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If this is something you are into it would be great to hear what you’re up to, your thoughts, comments, advice etc. Especially keen to hear from anyone out there who has been (or already was) inspired to do the Rubbish Free Challenge!
Maybe the challenge we set ourselves is not for you. But you and your household could work out something that is both challenging and obtainable. Maybe a rubbish free week? Or rubbish free snacks? Or a rubbish free bathroom? (That’s a really hard one). Or one bag a month? If you do decide to go for it, give it a start and end date – great for motivation and gratification! – and let us know what you’re up to. Go well 
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Ok, I lied i only did it for a few days but i still didn’t manage!!!!!!!!
I tryed to do a rubbish free week, but didn’t achive my goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you guys are great being able to only make a bag full of rubbish in a WHOLE YEAR!!!!!!!!!
I think that that was a Great idea and im deffiently gona have a try!!!! but I was wondering about how you said nz’s use 22million plactic bags a year, were you meaning a spefic year or is it an average.
Congratulations for your project. You’re great.
With love from Turkey…
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
Well done with your challenge. We do a lot of recycling but some things are a challenge.
How did you deal with those business envelopes with the cellophane windows? The Wellington City Council recycling system will take the paper envelope but does not want the window.
The other challenge is the magazines on subscription with the non-recyclable plastic wrapper. Subscription is much cheaper than buying the mag in the shop. So it seems to be a trade off - you save up to 30% on price but end up with some rubbish.
Hi there this is two students from the Tiromoana project,
we would like to say thank you on behalf of telling us about the rubbish free year project.
Just a question about any expense you had come across with and if you saved anything (e.g money, goods) from this challenge?
This is amazing. I have one question: what about toilet paper? Did you guys not use toilet paper or was that not considered rubbish as it goes down the toilet instead of into a trash bag? I feel that is one of the things that my house uses a lot of (based on how often we buy it) and I just wish there was something to be done about it!
I found the best thing to my boyfriend’s birthday… It’s really hard to find cool and still unique.
So today I saw this thing from ZTARLET on facebook where you can name a real star in heaven and have the certificate and a teddy bear sent to you and pay it by a single SMS. So awesome
Lovely work. I would really like to hear from you once you have children, more than one, and fifteen years after the last one. It is a question of having the energy and extra time available when you are raising kids and working full time to do what you do…
you guys are amazing!
It’s a great idea to recycle everything … However I don’t think it won’t be a total success unless all the councils in every country commit - Bins are provided with separate compartments in our area (rainforest) however it all is taken to the dump and put into the same pile !!!
People should use recycled fabric bags and plastic bags kept to the minimum. That would be a good beginning.
Thousands of electric cars were dumped in the USA - bring them back ! Start producing electric cars. Reduce the use of petroleum to a minimum. Without petroleum fuelling terrorism, it would be also reduced !
Just as a final touch … teach every child to play a musical instrument - music fuels love ! They can use old bins as drums for example !
Love the idea of natural products and no rubbish !!!
Just thought I would say what a great website and great thinking, recently I felt like writing in to our local rag about how bad just about every single - 2nd home I see on rubbish day wasting so much, most of them put out only 1/4-half filled bags everyweek and repeat the same process!!! I see so many complain about the expense of buying rubbish bags but they waste them! it’s good to see this website thinking of a great way to recycle and keep the rubbish down!! Way to go!
Hello Waveney and Matthew! It has taken me a long time to send this note, but I assure you I have been inspired from the beginning. Our garbage has reduced to one bag a fortnight, but we could do a lot more. I have just started using a new book “Green For Life - 200 Simple Eco-ideas for Every Day” by Gillian Deacon (grew up in St.C.and her parents are still members). I am beginning to incoroprate your ideas with the 200. Keep it up you two. I believe anything you tackle will inspire and succeed.
Thanks for such a great afternoon of rubbish free fun at your home sunday , great food great people lots of sun and much laughter and ofcourse NO rubbish I know you will keep it up you are an insipation to us’ wasties ‘ cheers Gaynor and Jim over the road x
Recently there has been advertising in Auckland City that they are now accepting tetra-paks in our recycling bins. Do you know if they are actually recycling these? I don’t tend to get a lot of things in tetra-paks but sometimes I need to.
It’s great to see people thinking outside the square. Many years ago my wife and I set a goal to get down to one shopping bag of rubbish a week, we did it and learnt alot along the way. These days we have about two :).
Take care and good luck.
Troy
www.selfsufficiency.com.au
Hi everyone,
Just found this wonderful site and am amazed and what people are doing. I love the ideas and comments. All ways I can think of to teach my kids about healthy living for us and the enviroment.
I am putting out there that my husband and I have a site called www.ecoplanet.co.nz we would love you to visit it and leave any comments.
A great cloth nappy product Christchurch owned and made. Very affordable and saves so much over the years, both financially and environmentally.
