Total Utilities is proud to announce it has been recertified as a net carbonzero organisation by Toitū Envirocare – showing our continued commitment to taking positive action against climate change.
Our recertification proves that we continue to walk the talk by accurately measuring emissions, reducing greenhouse gases and neutralising our unavoidable emissions.
World leading Toitū standard
The Toitū net net carbonzero programme ensures businesses are accurately measuring gas emissions and putting in place strategies to manage, reduce and offset their impact. Total Utilities is proud to meet the ISO 14064-1:2018 standard.
Toitū Envirocare has a world leading certification programme, with certification requirements meeting and exceeding international standards and best practice.
Good business sense
Total Utilities Director, Chris Hargreaves says, “We at Total Utilities are passionate about business sustainability so the Toitū recertification is particularly pleasing.
“Setting our carbon reduction targets is not just about reducing our environmental impact, it makes good business sense.”
Chirs points out the benefits of net carbonzero certification for businesses, including the reputational advantages of being a good corporate citizen – both to potential customers and other organisations who want to do business with you.
Carbon reduction not only means you gain a moral and reputational advantage, but you can also identify business efficiencies and cost savings as part of the process.
Furthermore, employees that work for sustainable organisations see improvements in staff engagement and retention, and also attract higher calibre employees.
Total Utilities can help you make a plan to reduce emissions and work towards net carbonzero certification. Our services will help you to:
Understand the scope of your challenge by baselining greenhouse gas emissions.
Create a credible, actionable roadmap with a multi-year, net zero pathway using science-based methodologies.
Lock in immediate and long-term gains with our range of services and solutions to deliver your pathway.
Reduce business risk by adhering to today’s environmental regulations and being prepared for future legislation.
Contact us to find out more about our energy management consultancy services.
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We are excited to introduce a new face to the Total Utilities team with Executive Administrator, Komal Mathew, recently joining us.
Komal has a wealth of experience in the energy sector, having worked in energy coordination roles for the past 10 years.
Her role will involve providing administrative support to our experienced team of directors, as well as assisting with projects on the go. She will be a regular contact point between the team and our customers.
She has hit the ground running and is responsible for customer support, sales and marketing support, procurement support and energy sensor stock control.
Komal says, “Luckily, with my energy background I already understand a lot of what I need to know for this role, so I’m looking forward to using my knowledge to become a helpful and productive member of the team.”
Komal moved to New Zealand from South India back in 2009 and is very happily settled here with her husband and young family.
She has two children, aged 10 and 3, and she loves nothing better than hanging out with them and taking them to the local park. Her hobbies include Indian cookery and she is known for her delicious curries – “My husband loves them, so I think they must be good!” she says.
Komal has an outgoing personality and loves to ask questions to get to the bottom of any issue. She says she immediately felt welcome by the Total Utilities team and is very excited to be starting in her new role.
“I am 75, I have Parkinson’s and I am at the wrong end of the telescope of life”
Billy Connolly
I may not be facing my mortality in the same dramatic way as our beloved Billy but last November I became an old age pensioner. My Super Gold Card arrived in the mail and last month I went to the movies for $11, the same price as for a child (were they trying to tell me something?)
I am young at heart but with a dicky heart. I am sound of mind, but with tinnitus ringing in my head. I’m sturdy, but in a podgy kind of way. In my mind I am thirty, except pretty girls don’t notice me anymore and if I notice them, it just seems a bit creepy. All this said, I can’t imagine a life full of free rides on the Waiheke Island ferry and cut-price day time movies.
Recently I worked out that if I follow my family genetic traits, I will live to be eighty-seven just like mum, dad and grandfather Frederick. That’s around 12,000 days left to somehow make a difference.
With that in mind I’ve decided to dedicate my remaining useful days to making the planet a better, cleaner, safer place for current and future generations.
I face this prospect with a combination of excitement, fear and trepidation. After all I am just an old school IT guy, a businessman, an erstwhile politician and a family man. Little of this qualifies me to lecture others on carbon footprints, soil, air and water quality and preserving what’s left of our flora and fauna.
Noting all this I am going to do it anyway. We are all on a journey on this precious, fragile planet and my small steps towards understanding, as unimportant as they may be, might just inspire someone younger and smarter than me.
