Waste: what are we doing and what can we do better?
Wed Aug 10 2016 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Waste: what are we doing and what can we do better?
10 August 2016
A seminar at the University of Auckland will bring together a range of experts to discuss waste management and to look at the future of waste reduction.
Organiser and Coordinator of the Science Sustainability Network at the University, Associate Professor Niki Harre, says waste is a particularly complex challenge in advanced countries but the picture is not entirely bleak.
“Science can help us extract valuable resources from all sorts of waste – including wine waste and e-waste, and uncover how natural systems, such as Kauri forests, recycle the products they use. We then need to apply this knowledge to social systems, such as city-level waste management,” she says.
This Faculty of Science seminar is open to the public and will be held on Thursday, 18 August from 6.00-7.30pm. The seminar will be held in SLT1 Lecture Theatre, ground floor, Building 303. Entry is free.
Speakers
Professor Paul Kilmartin, School of Chemical Sciences
"Useful products from winery waste."
In keeping with the principles of Green Chemistry, Prof. Paul Kilmartin investigates the extraction of valuable resources from the waste in wine production. His research group has already successfully extracted antioxidants from grape waste that can be used in biodegradable plastics.
Parul Sood, Waste Planning Manager, Auckland Council
"Getting Auckland's waste sorted."
The talk will outline the initiatives in the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan. Parul will also discuss the importance of engaging communities and the challenges and opportunities on the pathway to Zero Waste.
Dr Cate Macinnis-Ng, Rutherford Discovery Fellow, School of Biological Sciences
"Forests: the ultimate example of reduce, reuse, recycle.”
In a changing climate, forest ecosystems are important for the capture and storage of carbon, potentially reversing the increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Different forests perform in different ways so how do we choose the 'best forest', and what happens when there is a large disturbance event like a fire or drought? In this talk, Cate will explore the value and challenges of managing forest ecosystems under climate change.
Dr Gerald Weber, Department of Computer Science
"Electronic waste, a global challenge"
E-waste is a fast-growing waste stream, and can be particularly complex and hazardous. Nevertheless the principles, reduce, reuse, recycle also apply to e-waste. Gerald will discuss how these principles can take shape in the area of e-waste.
More information contact
Anne Beston, Media Relations Adviser,
Communications, University of Auckland
Email: a.beston@auckland.ac.nz
Telephone: +64 9 923 3258
Mobile: + 64 (0) 21 970 089