      Recent updates
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Most academics even within the ‘humanities’ devote themselves to studying and teaching topics of the utmost triviality given the situation we are in. We do not really need another translation of Ovid or treatise on Medieval poetry or a dictionary of Australian slang. Indeed right now we do not need anything going on in many entire fields of academic inquiry, such as Linguistics, English Literature, or Astronomy (… a keen hobby interest of mine). Let us get back to such things later if we can, after we save the planet from collapse and make sure no one is hungry. Pacific Institute of Resource Management (PIRM) was founded in 1984, by Wellington architect George Porter. PIRM is an organisation dedicated to sustainable use of the earth’s resources. PIRM is concerned about the deterioration of global ecosystems, the rapid depletion of natural resources and degradation of the environment, examples being climate change, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, pollution of water systems and natural habitats. Our objectives are to advocate respect for natural processes; conservation of physical resources and integrity of all life forms. We contribute to the establishment of New Zealand as a strong, independent authority promoting a world conservation strategy. PIRM works for the improvement of human communities worldwide living in harmony with the natural world. PIRM organises public forums and makes submissions to the New Zealand government on environmental and social issues, and publishes Pacific Ecologist (formerly Pacific World). Pacific Ecologist is one of a family of Ecologist journals now published around the world in France, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, India and Italy – as well as of course the original in the U.K. – The Ecologist. PIRM is not politically aligned and is funded by members and supporters. We are a voluntary organisation with charitable trust status. It is run by an executive committee elected from its membership each year at the AGM, normally held in October. The current committee is listed below:
Contact detailsPIRM/Pacific Ecologist Phone: +64 4 939 4553 Email: pirmeditor@paradise.net.nz
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Father Peter Healy sm (secretary) has been on the committee
for three years. His interest in ecology began in 1992 after attending the Earth Summit in Rio de
Janiero. Peter’s interests include organic gardening, environmental art, running workshops
on ecology and spirituality and tramping in New Zealand’s national parks.
Peter Gilberd (treasurer) is a scientist with a particular interest in physics.
He works at the 
Kay Weir is editor of Pacific Ecologist. She once sang with the NZ Opera
Company and, having trained as a subeditor with the former Evening Post, became
a volunteer assistant to PIRM’s founder George Porter in 1994 for the publication of our
former magazine, Pacific World. She became editor on his retirement in 1997. Kay’s
work in developing the network of contributors and improving editorial standards attracted support
from Edward Goldsmith, founding editor of The Ecologist (UK), and in 2002 Pacific
World was replaced by Pacific Ecologist. Kay is the only full-time worker on
PIRM’s voluntary committee.
Matthew Bartlett looks after the PIRM and
Barbara Strathdee is a recent volunteer and is keeping the subscriptions lists
for Pacific Ecologist up to date. She is an artist and fiction author with an interest
in ecology. Barbara recently travelled to Trieste to receive a prize for her latest book,
Cafe Wars, which is set in Italy. 