Anyone out there live in Nelson, or been to Nelson?

[MrsRose]

regarding the air quality and environmental state of New Zealand though, I'm confused. Cause I've done quite a bit of internet research on the air quality and cleanliness of world cities, and Auckland and Wellington rank in the top 25 in the world on many of the lists. And the World Health Organization's most recent data on worldwide cities and air quality gives Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch good scores for air quality. ??

[Song_Si]

Some links on Nelson and its air quality/air pollution problems, and what they have achieved in the last 10 years

Nelson City Council Air Quality

Nelson's air quality campaign scoops two national awards

6 June 2012
Nelson breached the National Standard for Air Quality 81 times in 2001, and after introducing the air quality campaign, breached the standard just 15 times in 2011 and just eight times in 2010. There have been no breaches so far this year.

Background to Nelson’s air quality campaign

• A study with the health sector, iwi and community organisations led to the development of a public discussion document, Clearing the Air: a Strategy for Change in November 2002 and establishment of the Nelson Air Quality Plan (notified 3 August 2003 and made operative 3 November 2008). The Plan set in place rules and a timeframe for the phasing out of all open fires in the urban area, and certain enclosed burners in the most polluted airsheds.
• Financial assistance provided through the Council’s Clean Heat Warm Homes scheme resulted in 433 open fires and 1546 old burners being replaced with cleaner forms of heating and improved insulation in 1370 affected homes.
• The Council’s ongoing “Good Wood” initiative improves the quality of wood sold through a voluntary code of practice that suppliers sign up to, providing easier access to good wood (i.e. less than 25% moisture level).

People can breathe easy in the city nowadays

Nelson MP Nick Smith said the council had rightly acknowledged that improvement in air quality had been achieved by home owners' co-operation, firewood retailers converting to dry wood and industrial emitters investing in new technology.
"Few people appreciate that more than 1000 people a year die predominantly from particulate pollution in New Zealand.
"Nelson has gone from having the worst air quality to the most improved."

[Song_Si]

and Christchurch - as with Nelson, rub two sticks together, make a fire, and send smoke signals!!


Air pollution in Christchurch

Eighty percent of Christchurch’s winter air pollution comes from wood or coal burners and open fires. Only 10 percent comes from vehicles and 10 percent from industry.

The older and less efficient a fire is, the greater the quantity of emitted dangerous fine particulate emissions (known as PM10). On cold, still winter nights, these particles can form into a choking, brown smog.

For up to 50 days each winter, the level of PM10 particles in the air in Christchurch exceeds Ministry for the Environment guidelines. Research indicates each year this pollution is responsible for:

• serious health problems for several thousand people, such as respiratory and cardiac illness (causing them to take time off work, which affects the local economy)
• the premature deaths of more than 150 people due to respiratory or cardiac illness
• higher health costs for everyone, due to heavier demand on the health system
• a damaging effect on the public image of Christchurch.

In Christchurch, because there are hills close by, a layer of warmer air, known as an inversion layer, traps the smog down at street level. This directly affects the people who live there. Although the problem is at its worst in the evening, the smog is often clearly visible the next morning.

Up to date data: Check air pollution in towns around Canterbury, in the last few hours, days, months or years.

Wellington Air Quality
Greater Wellington measures air quality indicators (such as PM10, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide) at several sites across the region. At most of our air quality sites, we also measure meteorological information such as wind speed/direction, air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure etc. The parameters that are monitored vary from site to site.

Wellington Air Quality Report

[sillygumbo]

Originally Posted by MrsRose

I know some of you on this forum have already advised me that as an immigrant from the States, it's probably better for our family to look into the bigger cities like Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch for work...BUT....Nelson looks so perfect in all other ways for our family!

It's warm and sunny. It's not a super crowded big city. It's an "outdoor people" kind of city. On the beach. Near to beautiful national parks. lots of mountain biking trails. Housing is less expensive than Auckland and Chch...

My husband is a sparky, and I've looked on trademe.co.nz and there ARE electrician jobs available in Nelson. So my question is:

Can all of you PLEASE put in your two cents regarding the city of Nelson?

Your overall impressions of the city...the community there...the weather...the housing...traffic...economy...etc.. Oh, and if anyone knows about how much electricians make there that would be great!

thanks.

HI MrsRose- I wanted to touch base because I also live in Vegas and my husband is in the trades too. I am unable to PM because I dont have 5 posts yet. I am working on it. We will be moving to NZ in March and I also have a 2 year old. Too much in common, right?

Kristin

[MrsRose]

Originally Posted by sillygumbo

HI MrsRose- I wanted to touch base because I also live in Vegas and my husband is in the trades too. I am unable to PM because I dont have 5 posts yet. I am working on it. We will be moving to NZ in March and I also have a 2 year old. Too much in common, right?

Kristin

How fun! You'll have to message me when you can.

[pookienuffnuff]

Aha, I see...I have lived too many years in a 'green and pleasant land' (green cos it rains alot) and so I dont really like the colour green....I like desert n dirt :-)
But I am 'green' as in environmental ;-)
Wellington and Auckalnd probably have better air, they have mains gas (for heating) rather than smokey wood fires and public transport so less car fumes. But here in south island (no mains gas and LPG expensive compared to wood) rural towns have predominance of wood fires and they are smokey. With the temp inversion it tends to sink to ground level. So beware as Nelson may be same as here (our town failed its air emmissions limits 6 times last winter) and this one is apparently colder. But I think all this has now been covered by the moderators very informative replies....