Kiwis may need to rethink what they eat if New Zealand is serious about its goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, warn climate experts gathered in Christchurch this week. About 120 scientists and experts are in the city for the next five days to work on an Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) special… Read More »Climate goals may require change in diet
A Christchurch river-care group is calling on council to do more to stop people feeding the city’s ducks. Feeding ducks is an age-old tradition, but the Opawaho-Heathcote River Network says it harms waterways – and ducks. Network co-chair Karen Whitla said the group had tried using social media to warn… Read More »Feeding ducks ruffles feathers
His favourite song is “Burn”, but 19-year-old Sam Chapman has more chance of freezing as he waits for Ellie Goulding’s Christchurch concert Thursday. Standing alone, cold, and wet outside the concert venue since 9am, the American teenager has travelled over 19,000 kilometres to follow his idol to Christchurch. It’ll be… Read More »Front of the queue with a dedicated Ellie Goulding fan
A Christchurch student with a passion for cycling is doing research for the city’s inaugural public bike sharing scheme. Danielle Robson, a geography student at University of Canterbury, will complete the research for Spark Bikes. “I’ve always had an interest in active and public transportation and ways of reducing car… Read More »Getting to grips with bike sharing
There was a time when Brent Christensen wouldn’t leave the house. When he wouldn’t speak to anyone. When he didn’t have any friends. That’s all changed now. Emile Donovan reports. Fourteen years ago Brent walked through the doors of the Delta Community Support Trust – a Christchurch community organisation that helps… Read More »Finding a purpose through serving others
Ben Mack spends an afternoon with Tony Aldridge to report on how one man’s data is helping to shape the rebirth of Christchurch’s hillside suburb of Mt Pleasant. The sea breeze is strong as Tony Aldridge walks the ever-so-steep streets of Mt Pleasant. “A nickname for Mt Pleasant is Mt Plywood,” he says as… Read More »Mapping the damage
Canterbury is the trailer-theft capital of New Zealand, police figures show. In the six months to June, 130 trailers were stolen in Canterbury, which is far more than any other part of New Zealand, according to police records. Trailer thefts account for almost a third of all vehicle thefts in the… Read More »Canterbury trailer-theft capital
Christchurch’s hospitality boom has levelled off. City council figures show cafe and restaurant numbers have almost reached pre-quake levels. As of last week there were 760 cafes and restaurants in the city, compared to 911 in June 2010. The 2011 quake almost halved the number of eateries, with 588 operating… Read More »Restaurant and bar boom levels off in Christchurch
Catching the bus is proving more difficult than it should for a blind Christchurch teenager. Ricky Ball, 18, said over the last two years he had been missed at least four times by a bus he wanted to catch. “I was at the bus stop last Saturday with another completely… Read More »Blind teen mad at buses
Redcliffs resident Darren Fidler knows how to turn heads. Four mornings a week, he bikes the 12 kilometres from Redcliffs in Christchurch to his workplace in Edgeware wearing a brightly-coloured, animal-themed onesie. Fidler, an engineering consultant who holds a PhD in mathematics, says the idea of the onesie came from… Read More »Cyclist's onesie brings out smiles
