MASSIVE 22: The Sustainability Issue

What to look forward

WEEKLY NEWS

RA paid illegally by Massey University, says lawyer

Sammy Carter (she/her)

A Manawatū residential assistant (RA) says they are not paid for the full time they are on-call and not able to leave campus, only allowed to log half an hour of work for each call.

However a law professor argues Massey’s RA contract for overnight on-call work is illegal.

In 2011 the NZ Supreme Court ruled that an on-call sleepover is ‘work’ for the purposes of the Minimum Wage Act 1983. The ruling was for an Idea Services care worker on sleepover shifts.

Yesterday was the final day for students to apply to be a Massey Halls staff member for 2024 – and the university is allegedly reducing contract hours.

*Riley, who spoke to Massive anonymously, was paid a salary of 17 hours a week, with rent and tax deducted.

They said if their hours on-call were included as work, it would often be more than 17 hours a week.

*Riley found the job to sometimes be “constraining” and “stressful”.

They said RA’s had been told the pay next year will be reduced to 15 hours a week as “management have not seen the justification for 17 hours”.

The RA was consistently struggling to meet 17 hours a week even after taking on extra shifts as, “holding the phone sometimes means getting no calls”.

The emergency phone is held for all hours on the weekends, and from 5pm to 9am on weekdays, *Riley said.

A Massey University spokesperson said, “The university will not comment on individual employment matters.”

Earlier this year, the university announced a year-to-date operating deficit of $14.2 million dollars and have recently been cutting staff and courses.

“The Student Accommodation management team is currently in the process of confirming staffing requirements for 2024. There have been no decisions regarding this as yet.”

Annick Masselot, professor of Law at the University of Canterbury said the RA’s oncall period fits all the criteria of ‘work’ and should be paid.

A similar case occurred in 2018 when six anaesthetic technicians were not paid during on-call periods where they had to stay in accommodation close to the Timaru Hospital, away from their families. The workers were only paid for the time they spent at the Hospital. The Court concluded the workers on-call period was ‘work’.

Masselot, whose research expertise is in employment law, said it was rubbish to cut down the salary by two hours, “It’s just cutting corners on salary, it’s just ridiculous.”

The NZ Supreme Court has ruled that you must consider three factors when deciding if activity is work: The constraints placed on the freedom the employee would otherwise have to do as they please, the nature and extent of the responsibilities placed on the employee, and the benefit to the employer of having the employee perform the role.

If an on call period is considered work, payment of at least minimum wage must be made for each hour.

Nic Hill, Headmaster of Christchurch Boys’ High School and studying a Master of Laws, wrote an article in the International Journal of Law and Education that looked at ‘work’ in terms of boarding school supervisors. He told Massive: “If you’re on call, but you’re asleep, you’re still working.”

He wrote that many schools use salaries to

work around the swings of a roster through implied averaging of hours on duty.

The RA’s contract with Massey University did not specifically state if an on-call period was ‘work’, however said their hours “are unlikely to exceed an average of 17 hours per week”.

Hill wrote that salaries are “problematic” as they do not avoid the implications of the Minimum Wage Act 1983.

“Averaging wage payment is not not a viable means of avoiding Minimum Wage Act 1983 obligations.”

Hill said, “You can’t contract out of the law … This is a more expensive model for schools, but it’s also a legal model.”

There are five Massey Halls in Palmerston North, some costing over $17,000 dollars a year.

The RA’s contract with the university stated: “We will act in good faith, providing fair and proper treatment in all aspects of your employment.”

*Name changed for anonymity

Throwing your scraps in a compost bin saves your wallet and the world

Council rubbish bags are spoiling your paycheck, but perhaps composting your two-minute noodles could save you money.

As food scraps make up around one third of household waste, throwing your leftovers in the compost means saving hundreds on council rubbish bags.

“The cheapest and easiest way to do it is just a regular old cold compost bin. You can get a 240 litre one from Bunnings for $46 and that’s heaps of room for a four-person household,” said David McCarthy, Massey’s Earthworms Club garden manager. New Zealand was ranked the 9th worst country in the 2022 Global Waste Index, behind Australia and even the US. Embarrassing.

Officially founded in 2021, the Earthworms Club operates three compost bins across the Wellington campus and encourages people to compost themselves.

Government has pledged to add food scrap collection for all urban areas by 2030, but Massey’s Earthworms Club wasn’t waiting around.

McCarthy, an environmental student, said it’s important to place your bin on bare soil and add brown compost like woodchips, leaves or shredded cardboard.

“It’s like when a forest is breaking down, that’s what we’re trying to recreate. So,

you have wood and stuff, it’s not just fruit and vegetables.”

Maria Williams, Earthworms Club coordinator, acknowledged setting up a bin isn’t always possible for students living in halls or apartments.

Williams encouraged students to compost in other community ways, like the ShareWaste NZ app. The ShareWaste NZ app connects those who want organic waste with those who want to get rid of it.

You can register as a donor to view nearby community gardens or individual compost hosts and arrange a time to drop off your scrapscompletely free of charge. Food scraps make up 22% of NZ’s landfill emissions as they produce methane when they rot anaerobically among waste.

But when food scraps are composted, they decompose aerobically.

Last year ShareWaste NZ was reported to have nearly 10,000 members spread across the entire country.

Williams said the Earthworms Club was working on expanding its composting capacity and eventually wants to have more collection tubs around campus, like in student lounges.

The club also acquired its own gardening space near campus this year and is building garden beds in preparation for the summer planting period.

People can join the Earthworms Club by contacting earthworms.compost@ gmail.com or messaging them on Instagram @earthworms_wlg.

Massey University proposes to cut retirement savings contributions for staff aged 65 and over

Sammy Carter (she/her)

In an email on September 20th, the Senior Leadership Team said, “The university currently goes above and beyond its statutory obligations as an employer”.

