title: Traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: a silent epidemic?

authors: Starkey, Nicola J.

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: In 2008 I was fortunate enough to be invited to be part of a research team on a large population based project focusing on the incidence and outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in New Zealand (led by Professor Valery Feigin National Institute of Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, AUT University). At the time I knew little about TBI or population based research, but the last five years have changed that. My involvement in the project has led to on-going collaborations and friendships, and continues to provide me with on-going challenges as a researcher. More importantly, however, thanks to those who participated in our research, it has given me an enormous appreciation of the daily challenges faced by those affected by TBI and the desire to do research that ultimately will make a difference for them and other TBI survivors.

text: Traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: a silent epidemic? In 2008 I was fortunate enough to be invited to be part of a research team on a large population based project focusing on the incidence and outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in New Zealand (led by Professor Valery Feigin National Institute of Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, AUT University). At the time I knew little about TBI or population based research, but the last five years have changed that. My involvement in the project has led to on-going collaborations and friendships, and continues to provide me with on-going challenges as a researcher. More importantly, however, thanks to those who participated in our research, it has given me an enormous appreciation of the daily challenges faced by those affected by TBI and the desire to do research that ultimately will make a difference for them and other TBI survivors.

year: 2013

title: The Environmental and Economic Impacts for Producing the Port Jackson from Novatein®

authors: van der Merwe, De Wet

subjects: LCA

abstract: Preserving meat quality is paramount during meat processing. Contamination is reduced by preventing contact between faecal matter and the carcass. Rectal plugs are used for this purpose during slaughtering, and the animal’s intestines can be removed and entered directly into the rendering process. Polypropylene plugs contaminate rendered products, while Novatein® plugs (the Port Jackson) will break down during the rendering process. 

A life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to determine and compare the environmental impacts of plugs made from either polypropylene or Novatein®. Two scenarios were considered, in which the production of the plugs could be contracted out, or manufactured in-house. On an environmental basis, the difference was negligible. Resin production accounted for 73% of the total non-renewable primary energy (NRPE) use and global warming potential (GWP), with the balance shared between plug production, use, and disposal. 

Injection moulding and packaging each contributed 31% to GWP, as well as 25.8% and 40% of the NRPE use respectively during plug production and disposal, dominating impacts during plug production. In contrast, operations with the lowest impacts were conditioning and transport, collectively contributing to less than 4% of the entire LCA impacts. 

The life cycle impacts were particularly sensitive to packaging, the allocation method used for farming impacts on bloodmeal production, and the ratio of the electricity grid mix. By eliminating cardboard boxes reduced GWP and NRPE use by 6.1% and 6.9%. Allocating impacts from farming to bloodmeal production could increase the GWP by up to 193%, and NRPE by 14%. Allocation is not under the control of the manufacturer, and is a limitation of the assumptions made in this study. By using coal-based electricity, the GWP can increase by 66%, and NRPE by 20%. Impacts from electricity use could change noticeably if the plugs were manufactured overseas. 

The net present value (NPV) of capturing 10% of the market, and selling the plugs at $0.15 NZD, at a 35% discount rate was $143,629 when contracting out plug production. Under all costing assumptions, contracting out provided a higher NPV than manufacturing in-house. This is primarily due to the large capital costs when producing in-house. 

The critical factor that will cause manufacturing in-house to be more financially viable is the capital cost. The difference between the NPV of the two scenarios is $240,442, and the estimated total cost of buying, shipping, and installing the injection moulder is $355,153. If this can be reduced to $114,711, the two scenarios become equal. Because manufacturing in-house has a higher ongoing cash inflow per year, this scenario will also benefit more from scaling up volume above the 10% market share threshold. 

When comparing the Port Jackson with the polypropylene plug, the Novatein® plug has a higher GWP (0.0166 kg CO₂eq per plug) than the PP plug (0.0126 kg CO₂eq per plug), however, it requires less NRPE (0.302 MJ per plug and 0.430 MJ per plug respectively), and if contracted out, can be sold competitively at a matching market value of $0.15 or $0.16 per plug. The price may be lowered even further to $0.12, and still have a positive NPV. These factors are slightly in favour of producing Novatein plugs, but the Port Jackson’s advantage over PP is the fact that it not only breaks down during rendering, but it is also non-toxic, so simply becomes part of part of meat and bone meal.

text: The Environmental and Economic Impacts for Producing the Port Jackson from Novatein® Preserving meat quality is paramount during meat processing. Contamination is reduced by preventing contact between faecal matter and the carcass. Rectal plugs are used for this purpose during slaughtering, and the animal’s intestines can be removed and entered directly into the rendering process. Polypropylene plugs contaminate rendered products, while Novatein® plugs (the Port Jackson) will break down during the rendering process. 

