KOE KOE Ā
Para Kore – Reducing waste at events
Whether it’s the Wakatū annual general meeting, a wine festival or a trade show, Meg Malcolm, Events and Partnerships Manager, is focused on delivering events where plastic and food waste is reduced or eliminated.
‘Whenua Ora, our programme
the tables at our meetings. We
to be good kaitiaki of the
used to provide water in plastic
resources we look after, isn’t
bottles. Now if we are providing
just about what we are doing
water on tables, we use glass jugs
on the orchards and vineyards,
and glasses.’
but it is how we demonstrate that commitment right across
other events and businesses are
the organisation. The goal of
becoming more environmentally
Wakatū being zero waste by 2028
conscious.
is a challenging one in the event
‘We aim to work with
space – but it’s a challenge we’re
suppliers, venues and events that
happy to take on,’ Meg says.
share our zero-waste ethos. It’s
Meg has appreciated advice
great that there are now more
from Jacqui Forbes and Para
environmentally friendly options
Kore, particularly on how to
for a range of products, like
reduce waste at the annual and
compostable plates made from
special general meetings.
potato starch, or bio cups that can
‘Through Jacqui we’ve learnt
Meg Malcolm
be used instead of plastic wine
any rubbish, put it in the right
that it is not just about recycling
glasses. Reducing food waste at
recycling or waste station.
but also looking for ways to
events is another big issue for us.
According to Meg, going for the
refuse, reduce, re-purpose or
Most of our events for Wakatū
sustainable option can take more
reuse. We’re learning that single
whānau involve kai. To help
planning and time, but it’s worth
use items are harmful, in that
reduce food waste, we work hard
it. ‘We know the Wakatū whānau
they are created from natural
to get the quantity of food right,
have high expectations of us, and
resources from Papatūānuku,
and we try and find venues that
it’s our challenge to demonstrate
used once and then thrown away
allow whānau to take away food
our commitment to zero waste
into a toxic landfill. Anything
with them, if there is any leftover
at every opportunity. We learn
that is only used once, we are
food. It’s frustrating that some
something new about reducing
looking to design out, and
venues still don’t allow this.’
waste every time we run an event,
instead use things that can be reused again and again.
If you are coming along to a
and we take that knowledge
Wakatū AGM or SGM, Meg says
into improving the next one.
to help reduce waste, bring your
Sometimes it can seem like small
taken in reducing waste at
own pens, water bottles and
steps, but we know that small
our events is to simplify. We
keep-cups – and, of course, take
changes all add up to make a big
no longer put pens, pads or
them away with you at the end
difference. So it’s still a work in
individually wrapped sweets on
of the event. And, if you generate
progress.’
One of the approaches we’ve
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Meg says that it helps that