It proposed Massey stop contributions to KiwiSaver and UniSaver superannuation schemes for employees aged 65 and over.

The cost-saving initiative comes as this year the university announced a year-to-date operating deficit of $14.2 million dollars.

First of its kind Rainbow history paper proposed by Auckland student

Sammy Carter (she/her)

Albany rainbow representative Benji Watt is proposing Massey University teach the first sexuality history paper in the country among many course cuts.

The first-year student is proposing a ‘History of the Rainbow Community in Aotearoa’ 300-level history elective to the university in October.

While Massey University was cutting up to one third of its offerings for 2024, Watt said the course would fill a gap in ways sexuality was being taught around the country. The paper would cover queer

The university defended its proposal saying that New Zealanders aged 65 and over can receive fortnightly pension payments from the Government.

The email said, “The fact that most employees are also entitled to receive New Zealand Superannuation payments from the Government from age 65, the university is proposing to cease its current non-compulsory employer contributions”.

The change had the potential to save approximately $1.2 million dollars annually, the email continued. Employers are not obliged to pay employer contributions to KiwiSaver or UniSaver once they are aged 65 or over.

UniSaver NZ’s website said, “Your employer will generally contribute 1.35

times your contributions up to 6.75% of your salary to UniSaver.”

The potential change was expected to start this year.

Massey University declined to comment.

legalisation, marriage, adoption, conversion therapy, rainbow places like gay bars, athletes, the HIV pandemic, events, queer entertainment like drag queens - even Shortland Street.

He felt if the university were to accept the proposal among course cuts, “then at least they’re adding something back to please the students”. Watt felt Massey was cutting so many courses that he worried he wouldn’t be able to finish his history degree.

He also felt the paper would show Massey as a rainbow safe space, especially for international students who may be looking for a place to feel accepted.

Massey University was asked if it would consider instating a new paper among budget cuts.

“Any new course proposed now can only be available in 2025 at the earliest.”

Identity Inked

Tattoos are one way that people choose to express themselves, and reflect, reinforce, and shape individual identity much like clothing or makeup might. They’re also (obviously) deeply connected to your body and can be informed by and majorly impact your relationship with it. There is power in recognising this about tattoos. Viewing tattoos in this way can foster connection and understanding of other people and helps us to celebrate each other’s unique ways of moving through the world. Perhaps most importantly, it can free us to be able to celebrate, expand, and take part in creating ourselves, which is especially powerful to marginalised groups who have not always been afforded the opportunity for those things.

Tattoos and fatness

Cameron: I’m fat. And I see it as a neutral adjective, sucking the power out of the hurt that word used to cause me in the past. However, I can’t deny how deeply fatphobia affected how I viewed my body for the majority of my life. I beat myself up for so many years because I didn’t fit the ideal male gaze, cursing myself for looking this way and envisioning a future where one day, I would change into the woman that men would “finally want to be with”. All of this meant I felt an innate pressure to turn my femininity to the highest level, overanalysing every outfit I wore and obsessing over its perfection to ‘prove’ that I could be beautiful. Tattoos were not part of that picture of femininity for me. The book Tattoo Philosophy for Everyone speaks to this, with their section ‘Nothing Ladylike About Being Tattooed’ that discusses the masculine aesthetics that have often dominated tattoos and how unblemished skin is still seen as the beauty standard for women. Not only does my body simply existing cause people to go absolutely ballistic, but adding tattoos is just a cherry on top. I didn’t know if I was brave enough to face even more unruly opinions on my body, but I did it anyway. Best choice ever.

Although I love getting tattoos and I will probably never stop until I die, there’s no denying that fatphobia greatly exists within the tattooing industry and there’s still stigma around being inked as a fat person. Cameron Alexander’s article Fatphobia in The Tattoo Industry touches on issues

such as tattoo artists not wanting to tattoo certain parts of fat people, in case it ‘ruins their work’. I can’t say this has ever happened to me, but I’m not surprised that this issue comes up. In fact, I’ve always wanted a stomach tattoo but have hesitated, due to being worried about what it would turn out to look like. Another tip that was brought up in the article is checking a tattoo artist’s portfolio first to see if they have experience tattooing fat people, and if you see a lack of, this may be a red flag. Seeing representation of fat people with tattoos, such as the Instagram account @fatandtattooed, plays a huge role in ensuring that we are not only normalised, we are GLORIFIED. It shows tattoos on all parts of the fat body, making me think “Fuck it, of course I can get a stomach tattoo”, no matter what anyone tells me. The account also includes a highlight reel bringing up other tips and tricks such as:

• How to cover up if you feel uncomfortable with your body being exposed

• Reaching out to your tattoo artist in advance about the weight limit of their equipment

• Stretch marks - not often a problem but if you feel they might be, communicate with the tattoo artist!

Having a great tattoo experience involves finding a tattoo artist you can openly communicate with before and during the process, and someone who celebrates your body and doesn’t make you feel like a burden. Like I said above, if tattooists aren’t comfortable tattooing you due to a lack of experience, this isn’t your fault nor a criticism of your body. Tattoo artists should be equipped to tattoo ALL bodies, and I’m so grateful to have come across some incredible artists in my life, such as @bykaysey in Papamoa, and @marth. tattoo and @_mel_tattoos in Dunedin who made me feel so empowered and welcome as a fat person.

The pressure to be feminine and beautiful as a fat person in the male gaze hasn’t completely faded over time, but it’s definitely lost a lot of its control over how I live my life. Each time I get a new tattoo, especially places I would have never dreamed of having ink, I feel my self-confidence kicking up a notch. One of my most powerful experiences was getting my thigh tattoo, as my thighs have been a gigantic

insecurity for as long as I could remember. Covering a part of myself I’d hated for so long in such beautiful art was transforming, and I even added two more pieces to the mix since then.

