iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Will you speak out with us against the Government’s plan to rollback protections of freshwater? Consultation for the government’s freshwater pollution plan closes this Sunday, July 27th. Find out how you can do that here: greenpeace.nz/fresh-water-...

greenpeace.nz

Make a submission

Use this tool to help write a quick submission for the health of lakes, rivers and drinking water!

012

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

You know what, it’s time that Federated Farmers were accountable to the people of New Zealand. And they should do right by the rural communities whose drinking water that they and Fonterra have polluted. And all this for a block of butter no one can afford!

110

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

The Government right now is proposing to remove the cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser - the cap that limits how much fertiliser the intensive dairy industry can put into the environment and leach into waterways.

110

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Dairy pollution is contaminating people's drinking water. Fed Farmers are opposing every measure to protect freshwater, and pushing the Government to remove existing protections on freshwater.

110

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Of course, Federated Farmers (I would tag them but they’re not on BlueSky) didn’t like being held to account for their environmental vandalism and complained about our artwork. They didn’t seem to care what the people of Gore thought about their drinking water being undrinkable, and why it's unsafe.

110

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

I’m the freshwater campaigner at @greenpeace.org.nz and naturally I thought more people should be worried about this. Surely the Government should be tightening regulations around nitrate contamination? We sent a message this week by decorating Gore’s famous trout.

121

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

High levels of nitrate in drinking water have been associated with an increased risk of blue baby syndrome. This is why we have a ‘maximum acceptable value’ of 11.3mg per litre - to protect babies from harm. But there's also an increased risk of cancer and preterm birth at much lower levels.

111

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

The main source of nitrate contamination is the overuse of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser in the intensive dairy industry.

110

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

In case you missed it, last Friday routine testing of Gore’s town water supply exceeded legal limits for nitrate contamination, and the township was issued a do not drink notice.

110

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

Why are Southland Federated Farmers frothing at the mouth about Greenpeace redecorating the famous Gore trout landmark, and not worried about the water notice that meant Gore residents couldn’t drink their water over the weekend? 🧵

221

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

📢 Make a submission. It's super easy, just use the submission tool at the link below and tell the Government what you care about: 🔗 greenpeace.nz/fresh-water-... 💧 Everyone deserves safe drinking water. Everyone deserves rivers they can swim in. Let’s fight for it.

greenpeace.nz

Make a submission

Use this tool to help write a quick submission for the health of lakes, rivers and drinking water!

032

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

The proposals are open for public consultation until 27 July. This is our change to push back → Say no to removing the fertiliser cap. → Say no to irrigation deregulation. → Say no to weakening the protections that prioritise the health of water bodies and safe drinking water.

112

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

When you consider everything that's been proposed, it's clear what this Luxon and his Government's agenda is. They're tipping the scales in favour of big dairy and corporate profits at the expense of lakes, rivers, and drinking water.

110

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

💧And they want to prioritise commercial water use at the expense of the health of freshwater ecosystems and safe drinking water, by removing the core protections in our freshwater regulations.

111

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

💧They also want to make it easier to build irrigation infrastructure, which would enable further dairy intensification Because nothing says “clean rivers” like fuelling even more dairy expansion.

111

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

Last year seven water supplies exceeded the level of nitrate associated with pre-term birth. Between 2019-2024, 12.4% of monitored groundwater sites exceeded the legal health limit for nitrate. Nitrogen fertiliser is a major source of nitrate contamination. We need more action on nitrate, not less.

112

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

💧They want to scrap the synthetic nitrogen fertiliser cap which exists to prevent further nitrate contamination of drinking water. Nitrate contamination is a risk to public health, and this government wants to get rid of the one tool we have to limit this pollution at the source.

111

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

🧵 The Luxon Government's “freshwater pollution plan” is here. Their proposals would scrap protections for lakes, rivers and drinking water, all to make it easier for corporate polluters to make a profit. Here’s what's been proposed:

142

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

ECan votes are notoriously difficult to find on their website. So I decided to let people know about this one.

060

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 28/11/2023

A good 30% of my TikTok feed is from overseas content creators talking about the repeal of the smoking ban. Embarrassing.

020

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 08/11/2023

"But some lobbyists told justice officials at meetings in July that the project was a solution in search of a problem" Of course the lobbyists are doing some lobbying. www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...

rnz.co.nz

Revolving door for lobbyists 'can result in unfair access' - Justice Ministry

Justice Ministry warns of 'misuse of privileged information' by ministers entering the lobbying industry.

030

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 25/10/2023

Prior to 1916, Labour movement activists ran for Parliament as Lib-Labs. By this article's logic, they should have never split with the Liberal party to form the modern Labour Party. But they did, and went on to form 6 Governments. thespinoff.co.nz/politics/24-...

thespinoff.co.nz

The Greens’ Labour problem

If you're young and left-wing, you probably voted Green. Was that the best strategy for actually achieving progressive change?

020

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/10/2023

I always feel crap after a jab. Just admit me into the nearest ward post vaccination please.

020

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 24/10/2023

Well this has traumatised me into never criticising the 15 minute wait (not that I ever really did).

120

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 19/10/2023

Our union delegate approves of this app. He's keeping an eye out for reactionary infiltrators though.

010

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 19/10/2023

Everyone needs more fern content in their lives!

010

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

What's the biggest fight you're expecting with the new government? For me it's live export and fair pay agreements.

020

Will Appelbe @willappelbe.bsky.social · 18/10/2023

I think a lot of what you've suggested requires Parliament to pass legislation to allow councils to do that. But otherwise, yes.

010