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    Para Kore : an alternative voice for a zero waste world : a research project presented to Massey University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Development Studies, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Banfield, Jane
    Issues of solid waste pollution are viewed as a serious threat to the global Sustainable Development Goals. Waste minimisation in New Zealand centres around a loose government policy framework underpinned by a neoliberal belief in market-driven solutions from the business sector. The traditional ‘waste hierarchy’ model (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle-Recover) remains at the core of legislation, while the more recently developed ‘Circular Economy’ model is increasingly viewed by both state and business sector as offering new hope. However, strategies for waste minimisation in New Zealand are still failing to reduce waste, as exemplified by the annual growth in waste-to-landfill rates. Given the failures mentioned above, this research looked to investigate the merits of an alternative indigenous approach to waste minimisation based upon a different epistemology. Framed by a hope-filled post-development outlook, an in-depth critique of current literature regarding mainstream waste minimisation strategies was undertaken alongside a qualitative case study with Para Kore Marae Inc., a Māori not-for-profit organisation active in 12 regions of New Zealand. The study revealed there are contradictions within mainstream waste minimisation strategies. Resolution of waste issues is constrained by political adherence to neoliberal economic theory which promotes continuous growth in production and consumption. A dominant metanarrative around waste has developed allowing the collective impact of factors incompatible with waste eradication to remain unacknowledged and unaddressed by state actors. The Para Kore model contrasts significantly with technocentric state-led approaches. Para Kore Marae Inc. views solid waste issues through the spiritual lens of kaitiakitanga, the relationship and consequent responsibility of each person to the natural world. For participants adopting a Para Kore approach, intrinsic motivation developed to align waste reduction behaviours with personal values and cultural principles. In addition to reducing waste-to-landfill, the Para Kore approach resulted in holistic improvements to individual and community wellbeing. Cost and time constraints to waste reduction were not found to be an issue. The most significant challenge to the model was ‘burnout’ experienced by the ‘champion’ facilitators. The Para Kore approach is identified as reflecting the emergent post-neoliberal political framework, the ‘Politics of Belonging’. It is concluded that Para Kore’s approach has significant value not only in engendering waste reduction behaviours within organisations and households but also in reinvigorating individual and community wellbeing.
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    Kanopi : how might we improve the environmental and social outcomes of biodiversity conservation projects? : an exegesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design, Massey University, Te Kunenga Ki Pūrehuroa, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Rye, Sam
    The environmental conservation sector in New Zealand and Australia is not able to keep pace with the scale of the challenges  facing it, causing widespread loss of our planet’s biodiversity and the potential for profound societal challenges due to our reliance  on ecosystem services. Many of the issues are interconnected and dynamic, brought about through the downstream effects of  population growth and anthropocentric worldviews. Change is needed in how the conservation sector is able to operate, which  better enables the existing sector stakeholders to create positive social and environmental outcomes. However the sector is  chronically underfunded, and thus unable to muster the resources or a collective direction to address the systemic challenges  alone. The challenges are complex (dynamic and emergent), yet we find the majority of resources poured into planning-based  responses that are inadequate due to their reliance on predictive approaches to the unpredictable challenge. The alternative to  planning, is prototyping; a culture rooted in experimentation, adaptation and continuous learning, in order to continually  re-orientate efforts to a desired future.  This research project has focused on designing a targeted systems change intervention, rooted prototyping culture, which seeks to  challenge power dynamics and the mental models of the types of impact that conservation groups can generate. Through systemic  and strategic design, I have generated systems sight, crafted strategy, and developed a portfolio of concepts which serve as both  technological and socio-cultural ‘Trojan Mice’ to challenge existing paradigms which limit the sector’s ability to reverse biodiversity  loss.
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    Environmental activism and the Internet : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Sociology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) White, Clem
    Environmentalism is used as a case study to investigate the value of the Internet for activism, protest and social change. The effectiveness of the Internet for helping environmental groups to achieve their goals and the implications of this medium for the future of the environmental movement are explored. An online (Internet) survey of environmental groups who are currently using the Internet was conducted. Two hundred and forty four requests to take part were emailed to environmental groups, eight of which were returned with invalid email addresses. Over the course of a three month period 79 completed surveys were collected, giving a response rate of 33%. Other methods utilised include face-to-face, telephone and email interviews with environmental group representatives, content analysis of Internet sites and the construction of a database of online environmental groups. Secondary data is also drawn upon extensively. This thesis examines the Internet's role in helping environmentalists achieve more with limited resources, network across wide geographic distances and create new forms of collective action. The changing role of other media and the ways in which the Internet may be influencing the dynamics between environmental groups and their opponents are also explored. Difficulties with this mode of communication must also be acknowledged. The concentration of Internet use in already privileged sectors of society may mean that participants in mainstream environmentalism are likely to have access, but it may also mean that the medium holds less promise for emerging ecojustice groups. It is also true that computers and network infrastructures are major causes of environmental harm, so it may appear contradictory to use these to try to protect the environment. This research suggests that the Internet offers a great deal of opportunity for environmental groups, but it also supports elements of contemporary society that many environmentalists oppose - increased consumerism, unfettered globalisation and direct environmental harm by its very existence. Activists should approach the Internet with optimism but not complacency. Those who seek to preserve aspects of the medium that promote community and democracy should endeavour to advance an alternative construction of the medium to that which is prevalent in the mainstream media.