Hi, to days Herald on auto load toasters there is still some modern ones avaiable not as mecanical like yr toastmatic much lighter less components electronic! the trouble with the cheaper toasters that people abused them eg cooking hash browns or toasting fruit bread where the cooked fruit become swollen resting against the element burns up and melts the element, too wide pieces of bread then gets stuck, out comes the knife to retrieve the stuck toast and bang! knife touches the elements toaster is in the rubbish,never clean the crumb tray, as they are so cheep no parts are imported good luck with yr project.
Hi - I was interested to read in the Timaru Herald a few weeks ago of your rubbish free year. Well done. You mentioned about Dog Food. I recently purchased a book for a friend who has two spaniels. It is called Cooking For Your Dog - Healthy recipes - seasoned with affection. It is written by Ingeborg Pils and published by Parragon Books Ltd. I got my copy at The Warehouse so you might like to try getting that - it even has recipes if your dog is unwell or has constipation! Most of the recipes do not require a lot of unusual ingredients so good luck.
Re Highlighter
Use a lead pencil.It is much kinder to the book. You can rub it out later and you can make notes in the margin. children should be encouraged to use pencils rather than pens. It allows more creative work as they can easily rub out and change.
Hi there,
Just a quick note to let you know that you can now get SoapNut Tree seeds from The SoapNut Shop. www.thesoapnutshop.co.nz Now you can grow your own soap. There are 2 types of trees- SoapNut- which produces the normal soapnuts you use, it does take 10 years for the trees to produce the berries but its forward thinking! These trees are good for warmer parts on NZ and we just have in Soapberry trees which are more hardy and produce soapnuts in 3 years. The latter berries don’t produce as much soap suds but can still be used for doing the laundry. Check them out, they will also be staring in next months organic NZ mag.
You guys are really inspiring, I’m going to get a wormfarm now
Keep up the fantastic work and thankyou for sharing your experience with us.
Warm wishes
Val
Hi Matthew and Waveney, I so appreciate what you folk are doing! You have rekindled my desire to do more for the planet and my husband and myself. The plastic bag problem is so huge but every small thing one can do helps the situation. Thank you for setting such a wonderful example.
Take care,
Adele Pullen, Manurewa, Manukau City.
I took a clear tupperware container to Pak’n'Save yesterday and asked the guy at the butcher counter to put some chicken in it for me. He looked at me like I was nuts and went to ask his manager. The manager asked if he could put it in a plastic bag first and then in my container. I said no that would defeat the purpose of using less packaging. So he grudgingly filled my container and slapped a sticker on it. The girl at the checkout was also bemused, she said “I didn’t know you could bring your own container”.
I hope other people will start doing this too so staff won’t make me feel like a complete idiot again next time.
Your column made me laugh out loud this morning. I really enjoy reading it and always look forward to it on Monday, but the bit about the dog had me going. Good luck with your challenge. I think it makes everyone think a bit more about what they could be doing.
Hi! Been reading your NZ herald blogs for a while, great to check out your website!
I’m hoping some-one could clarify for me whether the following is actually a good idea!
I work from home, and rather than having the heater on I fill a hottie and snuggle up with that - assuming boiling a full kettle once every 3/4 hours is better than hving the heater on?!
Also, how much power does a dehumidifier use versus a fan heater?
It’s frustrating sometimes trying to figure the best way to keep the house warm and dry when you just rent and can’t do anything much about insulation or a air-flow type heating system!
Also, does anyone know, where can you buy hankies these days?!!
J.
Good work, guys! Much of what you are doing comes naturally to me, having grown up in World-War-2 Holland when plastic was non-existent, clothes were remade and handed down, all things were repaired until they fell to bits, no food was wasted - in short, everything we owned and used was treasured and nothing discarded. DIY was the order of the day and I have gone back to many of these practices (not only in my retirement, but much earlier too, while I had a full-time job). Plus a whole raft of energy-saving and non-polluting tricks. I find it challenging and fun. Having fruit in my garden I do easy preserving in ordinary (sterilized)jam jars with pop-up lids. You can do small quantities on the side while cooking, and the jars can be used over and over again. Bicarb, white vinegar(from bin shops)and lemon juice are wonderful ingredients for cleaning of all kinds. Just google around for a wealth of practical suggestions. I’ve just made myself an old-fashioned soap-shaker using two 80 mm metal tea strainers. Fill them with pieces of Sunlight soap, secure the two together and shake the gadget in the dishwater (I use no dish washer).
I do admire your efforts to be wholly rubbish free. I am not,
but produce a minimum, and the new Auckland City recycling regime enables us to recycle margarine type containers, tetra-packs and various other things we had to put in the rubblish before.
If you do use cling film from time to time you can reuse it repeatedly: wash and rinse it and spread it on the fridge door to dry, rubbing it flat with a teatowel.
Keep up the good work and go well!
