Why Recycle?
Why?
We may be perceived as clean and green by the rest of the world, but we have significant problems in New Zealand.
Every year we discard 17.5 million tonnes of waste. That is 3,500kgs for every kiwi! From that, 12.6 million tonnes are destined to landfill, meaning we only recycle 28% of total waste generated by our country. From the volume that is disposed in landfill, 30% (3.6 million tonnes) are made of readily recyclable materials that have high recycling value and can be easily diverted if we dispose of them correctly.
Everyday Recycling
By taking responsibility for the stuff you consume (what you choose to buy and use) you can have a real positive impact on our environment.
Simply by being a part of the modern consumption economy, it is near impossible to avoid sending at least some waste to landfill. However, there are plenty of success stories of kiwis making a real difference by reducing their total waste to landfill just by being mindful of their purchases and recycling or composting everything that they can.
To understand how recycling can help save money and reduce your impact on our beautiful environment, check out our waste-free lifestyle tips.
Recycling For Kids
Teachers, children, and parents can have fun learning about how recycling improves the environment and provides a path to sustainable living.
This section of our website is designed for school children, teachers, and parents. Here you will find downloadable resources to aid youth learning when it comes to waste and recycling.
From repurposing materials through to educating children on what happens to recycling, there are endless initiatives and activities that can engage parents, teachers and children in recycling concepts and to make changes in favour of a zero-waste New Zealand.
Recycling For Business
Businesses generate a great deal of waste and play a key role in helping to conserve our resources, as well as encouraging customers to use them more wisely.
Businesses play a key role in helping reduce waste to landfill. The volume of waste generated at commercial sites as well as the level of separation and accessibility to services place businesses in a favourable position to separate and recycle more materials than at the residential level. Businesses considering sustainability targets and objectives must look at waste minimisation strategies, understand their waste make up and track progress towards minimising waste destined to landfill in favour of procuring recyclable alternatives or phasing waste streams out completely.
Real Recycling
Recyclables separated at source are more likely to provide recycling certainty. Not all recyclable materials collected are sorted and sent for recycling into new products.
We consume to live; we always have and always will. But we want different lifestyles, and our choices dictate our desire and consumption. Waste is directly linked to the basic cycle of human desire and consumption. More things are desired (choice, diversity, evolution, population growth). So, more things are consumed, and more waste is generated. Consumption is affected by the degree of our desire, and our ability to meet our desire. e.g. Local community stalls (home made) versus international trade (made in China).
