title: De-mythologizing and re-branding of kava as the new ‘world drug’ of choice

authors: Aporosa, S. 'Apo'

abstract: What seemed impossible 50 years ago is today becoming a reality as ‘soft drugs’ such as cannabis are being decriminalized and accepted for their calming effects as well as their legitimate medicinal properties. Several countries have now made the possession of cannabis legal, with others considering this, while the coffee shops in the Netherlands have been supplying cannabis in different forms for many years. It is now the turn of kava to be re-evaluated, to see whether there are properties in this plant that might be readily substituted for more conventional and harmful drugs, for instance tobacco and alcohol. However, as highlighted by Norton and Ruze (1994), kava like cannabis, has an enduring reputation that still makes it difficult for many to accept. Kava has been mythologized as an illicit alcohol, highly addictive, and causing physical harm. When examining the history of kava use in traditional contexts and considering the evidence now available, it is possible to demythologize this characterization. Looking at the potential benefits, it is time to re-brand kava, not only on the grounds as a relaxant, but in possessing life enhancing medicinal properties and as an alternative to alcohol, understanding that will be beneficial to policy makers, doctors and pharmacists.

text: De-mythologizing and re-branding of kava as the new ‘world drug’ of choice What seemed impossible 50 years ago is today becoming a reality as ‘soft drugs’ such as cannabis are being decriminalized and accepted for their calming effects as well as their legitimate medicinal properties. Several countries have now made the possession of cannabis legal, with others considering this, while the coffee shops in the Netherlands have been supplying cannabis in different forms for many years. It is now the turn of kava to be re-evaluated, to see whether there are properties in this plant that might be readily substituted for more conventional and harmful drugs, for instance tobacco and alcohol. However, as highlighted by Norton and Ruze (1994), kava like cannabis, has an enduring reputation that still makes it difficult for many to accept. Kava has been mythologized as an illicit alcohol, highly addictive, and causing physical harm. When examining the history of kava use in traditional contexts and considering the evidence now available, it is possible to demythologize this characterization. Looking at the potential benefits, it is time to re-brand kava, not only on the grounds as a relaxant, but in possessing life enhancing medicinal properties and as an alternative to alcohol, understanding that will be beneficial to policy makers, doctors and pharmacists.

year: 2019

title: Leaching and uptake of nitrogen, and pasture production, associated with irrigation of treated wastewater, Taupō, New Zealand

authors: Telfer, Erin Isobel Charlotte

subjects: Wastewater

abstract: Secondary-treated wastewater from Taupō Township is irrigated onto perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) which is harvested and removed from the View Road wastewater treatment site. To determine the fate of the applied wastewater nitrogen, 48 undisturbed barrel lysimeters (30 cm diameter x 43 cm depth) were installed throughout 29 hectares. Centre pivot travelling irrigators were programmed to vary in speed to provide target wastewater application rates of about 0, 450, 550 and 650 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹.
The targeted application treatments were not achieved, with the achieved nitrogen loading rates grouped into a low treatment (286 - 380 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), a medium treatment (380 - 445 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), and a high treatment (445 - 567 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹). Nitrogen input in control sectors was assumed to be 5 kg N/ha/yr from atmospheric nitrogen deposition.
A mean of 4 to 6% of the applied nitrogen was leached. The mean amount of nitrogen leached from the high treatment (28.6 ± 10.1 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) was higher (P < 0.05) than from the low treatment (12.7 ± 4.2 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹). The medium treatment (16.0 ± 7.2 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) was not significantly different than the low treatment or the high treatment. The mean amount of nitrogen leached from the control treatment was 2.8 ± 0.6 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹. Nitrogen leaching that occurred in the high application treatment was below the consented limit of 30 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹.
A mean of 79 to 100% of the applied nitrogen was removed by pasture. There were no significant differences in pasture dry matter production, or nitrogen removal, between the low treatment (13 922 ± 1196 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹and 341 ± 25 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), the medium treatment (13 543 ± 1475 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹ and 360 ± 51 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), and the high treatment (15 285 ± 1919 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹ and 385 ± 43 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹). Pasture production was higher (P < 0.001) in irrigated pastures (mean of all irrigated treatments, 14 250 ± 349 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) than unirrigated controls (5300 ± 839 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹).
A mean of -4 to 16% of the applied wastewater nitrogen was unaccounted for. The majority of unrecovered nitrogen was presumed to be volatilised with lower potential for denitrification and soil storage.
A second experiment was undertaken to determine whether a five week or a ten week harvesting frequency would result in greater pasture production and nitrogen removal. During the ten month trial, 265 kg N ha⁻¹ of wastewater nitrogen was irrigated and pasture plots (1 m x 1 m) were cut with a mower. Nitrogen removal and pasture production were higher (P < 0.05) with a five week harvesting interval (8231 ± 186 kg DM ha⁻¹ and 250 ± 5 kg N ha⁻¹) than a ten week harvesting interval (7354 ± 67 kg DM ha⁻¹ and 191 ± 3 kg N ha⁻¹). Harvesting at five week intervals during late-November to May (late-spring to late-autumn) and ten week intervals from May until early-November (late-autumn to mid-spring) is recommended to maximise both pasture production and nitrogen removal, while minimising harvesting costs.