In the meantime, I am inviting you along for the ride as I write this blog, record a Vlog or two and take a few photos. Feel free to reach out with suggestions. No one is ever too old to learn, least of all me.
My own backyard
In 2010 my beloved and I moved out of our treelined Central Auckland Suburb and onto a lifestyle block that we hoped would bring us a simpler, more authentic life that brought us closer to God.
The vision was a classic hippy dream in many ways. Growing organic vegetables, and meditations at dawn.
Twelve years later we are still on “the farm” as my kids call it but facing the daily realities of living on and with the land. Every year there is a new pest. I’ve admitted defeat and now spray California Thistle because I am too old and the thistle too tenacious for me to do otherwise.
Most disturbing for me is the stream that lies on our lower boundary. It is a testament to wilful ignorance, ineffectiveness, and greed. Wilful ignorance because I can’t see it from my house, so it’s pitiful state is easy to ignore. Ineffectiveness because I have fought a haphazard and ultimately losing battle with noxious water weeds, leprous water rats and stagnant algae. My attempts at native plantings have proved inadequate with hundreds of dollars’ worth of new seedlings dying under the strain of hot dry summers or washed away in flash floods.
Generations of dairy farmers have poured effluent into it. The runoff from nitrogen fertilisers has left any still water burdened with suffocating weeds and toxic algae. On top of dairy pollution there has been a reckless waste of water resources. Commercial vegetable growers have sucked more “free” water than the water table allows. The stream then runs dry in the summer leaving eels desiccating in the sun. There are no longer any more frogs or fish. These have been poisoned by agricultural chemicals and, lacking the protection of rushes, reeds and flaxes, pillaged by predators.
Yet there has been progress. When I talk to the previous owners and old timers around here, they tell me of a time when the stream was used as an open cesspit flowing directly into the Parurehure Inlet and onto the Manukau Harbour.
The polluted stream
It smelt so bad and was so fly blown that the local Franklin Council, despite being dominated by businessmen farmers, were forced to do something about it. Their action was reluctant and cursory but this, when combined with pressure on the dairy industry as a whole, has meant we no longer see the unrestrained ecological vandalism of the 1960’s and 70’s.
What to do?
I have rung the Council and asked for guidance. They were enthusiastic but, in the end, ineffective. Promises of calls back remain unfulfilled. COVID restrictions have led to the cancellations of the planned pest control and native planting seminars. I hope once things open up more that I will see a bit more help and advice from them. In the meantime, I find myself on my own.
Lesson one of “going back to the land and saving the planet” is that it is just plain hard work, a burden on the budget and frankly a bit lonely.
So, I am restarting. I am buying a post hole borer, to reduce the pressure on my back when digging planting holes in concrete hard soil and clay. I’ve been next door to the neighbour and taken a variety of flax cuttings from his wonderful arboretum. In early Autumn I’ll buy a bunch more new plants and trees from the Farrell Family Nursery. Planting trees and plants in better locations will hopefully lead to greater success and less wastage.
Pest control will remain a priority. This year has seen many of the native trees in our area “masting” with huge quantities of seeds and pollen encouraging birds to mate and reproduce at an exciting rate. We have around 50 breeds coming and going on our property and the sound of new life is exciting but sadly can be a false dawn.
Rats and mice are also attracted by the seeds, stoats in turn are attracted by the prolific rodent prey. Until the seeds run out and the rats, mice and stoats all turn their attention to the nests full of eggs and young chicks. The parents are helpless in the face of this invasion and often fall victim to the stoats who kill them for fun. To make matters worse local cat “lovers” have released their unwanted kittens into the wild, unfixed and unfed. This season I have counted seven black and white wild cats cruising around the open paddocks in a group. For now their attention is drawn to the plague of rabbits (this year’s pest) but soon that supply of food will run out and they too will turn their attention to the birds.
Lesson Two of “going back to the land and saving the planet” is that we compete for resources with cunning and relentless predators. Sometimes these are animals.
Please feel free to contact me, Planet Spratt, at [email protected] if you have any feedback, ideas or suggestions
Or you can make business and media enquiries to Total Utilities here.
