Kumara Vine CE Update March 2023
I think it is fair to say that 2023 did not start the way anyone anticipated. We didn’t seem to have much of a summer, and coming back to work, our country experienced the torrential flooding in Northland/Auckland followed by the cyclone that hit much of Te-Ika-a-Maaui (the North Island). It would be hard for anyone to deny that we are tangibly experiencing the effects of climate change.
Much of the Waikato was spared the brunt of the cyclone but some of our eastern areas were completely isolated, suffered slips, power loss and telecommunications loss. This has also put additional pressure on our community and social service providers around the Waikato, supporting the mental health and physical needs of the members of their communities.
It feels timely that this Kumara Vine addition has an environmental focus. While we may not resolve the issue of climate change on a global scale, there is so much we can do locally, which will have a positive impact on our whenua and our people. We have environmental groups undertaking exciting work around our region and we have environmental leaders, such as Go Eco, who can provide guidance and support for others wanting to explore what more they can do to contribute positively to climate change. Community Waikato has also partnered with Go Eco to undertake a project to better understand our carbon footprint and to map some tangible actions to reduce this over the next 12 months. We will be sure to keep you updated on our progress.