1 Introduction
It is clear that our present levels of resource consumption and waste generation are not sustainable long term. This guide encourages positive action to improve the way we use resources and offers practical solutions to reduce our resource consumption and waste production.
In 1997 the Ministry for the Environment published a report [The State of New Zealand's Environment(1997) Ministry for the Environment and GP Publications.] defining the state of New Zealand's environment. This report states:
New Zealand's production and consumption patterns have resulted in a large ecological footprint based primarily on extensive land use, but also on the waste-absorbing properties of our water and air. Land use pressures as well as absorption pressures from energy use and waste generation have had measurable impacts on the state of our air, water, soil and biodiversity.
To ensure a good quality of life for everyone, now and for future generations, we need to improve the way we go about doing things. In 2002 the Ministry for the Environment released The New Zealand Waste Strategy: Towards zero waste and a sustainable New Zealand. This document presents a vision for minimising waste, and sets out a practical programme to implement this vision.
Many people may recycle household items for kerbside collection but then forget about recycling when they get to work. The implementation of recycling systems is an important first step in addressing resource efficiency and waste minimisation issues in an office environment. This can lead to further work looking at reducing the use of resources such as energy, water and paper, and implementing sustainable purchasing initiatives.
This guide presents the recycling system designed for five multi-tenanted commercial buildings in Christchurch, along with the lessons learned during its design. It will enable property owners, property managers and businesses to facilitate the set-up of building-wide recycling systems within their buildings, and will start to address resource use issues in the workplace. Businesses that are the sole occupants in buildings will also find this guide useful as many of the practical aspects of a successful system are the same.
