sometimes, tramping can be pretty miserable – you can be tired, wet, hungry, frustrated, and worried, all at the same time. Such situations tend to bring out the best and worst in people. You will also have times on a tramp where you are witness to breathtaking natural beauty. These times seem better when shared with a friend you trust.

A good selection of people with the right qualities for tramping partners can be found, unsurprisingly, in a tramping club. Often, you will be able to learn much from more experienced members of tramping clubs. Mind you, there often seem to be one or two people who rub you the wrong way.

I’ve found tramping with family a good way of enriching family relationships. I started taking my kids on overnight tramps when they were about 5 or 6 years old and they have, by and large, enjoyed it. The key to tramping with children is light packs and good snacks. Half-hour chocolate stops keep their energy and spirits up, especially on the hills.

Where in New Zealand can you go tramping? There are many, many places available for tramping in New Zealand to suit all experience levels. From low-land coastal walks to high mountain passes. From popular “Great Walks” with well-provisioned huts, to seldom-visited valleys that are two days or more of difficult tramping from any semblance of track.

The most comprehensive information on where to go can be found on the excellent Department of Conservation website. There, you can find out a great deal of information on many of the most popular tracks in New Zealand. Relevent information includes how to get to the track, a description of the route (time estimates and difficulty), information about any huts on the route, what particular skills may required for that tramp (such as river-crossing skills or ice axes), and what maps are needed.

Another popular resource is the New Zealand Tramper site, with many user-added descriptions of tramps. This website has a number if tramps not mentioned in the DoC website. After a doing a tramp, why not write it up and add it to the site?

Don’t forget guide books. One exists for most regions, and the books may well be available at your local library. Be sure to check in with DoC before you go to get any updates on track and hut conditions. Sometimes guide books have a companion website on which updates are posted, for example Sven Brabyn’s site.

Finally, for the adventurer looking for somewhere remote, check out Remote Huts. You have to be physically fit, experienced, and prepared for often very rugged and difficult travel to get to some of these locations.

To balance a life of technology and business, I go to the other extreme and like to wander around in the back country of New Zealand, tramping (hiking for those non-New Zealanders). No power (except batteries for the head-torch). No transport (except our feet). No running water (except for the streams and rivers). Carrying all naturally unavailable necessities, including shelter, clothes and food.

Why do what seems like hard work? Well, it’s often peaceful, but sometimes ragingly wild. It reminds you that there are more things than just what people have created. Scenery is often spectacular. It’s healthy, both physically and psychologically. It encourages resourcefulness. It builds perseverance and resistance to discomfort. It helps us not to take for granted the easy life we have. It makes for some great photos.

Future blog entries will cover the how’s, what’s, where’s, who’s, and when’s of tramping (not necessarily in that order).

For some great walks in the wilderness, check out our New Zealand walking tracks category.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a greenie at heart, so I was happy to hear about a move by Gull Petroleum to introduce New Zealand’s first commercially available biofuel. Derived directly from living matter, biofuel is a more eco-friendly alternative to petrol.

Gull Force 10 is a 98 octane fuel containing a 10% ethanol blend made from whey (a by-product from the processing of milk). The new eco-fuel is now available from three Gull petrol stations in Auckland – Albany, Kingsland and Wiri – with hopes that it will gradually be introduced to Gull’s 27 other New Zealand sites.

A word of warning, though: only use biofuel if it’s compatible with your car!

The Automobile Association has warned drivers that use of biofuel in some cars could cause fuel leaks, fuel line deterioration and invalidation of the vehicle’s mechanical warranty. Drivers should contact their vehicle’s manufacturer if they’re unsure of their car’s compatibility.

And while the new fuel may be cleaner burning and lower in emission levels, it’s no excuse for fuel guzzlers to consume more! Why not think about reducing your fuel consumption by car pooling, taking the bus or whipping out your walking shoes?

The government is also keen to see us reducing our mileage; the Fuelsaver site provides information on fuel consumption and how Kiwis can save on petrol costs. Along with fuel saving tips and myths, they also give the latest safety test results for makes and models of car in New Zealand.