The team at Total Utilities are very excited to have Quinton Fisher join us as our Auckland Regional Sales Manager.
Quinton has recently moved to New Zealand from South Africa with his wife and two daughters. When looking at countries to immigrate to, New Zealand, Canada and the U.K made his shortlist.
We’re thrilled that New Zealand was their first choice, and we hope that it won’t take long for his family to feel at home here. Total Utilities will do all we can to make the transition smooth for the Fisher family.
A real people person
Quinton brings with him a wealth of experience in utilities and a passion for sales. A real people person, Quinton is all about building and maintaining meaningful long-term relationships with both his clients and his colleagues which makes him the ideal candidate for heading Auckland regional sales.
2020 marks Quinton’s twelfth year in utilities
Quinton owned and has now sold a successful business in South Africa, Thinktility, a company who has helped large brands, like Kellogg’s company of South Africa, experience the benefits of reduced tariffs, smart metering and energy-efficient solutions.
Drawn to Total Utilities culture and vision
For Quinton, the culture and vision of Total Utilities was a perfect fit. He especially appreciates the feel of camaraderie and togetherness and that it is a place where ideas and knowledge are shared freely. He notes that it doesn’t matter where the suggestion comes from, whether it’s an employee’s idea or a director’s, if the initiative has merit then the team at Total Utilities will do their best to explore its feasibility and implement it.
Sustainability and renewable energy are important
Total Utilities cares about future-proofing New Zealand businesses, by helping them think about how their utility choices not only impact their bottom line but people and the planet too.
Quinton’s passions align with our vision, as he cares about sustainability, identifying and using alternative energy sources, and providing smart and efficient energy solutions backed by clever, cutting edge analysis and insights.
A skilled negotiator with a strong financial and operations background
Quinton loves helping people, building relationships and understanding how businesses operate. His skills lie in sales, marketing, negotiating favourable contracts with preferred suppliers, and he brings with him a financial, analytical and technical background.
What’s more, he also thrives on exceeding client’s expectations, helping them solve complex issues and achieve meaningful outcomes.
His why? Reducing costs for businesses, empowering them to understand the financial impact of their utilities’ usage, and what level of power they are consuming, with the aim to make their business more streamlined, save money, and increase profitability and sustainability.
Making the most of New Zealand’s outdoor lifestyle
Quinton visited New Zealand in September 2019 to see if it could be a country where his family could lay down roots. The tranquillity and natural beauty remind him of the town where he grew up. Since moving to West Auckland, Quinton has found the transition relatively painless, and now he has time to make the most of our outdoor lifestyle. In his free time, he enjoys swimming in the ocean, mountain biking, fishing, golfing and hiking.
A dynamic addition to our team
We respect Quinton’s ambition and initiative. When he decided that New Zealand was a place he’d happily immigrate to, he arranged to have a meeting with our managing director, Richard Gardiner and the rest as they say is history.
Serving the Supercity
Quinton will be helping new clients around the supercity discover better, more efficient and sustainable ways to manage their energy consumption.
Total Utilities warmly welcomes Quinton to our team. We know that he will take care of you, our clients, and provide you with excellent, insightful service.
Behind the times in 2019. How to kill friendships and infuriate younger colleagues.
Each Christmas for the last three years I have taken the opportunity to mock colleagues, businesses, politicians and friends in the guise of a bit of festive fun. For me 2019 was a year of progressive transition to a new generation of leaders at work. This warrants a look in the mirror and into the mind of an old guy inadvertently keeping the glass ceiling firmly on top of our young talent.
“I just told you my great idea. Why are you being so difficult about it?”
Young people can be frustrating at times. Just because it’s the first idea that came into my head doesn’t make it wrong. Years of experience count for a lot when it comes to the important calls.
A conjoint Bachelor of Commerce and Engineering with First Class Honours doesn’t mean anything in the real world. It’s all theory, no practice. Degrees are for nerds.
“I can’t delegate. Last time I did that you did itall wrong. It’s quicker to just do it myself.”
Do it yourself and do it right that’s what I say. Young people are in such a rush, they are always making mistakes. You can see from the huge smiles on their faces just how relieved they are when I jump in with a few helpful suggestions. Mentoring is so satisfying. If only people would listen more.