Kathryn
ps. please check out a small student publication we published earlier in the year called “the urban living guide” - available online at www.42collective.org.nz under the projects pages of the site.
Kia ora guys, totally impressed and inspired by your project!! I am determined to spend 2009 as a rubbish free year. I intend to take the challenge from march 2009 to march 2010 from the inspiration of seeing your website tonight. I am a student at victoria in wellington and active in the student environment group here - I am going to see if anyone else would like to get involved in the rubbish free year challenge with me. And having watched the story of stuff on your recommendation (thanks its pretty cool) I am going to host a screening of it here in wellington as well. thanks for the inspiration and resources to actually do it!! ( :
Keep up the good work. For a while now I have been re-using plastic bags at the vege shop or Bin Inn but they are so flimsy they don’t last long before tearing. I don’t think plastic recycling is a very sustainable option because it requires lot of energy and chemicals not to mention the transport cost to ship them overseas. Re-use is a far better option. I want some reusable bags that are durable, water-proof, washable, and transparent. Anyone know where to find something like this?
Hi Guys, re the dog food, we have a very healthy 11 year old golden labrador that has never had store bought food. Once a week we cook up a large pot into which goes any soft limp veges,ends of broccoli,cauli,celery (anything that we cut off before cooking our own food) a small amount of meat (mince, chicken necks, anything cheap and low fat) rice and/or dried pasta, garlic (good for her coat and helps with fleas)fresh herbs from the garden. This cooked slowly for an hour or so and then stored in the frig or freezer to feed her for the week. Each night we also add the food scraps from our own meals. She has never had a sick day in her life
keep up the good work guys- your efforts will inspire people to think twice about the way they dispose of waste. JL
RE dental floss- you can actually reuse it many many times!
I took the cloth nappy thing one step further, raising my dds partly ‘nappy free’ - i.e. using the potty from day one. My first dd started using the potty at 2.5 months, my second at 4 days
The method is most commonly called EC, and is a gentle method for reducing dependance on nappies and keeping your kids clean, dry and comfy. If anyone wants more info check out www.diaperfreebaby.org - I can be contacted through the ‘find local group’ section 
(P.S. My first dd is now 4.5 years and the method worked great with no emotional scarring, lol!)
Well done i think it is such a cool idea i want to try ill talk to family
I work in a number of different supermarkets.
If you could see the waste that is sent to the dump people would be applaud. Heaps of them do sell vegetable waste to pig farmers of donate to zoos. But there is still heaps that could be sent to a composting facility.
I watched a company rep throwing bacon still in the plastic into the bin. I imagine that by the time the seal is broken the bacon would be a stewing mess full of gas producing bacteria.
Exposing some of these lazy companies would be a great idea.
When I talk to my friends none of them recycle small cardboard because it is widely believed that it is too fiddly for the waste management companies to deal with.
If you were able to get someone to back you, a documentary on supermarkets, packaging and waste management would be educational. What really happens to the waste.
It’s a fantastic accomplishment to bring the issue of waste to attention of the companies that produce the it and the end consumer who purchases it.
Well done. You are a success already
There’s no need to use soap in the shower or bath. The skin on your whole body has a lightly acidic mantle which is protective if left intact. Using soap on it makes it alkaline and it takes up to 24 hours to get back to its natural state.Obviously when hands are really dirty, as after handling money, library books, handrails, animals or after gardening they need a good soapy wash. You may like to defoliate facial skin occasionally with a gentle rub of natural salt and your favourite oil.
By-product: The bath and shower keep cleaner!!
Margaret
Hey, This is a really awesome idea especially to make people more aware of things that cant be recycled so easily.
It has reminded me of a project from soft technology at high school, where i looked at recycling products to make into clothing, fabric. My teacher suggested that i go to the hospital and get a plastic bag that disolves(they put dirty washing in these and wash them) I put a lot of off cuts, threads and basically fibre scraps, feathers anything really… into this bag pinned it flat and used the sewing machine to sew crazy designs all over it, then washed in in hot water. the result was a large piece of fabric, that was bright, and i used it for scarves and blankets. It was a great way to clean out the sewing room without throwing it all away!
Also i experimented making my supermarket bags into shower mats by crocheting them together.
I think the biggest thing is coming up with ideas outside the square when it comes to recycling and doing your research.
On another note, i know a company that used to recycle glass bottles they ended up giving this up because one they had too many to process but also the general public was dropping their household waste (nappies especially) into the collection bins its such a shame because it was really good for our community. The product that was made out of the end product was going to be benefical for us all, because the sand like product was going to be used for roading in the future instead of extracting gravel from rivers etc.
Hi guys saw you tv a few days ago and am turely inspired, im hoping to persuaded my family into being rubbish free for a year, or at least a month. Just wondering what did you do with products you already owned before you started the challange that had un-recyclable packing (things like beauty products etc) ?
