Take first steps to green living

Whanganui River Week is a great opportunity to show support for our local environment .PHOTO/FILE

Conservation Week (November 1- 9), followed by our own Whanganui River Week (November 7-14), are great opportunities to show support and respect for our local environment.

This year's Conservation Week theme is "Discover the world where you live".

When looking around our district, remember that volunteer groups work hard all year and truly appreciate your interest and valuable help.

If you fancy a trip to the beach, Progress Castlecliff's Coast Care group welcomes help to look after plantings on the rear dunes. Meet at the Duncan Pavilion, 10am, Thursday November 6, and stay afterwards for a barbecue lunch provided by DoC.

Other events are planned too. DoC's community relations ranger, Adele Meyer, is the contact for details and to register participation, 06 349 2100 or ameyer@doc.govt.nz.

During River Week, free events planned include a clean-up by Forest and Bird, talks on WDC's Healthy Streams project, dedication of artwork beside the Awa and for our waterways, presentation of the film Te Awa Tupuna facilitated by Gerrard Albert, native fish spotting, a photo competition, Waka Ama National Sprint Champs and a talk by Dame Anne Salmond.

As well, there are events for school groups co-ordinated by the museum, Sarjeant Gallery and WDC's water engineer.

However, don't wait for special events to enjoy and support our environment. All around us are opportunities to enjoy nature and to develop an "environment habit".

Your garden or local park can be a focus for native birds, bees and beneficial insects.

Fruit trees in parks and community gardens can provide nutritious food and opportunities to meet and support neighbours.

Conservation in our district is not just saving whales and wilderness areas; it is also how we live, look after and respect people of our community and all the things within it. Being a responsible citizen can take thoughtful effort, but having good "environment habits" certainly helps.

We can start by considering how our daily habits affect our own environment. Do we take short showers or catch rainwater for the garden? Can we compost our household scraps or help set up a worm farm? Can we join people biking, canoeing, walking and using public transport, as we ask for safer routes and infrastructure to support these activities?

Then there's the "biggie": changing our throwaway societal habits. While many Whanganui people are great at recycling clean empty containers, we need to also focus on less packaging as we reduce, reuse and re-purpose used products and packaging.

Take small steps, one at a time. This will help ensure these steps go in the right direction and that you are less likely to backslide. And celebrate and broadcast your achievements.

Please choose to join in Conservation and River Week activities as part of your environment habit. Then see if you can add a few more thoughtful environment habits to your life for 2015 and encourage those around you to join in the journey.

Lyn and Graham Pearson are actively involved in Progress Castlecliff Coast Care project, members of Sustainable Whanganui Trust (SWT) and proud to live in Whanganui.