20 February 2008
Fay, a Waitakere resident, saw a Sustainable Living course announced in her local newspaper and decided to check it out. As someone who cares deeply about our planet she was already doing quite a bit around the home but was interested to see what the course had to offer.
Fay's course was led by a tutor who worked at a local organic shop. All participants were able to share the knowledge and skills they each brought – “There was lots of sharing. When we did composting, Bokashi and worm farming I was able to share the experiences I'd had had using all three. Others shared shopping tips that reduce waste and cost,” said Fay.
When interviewed, her household had last put out a rubbish bag six weeks earlier. After attending the course Fay was motivated to plan more changes. “The water topic reinforced for me just how valuable it is. We are looking to put in a rainwater collection system at home.” The energy topic also provided useful technical and practical knowledge. “It was good to find out where electricity was being wasted.” she explained.
She continues to look for opportunities to put into practice things learnt during the course. Some examples: At her workplace they’ve agreed to use compostable potato starch plates for festivities, in future. Fay is also working with others in her community to plant eco-sourced native trees, with the aim of providing a 'corridor' for native bird movement. After seeing an article in The NZ Herald’s green pages, she is following through with a project to support recycling plastic bags into reels … and so her excitement about getting involved and making a difference continues. “I felt like didn’t have enough time over the 5 sessions of the course. There was so much to learn and talk about. I’d definitely recommend it to others.”
If you would like to find out more information about Sustainable Living courses check out their website.
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