I really admire your work to the environment. I think by limiting the amount of rubbish you are producing will not only good for the enironment, but it will benefit your own health as well. I heard a lot about how the artificial products increase health risks to our bodies. So keep up the good work!
Rubbish Free for a Year is a great (well done guys). Why are councils not promoting plastic recycling when a Christchurch leads the world in recycling any kind of plastic - See: http://blogs.discovery.com/news_sustainable/plastic/index.html
Cheers for the inspiration, and thanks for letting people know about Bin Inn. I’ve been shopping there for years and take in my reusable falafel and yoghurt containers etc. which are weighed before I fill them. Saves messy change overs. I also use empty zipped cotton rice bags (from Asian supermarkets) for veges. Keeps them fresher than plastic as well.
On the soap and cosmetics front, have you tried the Blue Earth shop in Poplar lane? Their range is totally natural and made in Canterbury so it’s good for the environment as well as your skin. You can ask for it not to be packaged, and their body care range comes in glass reusable packaging. Their moisturiser jars are just the right size to be washed thoroughly and filled with Bin Inn spices.
I also use a home-made toner and hair tonic that is one part cider vinegar to seven parts water boiled with Rosemary and Parsley which are good for the scalp. It takes a bit to get used to compared to chemical toners, but my skin is in better conditions than it’s ever been.
Thanks for the tips… and good luck with the challenge
You mentioned before that you will , at some point, have to buy new pens, but lamented that the refillable ones were so expensive. Check out frogfile - they have a refillable and recycled pen for less than $2!
http://www.frogfile.com/store/product.php?productid=16339&cat=306&page=1
Jen
Hey Guys
I absolutely love the thing you do to save the earth.
Rubbish free year would be hard but you would learn new things and it would help the environment tremendously.
Anyway I should be off now so have fun bye
Hey Guys
I absolutely love the thing you do to save the earth.
Rubbish free year would be hard but you would learn new things and it would help the environment tremendously.
Anyway I should be off now so have fun bye for now
Vicki
Hi Guys,
i am soo impressed with what you guys are doing , its about time we all try to think about saving our planet. In my own little way i have managed to reduce our household waste to one rubbish bag a fortnight- and no doubt i will certainley be improving on that one . We are also sold on the Bokashi system for kitchen waste - Its brillant and the end product is fantastic fertiliser for the garden.
The other bonus on zero waste is that we are left with more money in our pockets instead of spending it on unnessaary packaging.Well i could go on forever, but wish you both the best of luck and you are totally inspiring .
Thanks Heaps
Deidre Harris
Hi, I was pleased to see your article in a magazine and thought I would drop you a line of encouragement and share with you what I have been doing , I live on a 1/4 acre in Hamilton and for the last 2 years I have had a self suffient week where, other than an allowance of a little bit of flour, some sugar, yeast and a few spices, live off what I grow and have preserved from our little orchard and garden, I traded some fruit for eggs and my son and daughter inlaw have an olive tree that they had some olives pressed so I traded things for some oil.
the total cost for the week was about 6 or 7 dollars for food, but of course I still used power etc for cooking, I know that it is not complete self sufficent but it is possible to change the way we do things normally and still carry on .
Even when it isnt my ss week the rest of the year a day wouldnt go by that we dont eat somthing out of the garden or orchard .
cheers keith
Awapuni Nursaries in Palmerston North do their seedlings in paper and they are delivered to you. We buy lots for us and the neighbours and share the cost of courier . The plants are cheaper than in the shops too.
We went plastic free (ish) at the beginning of last year . Thanks for solving the toothpaste and brush dilemma for us - we still do struggle with cheese too! I thought we were OK on it until my parents neighbour informed me the wax that I was cheerfully sometimes even eating to prove a point was plastic - is there no end to it?
All the best and death to felt tips and white boards!
Hello, I Think what you guys are doing is really cool!! I’m a New Zealander now living in Germany. It’s a lot easier to do what you guys are doing over here because they have a yellow sack for all packaging waste (you can even recycle the shampoo bottles here), a brown sack for organic waste, and paper bin. Places that sell goods with products containing batteries have bins where you can put your used batteries in. There is also a bin for other waste. I only put out one or sometimes 1/2 small shooping bag of rubbish a month. Another thing that i like over here is that the public transport is really good. Also alot of people cycle to work. Cycling to work is made alot easier by there being cycle lanes in most cities. Also in Germany in most supermarkets you go to as well as selling the plastic bags they also sell the linen bags which can be used for other things as well as doing the shopping with. The recycling habits that i’m picking up in Germany will stay with me when i get back to NZ. I would really love to see NZ adopt a similar model to what they have in Germany. Keep up the good work
Well done! The world needs more caring individuals like yourselves. I recognise the need to have a specific focus as it can become overwhelming when you consider the impact every aspect our lifestyles have on the planet. I am a vegan and consider this to be the most significant thing I can do to help the planet. I produce considerably less waste than the average person but who wants to compare themselves to the average - it’s appauling! You have inspired me to look more closely at my consumption and I hope when you finish this challenge you will maintain the new standards you have set and possibly incorporate another challenge - perhaps veganism?
have been following your guys progress and am really inspired by your challenge to live a rubbish free year. it has really got me aware of all the packaging on products when i go shopping and im thinking of doing the same challenge myself.