A life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to determine and compare the environmental impacts of plugs made from either polypropylene or Novatein®. Two scenarios were considered, in which the production of the plugs could be contracted out, or manufactured in-house. On an environmental basis, the difference was negligible. Resin production accounted for 73% of the total non-renewable primary energy (NRPE) use and global warming potential (GWP), with the balance shared between plug production, use, and disposal. 

Injection moulding and packaging each contributed 31% to GWP, as well as 25.8% and 40% of the NRPE use respectively during plug production and disposal, dominating impacts during plug production. In contrast, operations with the lowest impacts were conditioning and transport, collectively contributing to less than 4% of the entire LCA impacts. 

The life cycle impacts were particularly sensitive to packaging, the allocation method used for farming impacts on bloodmeal production, and the ratio of the electricity grid mix. By eliminating cardboard boxes reduced GWP and NRPE use by 6.1% and 6.9%. Allocating impacts from farming to bloodmeal production could increase the GWP by up to 193%, and NRPE by 14%. Allocation is not under the control of the manufacturer, and is a limitation of the assumptions made in this study. By using coal-based electricity, the GWP can increase by 66%, and NRPE by 20%. Impacts from electricity use could change noticeably if the plugs were manufactured overseas. 

The net present value (NPV) of capturing 10% of the market, and selling the plugs at $0.15 NZD, at a 35% discount rate was $143,629 when contracting out plug production. Under all costing assumptions, contracting out provided a higher NPV than manufacturing in-house. This is primarily due to the large capital costs when producing in-house. 

The critical factor that will cause manufacturing in-house to be more financially viable is the capital cost. The difference between the NPV of the two scenarios is $240,442, and the estimated total cost of buying, shipping, and installing the injection moulder is $355,153. If this can be reduced to $114,711, the two scenarios become equal. Because manufacturing in-house has a higher ongoing cash inflow per year, this scenario will also benefit more from scaling up volume above the 10% market share threshold. 

When comparing the Port Jackson with the polypropylene plug, the Novatein® plug has a higher GWP (0.0166 kg CO₂eq per plug) than the PP plug (0.0126 kg CO₂eq per plug), however, it requires less NRPE (0.302 MJ per plug and 0.430 MJ per plug respectively), and if contracted out, can be sold competitively at a matching market value of $0.15 or $0.16 per plug. The price may be lowered even further to $0.12, and still have a positive NPV. These factors are slightly in favour of producing Novatein plugs, but the Port Jackson’s advantage over PP is the fact that it not only breaks down during rendering, but it is also non-toxic, so simply becomes part of part of meat and bone meal.

year: 2014

title: Culturally-Oriented Environmental Identity Transitions: Migrant Indian Teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand Early Childhood Education

authors: Rathore, Devika

abstract: An increasingly multicultural Aotearoa New Zealand early childhood education (ECE) landscape that includes a growing number of migrant teachers forms the context for my doctoral study. In this country, respect for the natural world and kaitiakitanga are integral to the ECE bicultural curriculum framework Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education [MoE], 2017) which is grounded in Indigenous Māori worldviews that acknowledge strong spiritual connections to land and place. The natural environment is considered an integral part of the national identity and early childhood has been recognised as an important stage when Environmental and Sustainability Education should begin.   

Within the context of this superdiverse nation, a significant number of migrant teachers transfer their cultural and environmental knowledge, practice, and identity as they transition into the Aotearoa New Zealand context. This thesis explored migrant Indian teachers’ understandings of their culturally-oriented and negotiated environmental identities. I was keen to examine if the environment might hold different meanings and places in their home (Indian) and host (Aotearoa New Zealand) cultural systems.   

Through this study, insights were gained into migrant Indian teachers’ perceptions of the influence of cultural identity on their environmental identities in Aotearoa New Zealand ECE. A sociocultural theoretical perspective informed this study, drawing primarily on Sauvé’s (2009) model of personal and social development of the self in relation to other humans and the environment. Primary data for this interpretivist study were gathered through in-depth interviews with nine Indian ECE teacher participants. Interviews with their ECE setting managers/head teachers were conducted to support and supplement the teachers’ practices and experiences. The audio-recorded interview data were transcribed and examined using thematic analysis. Observations of teacher participants’ workplaces were used to provide a contextual profile for each of the nine Indian teachers. I also obtained a small number of assessment documents in the form of Learning Stories which the teachers had prepared, to analyse them for cultural and environmental themes and experiences.   

