Photo: RNZ
A fertiliser-free farm in South Otago, a community ice rink in Canterbury and cooking oil-fuelled prop planes are among this week's feel-good stories from RNZ.
Artist goes for gold to deal with body shame
Mandi Lynn at The Every Body is a Treasure exhibition with her dog Gritty Photo: Supplied
When Artist Mandi Lynn's five-year-old niece asked her one day, "Am I fat?" the worrying exchange inspired Mandi to put out a public call.
She wanted to photograph women in nude, covered in golden clay - mirroring Venus of Willendorf, a 30,000-year-old voluptuous golden female sculpture. The "exhibition of reality" for girls and women to see real bodies reflected back features 300 volunteers and is being shared globally in the documentary, Finding Venus.
Community spirit keeps Canterbury ice rink alive
Photo: Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
Locals from the small farming community Staveley have pitched in to pay for a $1.4 million new refrigeration system for their skate rink - which has been operating since 1951. Volunteers gave 4000 hours of their time to get the rink ready for a winter of skating and curling. Surrounded by native trees, Mt Somers sparkling with snow in the background, and a roaring fireplace to cook marshmallows après-skate, the rink is large enough to host a proper game of hockey.
Tips from a super saver
Charlene has been able to pay off her car. Photo: Supplied
Charlene had amassed over $60k in debt and filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2020. But with the help of financial mentor Linda Smith from the Christchurch Methodist Mission, she has managed to turn things around. The mother of four has paid off her car and all other debts. Smith runs an incentive saver scheme which rewards people who work towards a financial goal. Her first tip is to take stock of your situation. Charlene is showing her children how to save, with her new focus making her feel more positive about herself.
Air NZ preps for cooking-oil fuelled prop planes
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
500,000 litres of sustainable aviation fuel made from used cooking oil has been sent from China to Wellington to be used on Air NZ's turbo-prop planes. It will power the equivalent of 165 jet flights between the capital and Auckland. Air NZ says the fuel produced 80 percent less carbon emissions than standard jet fuel, and is a move towards a lower-carbon future. Airlines around the world are starting to sign supply arrangements for the SAF 10 years into the future and beyond
Farming for the future in South Otago
The soil is like chocolate cake Photo: Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
Mark Anderson is focused on putting as much life and diversity back into the land as possible. As the sixth-generation Anderson to farm the 600-hectare property, Mark is the first to choose regenerative agriculture. Over the last decade, Mark got rid of the fertiliser silo and has worked to re-establish a naturally occurring nitrogen and mineral cycle - improving soil health and increasing plant diversity. "The landscape is generally a mirror image of the farmer. If it's healthy, then the farmer's healthy and it's the same for the animals," he says.
Weather clears up for whale spotters
A humpback whale leaps above the ocean. Photo: Unsplash / Luis Santoyo
All over Aotearoa, from the Hauraki Gulf to the Kāpiti Coast to Kaikōura, people have been watching the waters for a glimpse of marine mammal activity. They're contributing to the fifth annual Whale and Dolphin Count survey. The good weather over the weekend has meant organisers have received a strong response, with sightings of orca, pygmy whales, humpbacks and dolphins. The count serves to provide a snapshot of the animals' activity, as well as raise awareness of the cetaceans.