Tui: Fat is not a dirty word, it’s not a bad word, it’s an adjective. I have red hair; I’m red-headed. I have English heritage and pale skin; I’m white. And when I sit down on a bus, my ass is wider than the seat; I’m fat. I’m also tall, blueeyed, and freckled. The power of words is in how we choose to interpret them, and all of these descriptions of me are accurate and neutral. None of them are bad words and none of them prevent me from being kind, beautiful, helpful, and funny.

Most people have insecurities about their bodies. Usually, they are internally motivated and other people don’t even notice them. However, one of the many side-effects of growing up as a plus-sized person means that other people just point out these ‘problems’ with your body to you, completely unprompted. Lucky us! So of course, I grew up being hyperconscious of my weight and size. Getting tattoos, for me, wasn’t really a conscious effort to help these insecurities, as I didn’t realise they had that kind of power. It was more a side effect. I never felt the urge to wear

dresses with thin straps that showed my broad shoulders and wide upper arms, until I got tattoos in those areas. Now, I love to show them off! I would feel weird about having thick thighs and hairy legs, but now my cool tattoos are on display! Getting tattoos has strengthened my love for and relationship with my amazing fat body.

Māoritanga

Cameron: Not only have tattoos positively impacted my presence as a fat person, but it’s strengthened my cultural identity as Māori. My tattoo haerenga started off simple; just wanting one meaningful tattoo to celebrate someone I love. Māori Mermaid, one of my favourite artists of all time, put up an Instagram post selling ‘tattoo tickets’, meaning you could buy one of her designs as a tattoo. One design she was selling for Mother’s Day was a mama holding her pēpi, and I instantly fell in love. I can never put into words just how incredible my mother is, and I wanted my first tattoo to be in honour of her and all she has done for me. I never pictured myself being covered in ink. It took so much courage just to get ONE tattoo. But now, at 23 years old, I have 20 tattoos and counting.

At the time of getting my first tattoo, it felt like an unusual choice for me. A girl who grew up in te ao Pākeha with

ink of the culture she barely knows anything about? It felt unnatural, like I wasn’t worthy. But every time I looked at that design, I felt such a strong connection. I felt aroha for my mum and for all our Māori māmā who have raised our tamariki; the aroha of a Māori wahine is such a beautiful thing to experience and I’m grateful to have felt that my whole life.

A few months after this tattoo, my younger brother asked me if I wanted to get my tā moko done with him. This thought had never crossed my mind, with only a couple of our whānau members having theirs done. I compared myself to my whānau who were fluent in te reo Māori and had grown up in te ao Māori who hadn’t had theirs done. If they don’t have theirs done, what makes me think I can get mine done? Those feelings of inadequacy bubbling up again and again, thinking that I had to get to a certain stage in my Māoritanga to earn the right to my tā moko. But I looked to my brother, who had the exact same upbringing as me. Despite being younger, he was so self-assured and confident in his decision, and I knew he would do it whether it was with or without me. If he could do it, so could I. We wouldn’t be alone.

To stand strong in my decision, I had to come to terms with the fact that tā moko is a birthright and an ode to our divine whakapapa. In Michaela Ngaropaki Teresa Hart’s thesis Tā moko: Marked Histories and Identities, she talks about how whilst tā moko used to be compulsory, it is now an individual decision. Tā moko often represents a “link through to the past, as descendants and other iwi members look once again to placing these tā moko on their own skin, to honour their ancestors, and thereby celebrate their survival” (Ellis, 2018). My tā moko represents two of my iwi and my immediate whānau, as that’s the only whakapapa I felt confident in acknowledging through tattoo at that time due to uncertainty on how my wider whānau would react. I now plan to get another tā moko that represents other parts of my whakapapa I have learnt since then, as well as commemorating my wider whānau.

I’ve had a few people in my life tell me they had dreams or visions of me with a moko kauae. This took me aback every time, those familiar feelings of Māori insufficiency rising to the surface. I’d grown up thinking only the most “Māori” wāhine, whatever that means, were “allowed” to have moko kauae. However, it all goes back to whakapapa. Moko kauae

is a BIRTHRIGHT. A participant in Michaela’s thesis put it like this - “It is colonised behaviour to make any excuse to not receive facial moko. When Māori put up these types of barriers, we are acting colonised. These barriers stop us from embracing an important and beautiful aspect of our culture.”

You don’t have to be fluent in te reo or know everything about te ao Māori to have it done, although society would like to tell us that’s the case in order to prohibit many of us from pursuing that path. In recent times, I’ve begun feeling that pull towards getting it done. I’ve never felt more secure in my Māori identity, although I recognise there’s still a long way for me to go in my journey. But every time I feel that pull, I talk myself out of it and convince myself that I’m not worthy. In all honesty, I’m scared of what others would think. I’m afraid to bring it up to my wider whānau, of which no one has a moko kauae, in case they affirm that indeed, I’m not deserving of receiving it. Receiving a tā moko should have never come with this much whakamā for Māori, but it’s unfortunately where we’re at. I deeply admire every wahine who has pursued their moko kauae, regardless of what anyone says. I hold faith that one day, I’ll get to that staunch, unwavering place in my cultural journey to go through with it.

Despite the whakamā that has come with this journey, in hindsight, the decision for my first ever tattoo to be a contemporary Māori design was not coincidental; it was fate. I truly believe it was a sign of what was to come, a way to ease me in to my difficult but tremendous journey with my Māoritanga. Small steps built up into bigger strideslearning te reo Māori, doing kapa haka on stage for the first time, working in a Māori-based career field. Now when I go to plan what tattoos I’d like to receive next, Māoritanga is frequently at the heart of it and I can’t imagine it any other way. I see my existence as a fat, Māori tattooed wahine as a giant FUCK YOU to anyone who thinks I don’t deserve to be on this Earth fully as I am.

