Environment – Bananas for behaviour change

Throughout my work in the environmental space, I have learned about the importance of the language we use. Research shows that behaviour change is most sustainable and long-lasting when it is driven by a shift in understanding and therefore motivation. This is why education is so crucial in fostering new habits.

Take the word “rubbish,” for example, it suggests that something has no value or purpose. Yet, in Auckland, the average household rubbish bin is filled two-thirds with items which could be repurposed, like recyclables and organic material, with food scraps being top of the list.

A group of local sustainability advocates, farmers, volunteers, and small businesses are working to change the way food scraps are perceived and managed on the Hibiscus Coast. Through City to Farm’s community engagement efforts, participants, including school students and business staff, learn that food scraps don’t just contribute to climate change when sent to landfill; they can also be a powerful solution. Composting food scraps helps combat climate warming by enriching the soil, capturing carbon, and reducing methane emissions.

Even young school children quickly grasp that food scraps are a valuable resource worth sorting for a greater cause and adopt new language like ‘resources’ instead of ‘rubbish’ to reflect this.

City to Farm rescues food scraps that would otherwise end up in landfill, where they would rot and produce methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Instead, these scraps are processed using the bokashi composting method, transforming them into nutrient and carbon-rich soil that feeds banana plants and other crops on a farm in Waitoki.

To date, City to Farm has diverted over 150 tonnes of food scraps from landfill, empowering businesses and schools to take part in climate solutions. Several local businesses and institutions have joined the initiative, including Two Spoons Cafe, Evelyn Page Retirement Village, Browns Bay Brewery, Cafe Manly, and multiple early childhood education centres and intermediate schools. So I invite you to join these locals and think of materials as resources, not rubbish and challenge yourself to really think about what belongs in the bin and why. To learn more about the project, visit www.CitytoFarm.co.nz