Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

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.

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!!

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More info:

- Our open letter

- Read about how to make a submission

Anybody reading this who lives in the South Island?

Get Real are about to send Angus and Sophie around the main South Island centres to network with organisations and sign up people to our Plastic Bag Levy Campaign.

Sophie and Angus will be travelling around the lower South Island. Please get in touch with Sophie Ward – sophie@sustainablewanaka.co.nz

if you want to  do some time on the street with the “Super Activist Support Vehicle”.

Get Prepared People, Get Real will be heading north!

Dear Grey Lynn 2030,

I have been working with Wanaka Wastebusters on a National GetReal Plastic Bag campaign which we launched last week.  We are lobbying strongly for the major NZ retailers Progressive (Foodtown, Woolworths and Countdown) and Foodstuffs (New World, Pak n Save, 4Square) to stop giving away plastic bags for free.  By charging a small amount for plastic bags countries such as Ireland and Taiwan have achieved 80% reduction in plastic bags in 3 months.  Even The Warehouse is following this lead and will start charging from 20^th April this year.

I have been working in Wanaka on plastic bag reduction for a few years and in this time Wanaka has embraced the change with 40% of shoppers saying no to plastic bags.  However our efforts here could be extended to inspired change on a national level.

In our first week we have grabbed the attention of national media and even John Key has made a statement on the issue.  Now what we need is your support.  Do you want supermarkets to stop giving away plastic bags for free?  Then I urge you to log onto the site and spend 5 minutes online to join our campaign.

If you have friends or family who also take an interest in environmental issues please pass on the link to the site so they can join us too.  The more support we have, the more likely we are to have a good outcome on reducing plastic bag usage and the ability to go on and build a series of effective campaigns around packaging issues.

This is important and will lead the way to much greater change on the packaging front.  We hope that you will add your voice of concern at www.getreal.org.nz

Sophie Ward – Sustainable Wanaka

Here is a story on GetReal in the Otago Daily Times

Grey Lynn 2030, should we get behind this campaign and help get it moving in Auckland?