Queer identity

Tui: There’s a lot of things around our bodies that you can’t always control easily, like your height or how broad your shoulders are. These things affect the way you want to be perceived and see yourself, for everyone but especially those who are trans or gender diverse. I have a feminine

frame, and that doesn’t always feel comfortable for me. However, there are things we can control about our bodies; we can dress them the way we want, we can cut our hair, we can wear makeup and accessories, and we can get tattoos. I embrace, construct, and embody my gender diversity through my presentation, all the way down to my skin and how I choose to decorate it.

Tattoos have been a part of queer culture for a long time, for many reasons. Partly, it’s this sense of control over your body that isn’t always granted to queer people, in particular those who constantly find their bodies a politicised subject, like our beautiful transgender whānau. Emma Spectre, writing for Vogue, explores some of their affirming tattoo experiences in the article ‘How a New Generation of Queer Artists and Patrons Are Redefining Tattoo Culture on Their Own Terms’. Spectre writes that within a heavy mix of emotions, taking control of your physical body is grounding and empowering. “Those are just two of the times tattooing has briefly saved me,” they explain, “providing me with an alternate script for how I saw my identity, my body, and my physical and spiritual presence in the world.” We take part in the construction of our own bodies, taking ownership, strengthening that connection into a positive relationship. Sometimes, queer people are the subject as well as the canvas in queer tattooing. Lots of queer people who have tattoos have symbols that either overtly or subtly show their pride. From the ‘50s, lesbians began getting nautical stars tattooed onto their wrists, as a subtle code meant to indicate that section of their identity to other lesbians. There are many others that last on to today that subtly or overtly hint at the wearer’s identity; queer-coded flowers like lavender, lilacs, and carnations; gender-related symbolism like the double mars, double venus, or gender diverse symbols; and, of course, rainbows, scissors, equals signs, and much more.

One common queer-themed tattoo, mainly for gay men, is the pink triangle. An upside-down pink triangle was a nazi symbol used to single out and shame gay men in concentration camps during the second world war. An estimated 5,000-15,000 gay men were killed or died in horrific and sometimes torturous conditions in these concentration camps, bearing these triangles on their clothes or uniforms. From the 1970s and onwards, gay activist groups began reclaiming the symbol, flipping

it up the other way and taking back the power of it. It’s commonly tied to the slogan Silence = Death, from a New York-based activism project of the same name in the late ‘80s, aiming to raise national awareness of the then-ongoing AIDS epidemic. Nick McGlynn, a gay man, got a pink triangle tattoo after the tragic Pulse nightclub mass shooting in 2016 (Gay Star News, 2018). The event was a harsh reminder for the wider queer community that violence directed at queer people still proliferates. “I was angry and I wanted to have my queerness permanently written on my body as a “fuck you” to the fear of being visibly queer in public,” he said. Pride saves lives; queer people are beautiful and deserving of wearing their history and pride on their skin.

Tattoos can also create an incredible sense of community. I’m up to twenty-something tattoos, and I’m grateful to the amazing queer artists who made me feel both incredibly safe and completely seen through these intimate acts. One studio that I admire and frequent is Studio Seaweed on Dixon St., where I have had the privilege of being tattooed by Hana (@r.atbag) and Ti Ko (@__ti.rex). I’ve also got small collections from other amazing queer artists like Theo (@teddytattooz) and @noveltygroanstickinc. These artists create safe spaces and build relationships and connections between members of the community who might not have otherwise met. Additionally, the most common dedicated queer spaces, gay bars, revolve around alcohol; queer tattoo shops create community hubs that don’t involve drinking, which can make them more accessible to more members of our community.

In conclusion, getting tattoos and tattooing can both reinforce your belonging to a community and create or expand that community. They both create a sense of self and disseminate that to the world. They are for everyone, and we hope any tattoos you have or intend to have make you feel secure in your identity and safe in your body, and create a sense of belonging within your culture and communities. Or at the very least, they’re cool as fuck!

Stop Fu*king the Planet

How about you go fuck yourself? Let’s talk about a sustainable orgasm. The lifespan of our sex toys isn’t something I have ever truly thought about. Yet, a landfill of those stupid disposable bullet vibrators is a horrifying image. As I tried to come up with a topic this week, I tried not to become crushed by the impending doom of our planet. So naturally, I decided to pivot to something a little more fun. . . This week I’ve been looking into sustainable sex toys.

Recyclable sex toys? Unlike clothes, jewellery and a weird barbie, sex toys aren’t something you can regularly pick up at the thrift. So, it’s hard to think of ways to get off on saving the planet. The vibrators, dildos and various other sex toys have had a bit of a dark history contributing to the pollution of the planet. For example, the UN Population fund estimated a production of ten billion latex condoms and most end up in landfill.

I know at first it sounds a bit yucky but I’m not talking about second hand toys. Absolutely not. Yet, surely in this age of sustainability, sex toy manufacturers would be moving with the times.

Turns out I’m right, there are some companies who can deliver those guilt-free Os and reduce the wasteful fuck up of our planet. Here’s what I’ve found from my research so far . . .

The movement from battery operated plastic toys to rechargeable silicone toys is an obvious extension to the life span of your pleasurable little friends. No more batteries to change and that god awful abrupt end to the fun. Just remember to charge that bad boy which has been made pretty easy now you can get vibrators that have a handy little USB charging cable.

