Puketāpapa Local Board is aiming to become a leading low carbon community to contribute to Auckland’s goal of a 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
To achieve this, each Puketāpapa resident will need to reduce their carbon footprint from 6.7 tonnes of CO2e emissions per year to three tonnes by 2040. This equates to a 161kg reduction in carbon emissions per person per year for the next 23 years.
Puketāpapa Local Board's ‘Becoming a Low Carbon Community – An Action Plan' (PDF) sets out actions and measurable outcomes that can contribute to the targets set out in the Auckland Low Carbon Action Plan.
“Taking action at the local level works only when people and communities own and drive initiatives. We are committed to creating a sustainable and resilient Puketāpapa," says Harry Doig, Puketāpapa Local Board Chair.
"To achieve that, and to implement this plan, the community has our full support. We will also advocate, champion and monitor the outcomes of this plan to ensure we play our role in looking after our environment, so it is enjoyed by our children in the future.”
Local action, collaboration and cooperation between businesses, industry, government and communities, is essential to meet New Zealand’s climate change commitments and the global United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
What you can do
Live lightly
Live Lightly - Noho Māmā offers simple daily actions anyone can take to live a low carbon lifestyle. Depending on your lifestyle, pick what you can sustain at work, home or school.
Champion change
By joining the Puketāpapa Low Carbon Network and attending regular get-togethers, you can learn from and enable like-minded light-living enthusiasts to meet our low carbon targets. Get in touch with the Auckland Council Low Carbon Team to find out how to participate.
Shop locally
Choose locally grown and sold, seasonal food when you can. This not only contributes to a thriving local economy and a sense of community but also contributes significantly towards reducing your carbon footprint.
When you choose locally sourced food from markets, fruit trees or community gardens, such as Wesley Market, it is less likely to have travelled far, thus reducing carbon emissions.
Love food
Discarded food makes up a whopping 52 per cent of our personal daily carbon emissions. New Zealanders throw away 122,547 tonnes of food a year. So, buying only as much as needed, using it in time and storing it correctly will go a long way in dialling down carbon emissions.
Start composting
Setting up a composting system at home or work is easy. Attend a Compost Collective workshop to learn how.
Insulate your home
An energy-efficient home not only saves you as much as $1000 per year, it’s a sure-fire way to reduce your carbon footprint. Check out Puketāpapa Local Board’s Healthy Rentals programme to find out how to create a healthy and energy efficient home.
Plan alternatives
Fossil fuels burnt for transport produce 17 per cent of New Zealand’s carbon emissions and 40 per cent of our individual footprints. Explore alternative options when you can - walking, cycling, public transport and ridesharing. The Puketāpapa Local Board area has a range of greenways (PDF) for you to check out.
Plant trees
Trees increase carbon sequestration (a process that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) and reduce the impact of climate change.
Puketāpapa Local Board has made an effort to increase the amount of tree canopy cover over streets, parks and riparian corridors. This includes vegetation along Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek), on green roofs and in gardens. This will help keep us cooler in summer and reduces the impact of heavy rainfall and flooding, as well as supporting our native ecosystems.
Consume wisely
Each product bought, used, consumed and disposed of comes with its own carbon footprint. Sharing products when you can, buying quality products that last, choosing to repair, buying second hand, shopping local, and choosing products when you can with sustainably sourced local materials and ingredients lead to fewer carbon emissions and less waste.
As international and local knowledge and learning increase, and as new opportunities are identified, our 'Becoming a Low Carbon Community – An Action Plan' (PDF) will be updated within the next three years and will remain a living document.
To find out more visit Live Lightly or email hello@livelightly.nz.
