This page will be updated frequently in the run-up to Earth Day, April 22 2007. It is designed as a planning tool for waste activists.

All comments, additions and updates welcome to alison [dot] coleman [at] parliament [dot] govt [dot] nz>Alison Coleman, Executive Assistant to Nandor Tanczos, MP.

Overall Theme: Cut Waste down to Size

Key aims

• Promote the idea of reduction of waste at source, rather than just recycling, or picking up rubbish

• Promote understanding of the Waste Minimisation Bill, and what it does
• Encourage people to lobby their local MP on the principles of the Bill
• Raise Green Party profile generally
• Link with Jeanette's energy focus — 'resource efficiency'

Update from Hoiho, 10 April: We are progressing the image of a Waste Monster/large person image illustrating present waste statistics of 7 cubic metres of waste per person per year, and how this could be reduced as a result of the Waste Minimisation Bill.

We are looking at one event in Wellington that will have a 3D upright figure, and then other options being a simpler-to-build waste monster/shadow as a 2D figure marked out on the ground, with each filled with waste in the makeup of the waste stream. The on-ground figure could be as simple as an outline drawn with chalk on pavement or with lime on grass. (with or without filling)

Another option is cutting out a human-shaped figure from an old billboard (or cardboard) and sticking on bits of waste in the proportions we will provide (recyclable with the bill, difficult to dispose of) This figure could be stood up behind a stall (with a broom spine) or even draped in a chair.

If you need instructions, email jenny-kaye [dot] potaka [at] parliament [dot] govt [dot] nz (Jenny-Kaye Potaka) or Alison [dot] Coleman [at] parliament [dot] govt [dot] nz (Alison Coleman) and we will forward it to you.

Leaflets

We are working on a A5 leaflet with the same image explaining the Waste Minimisation Bill and how it can cut the 'waste monster' down to size.

The front page of this leaflet will be available as an A3 poster suitable for a stall. We are also considering a similar image on an A5 or A4 with room to write What, Where and When, for those who want to use a promotion billboard or leaflet cafes prior to their event.

There are limited numbers of a 'got your bag' stickers. These could be a useful prompt for people, positioned at the door or in the car. Each is 6cm wx9cm high, with colour hand-drawn image by Mike Ward of a woman with bags and baskets, surrounded by 'got your bag' text. It has the Green logo, url and parliamentary crest in black along the bottom.

The giant earth day balls are here. You may want to use one at your event. If your branch or office has ordered one, it will come to you, otherwise you will need to borrow one from the 15 people who will have possession of them.

Our website has a waste focused computer game (Flash required) at this link that could be running on a laptop as an interactive part of a display. We can also access for you a short CD on waste issues that could be run on a continual loop.

A new issue of Green Times will be ready for Earth Day. It will have stories from all the MPs and extra focus on Waste and Climate Change.

We can also send copies of the Bill summary A4 sheet for those wanting more information than on the leaflet and you can print from the website (or request from us) copies of the full bill (16 A4 dble sided) for the very keen reader.

Events

Presently we have a variety of proposed events:

• Wellington is doing the media stunt with the large 3 dimensional waste person

• Hamilton is doing a family picnic
• Dunedin is looking into having stalls outside supermarkets and asking people to enter a 'can you correctly sort the rubbish for recycling'
• Hawkes Bay and Nelson both have members interested in pursuing the supermarket bag issue in some way
• West Auckland is looking to door knock on waste issues
  Tauranga are planning to build a waste monster, as are the community group Wastebusters of Wanaka

• Christchurch is planning a stall at the market, as is Whanganui
  Thames will have the waste material at their regular Saturday market stall.

Contact jenny-kaye [dot] potaka [at] parliament [dot] govt [dot] nz (Jenny-Kaye Potaka) for further information.

Instructions/Proportions for a 'horizontal' waste monster

We are working on the basis that the waste generated by an individual is around 700kg per year and that this equates to about 7 cubic metres. This is waste presently going to landfill, including industrial waste, allocated per person. It does not include material already recycled.

-paper 0.28m3
-plastic 4.8 m3
-organic 0.88 m3
-metal 0.39 m3
-glass 0.13 m3
-concrete/rubble 0.14 m3
-timber <0.25m3
-others <0.2 m3

paper 4%
plastic 67%
organic 13%
metal 5%
glass 2%
concrete 2%
timber 4%
other 3%

Total approximately = 7 m3.

Of the approx 92% that could be recycled if the Waste Minimisation Bill is implemented:
4.30% is paper
72.04% is plastic
5.38% metal
2.15% glass
13.97% organic
2.15% concrete/rubble

The approx 8% which is not easily dealt with, makes up 0.5 cubic metres, the head of the waste monster.
Of this just over half (57.14%) is timber (treated timber).
And just under half (42.86%) is hazardous and difficult to separate material (which includes disposable nappies and medical waste)

So, a 7 square metre monster shape on the ground, that has 1 metre high rubbish piled on it gives the correct volume.

And applying this to a body gives approx the following sized parts:

Head: Area: 0.5 m2, Height: 0.7, Width: 0.7
Arm: Area: 0.5 m2, Height: 1.5, Width: 0.33
Body: Area: 3.5 m2, Height: 2.0, Width: 1.75
Leg: Area: 1.0 m2, Height: 1.5, Width:0.67

In Wellington our waste monster will be made up of coloured bags of shredded paper- green bags representing the body and limbs (the 92% that can be recycled with implementation of the Bill) and the head (8% of difficult to dispose of waste) being represented with bright yellow bags. You may wish to do similar, or to use samples of the waste materials to represent the proportions.

Other options: