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Posts Tagged ‘sustainability’
Tuesday, July 5th, 2011 by Admin
Though June has rushed by, SIFT did not want to neglect the well deserved attention owed to the recent winners at the Green Ribbon Awards. Held on June 9th, the Honorable Nick Smith described the awards as “Recognizing the efforts of New Zealanders who are taking action to address environmental challenges” (Beehive Press Release).
Comprising of eleven categories, individuals as well as companies and organizations, were recognized for their contribution within an array of environmental issues. The overall supreme winner was Eco Stock Supplies. Collecting food waste previously destined for landfill, Eco Stock upcycles the waste to stock feed. It is estimated that through the 25,000 tones of food waste utilised by Eco Stock within the last year, the production of 13,625 tonnes of CO2 has been prevented. While not only preventing green-house gas emissions, Eco Stock also offers a local alternative to imported stock-feeds.
Here is the full list of categories and the respective winners – all deserving for their commitment and effort towards New Zealand sustainability.
Category 1: Protecting our Biodiversity (joint winners)
Pomona Island Charitable Trust, Kiwi (Tokoeka) Crèche (Te Anau) – For its outstanding work in creating pest free sanctuaries on Pomona and Rona Islands in Lake Manapouri, Fiordland.
and Tuhoe Putaiao Charitable Trust (Opotiki) – For its outstanding commitment to environmental protection work in the Bay of Plenty, in collaboration with the Department of Conservation, local iwi, the Regional Council and forestry operators.
Category 2: Protecting our Coasts and Oceans
Sustainable Coastlines Incorporated (New Zealand-wide) – For its outstanding commitment to improving the New Zealand coastal environment through public education, beach and coast clean ups and removing debris and rubbish that poses a risk to coastal and marine flora and fauna.
Category 3: Caring for our Water
NZ Landcare Trust (New Zealand-wide) – For their outstanding contribution to improving fresh water management across the country by engaging private land owners in environmental protection work.
Category 4: Reducing our Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Wellington City Council (Wellington) – For its 2010 Climate Change Action Plan, and demonstrating outstanding commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in collaboration with all sectors of the community.
Category 5: Small Businesses Making a Difference
Eco Stock Supplies (Auckland) – For the development of an innovative commercial operation making a measurable difference to waste minimisation and reducing food waste.
Category 6: Community Action for the Environment: Young People
Brittany Packer (Nelson) – For her outstanding commitment to raising the profile of environmental issues, locally and internationally and demonstrating leadership for other young people.
Category 7: Community Action for the Environment: Volunteers and Not-for-profit Organisations
Mana Recovery (Porirua) – For its outstanding commitment to volunteer resource recovery services and providing a supportive environment for members of the community to learn and grow.
Category 8: Minimising our Waste
Conscious Consumers (Wellington, Auckland) – For its outstanding commitment to reducing waste and raising consumer awareness of waste issues.
Category 9: Environment in the Media
Emma Heke (Nelson) – For her outstanding contribution to environmental education through her DVD “OURS” that teaches children about conservation, sustainability and environmental care.
Category 10: Environmentally Responsible Large Organisations (joint winners)
Downer NZ (New Zealand-wide) – For its outstanding work in setting an example in environmental responsibility by implementing an environmental sustainability programme across its company operations in New Zealand.
and Meridian Energy and Department of Conservation, Project River Recovery – For their outstanding commitment to improving and protecting the unique braided river habitat around Twizel, Tekapo and Omarama in Canterbury and Otago.
Category 11: Central and Local Government Stepping Up
Kapiti Coast District Council (Paraparaumu) – For its outstanding contribution to reducing their environmental impact beyond statutory obligations and providing measurable benefits for the environment and the community of Kapiti Coast.
Supreme Winner Green Ribbon Award Winner 2011
Eco Stock Supplies (Auckland)
For the development of an innovative commercial operation making a measurable difference to waste minimisation and reducing food waste.
Congratulations to all of the winners. No doubt there were many more that entered but did not win that are working hard to create a more sustainable future for New Zealand.
Tags: EcoStock, environment, Green Ribbon Awards, mfe, sustainability
Posted in Business & Sustainability, News on Sustainability, Other Sustainable Initiatives | No Comments »
Friday, May 6th, 2011 by Admin
 Source: Re-Nest Here are some great links we have found over the past week on sustainability, waste and plastic:
Have a great waste free weekend.
