You are here: Publications About the Ministry environz

Green Ribbon Awards 2006

It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the winners of the 2006 Green Ribbon Awards.

These awards acknowledge some outstanding people who are doing so much to care for New Zealand’s unique environment. The government is committed to a clean and healthy environment, and giving people a say in environmental decision-making. Protecting our environment is a strategic investment in New Zealand’s future.

This year’s winners are true leaders. They have vision, commitment and passion. They inspire, empower and support others to help care for our environment. They have worked tirelessly, often with no support other than family and friends.

Please join me in recognising and acknowledging these inspirational New Zealanders.

Hon David Benson-Pope

Community action for the environment

Winner

Xtreme Waste and the Whaingaroa Community

For their efforts in achieving a 74 percent diversion rate of waste to landfill over a five year period for the community.

Following the close of the Raglan landfill eight years ago, the Whaingaroa community looked at ways to provide waste management solutions. Xtreme Waste was set up by a small group of people as a community recycling programme. It has since grown to involve the whole community taking responsibility for their waste.

Xtreme Waste is currently diverting approximately 74 percent of waste volume from landfill.

It has provided job opportunities for 26 part-time employees, established a large recycling shop, established weekly kerbside collection of recyclables and waste from rural and urban areas, and developed and implemented an interactive education strategy with schools and other community groups.

Xtreme Waste is an organisation that not only cares for the environment through waste management and recycling but is a good example of community pride and what can be achieved by working together. Other communities are now following Raglan’s lead.

Urban sustainability

Winner

Tonkin & Taylor Ltd

For their outstanding effort in the remediation and rehabilitation of the former Brady Road landfill into the Seaside Park project.

Auckland City Council’s Seaside Park is located on a closed landfill at Brady Road, Otahuhu. It has been transformed into a public park that is a showpiece for the community and the city. In creating Seaside Park, Tonkin & Taylor consistently demonstrated forward planning skills involving public consultation and participation processes to include public concerns, wishes and requirements into the engineering design of the landfill rehabilitation.

The completed park provides a host of features. These include habitat preservation and expansion and enhancement of existing wildlife populations, a multi-purpose wetland to provide for leachate treatment, stormwater diversion and flood prevention, and extensive shore erosion protection.

The completed four year project is an environmental showpiece for creative and innovative techniques in the rehabilitation and transformation of closed landfills.

Sustainable business

Winner

The Mussel Inn – Jane and Andrew Dixon

For developing a business built on environmentally sustainable practices and the commitment to raising awareness within the community through the examples they provide.

Jane and Andrew Dixon and their two sons have applied an environmental ethos to their business from day one. Integrating sustainability into every aspect of The Mussel Inn is important to the Dixons. This includes selecting the building materials used, sourcing the cooking ingredients locally, finding responsible and creative ways of dealing with the waste they produce, as well as manufacturing composting toilets. This enormous effort includes the Inn, the on-site house, the café/bar and the brewery. The sustainable attitude is also encouraged amongst their staff and customers, who willingly participate in this outstanding effort to act sustainably. The Mussel Inn is an excellent example of a successful sustainable business in action.

Rural sustainability

Winner

MW Lissette Ltd

For their roading work which surpasses industry requirements for forestry roading that is safe for operators and the environment.

MW Lissette, a road construction and maintenance company based in Hastings, goes above and beyond the call of duty when planning and building forestry roads in their region. They take particular notice of the potential impacts of their work. Careful route selection ensures minimum crossing of streams, unstable slopes and other sensitive areas. They avoid unnecessary earth-moving and construction. Drainage systems are constructed with culverts planned for the highest expected peak flow. Roading is constructed to the narrowest width possible.

By minimising sediment and pollutant run-off and reducing erosion, the impacts on waterways and surrounding landscapes are significantly reduced.

The level of planning and construction undertaken by the company, and the attention to detail for environmentally sustainable outcomes is commendable.

Young people making a difference

Winner

Tom Logan

For establishing an enviro-group within his school, William Colenso College, and encouraging environmental awareness amongst his peers.

Tom Logan’s passion for the environment has been the driving force behind many projects carried out at William Colenso College and in the wider Napier community.

Further to establishing his school’s enviro-group, Tom’s commitment has resulted in many projects. They include regular lunchtime meetings, school vegetable gardens and compost projects, tree planting days at the Hawke’s Bay Environmental Education Trust, fundraising for the tuatara and a kiwi release field trip.

Tom and his enviro-group – now with more than 40 members – are currently developing a school-wide recycling programme.

Tom has provided leadership and inspiration to other students. He is a credit to his school and community.

Young people making a difference (continued)

Highly commended

Opoho Primary School

For their holistic approach to environmental education within their school and encouraging environmental action within their community.

Opoho Primary School in Dunedin is a silver medal Enviro School working towards gold status. The children are involved in every environmental activity and project that Opoho School has achieved and the list of activities they undertake is huge.

They have designed an Opoho School Envirocode, created and cared for an edible garden, painted yellow fish on all storm drains in the community, hosted enviro-school hui, and continue to work with Dunedin City Council to plant, weed and care for Dundas Bush.

All classes recycle paper, card and plastics, and compost food scraps. And if that is not enough, the students show other schools and interested community members what they have achieved and help others get enviro projects up and running in schools and the community.

The children, teachers and principal of Opoho School are true leaders and role models and work hard to influence the actions of others in schools and at home and in the wider community.

Caring for our water – fresh and sea water

Winner

Paul Shanks

For leading the drive within his community, to address Whangamata’s water quality issues by establishing and running ‘Clean Water Whangamata’.

Paul has committed his time to leading Clean Water Whangamata in the struggle to have water quality acknowledged as a top priority issue in his community.

Driven by his passion for surfing, Paul has worked with Clean Water Whangamata since the late 1990s to test water quality and to present issues to local government.

Paul’s drive, determination and persistence in standing up for the environment he loves make him an ideal Green Ribbon Award winner.

for more information:
Donna Gardner, phone (04) 439 7414,
email donna.gardner@mfe.govt.nz
or visit www.mfe.govt.nz/withyou/awards/green-ribbon.html.

The Green Ribbon Awards recognise outstanding contributions by individuals, organisations and businesses to protecting and improving the quality of our environment.