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For immediate use

Date: 26 September 2007

Porirua City Council And Climate Change - A Call To Action

The Porirua City Council should take action to pursue the positive opportunities created by climate change within our City, said Councillor Robert Shaw.

"Many council activities have the potential to generate wealth for us as we save planet Earth" he said.

For example, the Council nursery could immediately increase the number of trees and shrubs produced, and we could be much more active greening our city.

"More citizens would volunteer to plant trees on public land if council provided leadership. We have green care groups that are a great a success, but there is scope to support their work. There is also further labour available from the Justice Department that could be used if more materials were provided" he said.

Mr Shaw is particularly supportive of the green care group Keep Porirua Beautiful and those who work on Belmont Regional Park. One area of concern is the edge of the two arms of the Porirua harbour.

"Keep Porirua Beautiful has plans to work around the edge of the Porirua harbour and to landscape critical areas that are at the moment unsightly and distract from the image of Porirua City. Of particular concern are areas along SH1 and the railway line."

He said, such work has the potential to make Porirua a more pleasant place for walkers and sightseers alike. "We also often forget that quality suburbs reflect well on the value of private property, and that investment in city landscaping is of universal benefit."

The half meter rise in sea levels forecast for Porirua City to the end of the century did not worry Cr Shaw. "If my great grandchildren have to move inland a little, they will cope" he said.

Cr Shaw added that it was good that his Council was participating with 28 other councils in a think-tank, however it was his expectation that council officers would provide advice on practical initiatives promptly once the new councillors are elected.

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