When you think waste and consumption, the mind drifts to plastic. Many of the sex toys that are made of plastic are difficult to recycle, with a petroleum composition. Those batteries, when disposed of incorrectly, are also extremely bad for planet. Lube is another slippery slope, apparently. The petroleum-based lubes aren’t too good either. So, what’s the alternative? For lube, water-based or organic is a great substitution.

I have also found a couple companies that are focusing on some more eco-friendly self-gratification alternatives. I’m not saying you have to go old school with a hands-on approach – not a bad idea – but looking into toys that not

only last longer but can be recycled when you’ve finished. The Natural Love Company offer some products that last. According to their website, they claim that they are “disrupting the sex toy industry with products that last, packaged in plastic-free packaging, and delivered to you with a carbon negative delivery service.” Sounds pretty good. They also aim to minimise plastic and have the toys delivered in a little cotton drawstring bag. Not a bad way to care and store your sex toys. Proper care and storage will help keep these toys out of landfill for longer.

The Natural Love Company also make vibrators from silicone and glass dildos. Could be a good option if that’s on your list this year. Not only that but they deliver this kick ass line; “Fuck yourself, not the planet.” Honestly, I am yet to try the product, but this line alone sold me.

I also came across Love Not War, a company who “knows your pleasure is important, but it doesn’t come before the Earth.” Their website also explains how they consider every detail down to the ink they use on the packaging, and create vibrators made from recycled aluminium and topped off with silicon. Pushing again that these products are built to last.

In news a little closer to home, the Adult Toy Mega Store has rolled out its own sustainability minded program. You can actually send back your unwanted sex toys and have them recycled! If you send them your metal or glass toys sterilised and packaged, they’ll take care of the recycling. As a bonus, they’ll send you a $10 credit for some new toys. Win-win if you ask me. All the details are on their website if you are interested.

So, if you’re buzzing to look after our planet I’d recommend looking into the sustainability of your orgasm. Clearly you don’t need to give up getting off to do so. There is no shame in having a good time, but it would be a shame to see the Earth finish before you do – pun intended. Get up and looking, there are plenty more eco-friendly options out there. There’s nothing like some guilt-free self-satisfaction to really put you in the mood. You may just feel better knowing that you’re not fucking the planet by doing it.

How Sustainable is Your Routine?

There are multiple ways to be sustainable. You can be sustainable by using paper or metal straws, riding a bike to work, planting more trees… you get the gist.

Whenever we think of being sustainable, reducing our carbon footprint instantly comes to mind. But has anyone ever thought of social sustainability? Social sustainability focuses on improving people’s quality of life by making sure that everyone in their community feels like they belong. Basically, ensuring that everyone has equal rights, according to Diversity.

In light of the recent stabbing at the Albany bus station, I think improving our social sustainability has never been so important until this day. Throughout my secondary school years and my uni years thus far, I never imagined that crimes could occur so close to my place of study. In fact, as I was formerly living within walking distance from that bus station during the last two years, moving out felt like I definitely dodged the bullet.

But what about those who are living in Albany? What about the rest of us studying on the Auckland campus who have to turn up for class regularly? What about us who rely on public transportation and don’t have anyone to carpool with? Is it even safe to go to the library right now when we’re so near to the crime scene?

Here’s how we can begin becoming socially sustainable as a student starting with our routine.

Recognizing Your Toxic Routine

I’ll be honest, I haven’t been very socially sustainable with my routine myself. This is mainly because I was winding myself up to do more than I could do. Up until recently, I would just work non-stop and take very few breaks, to the point I forget to drink water.

Since I’m more or less studying via distance again, I haven’t gotten the chance to go out to get some fresh air. In fact, the only times I got to go out were the times I helped my parents with the groceries. And those groceries weren’t very stress-relieving because the Asian market we frequent is extremely cramped and everyone is always squeezing past or shouting in your ear because they wanted to talk to someone from across the room.

Even though I get to take power naps, it’s hard to actually feel like you’re resting when your workstation is in the same place as your rest.

Other than struggling to find time to unwind, I’ve been feeling uncertain about the future because I’m thinking of changing my career path because my dream career wasn’t as I expected to be. This means, as some can imagine, it’s extremely easy to compromise one’s mental health, especially since I thought I always knew what to do with my life.

Satisfying Your Basic Needs

Before practicing self-care, start satisfying your basic needs like eating when you’re hungry and staying hydrated. And when I say eating, I mean eating actual meals rather than just binge-eating junk food all the time. As for staying hydrated, drinking water or some warm tea to calm your nerves.

It’s honestly tragic that this is how competitive society has become, to the point something as simple as this needs to come as a reminder. But since everything from the university library to job interviews have become online, it is nevertheless an important reminder since some of us are almost always glued to the screen.

Practicing Self-Care

When’s the last time you organized your desk or made your bed? I never thought that I would say this, but doing chores can be a form of self-care.

I know, I sound like I’ve morphed into that boring adult we all dreaded of becoming when we were kids. But then again, everything was done offline when we were younger. We didn’t need to be glued to the screen the entire time just to finish an essay because we would be blistering our fingers and wrists to write it all out with a mechanical pencil and a piece of paper. Good times.

Of course, there are other forms of self-care out there like reading books, meditation, and technical skincare regimens. But I personally find that doing chores grounds us in our surroundings while creating a cleaner and tidier space to live in.

Ignoring Toxic People

Have you ever come across a person who was so rude, disrespectful, and toxic to you for no reason? I certainly have, almost everywhere. Even in an online interview.

The right thing to do is to try to understand why that person

Sexcapades

Sharing is caring

Breathers and breathettes, find yourself a quiet, private space because I truly don’t know what on earth happened last week. It all started on Thirsty Thursday, the Pals were Pal-ing, the mini skirts were doing their thang and I was having the ultimate menty b. I’d just realised there’s only 40-ish days of my young, wild and free uni experience left before I have to officially enter povo adulthood.

