ACZWA Zero Waste Event Facilitator Training - 8 February 2014

Our Mangere Bridge WasteWise co-ordinators/ environmental educators, Meredith and Caroline, attended inspirational training run by the Auckland Community Zero Waste Alliance this month. Nineteen people from around Auckland attended the training to build their skills in WasteWise education at community events. 

ACZWA is a group of people passionate about reducing waste.  They foster change in what people produce and consume, provide information on how to reduce waste, and also seek law change (See: www.zerowaste.co.nz).

The training day gave Meredith and Caroline the opportunity to meet other likeminded people doing similar waste education work in Auckland.  They gained new skills and ideas to improve our group’s contribution to reducing waste at events in Mangere Bridge, such as educating people to sort their own rubbish, rather than doing it for them.  Both plan to help with ACZWA waste education at other Auckland events. Acting as volunteers is a step towards becoming paid waste education supervisors in future.   

Meredith and Caroline were hugely impressed by The Roots, a group of creative entrepreneurs who showcased their talents at the training day. The Roots aim to empower and inspire the next generation through creativity, sustainability and community involvement.  Their work with Avondale Primary School children to create gardens and a greenhouse from recycled materials is impressive and worth a look. (See: www.theroots.org.nz).

All in all, Meredith and Caroline found the training really positive and of great benefit for the Mangere Bridge WasteWise initiative, as we continue to respond to the identified need in our community for waste education and reduction at local events.

Written by Justine Skilling

    

Mangere Bridge Primary Car Boot Sale- 7 December 2013

The Friends of the Farm and Foreshore got down and dirty with waste at the local Mangere Bridge Primary School car boot sale earlier this month.  Janine Nillesen (who is also a parent at the school) arranged for 3 sets of 3 rubbish bins from Wee Compost to be set up around the school grounds, which required punters to sort their rubbish into compostable, recyclable and landfill items.  The bin stations were monitored by members of the “Friends” WasteWise group, who assisted people to work out which bin to put their rubbish into, using the bin lids supplied by Council as a guide. 

The exercise raised the issue that many people (us included!) are confused about where to put their rubbish.  Lots of conversations were generated about what our waste products are made of and how they can be disposed of, which the group hopes will get people thinking about these questions at home as well.

At the end of the morning, one bin of compostable materials, 2 bins of recycling and 2 ½ bins of general waste were produced. With support from the “Friends” group, the school had managed to cut the amount of waste going to landfill from this event in half!  The recyclable and compostable materials were taken away by Wee Compost.

The group has since generated some ideas about reducing waste at future community events.   Providing a rinsing area for recyclables would minimise contamination and enable these products to go in the correct bin.  It would also be beneficial for vendors to receive support in sourcing compostable/ recyclable food containers and in creating systems for sorting their own waste during the event itself.

The “Friends” group enjoyed making a WasteWise contribution to this community event and will be looking at ways we can partner with other Mangere Bridge event organisers in the future to help make our community a better, more sustainable place to live in.