Gina Dempster, Wanaka Wastebusters

As with last week’s Green Collar Job Q&A with Simon from Wanaka Wastebusters we have not actually met Gina Dempster (also from Wanaka Wastebusters) but know that she is doing good green work. Gina looks after the communications for Wanaka Wastebusters, “pretty much anything that needs to be written is my responsibility” she says. That includes advertising, press releases, newsletters, leaflets and the website. “I work two days a week, and love the dynamic, unpredictable and energetic workplace here.”  Before working at Wanaka Wastebusters, Gina was part of the media team for the Green Party in Parliament.

Here are her answers to our Green Collar Job Questions:

1.    What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?
I try not to throw too much out by recycling, composting, re-using things and fixing them up (although sewing is not my strong point so I have a whole basket of clothes waiting for mending day which never comes). I get satisfaction from finding the perfect second-hand object: old telephone poles to hold our deck up or a pair of nearly new ski pants for my sister. I grow most of our summer veggies and fruit, support local producers and avoid food packaging.

2.    How do you live more sustainably at work?
At Wanaka Wastebusters our work is all about recycling, re-use and challenging people to think about what they really need. Our Green Christmas has been very popular over the last two years, encouraging people to give one-off gifts from our re-use shop. We have just insulated our office which means we get to take off our down jackets in the winter.

3.    What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?
The current mode of thinking that resources are limitless.

4.    What makes you smile?
Watching my four-year-old on his first ever powder run (he crashed all the way down).

5.    What is your biggest pet peeve?
People who think they can’t make a difference, so it’s not worth trying.

6.    What is your favourite colour and why?
Blue – because it’s the colour of the sky and the sea.

7.    Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?
Wanaka . I love seeing the mountains every day, especially against a clear sky at dusk.

8.    What’s your connection to Sift?
Sift and Wanaka Wastebusters are working to minimise waste.

9.    Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?
I think her name was Ms Gore, and she was my teacher in Std 2. I remember we studied medieval history and had a jousting tournament with newspaper swords. I got to be a knight and ride on two of my friends who were the horse – maybe they don’t remember that day so fondly.

10.    What do you want to leave behind?
Happy kids (hopefully grown up by then).  A world that values the earth.

11.    What do you think the future will bring?
Sometimes I think chaos and darkness, but mostly I think communal strength and wiser ways of living.

12.    Who is someone you really admire and why?
Barbara Kingsolver. For writing about things that matter.

13.    What is happening outside your window right now?
It’s nearly dusk and the grey sky shows it’s that time when the temperature plummets. Time to go home and light the fire.

14.    What is your favourite breakfast?
At the moment it’s scrambled eggs and gluten-free toast, or maybe some almonds and fruit.

15.    What is the best piece of advice you can give us?
Once the wave forms, change happens quickly.

Lovely answers – thanks Gina. You can find more about Wanaka Wastebusters and the good work they are doing to reduce waste to landfill here.

Today is the shortest day of the year – the Winter Solstice. Although wet and cold it is a bit of a milestone. Half way through the calender year and nearly at the end of the financial year. SIFT’s new year starts on the 1st of July and we have a good handful of waste minimisation projects to progress and start the year with. A bit of a fresh start too.

But, to keep us going through the grey days here is a link to a bit of colour – the Dulux Let’s Colour Project. Colour, collaboration and community to transform grey spaces for happier people and a happier world!

Do you have any waste resolutions for the second half of the year?

Darren Patterson

This week’s Green Collar Job Q&A is with Darren Patterson. SIFT caught up with Darren at last month’s WasteMinz Workshops and thought he would be great Green Collar Job Q&A candidate as he spends his days helping others to reduce their impact on the environment and has a wealth of experience in waste and environmental sustainability.  Based in Christchurch Darren is a consultant specialising in helping businesses to operate sustainably. Darren aims to work with each client to seek pragmatic solutions that will work for both their business and the environment. You can see more of what he does at www.pattersonenvironmental.co.nz or his blog here. To make contact email him on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or even speak to him one on one by phoning 021 440832. You can also follow him on twitter here, or Facebook here, or LinkedIn here.

1.    What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?

I walk or ride to work, compost at home, recycle, and reuse what I can.  We have a solar hot water system and energy and water efficient appliances and monitor our energy use with a Centometer.

2.    How do you live more sustainably at work?

Providing the right advice to businesses helps them reduce their impact on the environment and their liabilities.  It can also reduce their operating costs.