I was shook, I was shaken, I was throwing back tequila shots harder than my ass on a club d-floor, and no one knew that more than the woman I love most in this world, AKA my smoking hot flattie.

During the absolute journey of the night, she caught onto my anxious energy and told me she would have a surprise for me later. So, once the party was over she slunk into my room and I know what you’re thinking but no, we didn’t hook up. Instead, something even more outrageous happened.

She asked if hooking up with HER situationship would make me feel better.

I was already shook and shaken but now, I was too stunned to speak - and slightly horny. It was a rollercoaster of emotions

that could only be eased by sculling a vodka cranberry (new drink, new me). She explained that her sex mate had always had a soft spot for me (and ngl, I had one for him), but she didn’t want to have a threesome so, this was the next best thing. Contemplating a list of pros and cons in my head, I finally said yes on the basis that my uni career needed a ‘wild’ to the whole ‘young, wild and free’ thing.

So, off she went, sending in boo thang to lick my wounds - and he really did lick my wounds. By the time the sun came up, I was a woman ready for adulthood, and felt a new sense of closeness to my bestie. Sharing really is caring.

---

Happy vibes always, Girls Get Off

Solicited Advice

From Pocket

Solicited advice is a weekly column where Massive’s own four-legged Agony Aunty, Pocket, shares her wisdom and experience with you all. She speaks only truths.

Hey Pocket, I’m having trouble getting my flatmates to recycle and compost, they seem lazy and reluctant to every time I suggest it. I have even tried making signs to help them remember and putting a box out for recycled paper... but someone keeps throwing their banana skins in it... what can I do to get them to care about the planet?

First of all, I think you misapprehend the autonomy of your flatmates, they are dumb, yes, because they are hoomans, but their actions are essentially outside of your control, so good luck getting them to ‘care’. I do the exact opposite of what anybody tells me to do. If one of you slightly dim twolegged creatures tells me to sit down next to them, or look at the camera, for example, I won’t comply. That’s because us cats are oppositional creatures who like to ‘do our own thing’, so the more you tell us what to do... the more we have the urge to rebel. There is one exception to these contrarian tendencies: bribery. Might I suggest you try to bribe your flatmates with something delicious? How about you bake them banana bread if they comply with your disposal rules and put their banana skins in the compost, NOT the paper bin? I suggest this may have more positive outcomes than what you are currently doing because... let’s face it... no one likes a nag.

Do you have a question you’re dying to have answered? Massive Magazine on Instagram or editor@massivemagazine.org.nz and look out for next week’s issue - no question is too difficult for Pocket.

Aquarius Pisces Aries

Jan 20 - Feb 18 Feb 19 - Mar 20

You’re an airhead, Aquarius, and as usual forget to water your plants. How about buying an air plant this week to brighten up your space? They don’t need watering!

Pisces, you need to stop drowning your plants, that orchid is dying from the deluge of watery kindness. How about growing some moss in your bedroom (I don’t mean mould)? Ferns love water, too.

Mar 21 - Apr 19

We know you like to play with fire, Aries, so why not plant a fire-red plant this week to satisfy your cravings? Marigolds are a beautiful bright orange.

Taurus Gemini Cancer

Apr 20 - May 20

Taurus, you need some time in nature this week to calm down your mood swings. Take a walk in the park and remember to stop and smell the flowers.

May 21 - June 21

Whatever plant you’re thinking of buying for your boudoir this week Gemini, buy two! Twinning, eco-style.

June 22 - July 22

Cancer, don’t be crabby, Summer is on its way. Start planting your sunflowers now ready for long, hot Summer days.

Leo Virgo Libra

July 23 - Aug 22

Fierce and bold as you are, Leo, you have a wild streak. Why not plant some wildflowers this spring?

Aug 23 - Sep 22

Feeling a bit stuck inside with your books, Virgo? The essay deadlines are whooshing by and now it’s time to explore the Great Outdoors. Dump your books and go for a walk.

Scorpio Sagittarius

Oct 24 - Nov 21

You’ve got a desert spirit, Scorpio, you stingy little scuttle-bug. Get a little cactus for your windowsill this week, you won’t even have to water it.

Nov 22 - Dec 21

Sagittarius, you’re a lover of travel and the exotic. An orchid would suit your personality perfectly. Just make sure your room is warm enough and they don’t like too much light.

Sep 23 - Oct 23

If you’re feeling down in the dumps, Libra, wild swimming could be a good boost. Find a lake, river or jump in the ocean.

Capricorn

Dec 22 - Jan 19

Practical beast that you are, Capricorn, you should grow some herbs this week, then you can spice up your baked beans with some coriander sprinkles!

Basic Witch

A humble review brought to you by a local Witch-about-Wellington, reviewing the places and things that will help you develop your pagan practices, revel in your arcane knowledge, and ascend to your highest self.

Sustainability is second nature to witches, as we are used to living in harmony with nature. As the world has changed, however, so have witchcraft practices, and we need to be so mindful of our consumption living on this burning rock we call Earth (well, witches don’t call it Earth, but what we do call it cannot be written or printed without burning a hole directly to the centre of the planet through whatever surface it’s placed upon, so I can’t tell you). I’m always on the lookout for ways that I can lower my personal footprint so I can do my bit from my own little corner of the unnamed planet.

Book:

Necromancy for Beginners by Dr. Bonnie Back

4 stars ★ ★ ★

I learned so much from Dr. Back’s foundational text on the subject of sustainability. It’s a proper beginner-friendly guide to reanimating perfectly good corpses when they’re too far decayed to be turned into stock. Reanimated corpses have a host of environmentally friendly benefits. They make excellent low emission chariot steeds, unlike sacred oxen which produce high levels of the greenhouse gas methane. Not a full five stars, because I think the relevant safety measures could have been covered a bit more comprehensively. If you do begin to dabble in necromancy, I recommend seeking out sources online about preventing toddlers from biting; there is an overlap in the skill set.