Hi guys keep up the good work.Have just finished reading from the libary Green Living by Sarah Callard & Dianes Millis.Well worth the read,it is aimed at the UK but still has alot of useful ideas that we can use here
“Manufactured Landscapes” shows what manufacturing does. Rivers are ruined. Permanent holes are left in the landscape. All should see it. In South Australia, we have 5c deposits on drink cans, bottles and some juice containers. If this was on all packaging those who want it pay for it. I am also opposed to “traditional” council recycling. Your household waste (around 90%) should be able to biodegrade in your backyard. Think of all of the transport, factories, electricity, fuel with current recycling and waste collection?
I personally would like to start a global movement of people moving towards a zero packaging lifestyle. Information and research is required to help people at home and make living this way as easy as possible.
Been reading your site and it’s fab! Well done for even trying this, I really truely hope you succeed and that you inspire loads of other people to do the same. How are you doing so far? Couldn’t find an update on the site anywhere.
Couple of suggestions.
ranahay, May 8, 2008 said about margarine coming in tubs that often can’t be recycled - why not go over to just using butter instead of marg - it can be bought in paper wrapings here in the UK so I’m guessing it can in NZ too.
Cleaning - soapnut shells are brill, they’re natural, and if you buy them in the right place, then they often come in cloth bags rather than plastic one’s so no rubbish there. (The shell itself is compostable). Can be used for laundry and cleaning round the house too.
Cheese - can you not buy from the deli counter in a store where the lump you want is taken from a large block? This way you could take your own tub along to put it into.
hey you are doing great keep it up
i’m going to try it for a week
from antonia age 11 !!!!!!!!!!!
We have found we have benefited greatly by buying our rice stored in cotton bags. The great thing about that they are excellent (strong!) carry bags for grocery shopping when the rice is finished .
The families I spoke to say they have kept theirs for as long as 25 years.Also they can be cut up and used as very durable dish clothes.
The brand we use is “Classic” Punjab valley rice. I but them from the local Muslim greengrocer.( The importers are IJ & PK LTD.in Auckland.9-8467316)
The sad thing is that the rice is very slightly more expensive than the ones packed in plastic bags and there is a danger that they will stop importing them as the immigrant community are turning to the plastic packed one.
So lets all go out there and support the durable re-useable(and degradeable) cotton bags!
Help! I am sick of the plastic boxes that margarine comes in and just sick of juice bottles.
I can’t convince the rest of the family to live off home processed juice and I have no idea how else to buy marg. Anybody have advice?
I have just switched over to a zero waste, zero packaging lifestyle. I have about a shoebox full of “rubbish” - this includes rubbish and recycling. The only problem with recycling is in some cases if it not viable, refuse collectors can dump it. An excellent documentary to see if called “Manufactured Landscapes” shown at the Adelaide Film Festival last year. Find it at http://www.adelaidefilmfestival.org/films/id-41/view.html
Also be being a vegetarian, it is easier to shop as I do not have any meat packaging. I take the view all packaging is wrong as the resources required is not justified. I have a few container(second hand) for some bulk items though and some packaging (eg. milk - but I now shop in a bulk store each week.
We need everyone to switch over to a zero waste, zero packaging lifestyle - but is a big change we need to have.
Well done for thinking up something so practical and so simple to measure! I’ve been proud of myself for a while now for only putting out one bag each fortnight, recycling everything I can, and composting or feeding pigs our scraps, and we are a household of 4. I understand exactly what you said about the feeling of guilt…the feeling you could always do more if only you could work out what fitted best with your life. Until now, my biggest drive has been to have my son in only cloth nappies, and I can say quite honestly that from the moment of his birth, to this very moment (16 months later), he has never worn a disposable nappy (though the nurses in hospital found it amusing!). I will endeavour to do more, and keep you in mind as a source of inspiration!
Keep up the fantastic work!
Your site is great! Really easy to navigate and informative. I’ve been following it for a couple months now and think it is really well written and entertaining without going on and on endlessly about your day to day dental floss composting activities (you know how some blogs get a little bogged down with details). My boyfriend and I are planning a similar project starting June 5 (world environment day), but we are trying to buy nothing for a year (food and basic sanitary necessities are excluded of course). Hopefully a nice side effect of this will be to produce less garbage as well-we researching it and trying to lay out the “ground rules” at the moment(which is how I came across your website in the first place). Anyway, keep up the inspiring work!
my vote of thanks for your efforts - the average consumer is beginning to realise that our planet cannot be replaced.
