Better Ancestors

30/04/2022

We proudly present, NO MARINA - Episode 53, with Protect Pūtiki.

“If people are willing to make some really brave decision and shift what they see as power, or management over our spaces and places, then there's definitely a chance we can get things right.” - Bianca Ranson

During a climate and biodiversity crisis, in a dwindling ecosystem, among a declining taonga species, surrounded by historic Pā sites, opposed by mana whenua and the local community, consent was granted to build a marina at Putiki Bay, Waiheke Island, Aotearoa NZ.

Kaitiaki of Putiki Bay share their stories of the fight to hold back the ongoing exploitation of the moana.

https://youtu.be/l9qS0NvGD7Q

“If people are willing to make some really brave decision and shift what they see as power, or management over our spaces and places, then there's definitely...

05/03/2022

Don't miss out on this wholesome penguin story. The Nga Motu Marine Reserve Society share some stories of their mahi, monitoring and supporting the, ever so feisty, kororā that live along the coastline of Taranaki.

04/03/2022

Congratulations to Elvisa on her new position with forest and bird. She spoke so well about the connections between humans and their environments and it was a real privilege to have her share her perspectives with us.

28/02/2022

We are excited to present Episode 52 -
'The Secret Life of Kororā' with Nga Motu Marine Reserve Society
Join us as we hear stories from some of the people that are monitoring and caring for the notoriously feisty kororā along the coastlines of Taranaki.
https://youtu.be/Y5s6eITJil4

Kia oraWelcome to "Community & Connection" – Better Ancestors monthly video series throughout 2022.In this series, we explore the connections that we share w...

24/02/2022

This month we learn from the kaitiaki of the Ngā Motu Marine Reserves Society in Taranaki about what it takes to protect and monitor several colonies of kororā (little blue penguin), a declining taunga species.

The story of their mahi will be out Mon 28th

30/01/2022

Show up. Be empowered on that day, and that is ahi.” - Zane Wedding (Ngāti Kurī, Ngāti Pikiao)

Blazing into 2022 we interviewed Zane Wedding, an award-winning arborist, who tells the story of a community “forged in fire” through a lengthy fight to save a precious grove of trees in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, NZ, Aotearoa.

Slashes to the Resource Management Act 2010-2012 has led to numerous non-notifiable consents granted to developers across Aotearoa, NZ, taking away and trespassing communities from their natural green spaces.

If you would like to learn more and support this community's mahi, follow the links below:
Mana Rākau - https://saveourtrees.nz/mana-rakau/
Zane Wedding
Save Canal Road Trees

Kia ora
Welcome to "Community & Connection" – our monthly video series.
In this series, we aim to explore the connections that we share with each other and the natural world, and how we can nurture and strengthen one another to be Better Ancestors.

If you or a community you know is working together with nature to make intersectional, environmental, and intergenerational change, then please get in touch.
We would love to hear about your kaupapa and may be able to lend a hand in supporting your efforts.

Subscribe to Better Ancestors, and follow on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or directly via our Website:
https://www.instagram.com/betterances...
https://www.facebook.com/betterancest...
https://www.betterancestors.org/

Thank you for watching
Ben, Hayley, and Warren
Made possible by Better Ancestors Ltd.

21/01/2022

On Wednesday 19th we joined the whānau on a hīkoi (march) from Queens Wharf to the High Court in solidarity with the Pūtiki 32.

We also spoke to Zane Wedding (he/him/ia) Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Kurī , a qualified arborist about his whakaaro (thoughts) around activism, community and some of the outcomes of the mahi.

Our first episode of 2022 with Zane is out Jan 31st.
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29/10/2021

Everyone please submit your selections for Bird of the Year 2021! Let your voice or birdsong or bat squeak be heard and vote at:
birdoftheyear.org.nz
Voting closes Oct 31 so get them in quick! And please support our taonga species in any way you can. There are heaps of resources available on the voting link to learn more about these amazing creatures, the threats they face, and how we can help.
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29/09/2021

Better Ancestors Episode 37: Tears of the Albatross is live on our YouTube 🪶 Follow the link in our bio to to view and subscribe.

To take action, go to greenpeace.org to sign the petition to ban the bottle 🌏

27/08/2021

BOOM!

Steve Abel lays it down in our submission to Govt on the new Natural and Built Environments Bill

"We are in a twin existential crisis of climate change and biodiversity loss - and unless our core environmental legislation recognises that by giving the environment precedence, it will not enable the transformation necessary for us to avoid the “untold human suffering” warned of by 11,000 climate scientists...

This new legislation will replace the RMA and therefor - as our core environmental law - it must be bold, forward looking, ambitious and, above all, must have a thriving natural world at its heart.