Website:

Wellington Witches Buy/Sell/Swap

5 stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This MySpace group is a great place to go to make sure your leftover eye of newt, pig’s blood, ghost farts, and other perishable ingredients go to someone who will use them, and not just end up in your lightly steaming and increasingly sentient compost heap. Produce waste is a huge issue, and I have learned so much from the other witches on this page about making use of what you have on hand, rather than going out and slaughtering new ingredients. Did you know that the liquid from your can of chickpeas, aquafaba, can be used as a replacement for virgin blood if you’re summoning any of the lesser demons? Thanks to Xx_Warl0ck_Luvr_xX for teaching me this hack!

Concept:

Billionaires

0 stars

Feast! Feast! Feast, O Great One, on the souls of those who have touched the depths of abject humanity. Those whom, with purulent, fetid hands and wasting mouths have combed and scraped the world’s surface as vultures pick flesh from bone. O Great One, I beg of you, feast; erupt from the depths and eviscerate any creature with the ability to end world hunger, stop homelessness, and eliminate preventable diseases who chooses not to do so. Or just tax the rich, thanks.

Thriving, surviving, or diving?

If you haven’t noticed, there’s an election coming up. It’s shaping up to be one of the most important in our nation’s history, especially from a financial standpoint. For starters, if you’re not enrolled to vote PLEASE go do that. Stop reading, do it right now. If you have time to read, you have time to enrol.

Enrolled? Good, read on.

EVERYONE has something to gain or lose come election season, and us students and renters are no different. If you’re both, then it’s doubly important that you’re informed about what’s what so you can make the decision that’s right for you, your whānau, and ultimately the country as a whole. This article will not be biased towards ANY party but biased towards renters. It’s designed to inform, not through slander directly towards any group. For that reason, I would like to preface I am merely sharing facts, not my own political opinions.

And with all that out of the way, here’s is some of what’s being touted by the four highest polling political parties.

--Labour

While it might feel like your rent takes a painfully large chunk out of your weekly earnings, you might not realise all the protections Labour has brought in to protect you as the tenant.

The existing changes Labour will maintain if elected are:

• As of 2020, the time allowed between rent increases being once every 12 months (previously it was allowed every 6 months).

• The ban on letting fees.

• The ban on no cause evictions, which (as the wording suggests) allowed landlords to evict tenant without cause and with little notice.

National Chris Bishop has stated that National's changes will make it easier to be a landlord.

Currently, these changes which National are touting, include repealing two of Labour’s tenancy law amendments, those being:

• Reversing the ban on evictions without cause.

• Reducing the time allowed between rent increases from 12 months to 6 months.

• Change the bright-line test* from ten years to two years.

Greens

The Green party has given out a full ‘pledge to renters’, that pledge being:

• Introducing rent controls that will put a limit on how much your landlord can increase your rent each year, giving you peace of mind that you’ll always have enough to pay the bills.

• Introducing a Rental Warrant of Fitness which will guarantee all rental homes are safe, warm and healthy to live in.

• Building more affordable, environmentally friendly homes in the places where people want to live.

• Making warm, safe, dry, affordable homes more accessible to people and whānau by removing funding and regulatory barriers for not-for-profit community housing projects.

• Ensuring people living on the lowest incomes have a warm, safe place to put down roots by accelerating the public building programme.

• Creating a national register of all landlords and property managers will show how many properties are rented, who owns them, how much rent is charged over time, and compliance with the Rental Warrant of Fitness.

Outside of the pledge, the Greens will also be limiting rent increases to the lowest of either 3% a year, the inflation rate, or the average wage increase minus 1%.

ACT

Taken directly from a Newshub article, as I had a harder time finding ACT’s specific policies (not sure why, deliberately hiding them or poor web design? You decide!).

• Reforming the RMA on a property rights basis, with the presumption that you can develop your land so long as your immediate neighbours' property is not unreasonably affected.

• Sharing half the GST collected on new residential builds so that councils have the means and incentive to let building carry on.

• Allowing builders to opt out of council inspections if they have private insurance on new builds, so that new and innovative materials and techniques can be used.

• Reversing anti-landlord policies around evictions, the bright-line test*, and mortgage interest deductibility so that it's more attractive to rent out a house and tenants have more choice.

*For those who do not know, the bright-line test means that “If you sell a residential property you have owned for less than 10 years you may have to pay income tax on any gain on the sale, unless an exclusion or rollover relief applies.” – IRD NZ.

National wishes to bring it from ten years down to two, while ACT wishes to repeal this altogether. This move favours property investment over other types of investment (EG: business, stock, etc) which pushes housing prices up, pricing many first home buyers out of the market, and meaning more people are competing for rentals as they’re not able to afford their first home. ---

Aiden’s Two Cents

DISCLAIMER: The above article is pretty neutral, but this section is the writer’s personal thoughts and such. If you’re not interested in reading naughty opinions, please skip to the conclusion, mwah

If a property investor relies on interest deductibility to afford their properties, then they have over leveraged and cannot actually afford that many properties. There’s no other investment or business where you cannot provide safe products or services.

If a food provider cannot afford to make safe food, we would give them a low health rating and demand something change, lest they want to go out of business. Healthy rental properties are no different. If a property investor is unable to afford adequate safety measures and liveable conditions in their properties, then they can’t afford to be a property investor.

Why does making living conditions better for those who need it mean the housing market will get worse? Limiting a landlord’s abilities to increase rent regularly and evict tenants without cause doesn’t stop them growing their net wealth, and/or making income off their rental.