Power to you both… I wish you every success on your adventure and will monitor your progress with interest.
It seems you are trying to live “The Good Life”, which should be an inspiration to us all..
I think what you are doing is really cool. When I’m older (I’m only 14) I’m going to do it too.
I am not sure where Alex is from but the schools that he went to should really check that the children are coming out with the ability to accurately interpret what they read! I’m pretty sure that you both discuss having jobs and being a couple! What a pleb!
Keep up the good work guys. Have been watching your challange with interest and have been really trying to reduce my rubbish too. We are in a tricky situation in terms of doing anything radical. But one day I hope to do a year rubbish free. For now I will just try and start making small adjustments.
hi,
just flipped through the new Renew mag and read the article on your project. Great!!!
here are a few more ideas:
-thyme tea fresh from the garden is great against headaches and colds
-there’s alot of herbs for fresh teas - even found the real tea plant in the shops the other day!
-there’s toothbrushs with exchangeable heads on the market
-check out soapwort for making liquid soaps that can also be used as shampoo and dishwashing liquid
-my favorite for the laundry is soapnuts - they are nutshells are put in a little fabric bag in the machine, they naturally contain saponin which is released when soaked. they can be reused a few times and then composted. a kilo costs 35 A$ and might last a year. apparently they are not good for white clothes…
-i use loofahs instead od sponges for dishwashing - just cut them into small pieces and compost them when they’re no good anymore. you can probably even grow them in the garden…
the person who started this cahllenge does not have anything else to do. Get a job first….
Hi again. Thanks for the info. How deep do you have to dig the hole?
It’s amazing how little rubbish you have to throw out once you start thinking about it!
Another question: is it possible to get compostable/biodegradable toothbrushes (similar, perhaps to Ecostore’s dishbrush)?
Bob
We are trying to reduce our rubbish, and have started composting - but what should one do about meat scraps (skin, bones, fat, etc.)? We don’t have any pets to feed them to. I’ve heard that EM Bokashi buckets don’t take bones. If you have any solutions, we’d love to hear!
Hi there, just wanted to say that I am so inspired by what you are doing, I think you’re awesome for trying to live rubbish-free for a year. You have encouraged me to think twice about what I am buying and throwing away. Congrats on what you’ve done so far.
Hi Wave and Matt,
Glad to know you got back safely to NZ. I love your website and your new challenge. My class and I are making our own toothpaste tomorrow as part of our Dental Health month unit. I thought of you when I pulled out the very simple recipe. Here it is. (No more tubes to dispose of.)
4 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon flavouring (vanilla, peppermint and almond are good)
1 teaspoon salt (I usually use a bit less)
Mix together and store in an airtight container. This really works well.
Keep up the great work.
All the best, Waveney (and Malcolm)
ooh i’ve been making the yummiest vege stock. use all left overs from cooking, storks, carrot ends, corn cobs etc and boil..actually there are plenty receipes on line, there are some vegies you may want to avoid as their flavour is overpowering.. beats throwing them into compost all the time. freeze them if you need time to build up a lot of leftovers. they’ll be fine. yum yum. makes all home cooking better when you have your own stock. as we can’t have a compost, works for inner city types.
Inspiring site! Here are a couple of things Id like to pass on -
Cosmetics, hair & skin preoducts - theres an excellent book by Elizabeth Francke called ” The make-your-own cosmetic and fragrance book for New Zealanders” Reed 1980 (and revised since). Lovely & practical recipes. You can get a copy via www.bookfinder.com, which is also a great way of locating used books
Second-hand household goods - lots of former secondhand shops in Chch are out of business now, probably due to the impact of cheap new goods in the Warehouse, as well as TradeMe, Sellmefree (the web site for Buy Sell & Exchange) and the SuperShed. When I want something for the house I try to wait till I’m next in Rangiora, because Rangiora Sales and Auctions in Edward St Rangiora is a wonderful large secondhand place that sells every sort of household thing and a huge number of tools. Worth checking if similar businesses have managed to survive in other country towns.
Small rural towns like Rangiora, Oxford, Temuka etc also often have regular (3 monthly or so) paddock sales, run by Wrightsons or other rural firms, where tools & household goods are auctioned very cheaply.
Hi folks,
Great stuff! You’ll succeed. You’ve clearly thought it out well and we know it is possible. We’re in a situation very similar to your own and we got it to 1 bag last year (and 90% of that was her’s though i’m sure she’d dispute that.
Ultimately, if it doesn’t come into your lives it won’t need to leave them.
BEst wishes,
Chris and Hern
I don’t know if you guys have heard of Colin “No Impact Man” - but he’s a great inspiration and resource for anyone trying to reduce their eco footprint. His family did a similar challenge in New York last year- check out www.noimpactman.com My eco-footprint is a lot less than the average Kiwi (according to those online calculators) but I’m aiming for even less this year.
