The typical Kiwi household is not as 'clean and green' as our wonderful landscape of national parks, farms and bush might suggest to visiting tourists, although we'd like it to be!

Internationally, we are being alerted to sustainability issues such as accelerated global warming, peak oil production (demand exceeding supply) and widespread persistent pollutants in air and oceans. You may already have seen Al Gore's movie 'An Inconvenient Truth' or Leonardo diCaprio's 'The 11th Hour'. You want to know what the issues are in NZ and how you can begin to make a difference at home?

On this page we look at top issues and provide you with a series of links to free downloads (Adobe PDF format) from the local-government-backed Sustainable Living Programme, that tell you more, suggesting why action at home is a really good start.

(for free Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader software, if you do not yet have it - see the foot of this page)

Energy inefficiency

We burn coal, oil and wood, inefficiently to heat our badly-insulated living spaces, which creates unhealthy city smog for some in the winter. Houses are damp and cold - hazardous for the elderly and asthmatics.

We waste renewable hydro-electricity by (for example) not insulating our hot water tanks and ceilings, using inefficient filament light-bulbs instead of compact fluorescents and by leaving equipment on stand-by overnight.

As NZ approaches the limits of acceptable hydro-power generation from big dams on large rivers and the Maui gas-field runs low, we are turning to wind-power and solar heating and also to other less-desirable fossil fuel energy sources that release carbon, contributing to global warming, as well as toxic soot-particle pollution. Energy efficiency is becoming a crucial public issue in NZ.

Read background information on energy at home (download NEW pdf file - 319Kb)

Decide what you want to measure at home with this background information on carbon and sustainability issues.(NEW pdf file 187 Kb)

See a cool video made on World Environment Day in Wellington, distributed by Intersect.

Wasteful consumers

Over 40% of typical household rubbish bag or wheelie-bin contents could be composted or turned into garden mulch, and an additional 30% reclaimed as useful materials (metals, paper, card, some plastics). Many households do not recycle as much as they could, and the landfills are growing deeper. Rubbish doesn't go away after it leaves our kerb-sides! Open tips such as this on farmland are now rare, but the modern landfill alternatives are very expensive to build and maintain, as they have to contain toxic leachate and control methane gas emissions.

Read background information on waste issues (NEW pdf file - 295Kb)

Also read background information on shopping (NEW pdf file -207Kb)

Too thirsty?

Toilet cisterns without a 'dual-flush' option waste precious fresh water, as does lawn watering during hot summer days. Clean water, as a precious resource, is a major focus of NZ Ministry for the Environment education effort, and internationally.

At home, we may spray poisons to kill insects and lawn weeds, and put bleach down the toilet - when there are safer and cheaper alternatives available. Car washing with dfetergent in the street and water-blasting of paths and drives sends pollution to streams through the storm-drains. Let's keep streams clean.

Read information on issues of using and protecting water at home (NEW pdf file-353Kb)

Food and natural gardening

We buy prepared foods in packaging material that's often not recyclable; and don't grow much fresh fruit and veg ourselves. Many young people grow up not knowing how to garden, or cook (but it's never too late to start enjoying this). Organic gardening is becoming more popular, and features in our evening courses.

Read the background information on sustainable gardens (NEW pdf file-125Kb) to begin assessing your garden.

Travel and fitness

We often miss chances to share our car travel or use buses, and our increasingly over-weight bodies lack the healthy exercise we could get from walking or cycling, instead of driving, on the shorter journeys. Cars may seem convenient by habit, but are expensive, hazardous, noisy and polluting, too.

Now that fuel prices are higher, read the background information on the real costs of car travel (pdf file - 221Kb)

You're aware of all these issues, and ready to take action? Go to our Actions page. See also our course listings. New central government website with supporting detail at www.SustainAbility.govt.nz

Download free Adobe Acrobat reader, click on logo -