Palmerston North Pitopito Kōrero: News in brief

Snippets to help you make the most of living in Mawawatū.

Get your firewood sorted for winter

Horizons Regional Council is reminding people with fireplaces and wood burners to get their firewood sorted now so it’s ready to go when the winter arrives.

Horizons environmental scientist Harold Barnett says sourcing and storing your firewood in the warmer months is a great way to not only be prepared but also save money.

“It can be a lot cheaper to buy green or wet wood now and prepare and store it correctly to allow it to dry in time for winter, rather than having to buy dry wood when you need to burn it,” Barnett says.

“When buying firewood, you can ask for the moisture content from the supplier, or test the wood yourself if you have access to a calibrated moisture meter.

“Only burn wood with a moisture content of 25 per cent or less. Anything higher than this should be left to dry or season for longer. Green or wet wood emits more fine particles into the air and produces a thicker smoke than dry wood, contributing to poorer air quality.

“Being aware of the quality of your wood before you burn it can help your fires emit more heat and lessen your carbon emissions output. Doing your bit helps keep our air quality clean, healthy and safe for all in the chilly winter months.”

Split wood into 15cm-thick pieces before you stack it – logs dry faster when split.

Stack split wood loosely off the ground in a criss-cross pattern to let dry air circulate.

Store wood in a dry place with the top covered for six to 12 months to allow it to season.

A dirty chimney can be a big contributor to poorer air quality and can cause chimney fires if left unchecked, Barnett says.

“Have a look in your chimney or wood burner – if it’s got a build-up of soot, or smoke emits from the door when opened while you’ve got a fire going, it needs a sweep.

Bring your sustainable idea to life

Do you have an eco-friendly idea and want some money to start it?

Applications to Palmerston North City Council’s annual Resource Recovery Fund close on March 29. A total of $40,000 is available to community groups and small businesses eager to transform their eco-friendly ideas into initiatives.

Property and resource recovery group manager Bryce Hosking says the fund supports projects that champion reducing, reusing and recycling items.

“This fund is all about empowering our community to take action and help us reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.”

Groups and small businesses running educational programmes, community events, trials and pilot programmes, and research and development projects are eligible to apply for grants of between $2500 and $15,000.

“Palmerston North is dedicated to becoming an eco-city and we’re working towards increasing the amount of waste diverted from landfill from 38 per cent to 48 per cent by 2025. This Resource Recovery Fund plays a crucial role in achieving this target,” Hosking says.

Apply at pncc.govt.nz/Community/Community-funding/Resource-Recovery-Fund.

Free Funding Finder launched

Manawatū District community groups and businesses can now more easily find and apply for grants.

Manawatū District Council has joined forces with grant search engine, GrantGuru, to deliver a free one-stop-shop grants portal.

Through keyword searches, Funding Finder hand-picks grants and funding opportunities specific to local businesses and community groups, encompassing all government and private sector grants available. The portal also features the council’s grants and initiatives.

Users can register to receive alerts about funding programmes relevant to them.

Register at mdc.govt.nz.