Selwyn Times: February 20, 2019

22 Wednesday February 20 2019
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
SELWYN TIMES
SELWYN RURAL LIFE
New tool helps farmers
gauge carbon footprint
A new carbon calculator that gives farmers
a guide to the size of their carbon footprint
has been developed by Lincoln University’s
Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit
(AERU) and Agrilink NZ, with financial
assistance from Meridian Energy and Westpac
NZ.
Alison Howard, Head of Sustainability at
Meridian Energy, is welcoming the release of
the calculator.
“We know a lot of our farming
customers are going to a lot of effort
to run their operations in a sustainable
way, and are worried how a zero
carbon target for the country might
affect them.
“This calculator gives them a quick
way to find out their impacts. We know farmers
are always looking for ways to contribute
positively to the future of New Zealand and
this is just a small way we thought we could
help.”
Westpac NZ Head of Commercial and
Agribusiness, Mark Steed, wants farmers to
know that they are supported in making better
choices, both for their farms and the country.
“We know farmers care about climate
change. Farming is a long-term business and
the changing climate is already having an
impact.
“We hope this easy way to calculate their
farm’s carbon footprint will help them
make decisions and guide the sustainable
development of their business.”
The greenhouse gas calculator was originally
prepared in 2008 to better inform the Food
Miles debate.
It has now been updated to give farmers a
quick approximation of their carbon footprint;
it is not intended to replace
detailed greenhouse gas
modelling tools.
As carbon can be a
very abstract concept,
the calculator compares
a farm’s greenhouse gas
emissions to the distance
travelled in a car, or the area that could be
planted to offset their emissions.
Andrew Barber, Managing Director of
Agrilink NZ says “owners of a variety of
farm types can use this calculator, including
horticulture for example, where farmers may
not have access to detailed carbon footprint
tools.
“Like all farmers, they can enter their energy
use, as well as that of their contractors, to better
understand their carbon footprint.”
The calculator is available at www.lincoln.
ac.nz/carboncalculator.
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