End of the day, the landlords are still in power, and the tenant is still paying off the property investor’s asset, growing the property investor’s net worth. The tenant is doing this while struggling to make ends meet. That doesn’t change with these new rules. Landlords will still be having their mortgages paid off for them, and will still maintain the ability to increase rent annually. Giving the tenant better rights, better quality of life, it is not an attack against landlords, or something to scare them out of the market.

In conclusion

Outside of my own little rant, I’m not gonna try influence you one way or the other. At the end of the day, who you vote for is your choice. All I ask is that when you do vote (and you WILL be voting.), consider who actually has your interests at heart, especially if you’re renting or plan on renting any time soon.

How does each party’s policy effect you as a renter, current, future, or solely hypothetical? How does it affect your friends and family who might be renting?

Don’t just take what each party says at face value. Look into what they’re really saying. Make the most informed decision you can. If you have all the facts, you can confidently walk in and out of the voting place knowing you’ve had a wellinformed say about the running of our country.

Also, just to say it again, please remember to vote. Like, seriously, just do it.

Busing to the end of the world

You don't have to look far in today's media to see the effects of our climate crisis. Foreign headlines of floods and wildfires were brought home this year when massive storms ravaged New Zealand's East coast, with tragically fatal effect. Now, with a summer of intense drought forecast— and the cascading consequences this promises to bring— it is no longer a debate. Human-induced climate change is here, impacting us every day. So, what can we do about it?

The answer is never going to be simple, nor is it going to be comfortable or easy. Students have already taken the lead in climate protest, strikes, and other public actions, leaving politicians, media pundits, and even our own parents trailing in our wake. If you care about the climate- and you’re not already acting - well, jump in! There’s a very active Palmy movement, which you’ll find at Aotearoa Climate Strike Coalition Manawatū on FB.

Acting locally changes how you see the climate. Sitting down and being bombarded with successive stories of the disaster we are entering can be depressing. If you’re feeling that depression, or a looming fear, you’re not alone. But when you act, the way you see it, changes. You stop being a victim, and instead you start taking responsibility. You meet new like-minded people, and it stops feeling like a looming threat hanging over your head, and instead a challenge to overcome together. Action takes all shapes and sizes, and while there is never a wrong time to meet the amazing people at Climate Strike Coalition Manawatū or any of the other national climate strike/action branches, your climate action journey can start anywhere. Because climate change isn’t just news headlines and journal articles, it’s in what we eat, how we buy and sell, and the ways we commute.

Road transport makes up nearly 50% of New Zealand’s carbon dioxide emissions annually2, and this percentage is going to be hard to dent. Cars play a big role in our personal and collective psyche and for many, imagining a world where we use them less— let alone not at all— seems simply impossible. But there are staff and students right here at Massey who have achieved that, and taking at least a step in that direction, is about to get a whole lot easier.

On the 19th February 2024, a new 100% electric bus fleet is arriving in Palmerston North, that promises to address

many of the issues our current system has, and hopefully see a lot more people choosing the environment on their commute to campus.

So why take it now? Well, the reasons are various, and they are good.

First up: IT’S FREE! Driving to Massey has never been more expensive. Nearly 3$ a Litre for 91 (which is only going up), combined with raising parking fees on campus, paid day after day. The reality of driving to campus is that what you get in personal control is coming at the cost of a small fortune. Meanwhile, for all Massey staff and students, all buses are entirely free; no sign-on cost, no jump on or jump off cost. Every bus ride will save you money, and in today's cost-of-living crisis, that is no small thing. Massey has collaborated with Horizons to finance the bus service connecting our campus with Palmy city, benefiting all our students and staff. Thats not a small thing, for Horizons or Massey (If you don’t know how to get this card just go to Maps and parking for Manawatū campus in Palmerston North, and follow the instructions on this page, its surprisingly simple).

As for the buses themselves: These are new buses. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but they are also all kinds of passenger-friendly in ways the old buses were not. They run quiet and smooth, which makes for a new kind of relaxing journey. Sitting on the bus was always prime time to indulge in a little bit of self-time, despite the clunkiness. Now it can be even more so, and with the additional benefit of contributing to positive climate action, because Horizons’ buses are fully electric.

Finally, public transport has always been a far more environmentally friendly alternative to commuting than one's own personal vehicle. Commuting to campus doesn’t have to be an either or for transportation. So, don’t feel like you need to ask yourself, ‘how can I be the best?’

Maybe just, ‘how can I do it better?’ Try a car free day, just to change it up. Maybe try walking one day, driving the next, or if you’re already bussing some days, why not try and expand it to more? These little changes can all add up, especially when we are all doing them.

For some, this might not be possible, living outside of bus routes, or with schedules that just don’t meet, it’s not a

choice; but for most of us, it is. Besides, the woes of public transport are no secret. Manspreading, lack of personal space, and lack of personal control are all legitimate reasons to, if not fear, then simply just avoid the bus. But these issues are addressable. Buses are a social space, a common space. And when we all act in them, we can all construct them. If buses and public transportation are going to be a big part of our future (and with Horizons’ new focus on them, and discussion of passenger rail gaining traction, this seems likely), then the time to help shape how that future is going to look is now, and the first step in this direction can be getting involved with them.

There are many ways of leading climate action in your personal life. Composting, recycling, and buying local to name a few. Each of these make a difference, not just for the environment, but also for the people doing them. As silly as it sounds, even the smallest actions can empower you as well as make a difference. When it comes to transport, data collected at Massey University has already shown that many staff and students are taking the lead in addressing climate change and making positive changes in their everyday lives already. Cycling, walking, e-scootering, and bussing are all ways that so many of our Massey whānau are not only looking out for their own wellbeing but are chipping away at our collective emissions every day.