Green Tea June 2014: Wind Energy & Rats!

This show first broadcast on 3rd June 2014. Click here to listen to the podcast: GREEN TEA JUNE 2014 SoundCloud

This month Geoff Osgood tells us about the Ratpack project. You can check out the Wellington Road North, Greenest Street blog with lots of great pictures here. Please contact them for more info on getting your own tunnel trap and keeping Paekakariki rat free!

Greenest Neighbourhood - Wellington Road North's Ratpack in action

Greenest Neighbourhood – Wellington Road North’s Ratpack in action

 

We have an extended feature interview where I speak to the visionary and utterly inspirational Scott Willis who is Project Manager at Blueskin Energy Ltd, a community wind farm project in Blueskin Bay, Dunedin, New Zealand. Scott is also manager of the Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust. This in-depth interview covers the history and scope of the Dunedin wind project, the current state of wind, renewables politics, and industry in New Zealand, challenges faced by community based projects such as this, the importance of meaningful community consultation & increasing energy literacy, other environmental considerations effecting wind projects, and his vision that goes way beyond mere clean energy production!

Blueskin Energy Project members (from left) Scott Willis, Chris Freear and Chris Le Breton (photo ODT)

Blueskin Energy Project members Scott Willis, Chris Freear and Chris Le Breton    (photo ODT)

 

The Avant Gardener Hannah Zwart talks us through her best advice on winter in the Paekakariki edible garden, and gives us a preview of her upcoming trip to California, Cuba & Mexico to visit community gardens. Click here to check Hannah’s KCDC Green Gardener page.

This month’s playlist includes Deep Down & Dirty by Stereo MC’s. This song is dedicated to the incredible Greenpeace activists aboard Esperanza who are currently out protesting at the Statoil drilling rig in the Hoop Oil Fields in Norway. Read their blog here – it’s quite breathtaking!

Title theme: Mardi Gras BB , ‘Down Down Down’.