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    The economic implications of a multiple species approach to bioeconomic modelling : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Economics at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2002) Fleming, Christopher Mark
    Human activity frequently leads to the endangerment or extinction of other species. While ecologists study the biological facets of species loss, economics, as the science of understanding people's behaviour, has been charged with investigating the incentives underlying the actions people take that lead to this loss. One approach economists have taken to gain this understanding is to develop models of endangered species that include both economic and biological components, known as bioeconomic models. While ecologists frequently note the importance of modelling entire ecosystems rather than single species, most bioeconomic models in the current literature focus only on a single species. This thesis addresses the economic significance of this assumption through the development of a series of multiple species models and demonstrates, using African Wildlife as an example, the importance of interrelationships and economic values to the survival of endangered species. From these models one can infer the conditions under which a single species model may be appropriate, at least in general terms. If species are independent, and either the opportunity cost of capital or the value of habitat is very low relative to the value of the species in question, then a single species model may yield results similar to that of a multiple species model. In contrast, if species are independent and these additional conditions are not met, a single species model may significantly underestimate both optimal stock levels and land allocation. However, species do not live independently; they interact with species with which they share habitat and, when species interact, the potential for misapplication of the single species framework is even greater. When species compete, the single species framework consistently produces higher stock levels than the multiple species framework, the greater the level of competition the greater the difference. In a predator-prey relationship, the relative values of predator and prey are critical to determining the outcome of the multiple species model. It is demonstrated that the inclusion of at least all economically valuable species in an ecosystem is important when constructing bioeconomic models. Using single species models where multiple species are economically significant could lead to misleading results and ultimately to incorrect policy decisions.
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    Sustainable lifestyle and it's impact on New Zealand society : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2003) Marston, Sean David
    Sustainable lifestyles are based on the belief that people in developed countries (predominantly) need to start making lifestyle decisions on the basis of the impact of those decisions upon the people and environment of the world. It is a lifestyle that thinks about the future and future generations and recognises that people and countries around the world are interconnected. As a term 'sustainable lifestyles' is not original to this thesis. Many writings have alluded to actions such as 'sustainable livelihoods' and 'living simply' and 'world citizens' but few have acknowledged the term sustainable lifestyles and it's out workings to any major degree. This thesis seeks to give parameters to the term 'sustainable lifestyle' and to evaluate to what degree sustainable lifestyle values and actions are impacting the way New Zealanders live. Chapter one will introduce the purpose and methodologies of the thesis while chapter two sets out how the concept of sustainable lifestyles evolved and what exactly a sustainable lifestyle is. From a basis of sustainable development that focused on the environmental impacts of development in the developing world, wider aspects of development arose. The social, economic and cultural aspects of development began to take higher precedence. The focus also shifted from the developing world to include the developed world and the role the developed world played in bringing equitable and sustainable development. Chapters three to seven will focus on five areas of New Zealand society. These chapters will seek to determine to what degree sustainable lifestyle is impacting New Zealand society. These areas are production and consumption and policies, economics, environment, values, and education. Each of these is used because they provide a form of measurement in determining the impact of sustainable values. They are also key aspects that contribute to New Zealand functioning well as a society. Chapter eight will evaluate a Sustainable Lifestyle survey that was carried out among 50 people. The purpose of the survey was to determine the understanding and actions of individual New Zealanders in the area of sustainable lifestyles. This survey revealed a general understanding that sustainable lifestyle was about the need for people to live in way that others can also share in that lifestyle. However many responses focused on being able to provide for oneself and to be able to maintain one's present lifestyle. It also revealed that most people had no practical outworking of sustainability in their lives. Chapter nine will draw all the conclusions and evaluations together to provide an overall sense to what degree sustainable lifestyles are understood and enacted in New Zealand society.