Tags: Friday favourites, plastic, re-be, Re-nest, recycling, sustainability, waste
Posted in Friday favourites | No Comments »
Friday, January 7th, 2011 by Admin
 Source: Re-Nest Post it Notes from Wood Waste Welcome to the first Friday Favourites for 2011. This is a quick round up of the intersting links and tid bits we have found online from across the world and at home about sustainability, waste, recycling and how to reduce the waste that you have. From what we found this week there is a lot going on in the world already. Here are our faves for some interesting reading this weekend:
Have a great waste free weekend.
Tags: farming, Friday favourites, My Plastic Free Life, No Impact Project, no poo method, organics, plastic, renest, SIFT, simplicity, sustainability, Ted, waste
Posted in Friday favourites | No Comments »
Friday, December 3rd, 2010 by Admin
 Sail Christmas Stockings via ReNest Here are our favourites for this Friday. Happy reading.
All things Christmas:
o Some words to keep you environmentally friendly where possible this Christmas from Zen Habits
o Eco-friendly Christmas stockings.
o Inspirational ideas on how to create recycled gift bows and wreaths
National:
o Something to know about if you’re planning a trip to the local landfill!
o Exciting prospects for use of New Zealand landfill gas emissions
o Engaging consumers on sustainability, proving difficult for businesses from Celsias
International:
o 2.6 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation. Some innovative MIT students have designed a programme which, if successful, will process sanitary waste in the slums of Kenya into energy! Follow their journey
o The piling of rubbish in Naples.
Have a great waste free weekend.
Tags: Celsias, Christmas, emissions, Energy, Friday favourites, Good, landfill, links, naples, sustainability
Posted in Business & Sustainability, Friday favourites, News on Sustainability | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 by Admin
 Pop Up Xmas Tree Card via WikiHow With Christmas just a few weeks away, this is the perfect time to consider and implement some easy initiatives to make your festive season a sustainable and environmentally friendly one. Here are a few simple ideas to help you along the way:
1. Instead of contributing to the millions of metres of gift-wrap used and discarded each Christmas season, presenting gifts in reusable decorated jars, boxes, textile bags or decorated newspaper can make sustainable AND beautiful alternatives to single-use bleached and dyed commercial wrapping-papers (that often can’t be recycled due to the metallic content). If wrapping-paper does make an appearance under your Christmas tree this year, be friendly when eagerly revealing your gift; keep the paper in good condition so it can be reused for next year.
2. With food being an integral element to brining everyone together over Christmas, it is often one of the most wasteful times of the year in regards to leftovers. Get creative in the kitchen following the big day. There are some amazing recipe ideas for Christmas leftovers. Here are a few sites to help:
Channel 4 UK Chefs Christmas Leftovers
Taste Australia Christmas Leftovers
Busy Cooks Christmas Leftovers
BBC – Christmas Leftovers
Any appropriate food which is not used can be added to a compost waste bucket – to help give you some nutrient rich soil in the garden!
3. Support local business and buy local products. This is a great way to offset carbon footprints which rise from the large amount of international transportation and heavy product packaging with the importation of Christmas gifts.
4. If you want to give a gift that will truly keep on giving, check out the links below. With gifts ranging from as little as $15, these gift options pose as an alternative to traditional gifts, but can provide others with experiences and opportunities that will last a lifetime.
World Vision Gift Catalogue
Oxfam Unwrapped
Tags: Christmas, food, presents, sustainability, waste, wrapping
Posted in Pratical Action, Sustainability Resources, Sustainability in Action | No Comments »
Monday, July 26th, 2010 by Admin
 Simon Williams Our latest Green Collar Job Q&A is with Simon Williams. Now, we haven’t actually met (or interacted) with Simon (yet) but we have with Sue Coutts (from Wanaka Wastebusters) who passed on the Green Collar Job Q&A to a few of the people who work for Wastebusters and Simon is one of them. He is the Enviroschools Facilitator, Zero Waste Educator and graphic designer at Wanaka Wastebusters.
Education for sustainability is Simon’s thing. For the last 3 – 4 years he has facilitated EfS within the Lakes District of Aotearoa, New Zealand, with the local early childhood, primary, high schools, youth groups & community. He delivers the Enviroschools and Zero Waste Education programmes with passion, energy and commitment. Simon loves working at Wanaka Wastebusters, the dynamic and energetic way of working really suits. When he’s not immersed in EfS he uses his graphic design and photography skills to promote sustainable living to his community.
Simon is part of a growing number of people who are using their skills to further sustainable living ideals – thanks Simon for your answers!
1. What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?
I try to minimise my waste, am conscious of home energy consumption, I buy quality products that I expect to last a long time.
