Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community » Waste

Grey Lynn 2030 Monthly Community Meeting

Pippa — Mon, 03 May 2010 09:20:36 +0000

S#!T happens – deal with it!

This month the Waste Away group present an informative and entertaining meeting of ideas, tips and practical advice on dealing with waste.

Guest Presenters
Sunshine Yates “Household Waste & Recycling in Auckland City”
Dorte Wray “Towards Zero Waste – Food Waste”

With updates from the Wasters on a range of exciting new initiatives.

Be in to win the Waste Away raffle with a fabulous range of goodies including Bokashi Bucket and Zing donated by the Waste Away group; Solar Monkey – portable solar charger for sml digital devices donated by PLANIT EcoStore; String bags and produce bags donated by ReThinkNZ; NiMH fast charger + rechargable batteries donated by EcoBatteries; KeepCup & Jute Bag donated by Ripe Deli.

Wednesday 12th May
7.30pm – 9.30pm
Grey Lynn Community Centre

Why not bring a long a friend to the meeting? All welcome

Fisher & Paykel Recycling Day: 6th March 2010

Lynn Green — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:16:57 +0000

This event was a big hit last year with 30 tonnes of appliances taken to the Auckland F&P centre for recycling with a total of 48 tonnes nationwide. This was approx. 800 appliances from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Many of these items would have ended up in landfill.

The event enables the public to bring along their appliances for recycling at no cost.

Items accepted are any brand of :

Refrigerator, Freezer, Washer, Dryer, Dishwasher, Overn, Cooktop, Rangehood, Waste Disposal Unit, Microwave.

www.fisherpaykel.co.nz

Wellington New World to drop plastic bag charge

Suzanne Kendrick — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:28:29 +0000

After just one month of introducing a 5 cent charge for plastic bags Foodstuffs have announced a 60% reduction in plastic bag numbers compared to the same time last year. In the same week both Wellington and Auckland supermarkets, despite the success, backed down on the charge in response to customer feedback.

In the same week the NZ Packaging council announced they had achieved, in fact exceeded, their five year 20% target for plastic bag reduction. 22% in five years with the Packaging Council’s voluntary scheme or 60% in four weeks; not hard to see which scheme is more effective. NZ22% pure, doesn’t quite have the same ring to it…

Needless to say environmental groups and campaigners across the country were extremely disappointed with the back down. Well done to Foodstuffs South Island for sticking to their guns and for South Island shoppers for showing such strong support for the initiative. Don’t forget to pass on your support to our local New World and Four Square supermarkets!

The debate about plastic bags has raged strongly in the last week – Are they really a big problem? Surely there are bigger issues? Why don’t you campaign against plastic containers for olives at the deli counter? Plastic bags are great I use them for my rubbish? Don’t landfills need plastic bags? etc etc….

In the words of Sue Coutts, GetReal spokesperson and Wanaka Wastebusters manager

“It’s the Harry Potter theory; it’s your choices that make you who you are. Taking your own bags to the shops is not so much about how many micrograms of plastic are in a bag that you are not taking. The real issue is that you are marking yourself as someone who gives a shit. You are saying I actually care and I’m going to do something about it.…If we can’t sort out these little tiny problems like plastic bags we haven’t got a hope of sorting out some of the bigger things”.

From interview with Paul Henry (plastic bag lover) on TVNZ breakfast show. Click here to listen to the whole interview

For more information and a full media listing go to www.GetReal.org.nz

Act Now! Stop Foodstuffs fall back of charging

Suzanne Kendrick — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:35:30 +0000

Dear all,

We fight for long to make giant supermarket take social responsibility and start a charging on plastic bags and it works! 12 millions of bags are saved over only 1 month.

We cannot let it fall back and we need to tell people Wellington guys are not selfish nor irresponsible for environment, we consume what we need and treasure every natural resources.

Please echo our call and simply use 3 mins to write a email/talk to shop manager of supermarket when you shopping.
Please help spread the word and take action in this critical moment.