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    Ideal integrated national environmental management system for South Africa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1995) Utlwa, Abel Pheello
    The South African environmental management system has been characterised by fragmentation and the lack of effective legislation. The number of statutes concerned with conservation issues is an associated problem. The implementation of the Environmental Conservation Act 1989 has been viewed as inefficient because of the lack of enforcement and control of environmental management issues. The Act has not provided opportunities for public participation, particularly from black communities, in decision-making about environmental matters. The South African environmental management system has not recognised and integrated indigenous peoples resource management systems into the country's legal framework. This is illustrated by the impacts of conservation programmes which have resulted in black communities being uprooted from their lands for the establishment of national parks and tourism facilities, without compensation to traditional owners. Research has identified the need for a revision of environmental impact assessment (EIA) practices in South Africa. There is also an associated need to integrate environmental impact assessment (EIA) into the planning process to achieve sustainability. Studies carried out in South Africa have identified the lack of effective regulations for enforcing the provisions with regard to the status of the coastal zone. The criticisms of the White Paper delivered by participants at the Conference held at Megawatt Park, Sandton, 10 June, 1993, highlight the need for a comprehensive environmental management system to ensure the sustainable management of natural and physical resources. An ideal system would improve the quality of life in the South African community, while maintaining the integrity of the natural resource base. Even though the criticisms have been valid, they fall short of suggesting ideas for the formulation of a new integrated environmental management system for South Africa. Research carried out in South Africa has also identified the inadequacies of the proposed Integrated Environmental Management procedure referred to in the White Paper. This procedure has been perceived as inadequate to achieve the universal principles of sustainable development. This project evaluates the White Paper, the submissions criticising the White Paper and the proposed Integrated Environmental Management system in South Africa. A matrix is used as a method to examine both the New Zealand Resource Management Act 1991 and the South African environmental management provisions against the recommended national actions in the IUCN/UNEP/WWF (1991) and Agenda 21. Research from a number of disciplines concerned with integrated environmental management, are used to recommend changes to the South African environmental management system. Criteria derived from the IUCN/UNEP/WWF (1991) strategy and Agenda 21 are used in the thesis to evaluate the White Paper, submissions criticising the White Paper, and the proposed Integrated Environmental Management system. Finally, An ideal National Integrated Environmental Management System for South Africa is proposed.
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    Recreational resource management : Kapiti Island, a New Zealand case study of visitor usage, and perception: a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1978) Hook, Trevor
    This study was undertaken as a requirement for completion of a Master of Arts in Geography. My thanks go to the Geography Department Massey University, especially Professor K. Thompson, Dr. R. Le Heron and Mr. E. Warr for their valuable guidance throughout this research period. The topic of research also had the support of Lands and Survey Department, Wellington. People of the Lands and Survey Department in both the local District and the Head Office in Wellington were very co-operative, and permission was obtained to run a questionnaire for permit-holders visiting Kapiti Island. Great assistance was offered by both Mr. Bruce Tubb (Head Office, Wellington), and Mr. G.A. Turner, (Senior Planning Officer, Wellington Regional Office). Special thanks go to the Ranger and his family Mr and Mrs P. Daniel, who live on Kapiti Island for their assistance and support throughout the Survey period.
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    Promotion or protection : the management of tourist visitation to New Zealand's Antarctic and sub-Antarctic territories New Zealand as a case study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Management Systems at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1993) Wouters, Mariska Marieke
    Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands are among the last regions on earth that are still relatively unspoilt from human activity. At the same time, they are also among the last tourism frontiers in the world. The forms of tourism, trends, impacts and the current management mechanisms are described and assessed. New Zealand is offered as a case-study because it is experiencing increased visitation to its Antarctic and sub-Antarctic territories. As claimant to a section of Antarctica and signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, New Zealand has a vested interest in preserving this unique area. As the operator of Antarctic bases, it is probable that the New Zealand government may be called upon to provide assistance to tourist expeditions in the Antarctic. New Zealand companies are involved in tourist visits to the sub-Antarctic islands. Attention is drawn to areas of concern, and the various policies New Zealand applies to Antarctic and sub-Antarctic ecotourism are analysed. The need for a sustainable tourist management regime is examined, in order to balance the paradox between preservation and visitation. The varying aspects of international and national management regimes to manage Antarctic and sub-Antarctic tourism are discussed. Antarctica is managed by an international system, whereas the sub-Antarctic islands are subject to national legislation. This has implications for tourism management in these regions. It is questioned whether the present tourist regulations are adequate to protect the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic environments from the impacts of tourism. It is suggested that the current mechanisms are not sufficient, and the establishment of an International Convention on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Tourism is proposed.