Robyn “Good planets are hard to find; let’s take care of the one we have.”
Congratulations on the start of your wonderful project. If you don’t already know about it the Readers Digest book ‘Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things’ is a mine of information on how to recyle, save time and money. It has projects ranging from how to recycle car tyres and umbrellas, to having 171 uses for vinegar, and even a few ideas for foam food trays in the event of an emergency,(2209 suggestions in total!) Cheers and good luck with your year ahead, Edna
Hi guys, we saw your mission on Campbell Live and you are truly inspirational. We have a slightly different dynamic in our household (three children) however my husband and I are going to attempt to follow in your wonderful example and see what our little whanau can do to contribute to a better place for our tamariki to grow up in. We are very proud of your inspiring challenge. Kia Kaha ehoa. (Be strong friends)
Wonderful what you are attempting! I’ll be cheering you on from Asheville, North Carolina in the U.S. - what bugs me the most is the over-packaging of items - I can re-cycle paper and boxes, but why so much to begin with? I shred paper and give it to a friend who raises worms - lovely - why don’t more people use cloth bags for their groceries? - couldn’t be more simple to do. Am going to forward your website to all my friends around America. Hang in there!
Fantastic effort Waveney and Matt, truly ground-breaking. Will draw attention to your action research wherever possible, starting with our Environment Canterbury council. Let us know how we should be supporting the move towards Zero Waste, if you wish to. Thanks, well done, kia toa, and all strength to your campaiging - Rik (Councillor, Chch East)
Tino pai ehoa (well done my friends) The students and teachers of Rhode Street School in Hamilton will be monitoring your success over the year as we work towards zero waste at Hamilton’s Family School. We already have the recycling in place, worm farms, hydroponic nursery and orchards, next steps are no plastic lunch wraps, chickens and our new tunnel house. Good luck and all the best.
hi, great stuff! do you have your toothpaste sorted out? we refill our glass jar with a bit of salt, alot of baking soda and some peppermint oil or cinnamon oil (only a couple of drops)or lemon juice and some water. super cheap,super clean teeth and tastes great. happy 2008 to you and the planet too!
something that might interest you or others is a beautifull natural and often handmade toy shop, spindlewood, heres a link if someones interested http://www.spindlewood.co.nz/. It is a bit more expensive but well worth it!!! and if you do get into preserving it’s great fun and I have a good old book my mother gave me if you need ideas on how to preserve nearly anything. I’d be happy to help if I can.
All the best
Julie
Awesome, you’ve inspired me to take my family to the next step of being rubbish free (they already complain about takeing out the compost, but one step at a time and (hopefully) we’ll be right behind you. Keep up the good work and everyone else who is also making a difference. I’m pleased you got publicity to help raise awareness!
I hope your’ activeties feed your inspiration!
Hi there, I just saw you on Campbell Live and would like to send you a good supply of my handmade, 100% natural, wrapped in brown paper soap. I sell it naked and wrap it in paper only when I post it. Could you send me an address to send the soap to?
Good on you!
Brilliant and leading the way. The Government needs to use you as consultants.
A comment on plastic bags. The ‘Dominion Post’ has recently switched to biodegradable plastic bags. This is not neccessarily a good thing. We used to recycle our bags but the new bags are not recyclable and so we have to send them to the landfill. They probably take at least 50 years to break down.
Good work guys!
We have been trying to reduce the waste we make too and have been totally inspired by your effort! I’d like to share this bread recipe http://steamykitchen.com/blog/2007/09/10/no-knead-bread-revisited
with you, it will get all your mates making bread instead of buying it, just because it is so delicious!
We’ll be watching your progress! Cheers
Hey guys I think what you’re doing is awesome!!! Very inspiring and it’s definately made me more conscious of all the rubbish me and my whanau generate. One question that I’d really love an answer to: How to you get toothpaste and shampoo and stuff like that without generating any rubbish?
Hey Wave and Matt,
Wow that’s really full on, just saw you on campbell live. Very inspiring so much we can start cutting down on, did you know that trilogy cosmetics whilst coming in plastic containers is nz’s first certified carbon neutral make up brand (Kiri’s info there). Thanks for the challenge, won’t go as full on as you yet but will def be startin to think more.
Take care crazy kids
Was watching your interview on campbell live, great stuff. Your meusli looked interesting what was in it?
This is very inspiring - thanks for showing change is the way! Can you please put little tips that you discover on your journey on this website - e.g. how do you avoid the toothpaste tube?
