Stories by Emma Ricketts
Audio and features
Climate impact of air conditioners
It's been a sweltering week across the motu. Some of us opened every door and window in a desperate search of a cooling breeze... while other lucky souls shut themselves inside with air conditioners.
…'I tell people Napier has the best weather in New Zealand'
Mataruahou, Napier Hill, is a beautiful place – sunny, warm and usually calm. A naïve visitor would never know how natural disaster has shaped it. What impact will future events have on her hometown…
Which NZ town has the most Christmas spirit?
A 'road cone Christmas tree' erected in Wellington has left plenty to be desired, with many residents not getting the joke. The council - which is responsible for the tree on Courtenay Place - says it… Audio
Snoopy's Christmas proves to be an enduring hit in NZ
Snoopy's Christmas by the Royal Guardsmen is a song that most people will recognise.
It's a song that New Zealanders know and love and have done since 1967 when it first topped our music charts.
But… Audio
Damage from Cyclone Gabrielle to Hawke's Bay seabed revealed
When Cyclone Gabrielle hit Hawke's Bay in February, it flooded homes, devastated communities and destroyed farm infrastructure.
Less visibly - it also damaged local fisheries.
Commercial fishers… Audio
Lowering speed limits helps to reduce emissions
Waka Kotahi says it's lowered speed limits to 80 kilometres per hour on about four percent of New Zealand highways as part of the Road to Zero safety campaign.
The changes have frustrated many… Audio
Activists worried about a return of live cattle shipments
Live animal exports by sea could be restarting soon. The National Party earlier this year promised to lift the ban that came into effect in April after the Labour government banned the lucrative… Audio
WOW a platform to 'celebrate sustainability', chief executive says
Wellington's World of Wearable Arts competition - which is coming to a close this weekend - has a huge impact on the city. But what about its impact on the environment?
The event showcases garments… Audio
More specialists needed to help people with severe mental illnesses
Top mental health specialists warn the country needs to double the number of psychologists and psychiatrists to meet patient demand.
Practitioners say we need15 psychologists per 100,000 people to… Audio