3.    What do you  think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?

The biggest global environmental issue would be climate change but more locally the poor management of waste and hazardous substances impacts directly on the water we drink and the air we breath.

4.    What makes you smile?

My children.

5.    What is your biggest pet peeve?

Apathy

6.    What is your favourite colour and why?

The colour blue of the sky at sunrise and sunset.   Reminds me of my travels.

7.    Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?

To live: Christchurch – sorry to the rest of the world buts its just right for me.
To visit: Pagan in Burma (Myanmar) amazing town with over 3000 Buddhist stupors/temples.  However, it’s controlled by an oppressive regime that persecutes its people.

8.    What’s your connection to Sift?

I’ve worked with Sift during my time at Environment Canterbury.

9.    Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?

Miss Camsey:  she was the deputy head of my junior school and had a very progressive approach to teaching 10 year olds.

10. What do you want to leave behind?

Two successful sons that live in a world that’s better than the one that I entered.

11. What do you think the future will bring?

Opportunities that we don’t yet know.

12. Who is someone you really admire and why?

John Campbell; I love his enthusiasm and his willingness to ask the questions that get him to the nub of the issue.

13. What is happening outside your window right now?

Leaves are falling off the tree and a bird is hunting through them for food.

14. What is your favourite breakfast?

Pancakes

15. What is the best piece of advice you can give us?

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. – Emerson

Tim Burnside, Deloitte

This week’s Green Collar Job Q&A is with Tim Burnside from Deloitte. Again, not strictly a green collar job but Tim has helped SIFT out with financial modelling for various projects over the past couple of years. Here are his answers to our Green Collar job questions:

1.    What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?
I separate and recycle my rubbish. Also, I buy lots of things second hand, although my family would say that’s got more to do with me being an accountant than a greenie.

2.    How do you live more sustainably at work?
I think before printing whether it is really necessary and in addition all our printers are set by default to print duplex to minimise paper usage.  I turn off lights in areas not being used and when I leave my office. We also try to teleconference as much as possible, rather than travel to meetings.

3.    What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?
How we manage our water resources more effectively. New Zealand is lucky to have a plentiful supply of water at present but I feel it needs to be managed to ensure it is put to the best possible use and also that it is not contaminated for future generations.

4.    What makes you smile?
My family and in particular my youngest daughter Jyla who is 7 months old, her lovely smile is infectious.

5.    What is your biggest pet peeve?
Dead cabbage tree leaves that fall and make our backyard look untidy and then the fact that they can’t be put in the green bin and therefore have to fill up our red bin (which is only emptied every second week).

6.    What is your favourite colour and why?
Blue and Gold – something to do with being born and bred an Otago boy I think.

7.    Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?
No particular favourite comes to mind but I really enjoy the outdoors, whether it is mountain biking, walking or hiking, on the golf course, or working on the family farm.

8.    What’s your connection to the Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust?
Deloitte is SIFT’s preferred supplier for financial advisory services, particularly in relation to potential investments they are looking at making.  I am responsible for managing the relationship with Linda and the team and ensuring SIFT receives the advice and service they require.

9.    Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?
I can’t recall a favourite teacher but I do have a lot of respect for a university tutor that had a particular knack of being extremely challenging and therefore ensuring that you were always well prepared, top of your game, and striving for bigger goals.  All good attributes that serve you well in life.

10.    What do you want to leave behind?
A world where my children and their children can live happily and safely.

11.    What do you think the future will bring?
Far greater environmental challenges than anything we currently imagine.

12.    Who is someone you really admire and why?
My wife – after finding out she was pregnant in the first week of university she went on to complete a four year first class honours degree, get a great job, while bringing up a wonderful daughter, Brooke.  She is extremely passionate and is currently doing a wonderful job of being a stay at home Mum for Jyla, while also setting up a home based web business and being a great support for Brooke & I.

13.    What is happening outside your window right now?
Not a lot that I can see.  It is dark but I can hear the wind blowing down more Cabbage Tree leaves.

14.    What is your favourite breakfast?
Weetbix with Rhubarb – you can’t beat it.

15.    What is the best piece of advice you can give us?
Always plan your work then work your plan.

SIFT will be having a bit of a break from the PlainsFM GreenBiz show. Here is our final Monday show from last week with Emma van Opzeeland from CarterPriceRennie PR.

