Waste busting businesses’ efforts rewarded

A range of small to medium sized local businesses have had their efforts at sustainability recognised with Green Scheme certificates.

The certificates were handed out on Wednesday, November 29 at Manly Bowling Club by the Green Scheme’s Estefania (Stef) Muller Pallarès of Hibiscus Coast Zero Waste and Sarah Carr of Business Whangaparāoa, who collaborate on the scheme.

The idea is to inform, educate and assist companies with specific issues they face as they strive to do more for the environment. The scheme has expanded from an initial focus on the hospitality trade which has seen Hibiscus Coast cafés and other hospitality outlets divert thousands of kilos of waste from landfill.

Eleven local businesses, ranging from hair and beauty salons to electrical companies, lawyers, cafes and op shops received the certificates for working with the Green Scheme to reduce waste and lower their carbon footprints.

Some of the initiatives participating businesses spoke about introducing included composting green waste, reducing the volume of paper they use, switching to LED light bulbs, separating and recycling waste, and encouraging staff to avoid single use coffee cups. The Hope Shop in Manly Village writes its price tags in pencil and pins them on, so they can be reused. Linley Wade of Hair Scene described collecting and flattening the foils used when colouring hair and taking them to Alexander Scrap Metal every few weeks, receiving cash in exchange.

Many spoke of the money they saved as a bonus to the environmental spinoffs.

The Green Scheme process begins with a waste audit, providing a baseline from which to measure improvements over time. Support and advice are provided.

Asked why they were keen to do something positive for the environment, the business owners spoke about the urgent need for action, and the importance of even the smallest changes.

The Hope Shop’s Kelly Townsend agreed that making positive changes is important, but said her concern was that these actions are “at the end of the supply chain”.

“We are cleaning up a mess, not getting to the root of the problem,” she said. “I would like to see something happening at the manufacturing end and lobbying of central government.”

To find out more about the Green Scheme for Business, email info@businesswhangaparaoa.co.nz or hibiscuscoastzerowaste@gmail.com