“My Tesla was keyed in the supermarket car park. What did I do to deserve that?”
I don’t know what you are complaining about. We did it tough too. Interest rates were 25% when I was your age. I know a million-dollar mortgage sounds daunting, but you must start somewhere. Soon you will own a bunch of rentals just like me. It’s just a question of putting in the hard yards.
Oh yes. Just a reminder that the wife and I are away in Queenstown next week for a bit of bungy jumping and jetboating. It will be such a relief after the hustle and bustle of the Rugby in Japan. That final was amazing. Nothing compares to being there live. You really should try it.
“I know I said Tuesday, but other priorities came up. How about a week Friday?”
Everyone is in such a hurry these days. How can it be a bad thing to take an afternoon power nap? Grab me a coffee will you?
It’s PC gone mad I tell you
Spare me your mamby pamby, trendy lefty, climate warrior, sustainable vegetarian clap trap. Global warming is a myth. Haven’t you read the latest report from the oil and coal industry’s expert panel on climate denial?
“That’s enough of me talking about me. Let’s talk about you. What do you think of me?”
Maybe that story of how I was involved in building New Zealand’s first private “fibre optic network” (imagine my fingers in the quote position) is getting a little tired? What about the one about when I once closed a deal for a million dollars by saying nothing to the client and just listening? Perhaps I should do more of that?
It should be the fate of baby boomers to spend eternity in hell repeating work war stories and tales of the good old days. You can almost taste the resentment as we point out millennials inadequacies. They will surely realise how wrong they are after a few more years as understudies.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year readers. Stay safe and rest well. Try a power nap. They are really refreshing!
This isn’t an easy article to write. I am over 60 years old and have had a wonderful, successful life full of variety, excitement, joy and challenges. Throughout, I have seen myself as a solid kind of person with an optimistic view of the world and a generally even temperament. Now I find myself admitting to the world that I am not bulletproof after all.
A few weeks ago, I was juggling some pretty big issues at work, at home and in the political realm. That’s not unusual in my world, and for many of us in business this is very much part of our day-to-day lives. The difference this time was that I began to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of it all.
My symptoms were a mixture of shortness of breath, heart palpitations, anxiety and if I am honest, no small sense of panic. Just like when I get the man flu, I retreated into my mental man cave and hid while I ignored my beloved’s repeated question, “Are you feeling okay?”
My colleague and friend, Richard, recently spoke to me about the deep responsibility he feels for the 11 families that rely on our business’s continued success. He spoke of the need to put food onto the tables of these families and our obligation to provide a safe and supportive environment for everyone.
Thousands of us also carry this responsibility and willingly accept the burden that comes with it. Leadership can be a very lonely place, though. If we are taking care of all those around us at home and at work, just who do we turn to when we need support?
Admitting need
My first step was to summon up the authenticity to tell my wife how I was feeling. Before I spoke, I thought she would freak out and take on all my fears of inadequacy, failure and ultimate doom (yes I was really feeling sorry for myself that day). Instead, she just listened and reassured me and held me in her arms as I spoke, possibly for the first time in years, about my deepest fears. Then she insisted I do two things:
Talk to my doctor
Talk to someone I trusted
These were, not surprisingly, hard conversations, but nowhere near as hard as I thought they would be.
I am now practicing using some tools that I have been given to help me handle the inevitable stressful situations that arise in my daily life as a husband, father, grandfather, company director and elected trustee. I find myself living in the moment more. I play with my grandsons more often and say, “Yes,” to new experiences.
The tools give me the strength to lead when I feel alone, and the peace to accept that I am not actually perfect after all. It’s a good place to be.
Never too old to suffer
Running or owning businesses, leading teams or just being a loving partner or parent can be tough. We do it because we get satisfaction from what we do and because we love those who are closest to us. On occasions, though, the responsibilities can be heavy, and the challenges can prove to be very difficult to overcome.
Everyone deals with stress in their own way and it turns out that even a 60-year-old needs to learn new tricks sometimes.
Readers may be having all sorts of responses to this article. I usually like to keep it light and to focus on the nerdy technical things that I enjoy so much.
I do have one question though. Are you feeling okay?