24/08/2021

This week we talk to Dr. Mike Joy about the state of New Zealand’s fresh water. There are two main threats to our rivers and lakes and we discover these in this weeks Better Ancestors episode. 👉 https://youtu.be/JiwKjxFHRFY

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, we have the ability to change the path for our natural world and create a more sustainable world for future generations.

18/08/2021

Better Ancestors Episode 32 is now live!

Watch the full episode here 👉 https://youtu.be/XfhUydRE9FU

This week Better Ancestors share the story of Sutro Stewards who are actively restoring ecosystems and native plant communities.

Watch our latest episode to see how this passionate group are helping to fight both the biodiversity and climate change crisis.

02/08/2021

Why would Punk Rock and mushrooms be used in the same sentence? 🤘🍄

Watch Better Ancestors Episode 30 featuring Foggy Dew Fungi to find out 👉 https://youtu.be/ugrnUcWs5_k

29/07/2021

The true cost of industrial agriculture.

For more information on this topic, check out our latest Better Ancestors episode 👉 https://youtu.be/xpGAKilJiHc

26/07/2021

What is the true cost of synthetic fertiliser on human health?

Better Ancestors Episode 29 is live on our YouTube channel and is part one of a three part series titled “The Ugly, The Bad & The Good,” where we highlight the impact of the industrial agriculture.

International studies link nitrates with bowel cancer, so how does this effect New Zealanders? Watch our full episode to find out.

We hope our series encourages you to take inspired action and become a Better Ancestor!

22/07/2021

Be inspired by Gen de Spa's passion for environmental change in our latest Better Ancestors episode 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouGut50GxcU

Gen is currently nurturing a precious remnant of Aotearoa’s once mighty forest, where she uses regenerative practices to help restore and preserve this precious taonga.

19/07/2021

Better Ancestors Episode 28 is now live on YouTube!

This week we visit Gen De Spa at the Staveley Camp Forest, a small remnant of native forest that still remains on the Canterbury Plains. Gen is the care-taker for this precious patch of native and is passionate about regenerative-practise as a way of being.

Watch our full episode to find out more about Gen's drive to disrupt the business-as-usual paradigm that seeks to extract from the land more than it can comfortably give.

Share and inspire your network! 🌏

16/07/2021

Art is within nature and the Red Zone.

By re-purposing second-hand fabrics, using plant based material and eco dyeing techniques, Seonaid from The Clothworks is creating stunning eco-art.

Watch our full episode on the Better Ancestors Youtube channel to see how her art also encapsulates the Christchurch 'Red Zone.'

13/07/2021

Better Ancestors episode 27 is now live on YouTube!

Art is within nature. 🌿
This week, Better Ancestors visits Christchurch based artist Seonaid Burnie The Clothworks. Seonaid has set aside traditional art techniques and all the chemicals and waste that comes with it and is instead turning to nature to create beautiful sustainable artworks.

Full episode over at the Better Ancestors Youtube channel!

09/07/2021

Floating plants are wonderful natural tools that help bring equilibrium to ecosystems. It just so happens that New Zealand is home to an extraordinarily diverse range of aquatic floating plants. Learn more in our latest Better Ancestors Episode 👉 https://youtu.be/HqxK2zFTo-g

06/07/2021

Better Ancestors Episode 26 is now live!
Watch the full episode here 👉https://youtu.be/HqxK2zFTo-g

We visit plantsman Jeff McCauley at his native seedling nursery in Piha to learn how he is saving some of New Zealand's most precious endemic plant species. 🌿

Checkout the full episode on YouTube to learn just how diverse New Zealand's wild forest are, and how fragile they are, as they struggle to survive amidst wide-spread destruction of ecosystems.

We hope Jeff's story inspires you to learn more about our native flora and do your bit to help build a brighter future for our forests.

02/07/2021

Passionate about protecting the ocean?

Our latest Better Ancestors episode follows two ocean lovers who share their stories of ocean guardianship.

Full episode 👉 https://youtu.be/kp7R04LQJk4
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30/06/2021

Be sure to check out this Better Ancestors episode to hear more about how projectjonahnz is helping to save stranded whales across New Zealand. 🌊

28/06/2021

Better Ancestors episode 25 is now live here on Facebook and on our Youtube Channel!

Pro surfer Ricardo Christie and renowned presenter Jo Holley get personal about their own experiences, reminding us just how urgent it is to take action and protect the ocean. 🌊

Share with your network and inspire others to become better ancestors.

25/06/2021

What an amazing sound that would be 🐋

View our latest episode to discover how Louisa and the team at Project Jonah New Zealand are fighting for a brighter future for our magnificent marine mammals.

