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Friday, December 18th, 2009 by Admin
This year we have made our Christmas decorations out of paper that we were going to recycle. Paper chains, paper snowflakes and a paper/cardboard snowflake wreath. The paper chains are being held together by a no-staple stapler (no unnecessary use of steel for staples). The wreath is from old cardboard, paper, a bit of glue and paper raffia from the handle of an old bag for the bow. A little bit of deft cutting and we have a lovely little Christmas theme all from waste paper! And it can all be composted on our return from holidays. A good bit of sustainability and creative craftiness in action.
Might look to match the heat with the theme next year though!
 Wreath and paper chain
 DIY snowflake wreath  Snowflakes
Tags: Christmas, compost, decorations, paper, recycle, SIFT, snowflakes, waste, wreath
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Thursday, December 17th, 2009 by Admin
At SIFT we are all about waste, reducing how much we have and finding new uses for what we do make. We thought you might like to see what we do with our waste at the SIFT offices. As you can see in the photo below the biggest bin is for recycling plastic, paper, cardboard, glass and cans. All these items are processed with in different ways. Some are processed on shore and some are baled and sent overseas for processing (like glass). This will be emptied weekly into our yellow wheelie bin outside and if we forget to put it kerbside for pick up it can take a month to fill up. Knowing that some of our “recycling” waste goes off shore is also an incentive for reducing this too.
The next smallest bin on the left is our compost bin. All our tea bags, tissues, brown paper bags, toilet rolls and left over food from lunches goes into this bin and is taken to Linda’s compost bin on her farm in Loburn. The worms love it.
And lastly, the tiny mini wheelie bin in the middle is for Kate Valley landfill. This is everything that can’t be recycled, reused or composted. Things like staples, cellotape, courier bags and filmy plastic. It is kept this small to remind us to reduce what we send to Kate Valley and to remind us that our waste does go somewhere. It probably gets emptied fortnightly into the red wheelie bin outside.
We also have a shredder (not shown) for confidential documents and this paper is also taken to Linda’s compost bin.
As well as reducing waste we are conscious of what we bring into the office. Being conscious of what you consume, the packaging and where your waste goes is the first step in reducing your waste. We are a small team but still have an impact on waste. We would love to know what you do in your work to reduce waste and be more sustainable too.
 SIFT's Rubbish System L-R Compost, Kate Valley Landfill, Recycling
Tags: compost, consumption, Kate Valley Landfill, recycling, reduce, SIFT, waste
Posted in SIFT, Sustainability in Action, Waste Management | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 by Admin
 Source: Flickr frank-chimero The 21st century is going to be about radical change. A radical change to the way humans live. In order to create this change for a better and healthier earth we need ideas, motivation and action (and funds). SIFT can help those individuals in Canterbury who have the ideas* (that need to be proven or are ready to be implemented) that will create a life with less waste and more sustainable living. We can also help with the motivation and the action!
Christmas is a good time to slow down and take the time to just be quiet and let the brain have a rest. But, this is also normally when the good ideas are generated. So, if you start 2010 with an idea that you think might make difference to Canterbury’s waste then don’t hesitate to apply to SIFT.
As No Impact Man recently said we have to choose whether we we want to be people who will at least try to create a better world.
*Eligibility criteria applies
Tags: canterbury, change, life, No Impact Man, SIFT, waste
Posted in SIFT, SIFT Projects, Sustainability in Action | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 by Admin
 Felicity Price at Cadrona Skifield Felicity Price is also one of our PR experts from Carter Price Rennie. As well as being a leading PR expert in Christchurch she has twenty years experience as a journalist, columnist and writer, with her latest book Sandwich Short of a Picnic out now. Here are her answers to our Green Collar Jobs questions:
1. What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?
I’m not particularly exceptional – I try to minimise as much of my waste as possible and favour the green or yellow recycling bins, and I’ve certainly planted a lot of trees in my time. I’m a passionate gardener. And I drive a car that runs on a teaspoon of fuel, a little Smart Car.
Every summer, we go to Totaranui – with the kids and, until this year, with my 94 year old mother. This will be our first summer without her. Totaranui has no electricity, no hot water, and is a wonderful natural environment. When I want to write my novels on holiday, I plug my laptop into electricity powered by a small solar panel that catches the Totaranui sun. (This means if it’s cloudy for more than a day I can’t get any writing done, but Totaranui weather is rarely bad for more than a day).
2. How do you live more sustainably at work?
I do a lot of running round to see clients and suppliers, and so the Smart Car is a great fuel saver. Plus we always try to find recycled paper, and sometimes solvent-free inks when appropriate, to print brochures and annual reports on.
3. What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?
Water. We need to find a way of sustainably harvesting the water out of Canterbury’s big rivers to make our land more productive. And our diary farmers have to follow the clean dairying models.
4. What makes you smile?
My kids. My crazy spaniel. Books. Movies. Plays. Girlfriends.
5. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Not enough time to enjoy the things that make me smile.
6. What is your favourite colour and why?
Blue. Not sure really, but probably because it’s the same colour as my eyes.
7. Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?