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    Environmental decision support systems for Māori landowners : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Environmental Management at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Orton, Sarah Louise
    Environmental Decision Support Systems (EDSS) have been used to incorporate and transfer scientific knowledge to aid decision making processes since the early 1950s. Within the literature on EDSS there is widespread agreement about the importance of stakeholder participation. In the past, researchers have often failed to carry out extensive or unbiased stakeholder participation, resulting in EDSS that do not necessarily meet user requirements. By using more effective stakeholder participation processes, researchers will be able to better incorporate their knowledge with stakeholder requirements into future EDSS, helping landowner groups remove barriers to land development and aid land use decision making. The aim of this research was to investigate how EDSS can be improved to better meet the stated needs of a particular group of landowners: Maori land trusts and incorporations in New Zealand. Initial research investigated Maori landownership issues, researching with Maori (Kaupapa Maori research) and reviewed current EDSS, concentrating specifically on New Zealand EDSS. Using Dillman’s (2000) work as a guide, a survey was developed consisting of 22 questions designed to determine the decision making needs of Maori landowners, influences on Maori landowners’ decision making, and future EDSS design. Maori landowners from Maori land trusts and incorporations in the Waiariki rohe were approached regarding participation in this research. Of the 50 groups contacted, five groups agreed to participate. In light of this research becoming a case study, further literature was reviewed to consider the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. The data collected from this survey was then analysed and used to make recommendations to aid the development of future EDSS for Maori landowners. Two limitations associated with this research are: 1) that it was the researcher’s first attempt to undertake cross-cultural research, and therefore based on a limited understanding of how to engage effectively with Maori; and 2) that only 14 participants from five Maori trusts or incorporations, all from Te Arawa entities, took part in the study. While the researcher did her best to overcome, or minimise the impact of these limitations, their impact needs to be considered in regards to the key results of this research. There were five key results from this work: 1) Building a relationship with Maori stakeholders can take time and is extremely important for the success of a research project. Researchers need to allow time to develop rapport and to establish a good working relationship with stakeholders in order to facilitate effective participation; 2) For the Maori landowners surveyed, social considerations tend to be more important than economic considerations, with 3 the long term sustainability of different options a key concern; 3) Removing barriers to land use decision making and fulfilling the other decision making requirements of Maori landowners need to be integral parts of future EDSS; 4) Maori values are interlinked, with all the values of equal importance to the Maori landowners surveyed. These values underpin the decision making processes of Maori trusts and incorporations, so researchers need to understand the linkages in order to incorporate them into future EDSS; and 5) The ability to visualise their land was the feature of greatest importance to the Maori landowners surveyed. The ability to share information with others and the ability to connect with experts are also highly desirable EDSS features for respondents.
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    The nature and structure of attitudes towards the environment : a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree of Masters of Arts
    (Massey University, 1992) Morgan, Dennis C
    It appears that environmental concern is becoming an important issue in contemporary society. At this stage little is known about New Zealand public opinion with respect to environmental issues. This thesis is an exploratory study within one typical region of New Zealand covering two electorates and with both urban and rural residents. It is an investigation into the nature and structure of attitudes towards the environment. An underlying proposition that directs this thesis is that those people who are concerned about the environmental problem are confronted with alternative ideological networks which shape their perceptions of environmental problems and how they attempt to address these problems. Two ideological constructs and networks of belief have been advanced in other Western industrialized societies as dominant influences on the way in which people think about and act towards the environment. The primary intention of this investigation is to examine the extent to which the ecocentric and technocentric attitude structures occur in New Zealand. A self administered survey was conducted. The questionnaire was developed to assess the nature and structure of those belief systems, using Kerlinger's (1984) Criterial Referent Theory: - a "methodological theory" which explains social attitudes in the factor analytic tradition. In addition, this investigation also incorporated a partial replication of Cotgrove's (1982) survey of the nature and extent of support for environmental issues in Britain. This thesis targeted four sample groups - the general population, decision makers, environmentalists, and manufacturers. The study of attitude structures revealed that for the general population ecocentrism and technocentrism operate as distinguishable and independent belief systems. The general population's environmental attitude is best described as a dualistic domain that draws upon both ideologies. It was a domain that had a substantial ecocentric bias and had as its strongest dimension a concern for environmental degradation. The ecocentric bias of the general population was a fairly universal phenomenon - emerging from most sections of the sample. The attitudes of the environmentalists, decision makers and the manufacturers exhibited a similar ecocentric bias but also revealed characteristic differences. The manufacturers revealed considerably more opposition to technocentric variables than was expected. Like the environmentalists their attitude domain was ecocentric but incorporated a minor technocentric orientation as well. The findings suggest that ecocentric ideology may be having a larger effect than technocentrism on the perception of environmental problems in New Zealand society today. The partial replication of Cotgrove's (1982) survey produced similar results to those found by Cotgrove but with some important differences. One of the main differences was that manufacturers had a high rather than a low level of environmental concern. Finally this investigation has also revealed some evidence to tentatively support the notion that the influence of social class position and certain value commitments can account for some of the variation in technocentric and ecocentric attitudes.