Watch full episode here >> https://youtu.be/WVCBnYAV_Wc

23/06/2021

Whales play a key part in combating climate change. So protecting these spectacular creatures also helps to protect our planet. This is why the mahi that undertakes is so important.

Be sure to checkout our latest Better Ancestors episode to hear more about how this local charity is helping to save stranded whales across New Zealand.

Full Episode: https://youtu.be/WVCBnYAV_Wc

We hope we have inspired you to be a better ancestors. If we all make small changes, together we can make big things happen, like Project Jonah.

20/06/2021

Better Ancestors episode 24 is now live! 🐋
Watch the full episode here
👉 https://youtu.be/WVCBnYAV_Wc

Have you ever saved a whale? Louisa Hawkes from projectjonahnz tells us that it's an experience one never forgets. View our full episode to hear how this incredible organisation is helping to save stranded whales across New Zealand.

Inspire others by sharing this story with your network.

16/06/2021

With small changes, we can all make an impact for the future of our planet. Watch episode 23 to discover how one inspiring community group New Brighton Stitch-O-Mat is helping locals make those changes everyday!

Watch full episode here: https://youtu.be/lEAV9glxq9s

15/06/2021

Better Ancestors episode 22 is now live!
Watch full episode here >> https://youtu.be/LfnXz1h1OEU

Did you know, the worlds most sustainable cosmetics company is from right here in Aotearoa New Zealand? Discover the incredible story of Brianne West, a New Zealand entrepreneur and founder of Ethique, as she takes one of the most wasteful industries and creates the world's first zero-waste beauty brand

Share and inspire your network! 🌏

11/06/2021

Palm oil is a vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of oil palm trees. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil is in almost 50% of all products you can find at the super market. Because of it’s wide use, palm oil is is a major driver of deforestation, having direct impacts on biodiversity loss and climate change.

In this week’s episode we look at how a cosmetics brand that started in a kitchen has grown into an international product that remains committed keeping palm oil off the shelves as well as other sustainability principles. 🌱

Follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe.

Stay curious and stay tuned, episode 24 drops 13 June 2021. 🌏

09/06/2021

Even the smallest of things can have an impact of the environment and the future health of the planet. Everything from the soap you use to the clothes you wear has an impact, so let’s start making sure it’s a clean one. 🌱

Stay curious and stay tuned, episode 24 drops 13 June 2021. 🌏

06/06/2021

Episode 22 featuring Ethique is now live! Follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe. 🌏

Stay curious and stay tuned, episode 24 drops 13 June 2021. 🌱

03/06/2021

Home is where the heart is, let’s make sure it’s a healthy home and a happy heart. 🌱

Follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe! 🌏

Stay curious and stay tuned episode 23 drops 6 June 2021.

31/05/2021

Episode 22 is now live! Follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe. Stay curious and stay tuned, episode 23 drops 6 June 2021. 🌏

30/05/2021

VOCs is an acronym for volatile organic compounds. Inside homes, VOCs can be incredibly harmful and carcinogenic. VOCs can come from chemicals used for cleaning, to the varnish and other chemical products used during the construction of the home.

In episode 22, we learn from Health Based Building about sustainable alternatives that leave the literal air you breathe better for you and those you invite into your home. 🌱

Stay curious and stay tuned, episode 23 drops 6 June 2021. 🌏

27/05/2021

Regardless of the destination there is always a sustainable path, whether it be education or business, agriculture or medicine.

It is our responsibility to explore for the most sustainable pathways as we journey forward.

Episode 20 is now live, follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe 🌏

24/05/2021

Continuous cover forestry is an approach to the sustainable management of forests. Forest stands are maintained in a way that is meant to mimic nature, sustained through the selection and harvesting of individual trees as opposed to clear cutting.

Watch episode 20 to learn more, follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe 🌱

23/05/2021

Episode 20 is now live! Follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe 🌱

Stay curious and stay tuned, episode 21 drops 30 March 2021 🌏

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASo0ATOG7ME

Kia oraWelcome to "The Change Makers" – a weekly video series.In this series our Change Makers share their stories, their thoughts, their ambitions and their...

21/05/2021

An aquifer is a body of rock or sediment that holds water underground. In Christchurch, NZ the drinking comes from an incredibly pure aquifer. Watch Episode 19 to learn how a water bottling company is trying to exploit this water supply, threatening the cities water security and ecology. Follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe 🌱

Stay curious and stay tuned, episode 20 drops 23 May 2021 🌏

19/05/2021

A million plastic water bottles are purchased around the world every single minute. Think of all that plastic waste and let it sink in for a moment. Now think to yourself, what can I do?

Episode 19 is now live, follow the link in our bio to view and subscribe 🌏

Stay curious and stay tuned, episode 29 drops 23 May 2021 🌱