I N F O R M AT I O N S H E E T
Waste Warriors
The great thing about being a Waste Warrior is that
you’re doing the right thing for the planet, and saving
money as well. Up to 70% of an average home’s
waste can be recycled, upcycled or composted. This
info sheet will help get you started.
What Waste?
Global marketing encourages us to buy more, upgrade frequently
and replace rather than repair. But the stuff we buy is made using
limited resources such as oil, metals, minerals and water.
Handy Websites
Kerb-side Recycling in Wellington
http://tinyurl.com/kerbside
Regional Recycling Directory
www.gw.govt.nz/Recyclingdirectory/
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
http://tinyurl.com/tedxplasticseas
Reusable Nappies
www.thenappylady.co.nz
Then, when we’ve finished with our product and its packaging, we
use more resources like space, fresh air, and energy getting rid of it.
Ninety-nine per cent of everything bought ends up in a landfill within
6 months or less. In fact, most things are designed to be wasted.
Besides costing us money, landfills have other side-effects, such as:
• producing leachate and methane • bad smells • being a visual
eyesore • soil and water pollution • eventual health effects
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Floating in the north Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest dump:
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Converging ocean currents have
swept together many millions of tonnes of plastic rubbish which now
pollute an area estimated to be up to 2 times the size of France.
Discarded plastic is a major threat to every ecosystem on the planet.
Electronics Recycling
www.sustaintrust.org.nz/e-cycle
A school waste audit, with Sustainability Trust
A decomposing Albatross reveals the amount of plastic it has eaten and died from.
Get Started Today
You can reduce your waste by making more conscious choices
when shopping, by buying second-hand, and simply by buying less.
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Choose paper, glass and tin packaging over plastic. Buy larger
sizes, rather than individual servings. And remember to take your
own bags.
Many things can be acquired outside a shop. Step up your futurefriendly behaviour by looking into vege box collectives, markets,
produce swaps, Trade Me, second-hand shops and Free Cycle - all
good ways to reduce waste.
Responsible Recycling
More Handy Websites
Wellington Time Bank
www.wellingtontimebank.org.nz
Freecycle
http://tinyurl.com/wgtnfreecycle
Composting for Businesses
http://tinyurl.com/kaitocompost
Ethical Shopping
www.consciousconsumers.org.nz
Nappy Composting
www.envirocomp.co.nz
Coastal Clean-Ups
www.sustainablecoastlines.org
Stuck for where to take batteries, phones, e-waste and efficient
light bulbs? All these things can be taken to Sustainability Trust for
correct disposal. For other items, check out the Regional Council’s
recycling directory.
Worm Farms and Composting
If you’re not already composting, you can reduce your waste by up
to 70% by setting up a compost or worm farm. Sustainability Trust
run workshops on building composts and worm farms. Give us a
call if you’d like more info.
Refuse, Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Recycle!
Learn how to save costs and reduce waste, with a Sustainability
Trust waste audit for your business.
Organise a Waste AuditLabel your mail box with a ‘No Junk Mail’
sign
Bring reusable items instead of using take away coffee cups,
disposable cutlery, plastic bags, and paper napkins.
Make your own worm farm out of old tires and carpet.
Use old paint cans, filing cabinets, drawers or tires to create
containers for plants and flowers.
Make your own compost out of old pallets.
Swap your baking for a friend’s frozen soup - save money and
packaging. Yum!
www.sustaintrust.org.nz
Phone: 0508 78 78 24 Fax: 04 385 0501 Email: [email protected]
Organise a visit to your local recycling plant or
landfill with Sustainability Trust.
2 Forresters Lane, Te Aro, Wellington 6011