text: Leaching and uptake of nitrogen, and pasture production, associated with irrigation of treated wastewater, Taupō, New Zealand Secondary-treated wastewater from Taupō Township is irrigated onto perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) which is harvested and removed from the View Road wastewater treatment site. To determine the fate of the applied wastewater nitrogen, 48 undisturbed barrel lysimeters (30 cm diameter x 43 cm depth) were installed throughout 29 hectares. Centre pivot travelling irrigators were programmed to vary in speed to provide target wastewater application rates of about 0, 450, 550 and 650 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹.
The targeted application treatments were not achieved, with the achieved nitrogen loading rates grouped into a low treatment (286 - 380 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), a medium treatment (380 - 445 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), and a high treatment (445 - 567 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹). Nitrogen input in control sectors was assumed to be 5 kg N/ha/yr from atmospheric nitrogen deposition.
A mean of 4 to 6% of the applied nitrogen was leached. The mean amount of nitrogen leached from the high treatment (28.6 ± 10.1 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) was higher (P < 0.05) than from the low treatment (12.7 ± 4.2 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹). The medium treatment (16.0 ± 7.2 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) was not significantly different than the low treatment or the high treatment. The mean amount of nitrogen leached from the control treatment was 2.8 ± 0.6 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹. Nitrogen leaching that occurred in the high application treatment was below the consented limit of 30 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹.
A mean of 79 to 100% of the applied nitrogen was removed by pasture. There were no significant differences in pasture dry matter production, or nitrogen removal, between the low treatment (13 922 ± 1196 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹and 341 ± 25 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), the medium treatment (13 543 ± 1475 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹ and 360 ± 51 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹), and the high treatment (15 285 ± 1919 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹ and 385 ± 43 kg N ha⁻¹yr⁻¹). Pasture production was higher (P < 0.001) in irrigated pastures (mean of all irrigated treatments, 14 250 ± 349 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) than unirrigated controls (5300 ± 839 kg DM ha⁻¹yr⁻¹).
A mean of -4 to 16% of the applied wastewater nitrogen was unaccounted for. The majority of unrecovered nitrogen was presumed to be volatilised with lower potential for denitrification and soil storage.
A second experiment was undertaken to determine whether a five week or a ten week harvesting frequency would result in greater pasture production and nitrogen removal. During the ten month trial, 265 kg N ha⁻¹ of wastewater nitrogen was irrigated and pasture plots (1 m x 1 m) were cut with a mower. Nitrogen removal and pasture production were higher (P < 0.05) with a five week harvesting interval (8231 ± 186 kg DM ha⁻¹ and 250 ± 5 kg N ha⁻¹) than a ten week harvesting interval (7354 ± 67 kg DM ha⁻¹ and 191 ± 3 kg N ha⁻¹). Harvesting at five week intervals during late-November to May (late-spring to late-autumn) and ten week intervals from May until early-November (late-autumn to mid-spring) is recommended to maximise both pasture production and nitrogen removal, while minimising harvesting costs.

year: 2013

title: Local Contexts: Traditional Knowledge (TK) Labels for Ngāi Tai ki Tamaki

authors: Hamilton-Pearce, Janette

subjects: Local Contexts

abstract: How can the Local Contexts Traditional Knowledge (TK) Labels ground the rights of Ngāi Tai ki Tamaki in datasets and digital infrastructure? This presentation will help to address this question.

text: Local Contexts: Traditional Knowledge (TK) Labels for Ngāi Tai ki Tamaki How can the Local Contexts Traditional Knowledge (TK) Labels ground the rights of Ngāi Tai ki Tamaki in datasets and digital infrastructure? This presentation will help to address this question.

year: 2022-07-27