Totaranui, in the DOC camping ground by the golden sands and blue sea. I love it there.
8. What’s your connection to SIFT?
I help Linda and Olivia with getting their message across – communication strategies, media releases, media liaison.
9. Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?
My English teacher at Girls’ High., Miss Jones, was an inspiration. I’ve been writing stuff ever since!
10. What do you want to leave behind?
Two children who will be healthy and happy, and some good books that people will want to go on reading after I’ve gone.
11. What do you think the future will bring?
I’ll get out my crystal ball and let you know if it tells me anything.
12. Who is someone you really admire and why?
Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama. Both of them for their stickability and persistence, against the odds. I’ve been there!
13. What is happening outside your window right now?
Sadly, grey skies and a howling easterly. I’ve always lived in Christchurch and I love the place, but that beastly easterly does get your down sometimes.
14. What is your favourite breakfast?
Porridge! With sultanas and banana slices.
15. What is the best piece of advice you can give us?
Set your goals and follow them with determination and passion and you will achieve what you want. This applies to anything, from communication strategies to life in general!
Tags: books, Carter Price Rennie, Felicity Price, Green Collar Jobs, journalist, PR, sustainable living, writing
Posted in Green Collar Jobs Q&A, SIFT | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 by Admin
 Monday’s Green Biz podcast from PlainsFM is now online here. SIFT CEO Linda Norris and Plains FM host Ed Swift talk to Matt Fitzpatrick and Paul Walters from Southern Grain Spirits – Kaiapoi Distillery about green business.
Tags: community, Distillery, diverting waste from landfill, Green Biz, Kaiapoi, Plains FM, SIFT, waste, Waste Management
Posted in SIFT, Waste Management | No Comments »
Thursday, November 5th, 2009 by Admin
This little old cell phone will not end up in the Kate Valley Landfill. We are sending it to Vodafone so it can end up with an entrepreneur (who we love to help) in a developing country, through the Enable Community organisation . If it is still okay to be used some lucky person will be able to utilise the technology for their new business. If not, the parts will be recovered and reused in other products. Hoorah for a solution.
 This piece of e-waste will not end up in Landfill
Tags: cell phone, community, consumption, diverting waste from landfill, e-waste, enable community, entrepreneur, recycle, reuse, SIFT, vodafone
Posted in SIFT, Sustainability in Action, Waste Management | No Comments »
Monday, November 2nd, 2009 by Admin
 Paul Ryan with fellow competition winner Jo Wynne Interview with Jo Wynne – the winner of the most artistic/creative category of our Styrofoam Tray recycling competition back in September.
What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?
Recycle – love the Christchurch bin system and challenge myself to keep the red lid bin empty. Grow vegetables. Shop at the Op shop for clothes which I often redesign – for example I’m opening some silk scarves to make a crazy patchwork jacket.
How do you live more sustainably in your work?
I’m retired but in my last job I used public transport and walked to work and reduced paper use.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?
Water allocation and quality, and transport.
What makes you smile?
Sun, flowers, babies and The Conchords
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Any negative judgement based on difference
What is your favourite colour and why?
Blue: we have amazing skies – I love to look at different cloud shapes against the blue background. Also I love the blue-green colour of some rivers and lakes – for example Hokitika Gorge.
Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?
Tauranga Bay and any part of the West Coast coastline that has the wild sea crashing on the rocks and huge sea spray. This comes from living on the Coast as a child.
What’s your connection to Sift?
I have an ongoing interest in sustainability but only came in contact with Sift through winning the Creative section of the recent competition what to do with non- recyclable styrofoam meat plates.
Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?
My favourite teacher was enthusiastic, funny and liked me.
What do you want to leave behind?
Good memories
What do you think the future will bring?
More awareness of the interconnectedness of all life.
Who is someone you really admire and why?
Nelson Mandela for his apparent lack of bitterness, anger, revenge for the unjust treatment against himself and the blacks of South Africa.
What is happening outside your window right now?
Flowers and new leaves opening by the minute, weekend walkers and dogs.
What is your favourite breakfast?
Homemade muesli with raw fruit – kiwi, orange , apple, orange and Greek yoghurt
What is the best piece of advice you can give us?
It feels as though you are on the right track by using interesting fun ways to get across a serious message and lead people to rethink their lives. So do keep on doing the same thing and at the same time find more ways to reach even more people.
Tags: blue skies, coast, community, competition, diverting waste from landfill, Green Collar Jobs, meat trays, nelson mandela, recycle, recycling, recycling projects, styrofoam, waste
Posted in SIFT, SIFT Projects | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 by Admin
 Saatch and Saatchi S Do One Thing Sift is all about connecting the dots. Connecting together people, processes, organisations (public and private), the community and adding in some funding to improve our environment. Helping one entrepreneur, organisation or start up to produce a new and innovative way to reduce waste by giving them some funding will reap big benefits in the future. Not only will it improve our environment by decreasing the amount of waste that goes to landfill but it could bring job creation and show sustainability leadership from Canterbury. It might also inspire others to apply for funding for their projects which in turn will also have benefits. Our sometimes small actions will add up to create lasting changes. Tackling climate change and living more sustainably is about lots of actions by many people. Action, collaboration and community.
