A thriving enterprise focused on waste minimisation, conservation, biodiversity and education

TEC hub coordinator Stephanie Temple

Gillian Cowperthwaite looks into the not-for-profit Tairāwhiti Environment Centre which operates a thriving enterprise focused on waste minimisation, conservation and biodiversity and education for the community.

The Tairāwhiti Environment Centre (TEC) is a community-driven, not-for-profit organisation with a vision to deliver three pou or pillars of support to the community of Tairāwhiti – to drive waste minimisation, support local conservation and biodiversity projects and provide educational opportunities to promote environmental education to the wider community.

In addition to these three pou, TEC supports initiatives that reduce overall impact on the planet such as Wednesday Challenge, which promotes active transport, and the Exchange Café, which encourages and empowers climate-related conversations.

TEC’s vision is for a healthy, connected and thriving Tairāwhiti – He Taiao, He Taiora, Te Tairāwhiti.

Situated in the heart of Gisborne city at 386 Palmerston Road, TEC provides a thriving hub of connectivity where people can drop in and drop off non-kerbside recycling, buy environmentally friendly products, refill cost-effective household soaps and cleaners and hire pest traps. Also on offer is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful advice designed to engage individuals and community groups to be proactive in working towards a more sustainable environment for Tairāwhiti. TEC is a bustling hub for sustainable living and conscious consumption, where the connection and well-being of the people and the environment are intertwined.

Waste Minimisation

Stephanie Temple, TEC hub coordinator, is passionate about creating and maintaining a space where everyone feels safe and welcome.

“We are all at different stages, facing different challenges, but we are all on the same journey. There is always something new we can learn to bring us that one step closer to reconnecting with te taiao and living more sustainably.

“We operate under the hierarchy triangle of the five Rs for waste minimisation — refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle. Refusing or saying ‘no’ to a product that is not environmentally friendly sits at the top of the inverted triangle, while recycling sits at the bottom.”

As part of their service agreement and in collaboration with Gisborne District Council (GDC), TEC is the main collection point for non-kerbside recycling items. Below is a list of recyclable items TEC can accept during their opening hours:

■ E-waste (laptops, desk top computers, notebooks, palmtops, computer monitors, printers, scanners, computer accessories – mice, modems, keyboards, USBs, and cables.

■ Mobile phones

■ Ink cartridges and toners

■ Batteries (all household batteries, including hearing aid and tool batteries)

■ Aluminium (wine bottle caps, trays, cans)

■ Metal (beer bottle tops, jam lids, etc)

■ Aerosols

■ Soft plastics (all clean food packaging)

■ Tetra Pak (liquid paper board cartons) Must be cut opened, flattened, rinsed and dried. Lids can stay on.

■ Coffee capsules

■ Toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes

■ Plastic razors

■ Compact fluorescent light bulbs

■ All brands of skincare products – plastic packaging, tubes and caps

Although the list covers an extensive range of products that can be recycled rather than ending up in landfill, Steph emphasises the need to be actively looking at zero waste alternatives.

“Looking ahead, we need to move up the hierarchy chain of the five Rs triangle to focus more on the ideas around repurposing and reusing products. We want to create awareness of what we as individuals and consumers can collectively do to minimise waste levels in our community beyond relying on recycling.”

Frances Bailey, a regular visitor to TEC, is a good example of this kaupapa. She comes in to pick up discarded metal lids, then washes and reuses them to seal jam and preserving jars, supporting the old adage of ‘one person’s trash is another person’s treasure’ and the intent of repurposing and reusing.

“If I didn’t reuse the lids, then I would have to buy them new, which is unnecessary and adds an extra expense. Nothing goes to waste at my place” said Frances.

Also housed in TEC under the principle of reusing and promoting a sharing and circular economy is the permanent fixture of a frock swap rack. Members of the community are welcome to bring in frocks and dresses they wish to retire and swap for items on the rack.

A Repair Cafe is next on the list for the TEC.

The Repair Cafe Aotearoa New Zealand (RCANZ) was established in 2020 and enables local groups to focus on engaging their communities by providing fun and inclusive events that build connections, support community resilience and reduce waste. Hosting a Repair Café involves a gathering on a specified day, where people in the community offer their skills and time to mend or fix goods in need of repair. It provides a platform for local engagement to increase awareness, build connections and minimise waste.

Biodiversity Projects and Local Conservation

In collaboration with iwi, hapu and mana whenua, TEC is the umbrella organisation for conservation projects with funding from the Department of Conservation, the Ministry for the Environment and Ministry for Primary Industries. Projects include the Eastern Whio Link (blue duck conservation), Te Whakapae Ururoa (myrtle rust monitoring) and Wai Connections, an outreach, educational catchment programme to grow community groups’ capability in fresh water science.

TEC also supports and connects with other community groups doing environmental mahi (work), such as the Waikanae Stream and Maungarongo Wetland Restoration, among others.

Education

The Rethink Centre, housed at TEC, and subleased by GDC, provides an open space for engagement and workshops. Waste minimisation workshops are run as part of TEC’s service agreement with GDC. These offer programmes such as composting workshops to learn the do’s and don’ts of home composting at which each participant receives a free composting system to take home and establish.

Enviroschools, also run by GDC, utilises the Rethink Centre and is open to all schools and preschools.

Educational visits from any groups, schools or businesses wanting to learn how to preserve and protect the environment are welcomed into the centre, as well as to the large working and sustainable garden situated behind the centre. Gardening volunteers are welcome to lend a hand on Fridays between 12noon and 2pm.

The space is also available to any community group focusing on waste reduction. East Coast Organics Co-op (ECOC) run bimonthly workshops such as making sourdough and kombucha as a way of giving back to TEC and the community as the co-op uses the space for sorting their organic food.

Upcoming workshops

and events

Permaculture Workshop with Robina McCurdy from Earthcare Education Aotearoa.

Robin travels around Aotearoa to teach communities about food resilience.

This two-day practical workshop is designed to build community-scale food security and resilience.

The workshops are on Sunday April 28 and Monday April 29 from 9 am – 4.30 pm both days.

The first day focuses on the general public and home gardeners, while the second day focuses on organisations involved as community development groups and food-related organisations and businesses. Attendance over one or two days, however, attendance on both days is recommended to increase local knowledge, social connection and full contribution into development of local food action plans.

Register online at https://events.humanitix.com/local-food-resilience-workshop

Contact Stephanie Temple, TEC hub coordinator, for further information and/or to discuss other ways to register/pay for the upcoming workshops. steph@tairawhitienviro.nz Phone 0212023675 or 06 867 4708

TEC is a thriving hub of environmental advocacy and sustainability that promotes community connection, education and opportunities for action to be a part of the change for good within the community of Tairāwhiti.