Summer 08 Newsletter

Read another story.... Markets - keep recycling Sue's view Top Tips for Waste Reduction Waste Check Ups Tips from Dr. Compost Which Compost System Should I Use? --------------- Summer 2008 Spring 2008 Autumn 2008 Christmas 2007 Winter 2007

Sue’s View

Last month we launched our 50% recycle campaign, with the goal of recycling or composting half of Wanaka’s waste. The waste diversion figures for October have just been released by QLDC, and the great news is that already Wanaka and Hawea have reached 43%! Only another seven percent to go until we break the magic 50% barrier.

Recycle 50% is the main campaign for Wanaka Wastebusters this year –pretty much everything we do will contribute to it. That’s not surprising because our whole reason for being is to divert as much waste as possible from the landfill. Since we were set up eight years ago, our goal has been to work towards Zero Waste.

There’s an ongoing debate amongst waste and recycling groupies over whether Zero Waste is a realistic goal, but I believe strongly that it is. Already our community has made unbelievable progress in moving towards it in less than a decade. I see 50% as a tipping point. Once we can turn 50% of our waste into new resources, then we’re halfway to Zero Waste. We’re changing our habits and our expectations as consumers, and eventually product design will catch up.

Wastebusters see our role as providing options for people to do something better with their waste than dump it in the landfill. For instance, once we set up business recycling, Wanaka businesses took it on without us having to even promote it. Now there are over 200 businesses in town who recycle.

As part of the 50% campaign, we’re offering free waste check-ups to ten businesses and twenty households. They’re a chance to get two of our team to your place, to put all their energy into helping you out. They’re not there to judge, they’re just there to spread the love and their knowledge about recycling and composting.

Yohei (in Spencer Mall) bravely agreed to be a guinea pig for the first business waste check-up. They already have some great initiatives in place, including composting vegetable and fruit pulp and selling refill coffee mugs. After the waste check-up they decided to look at recycling paper napkins and hand towels, introducing a straw-free day and sourcing reusable sushi boxes that regular customers can refill.

If you want some individual advice, give us a call to get your own business or household check-up. Or just have a think about what goes into your rubbish every week, and make one positive change. If we all do that, 50% is an easy target for our community.