Source: Flickr Ed's Photostream 11 Butterfly

The Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust is a catalyst for change. We know (roughly) how much waste is generated, how much goes to landfill, what the negative environmental impacts are of that waste (leachate, toxins, global warming from methane emissions etc) and the amount of work and cultural behaviour change that is required to reduce how much waste is generated and sometimes that can be rather overwhelming and depressing. But, everyday we are reminded of those individuals, businesses and community groups who are doing good work and we are uplifted everyday by those we are helping to make the numbers better and improve the health of our environment – one step at a time, one day at a time.

Sometimes it can take a few years from the start of the relationship to the final outcome of the project. And that final outcome may just be the first step in many steps to creating a sustainable and commercially viable process that can help to significantly reduce the amount of waste that goes to Canterbury’s landfills.

It is about having a long term goal for our future – a sustainable Canterbury future where any waste generated is reused, recovered or recycled on shore first and where landfill and sending it offshore is the last resort (for all waste streams). But it will take time, patience, innovative ideas, advancement in technology, sound investment, collaboration (public and private partnerships), commitment, affecting cultural behaviour change, walking the talk, leading and being the catalyst for change. That is what SIFT is about – being a positive force for good as a social lender.

We have profiled a few businesses that are leading in waste management on our blog in the past and you can see some of the good and impactful work that we have done  here. We have a number of super exciting projects on the go at the moment that will make a difference to Canterbury’s waste and will let you all know in due course about what they are and what good they will do.

If you are looking for funding for a project that will reduce the amount of waste going to Canterbury’s landfill or have a new idea that we could help with you can apply here.

You can check out our Flickr photos here too.

And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Source - Flickr From youmakemehappywhenskiesaregrey

For Christchurch, in 2008/2009, nearly a quarter of all waste sent to landfill was kitchen waste. This is one of the waste streams that can be reduced the fastest and that each household and business in Canterbury can directly impact. Not only does wasted food impact the space in our landfills but also impact on global warming with the methane emitted as it breaks down (not to mention all the emissions from the production, manufacturing and transportation of the food that isn’t eaten before it gets to the consumer).

Reduce your food waste by firstly recognising what, when and how  you are buying (maybe buying less more often will mean less spolied food), by planning your meals and using leftovers and then what is left over can go into a compost bin or EM Bokashi system breaking down and then providing much needed nutrients for your garden (or potted plants).

Or if you are a business in the food service, hospitality or produce industry look at how you can reduce the amount of unsold food that is wasted. Can it be reduced in price on or just before the use by date or can you set up a business composting system or give the food away to a community garden’s compost?

There are  some great ideas for creative uses for kitchen scraps from Re-Nest.

Or check out the wonderful UK site Love Food Hate Waste for some excellent practical actions that you can do today.

Love to hear your ideas on how business can help to reduce food waste.

It’s a beautiful sunny end-of-summer day here in Christchurch (New Zealand). Back to blog posts now after concentrating on the new website. If you haven’t already go for a spin and check out what SIFT is all about. Lots of great projects that are making a difference to reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill. We also have a few projects in the pipeline we are really excited about.

The deadline for the government’s Waste Minimisation Fund is 5pm on Monday. If you miss out and have a project focussed on Canterbury  try applying to SIFT.

In the meantime here are the favourite links we have found from around the world:

• Love this great Hermon Miller blog called Lifework on life in offices and working spaces. Did you know the super comfy Herman Miller Aeron Chair is 94% recyclable and made from 64% manufactured from recycled content.
• Over at Fake Plastic Fish Beth contemplates matches or lighters in her quest for zero plastic living.
• The Dancing Guy over on Adam Werbach’s Strategy for Sustainability – are you the first, second, 10th, 100th or last person part of a movement? What will be the catalyst for more sustainable living changes?
• To reduce waste we need to live with less and many finding that less is more.
• Cool new uses for vintage suitcases – how many of those are now sitting in landfill?
• Super stylish ceiling lights made from coat hangers.
• This is what we need more of in NZ – an eco-friendly general store.
• Our favourite sustainability leader, Melissa Clark-Reynolds talking to Good Morning recently.
• Reduce waste in your kid’s lunches from Simple Organic.
• Emily Harris of Sustainability in the City, based in Auckland, has a dream that we can all help with.

That should keep you all going for a while. Have a great weekend.