1. Tell your local Foodstuff supermarkets (New World/PaknSave/4-Square) to keep the charging by email/comment card or in person. Give them more support!
http://www.foodstuffs.co.nz/about-foodstuffs/contact-us

2. Send a letter of support for charging and reduce plastic bag usage to Foodstuff on your organisation behalf.
Foodstuffs New Zealand Ltd
Level 8, 45 Johnston Street, Lambton Quay, PO Box 5401, Wellington
Fax: +64 4 472 6412
Attention: Foodstuffs Wellington managing director Tony McNeil
Foodstuffs (Auckland) Ltd is led by Managing Director Tony Carter
Foodstuffs South Island Ltd is led by CEO Steve Anderson

3. Progressive Enterprises have NO plan to start charging. Make sure they know what you want as a customer, email: customerinfo@progressive.co.nz

4. Letter to Minister for the Environment, tell him you want government to have legislation to reduce plastic bags which create a fair situation to supermarket who care our environment.
Email: nick.smith@national.org.nz
Phone: (04)817 6805 (Parliament)
Fax: (04)817 6805

Thank you very much for your help, use this chance to make a full implementation of plastic bag charging (just like so many other countries do), let everyone stop the wasteful lifestyle and think about using natural resources. Attached is GetReal press release and also Kiwi Plastic Bag Concern one for your reference.

Best Wishes,
Angus Ho
GetReal campaign
Wanaka Wastebusters

Address: PO Box 16, Wanaka
Land: +64 03 443 8606 Ext.5
Cell: +64 021 036 4855
Email: angus@wanakawastebusters.co.nz
Website: www.wanakawastebusters.co.nz

Enviroschools Update

Suzanne Kendrick — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:58:00 +0000

As some of you may or may not be aware – Enviroschools are going to be loosing their funding this year as the government has decided to cut and focus on core education such as reading, writing and maths.

Many parents are very saddened by this news as we know what a great programme Enviroschools is.

A quarter of New Zealand schools are Enviroschools, reaching 212,870 New Zealand children. The programme is positive, practical, and wildly successful – another 210 schools are on the waiting list to become Enviroschools, including early childhood centres.

Enviroschools relies on the wonderful Education for Sustainability Advisers whose jobs have been cut, and Matauranga Taiao the tikanga Maori Enviroschools programme for kohanga reo and kura kaupapa has also been cut.

Our children learn to respect and value the natural environment, save energy and water, recycle and compost, grow their own food, and understand the connections between their actions and the future of the planet. These are essential skills for young people in today’s world, and to cut what should be core learning in the name of financial belt-tightening is spectacularly narrow and short-term thinking.

http://www.enviroschools.org.nz/

Ruth MacClure who is involved with Pt Chev Transition Town and Pt Chev Primary is looking for people who would be available should a journalist be interested in covering the story. Please leave a comment on this page on what you can offer.

Here is a short video clip made by a school in Dunedin.

Enviroschools

Not surprisingly the Greens are picking up on this issue ( it was a successful Green bid that secured funding for the programme initially) and are asking you to make the following actions:

Take action to save Enviroschools:

Visit your local National MP, and express your disappointment that this successful programme is no longer supported. Keep it positive and personal – if you have a child at an Enviroschool, talk about what environmental education has meant for your child and your family. Ask that the funding be reinstated.
Write a letter or email to your local National MP and cc John Key – we need to keep it on the Prime Minister’s radar.
Write letters to the editor outlining the importance of environmental education in NZ schools and calling for Enviroschools funding to be continued.

Points you might like to include in letters / emails

A quarter of our schools are Enviroschools, reaching 212,870 New Zealand children. This is a positive, successful and popular programme that it is achieving great things at a low cost to government.
These days, knowledge and skills in sustainability is not a luxury ‘add on’; it needs to be an integral part of our children’s learning.
Enviroschools are delivering on the government’s priorities:
Economic growth and jobs: Sustainability is a major growth area and young people need to be eco-literate to survive in the global economy today.
Science and innovation: Enviroschool programmes foster children’s interest in environmental science, technology and primary production
Literacy and numeracy: Enviroschool programmes regularly utilise other learning skills, such as reporting, surveys, and analysis.
Enviroschools enable children to become in the educator in the home, sharing their new found knowledge and skills with their family.
Teachers need the curriculum support, professional development and resources to effectively teach environmental education. They cannot adequately deliver this programme without external support from the government.

Want to get less junk mail?

Suzanne Kendrick — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:55:02 +0000

Send a do not Mail request to the NZ Marketing Asscoiation

Enviroschools cut in Budget

Suzanne Kendrick — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:09:19 +0000

Enviroschools and the Budget – Sabotaging Success

Two weeks I went to a hui of environmental educators working with the Enviroschools programme throughout the country. They were so vibrant and so excited about their ever expanding programmes throughout kura kaupapa and many other schools throughout Aotaeraoa. They were also focused on their “regeneration” project which involves students who have left school but are really keen to continue the work of environmental mentoring and education with younger people.