Indian teacher participants’ perceptions of their own culturally-oriented environmental identities highlighted the significance of teachers’ own early childhood environmental experiences and home cultural context influences on their environmental identities. Teacher participants’ perceptions shed light on their cultural and environmental identity transitions and acculturation process. These teachers brought their cultural and environmental identities from their home cultural context and used their cultural lens to interpret the connections between the host cultural context and environmental worldviews.   

The Indian teacher participants perceived close connections between their cultural and environmental identities. At the same time, they recognised cross-cultural connections between their culturally-oriented environmental identities and tikanga Māori (Māori ways of doing including practices, customs and rituals) and te ao Māori (the Māori world). These perceived connections were most evident through the significance of Indian philosophies of spirituality, relationships, belonging, and cultural recognition and exchange in their specific ECE contexts. These connections facilitated teachers’ cultural and environmental identity transitions and had a positive impact on their cultural and environmental teaching practices when supported within the ECE setting and by management/leadership.   

Cultural and environmental transitions for this steadily growing group of migrant teachers require further investigation to facilitate their cultural and environmental participation and acculturation into the Aotearoa New Zealand ECE context. In these ways, the existing cultural, environmental, and sustainability connections within ECE could be strengthened to foster children’s culturally-oriented environmental identities.

text: Culturally-Oriented Environmental Identity Transitions: Migrant Indian Teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand Early Childhood Education An increasingly multicultural Aotearoa New Zealand early childhood education (ECE) landscape that includes a growing number of migrant teachers forms the context for my doctoral study. In this country, respect for the natural world and kaitiakitanga are integral to the ECE bicultural curriculum framework Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education [MoE], 2017) which is grounded in Indigenous Māori worldviews that acknowledge strong spiritual connections to land and place. The natural environment is considered an integral part of the national identity and early childhood has been recognised as an important stage when Environmental and Sustainability Education should begin.   

Within the context of this superdiverse nation, a significant number of migrant teachers transfer their cultural and environmental knowledge, practice, and identity as they transition into the Aotearoa New Zealand context. This thesis explored migrant Indian teachers’ understandings of their culturally-oriented and negotiated environmental identities. I was keen to examine if the environment might hold different meanings and places in their home (Indian) and host (Aotearoa New Zealand) cultural systems.   

Through this study, insights were gained into migrant Indian teachers’ perceptions of the influence of cultural identity on their environmental identities in Aotearoa New Zealand ECE. A sociocultural theoretical perspective informed this study, drawing primarily on Sauvé’s (2009) model of personal and social development of the self in relation to other humans and the environment. Primary data for this interpretivist study were gathered through in-depth interviews with nine Indian ECE teacher participants. Interviews with their ECE setting managers/head teachers were conducted to support and supplement the teachers’ practices and experiences. The audio-recorded interview data were transcribed and examined using thematic analysis. Observations of teacher participants’ workplaces were used to provide a contextual profile for each of the nine Indian teachers. I also obtained a small number of assessment documents in the form of Learning Stories which the teachers had prepared, to analyse them for cultural and environmental themes and experiences.   

Indian teacher participants’ perceptions of their own culturally-oriented environmental identities highlighted the significance of teachers’ own early childhood environmental experiences and home cultural context influences on their environmental identities. Teacher participants’ perceptions shed light on their cultural and environmental identity transitions and acculturation process. These teachers brought their cultural and environmental identities from their home cultural context and used their cultural lens to interpret the connections between the host cultural context and environmental worldviews.   

The Indian teacher participants perceived close connections between their cultural and environmental identities. At the same time, they recognised cross-cultural connections between their culturally-oriented environmental identities and tikanga Māori (Māori ways of doing including practices, customs and rituals) and te ao Māori (the Māori world). These perceived connections were most evident through the significance of Indian philosophies of spirituality, relationships, belonging, and cultural recognition and exchange in their specific ECE contexts. These connections facilitated teachers’ cultural and environmental identity transitions and had a positive impact on their cultural and environmental teaching practices when supported within the ECE setting and by management/leadership.   

Cultural and environmental transitions for this steadily growing group of migrant teachers require further investigation to facilitate their cultural and environmental participation and acculturation into the Aotearoa New Zealand ECE context. In these ways, the existing cultural, environmental, and sustainability connections within ECE could be strengthened to foster children’s culturally-oriented environmental identities.

year: 2024