Suitcase Chairs via The Violet Hours via Apartment Therapy

Plains FM Mornings' Ed Swift

Ed Swift is the presenter and producter of Plains FM Mornings in Christchurch, one of the few local radio shows in Canterbury. Ed presents the SIFT sponsored Green Biz segment on Monday mornings when we talk about sustainable businesses in Canterbury.

1. What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?

One of the big things I do is bike and walk to wherever I need to get to, and if it’s not within walking distance, I’ll try to catch a bus! We also use the three bin system as much as possible (recycling, organics, etc.) and we use a push lawnmower on our little patch of grass (it’s hard work but it’s not using petrol and polluting the place).

2. How do you live more sustainably at work?

We recycle as much paper as possible, making little note pads out of any scrap possible. Also basic things like turning off the lights in rooms I’m not using and turning off the computer and screen at night – it’s just common sense.

3. What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?

I think we’ve nailed the rubbish problem pretty well with the 3 bin system, but now we all need to look at the difference we can make at home and work.

4. What makes you smile?

Having a good laugh with mates, and seeing my 3 year old niece.

5. What is your bigget pet peeve?

Being trained as a journalist and having a mother who has exceptional grammar, I get peeved when people don’t get apostrophes correct, and also when people don’t know the difference between “affect” and “effect”. It seems weird but it just bugs me for some reason!

6. What id your favourite colour and why?

Red – not too sure why, I just always have! I could say something funny here like “red things always go faster!”

7. Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?

Sumner Beach, a great place to be at in the summer, sitting in the sand, swimming in the sea, and there are lots of good cafes around too!

8. What’s your connection to SIFT?

I present and produce Plains FM Mornings, where we have a weekly slot with SIFT on Monday at 9.10am looking at sustainability (shameless plug – tune in weekdays from 8am on 96.9FM or streaming live at plainsfm.org.nz!).

9. Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?

Dr Huffadine from King’s College in Auckland – wasn’t officially my teacher but he was my Housemaster and he taught us a lot at school, and was always up for a game of pool in lunchtime.

10. What do you want to leave behind?

As little waste as possible.

11. What do you think the future will bring?

Who knows – 2 years ago I would’ve never predicted I would be hosting my own radion show in Christchurch, so I’ve given up trying to predict the future!

12. Who is someone you really admire and why?

My mum – she’s raised 4 children (of which I’m the youngest) while finding time to volunteer in the community, work as a part-time journalist in Auckland, and finish her BA with First Class Honours last year – now all she needs to do is start her PhD!

13. What is happening outside your window right now?

I see trees of green (but not red roses too), plus the redevelopment of Visions of Campus at CPIT.

14. What is your favourite breakfast?

Nothing beats scambled eggs on toast, especially if a nice flatmate brings it to you in bed (hint hint).

15. What is the best piece of advice you can give us?

Always have a positive outlook on life, and don’t forget to smile.

An often blogged about business that is taking a lead on selling products with little or no packaging is London’s Unpackaged store.  Set up in 2006 to provide a better way to sell food you can only purchase items if you bring your own refillable storage containers with you. There are some items in cans and glass that can be recycled for purcahse and we love the wooden crates and super large paper bags that contain a range of fruit and vege. They only stock products that are good for the environment. As they say on their website recycling will not be enough to reduce the amount of packaging waste that goes to landfill so we need to consume items with little or no packaging first – again it’s about reducing our consumption to reduce our waste.

Source: Unpackaged

Source: Unpackaged

Source: Unpackaged

Source: Unpackaged

For those living in Christchurch Piko (and Lyttle Piko in Lyttleton) is probably the closest wholefoods store that we have that also has a policy of bring your own refillable containers. Last year they celebrated their 30th birthday and are now a favourite of many who live sustainably. As well as great bulk produce (some organic) they have a great range of seeds (for growing your own produce – no packaging), fair trade goodies and organic goods. There is some packaging but most can be recycled. If you need to use a bag they have brown paper bags which can go straight in the compost.

Keep a look out for other ways to shop with less packaging – visit farmer’s markets, fruit and vege stores that package in old cardboard boxes, grow/make your own, reusable bags for the supermarket (especially reuse those plastic bulk bin bags) and recycle what packaging you do get. And for businesses – start looking at the amount of packaging you produce for your product (or service) and think of ways to reduce or provide packaging that can be recycled (or returned to you for recycling as part of a Product Stewardship scheme) or better yet – can you do without packaging?

Reduce First, Reuse Second, Recycle Third and then only landfill if you really have to.