2. How do you live more sustainably at work?
Print as little as possible, recycle and compost my waste, make the most of travelling, using the least amount of energy possible, promote sustainable practices to many people I work with.
3. What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?
That more, big and economic growth are best.
4. What makes you smile?
snowboarding, amongst many other things, and the colour yellow.
5. What is your biggest pet peeve?
People talking using only clichés and power terms, it tells me they don’t fully understand what they are talking about and it’s so ambiguous….grrrrrrrrrrrrr
6. What is your favourite colour and why?
White because it is a combination of every colour…….then yellow because it makes me smile
7. Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?
2nd pipe at Treble cone……it’s so much fun
8. What’s your connection to SIFT?
I don’t have one
9. Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?
I’ve had many favourite teachers, the ones who inspire me to change the way I think and question my staid opinions
10. What do you want to leave behind?
Inspiration
11. What do you think the future will bring?
Fun and lots of smiles on top of many heart wrenching tears
12. Who is someone you really admire and why?
Richard Feynman – One of the world greatest thinkers with the ability to communicate amazingly complex things with everyone in a fun and engaging fashion.
13. What is happening outside your window right now?
I don’t have a window right now.
14. What is your favourite breakfast?
Full English
15. What is the best piece of advice you can give us?
Don’t talk to me in clichés
Tags: education, enviroschools, Green Collar Job, recycling, sustainability, sustainable living, Wanaka Wastebusters
Posted in Green Collar Jobs Q&A, Sustainability in Action | No Comments »
Thursday, February 25th, 2010 by Admin
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:
That should keep you all going for a while. Have a great weekend.
 Suitcase Chairs via The Violet Hours via Apartment Therapy
Tags: community, consumption, diverting waste from landfill, environment, environmental sustainability, landfill, plastics, recycle, recycling, SIFT, sustainability, sustainable living, waste, Waste Management
Posted in Friday favourites, Sustainability Resources, Sustainability in Action, Waste Management | No Comments »
Thursday, February 25th, 2010 by Admin
 On Monday’s Plains FM GreenBiz segment I took Sheree Grant along to talk about paper and sustainability. You can check it out here.
Tags: consumption, diverting waste from landfill, environmental sustainability, GreenBiz, paper, Plains FM, recycling projects, sustainability
Posted in General | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 by Admin
 City Councillor Sally Buck enjoying some Coolangata surf. Local City Councillor and Community Board member Sally Buck is this week’s Green Collar Job Q&A person. Sally has a strong focus on environmental issues such as waste minimisation, sustainable transport and green business as well as being a wonderful local artist.
1. What do you do to live more sustainably (with a low impact) in your life?
I walk everywhere now because we live near the city. We have a vegetable garden and I compost our garden waste and organics at home. I have always been a great recycler. We only have one car and if I use it then I try to do several things in one trip. We installed solar water heating on our house. We try to eat fruits and vegetables in season.
2. What do you think is the biggest environmental issue we need to deal with in Christchurch/New Zealand?
WATER – quality and quantity.
3. What makes you smile?
This would take me all day to list all the things that make me smile. Maybe the question should be – what are the 20 things that make you smile in the first 30 minutes after you get out of bed.
4. What is your biggest pet peeve?
I don’t have any as I try and forget any annoyances that occur.
5. What is your favourite colour and why?
I am an artist in my spare time – I love all the colours but I like wearing red.
6. Do you have a favourite place in the world? Describe why?
The place where I am at any given time. If you believe that certain places are great and others aren’t then it stops you enjoying the place where you are at the present time.
7. What do you want to leave behind?
A planet that people can live on.
8. What is your connection to SIFT?
I was on the Trust that set this organisation up.
9. Do you remember your favourite teacher and why they were your favourite?
Yes, I remember we had a wonderful teacher at Girl’s High in 1966 and she made history come alive for me.
10. What do you think the future will bring?
Major clean tech, changes which will lead to a low carbon economy.
11. Who is someone you really admire and why?
There are so many people I admire. Everyday I meet people who I admire and there is always something in everyone which is admirable.
12. What is your favourite breakfast?
Bananas on toast.
13. What is the best piece of advice you can give us?
As organisations we should always be looking at how we operate and if the organisation is serving the needs of the people or just the needs of the organisation itself. I would like to think that you did an audit of what has been achieved by the organisation, how much diversion from landfill has been achieved and at what cost.
Tags: CCC, community, Green Business, Sally Buck, sustainability, waste
Posted in Green Collar Jobs Q&A, Sustainability in Action | No Comments »
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