At present 675 schools are Enviroschools and the programmes cater for 210,000 children. Enviroschools told me about their long waiting lists of schools wanting to join the Enviroschools programme and their international success. Enviroschools have been mentoring the development of similar programmes and other “P4″ countries notably Chile.

The Enviroschools kaupapa is so much more than planting carrots outside the school library or cleaning up the local stream. The Matauranga Taiao approach is an educational philosophy based on an indigenous understanding of sustainability and of learning. Enviroschools is about children as leaders in critical thinking around sustaining the environmental and the community. It works with the leadership and passion of children and young people supported by Education for Sustainability (EFS) advisers and Enviroschools coordinators and teachers. I was initially concerned that Enviroschools might be constrained to a narrow definition of environmental thinking but having met the core team I am reassured.

The work of Enviroschools is deep and wide and holistic and it based on excellent reflective educational practices. The National Government has completely cut the funding for EFS advisers and has given Enviroschools six months to develop a plan for their ongoing funding. Enviroschools do have the involvement of Regional Councils and other partners but without core support from the central government things look tough.

In 2002 the Greens succeeded in a Budget bid to Labour which established the EFS advisers. In 2006 we managed to negotiate $30 million for the Enviroschools project based on the work of the EFS people and many passionate teachers and parents. Enviroschools are a Green flagship policy for good reason and we will continue to try and find ways to keep them going. This aspect of our children’s learning is so vital to everyone’s survival.

Found on the Green’s Blog

We are surprised at the sheer stupidity of this Budget cut.

A sea of Plastic Trash

Jason — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:50:52 +0000

Here is the video of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Capt. Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation first discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — an endless floating waste of plastic trash. Now he’s drawing attention to the growing, choking problem of plastic debris in our seas.

Rated Informative, jaw dropping and persuasive on TED so far.

Go here for the video page. if you can’t see the embedded video below.

Update from Get Real

Suzanne Kendrick — Thu, 14 May 2009 06:51:44 +0000

GetReal is only a month old and we have already made a real change.

Campaign #1: Plastic bag success!

Campaign #1 got massive on-the-ground support and media attention. And it got a result!

Foodstuffs announced on 17 April that all their supermarkets, New World and Pak’n Save, would charge for plastic bags from the beginning of August.

Thanks to everyone who supported us on the plastic bag campaign.

This campaign is not over. Progressive Enterprises is yet to announce their decision and we urge you to email them and let your opinion be known.

The rolling maul – Campaign #2 – Packaging is a Priority.

GetReal is moving to focus on the role of packaging in the wider waste issue with the launch of Campaign #2 : Packaging is a Priority.

With the Waste Minimisation Act we have the legislation to do it, The Government is seeking submissions on how to enact it. We just need to give it some teeth.

Sign our open letter

Are we whining bleeding heart eco-whackos?

Last week Leighton Smith laid into us on his talk back show labeling us “eco-whackos” and frothing at the mouth over our activities. We emailed him an invite to the Wastebusters smoko to talk things over but got no reply.

We challenge anybody who thinks our campaigns are not worthy to contact us with their concerns and start a conversation.

Plastic bags? Packaging? Get a life?

If you think this issue is not of immediate concern we encourage you to watch the TED Talk on the Pacifc Gyre.

Much of our packaging is ending up doing tangible harm in areas we do not see and re-designing and re-engineering our waste stream is a challenge we should embrace as an opportunity to do good, fun, challenging work.

Individually wrapped apricots? Eco-whackos? If that is what it takes,

GetReal!!

———————-

More info:

- Our open letter

- Read about how to make a submission

Mt Albert Transition Town Movie Night

Suzanne Kendrick — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:45:50 +0000

Mt Albert Transiton Town is holding a movie night on 28th May at 7.00

Come and join us for our second in a series free inspirational movies. This month’s movie is ‘Garbage Worrier’. There will be time for discussion and to continue to build community connection. All welcome. This evening is also an opporunity to bring excess produce or goods that may be of use or benefit to others – a chance to re-gift or contribute to others.

Location / Venue: Gladstone Primary School Staffroom

Garbage Warrior