Speaking of DOTs recently, Saatchi and Saatchi S’s (Saatchi and Saatchi’s sustainability arm) Kevin Roberts blogged about implementing “nano-practices” at their work to reduce carbon emissions. They have called it DOT – Do one thing. Pick one thing to change your life and do it on a regular basis. One good way to change your habits to live a more sustainable life is to start with one habit to change and then build on that with other small changes so in a year you are living a much lower impact life. If you are new to tackling climate change and living more sustainable it can be a bit overwhelming (lots of information out there) and changing habits is not always easy. So, just pick one thing you can do today and everyday to ensure the change is manageable and lasting. You can then work up to the big projects like installing solar water heating.
Some great resources for sustainable living/climate change actions are Sustainablity.govt.nz, Good Magazine, Sustainable Living courses and the original Eco Kiwi book written by Jane and Simon Cotter. Talk to your family, friends and neighbours about what they are doing to reduce their impact as well.
Our DOTs for this month are:
Linda – Investigating more ways to be more self-sufficient especially with energy.
Olivia – sow more seeds so I can truly eat local and organic from my own vege garden.
Let us know what new actions you will be tackling this month to live more sustainably.
Tags: climate change action, community, connection, diverting waste from landfill, Eco Kiwi, environmental sustainability, Good Magazine, habits, Saatch and Saatchi, sustainability, sustainable living, sustainable projects, waste
Posted in SIFT, Sustainability in Action | No Comments »
Monday, September 28th, 2009 by Admin
Paul Ryan with fellow competition winner Jo Wynne We will interview people who work directly in an environmental field or in their role help others to achieve environmental goals (like Sift) or are members of the public who live sustainably or are interested in living more sustainably for posts on Green Collar Jobs.
Paul Ryan was the winner of the most sustainable/commercial category from our recent Styrofoam Meat & Vege Tray Recycling Competition. We picked him for the first Q & A. Once technical issues have been sorted we will also post a video version onto our You Tube channel (more details to come).
1. How do you live sustainably in your life? Since the mid 1960’s we have recycled our waste. It helps to have a large section so you can compost – we didn’t have bins like we do today. It is just part of our lives to live more consciously. It is great to have the new bin system from the Selwyn District Council – this is an opportunity to recycle more and be more aware of our waste. When I need to remove a lot of waste I go to Parkhouse [Eco Depot] in Christchurch as I feel they are more organised than the local refuse centre and can help me better with what I do when I get there…they are just more organised. We are also living in a newer house that we built which has extra insulation so we can be more energy efficient.
2.What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand? Better, more organised local refuse station would help people to recycle and remove their waste. More information is needed for the community. The Selwyn District Council and Christchurch City Council need to look at what goes into their landfills and start looking at how to better reuse those resources that end up in landfill – they need to look at low cost technology options from around the world, which could become commercially viable. Polystyrene trays is a good example of a waste that could be better recovered without going to landfill just by investigating other options for its recovery like my idea to mould it into insulation.
3.What makes you smile? Other people who are happy.
4. What is your biggest pet peeve? Our roads. Our roading infastructure is not good enough. We need better public transport (like using Rolleston and Rangiora as hubs for shuttles or trains) and need to be faster at investigating the needs of the community and developing solutions to their problems. If there is better transport, there will be more people finding it easier to get around, which will lead to better services and a better community. Park and ride would be a great option for Rolleston and Rangiora.
5. What is your favourite colour and why? Blue-grey. Because it is a great foundation colour and it can interact well with all the other colours.
6. Do you have a favourite place in the world and why? In my backyard – most of New Zealand would be my answer. It is so special and unique. We need to enjoy it and cherish it not spoil it.
7. What’s your connection to Sift? I am member of the public interested and sustainability and won the Sift Styrofoam Meat & Vege tray recycling competition along with Jo Wynne. I saw the advert in the paper and know that Styrofoam is a problem that needs a solution.
8. Do you remember your favourite teacher and why? I had a music teacher who taught me brass instruments. He could see I had the capabilities to produce good music and spent time with me encouraging and helping me to learn. I was in the NZ Army Band and could play brass instruments like the trumpet and trombone.
9. What do you want to leave behind? Sustainability – sound families and sound living opportunities.
10. What do you think the future will bring? The magic as long as you can control it.
11. Who is someone you really admire and why? Mr Gorbachev. He had the burden of several Soviet states on his shoulders, still able to talk to the West and make concessions. He was a good statesmen. Ghandi was also a phenomenal leader. At the moment there is no real clear leader and there are many great leaders in today’s world who are not recognised.
12. What is happening outside your window right now? It is raining…lovely spring rain! All the colours are coming back which is great.
13. What is your favourite breakfast? My homemade muesli and All Bran.
14. What is the best piece of advice you can give us? Need to promote yourselves more. The more people you can reach and help the better the communication on environmental issues within the community will become. It takes time and energy but engage with the community.
Tags: diverting waste from landfill, environmental sustainability, Green Collar Jobs, SIFT, styrofoam, waste
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