Hey there, welcome back to NZ! Brilliant idea and especially brilliant because you’ve taken it past the idea stage. I thought we were doing quite well using cloth nappies, wipes, etc. but as I have gone about our usual routine this weekend, with what you are doing in mind, I have realised how much less waste we could be creating with a few changes and better choices. I also realised that what you plan to do is what my in-laws have been always doing and so I commented to them how cool it was. They said that it is getting harder and harder to live without making landfill waste because plastic is still being introduced more and more and being incorporated into paper products and their local Bin Inn has just closed. So, good on you for getting the message out there!
Here is a link for information about cloth nappies and general eco-friendly living such as making your own household cleaners etc. I like one of the members signatures on this site “Don’t throw away -there is no away”.
www.thenappynetwork.org.nz
all the best and thanks for helping us get motivated to make some change.
G.
There is a bit of a dilemma between reducing our global footprint and finances. To do the 3 R’s takes time and effort, and the further you go with it the less time there is for other activities. I live in the country and between 3 of us we put out about 1 rubbish bag every month, if that.
To hold down a full-time job requires some activities to be passed on to others. It is these interactions we depend on that could/can reduce our global footprints e.g. takeaways being produced and delivered in more recycle-friendly ways. Even researching where these activities are greener can be time-consuming, and if there is a greener choice available, then that is lucky. We all have to work on a greener interaction of activities to make it work instead of trying to go it alone, overburdening oneself, and then, once again, it all collapses.
Your rubbish-free year will no doubt strain in some way, but it shouldn’t be that way, and we all have to work towards helping your rubbish-free year be a breeze by supporting and creating green alternatives.
Frida.
Every time I use the plastic cling wrap I think of you guys and feel guilty! The impact of your rubbish-free year will be so much more than just your personal reduction in rubbish. So many people are going to think twice about creating rubbish because you have started us thinking. Maybe a company will even start packaging yummy biscuits without plastic?
Good on you - I make low cost bike trailers (ideal for plastic-bag-free shopping) and do a month free hire to try them out, so if you’d like to try one give me an email or look on www.cyclingchurch.org.nz for details. Also have a Christian environment group going who would be interested in talking to you if you would like to come along one month
Hey i love what your doing.. i too have become a household-waste-diva and recycle recycle recycle.. grow vegetables etc - but i can see from your efforts that theres room for improvement! Have just been living in Melbourne and they recyle ALL plastics and even polystyrene.. and impressive system. They also have recycling bins beside rubbish bins in the City which i would love to see happen here. Are you part of any groups that advocate for a cleaner greener Christchurch?? I would be keen to hear if you are and what these groups are.
Waveney
Hi there,
I think this is a brilliant idea and I admire you for doing it. A couple of times in the last month I have sat there with the plastic inserts from packets of biscuits on the table in front of me and though I am going to write to these manufacturers about this unnecessary packaging….but then life has taken over and they’ve gone into the rubbish unremarked.
I am very impressed by your project and delighted you are doing this.
I wish you joy with it.
Caroline
Awesomely inspiring…and it would certainly make a very good news story!
I’m going to give it a go too - in small ways…refusing plastic is my goal! Best of luck! kk
Just had a look at your website and I’m very impressed. What you’re doing is very important for future generations as well as ours. Lets hope we can all learn something from this. Next time your dad is down there Wave, get him to install a composting toilet. I’m not joking, apparently they are not to hard to get up and running. Great for the veggie garden too. I know, it’s just the thought of eating them later. My tip is a fairly obvious one and I reckon your all ready on to it, a paper recycling kit to make your own paper.
Hey Matty n Wave,
Great to see the website up and running, looks fantastic and easy to navigate. First tip for the week! Keep all your ends of soap bars (y’know, the stuff you can’t hold in ya hand cos’ its too small), dry them out, buy a small amount of soap flakes (paper bag styles) and grate the old stuff, combine with yummy smelling oil and voila! new soap, no waste.
We just did it recently with Eden, I’m sure she’ll be happy to help manufacture. xxx
Can’t believe you’re jumping fully in. Way to go.
You have our support for sure.
& thanks for the inspiration…
love from TO
Hey what about thick cotton for dental floss?
Fantastic guys I think its a great idea! If you need any worms we are happy to send some down to you :)ours are thriving and between them and the compost bins there is very little food scraps going into the bin.
We try to keep our rubbish bags to one a week and I took my 3 year old out of her night time pull ups in an effort to reduce landfill I just have to get her up and put her on the toilet before I go to bed to avoid a wet bed not much effot to save 365 nappies going into landfill. Shall be watch out for the show! Best of luck
Awesome to see people making some real sacrifice’s to try and make a difference. Bloody good show. Andy B said you might be looking for a way to get cheese. If you want to supply me with the milk (pasturised but not homogenised) then I’d be happy to make you whatever you need for free! The only packaging left over is a bit of wax… but even some kinds of soft cheeses (feta etc) have nothing at all! But it takes quite a bit of milk to make a block of cheese… good luck!
I really like shopping at Nature’s Organics - http://www.naturesorganics.co.nz/ - great for all kinds of products and nice service too.