We asked six champions of sustainability what resolutions they'll pledge to make the world a better place in 2018.
Chris Morrison — co-founder All Good Organics VEGE GARDEN
I'm going to try and eat something from my vege garden with every meal. It may be a strawberry for breakfast, lettuce inmy sandwich for lunch and then carrots, kumara or herbs from the garden for dinner.
Vege pledger, Chris Morrison. Photo / Greg Bowker
It's going to mean spending more time in my garden to make it happen — and not getting too caught up in being busy. A lot of us who live in cities could do with slowing down a bit and tending your own garden can be restorative.
I like being able to share food we have grown with our children and grandchildren. It makes young kids realise food doesn't come only from the supermarket.
Rachel Brown — CEO Sustainable Business Network CHICKENS
My partner Craig and I have pledged to get chickens in the New Year — but we have to wait until it cools down. Waiheke Island where he lives, is really hot right now and we want our new chickens to be comfortable and settle in straight away so they start laying eggs for our breakfast.
I find standing in the supermarket looking at the egg labelling confusing and at least with our own chickens we know where our eggs come from.
Fryderyk Kublikowski — Splore festival producer PACKAGING
I'm going to be more pro-active about reducing packaging and either buy unpackaged product or leave behind the avoidable, unnecessary packaging at the check-out for the stores to deal with.
Fred Kublikowski. Photo / Greg Bowker
The theory behind this action is that while the burden of dealing with packaging waste goes to the ratepayer via our council rubbish collection, retailers aren't motivated to do anything about it.
However, if their own waste costs increase there will be more pressure on retailers and their suppliers to stop the unnecessary packaging.
If those pesky Styrofoam trays started piling up at the check-out areas they may think twice about packaging them like that.
I recommend leaving your packaging behind with a big dose of kindness at the checkout.
Miranda Brown — Environmental artist and designer MINDFULNESS
I'm going to be the change I want to see in the world.
I am going to be more mindful of my thoughts. Our thoughts become our words, which become our actions. So, kind thoughts mean kind actions.
Next it is about my physical self and the environment around me. Hopefully I will be jumping on my mountain bike more than I did in 2017 (to get fitter and stronger). I live in the Waitakeres where the kauri trees are in danger so this year I will be drawing the kauri and getting in behind the movement to save them (and I won't be mountain biking in the Waitakeres.)
Al Yates — director Ecotricity GAS FREE
I'll do everything within my power to correct the misconception that gas is a clean energy — because it's not.
Natural gas belies its name as it uses more CO2 emissions than electricity from sustainable sources like wind, hydro and solar.
The average home connected to gas emits around 1400kg of CO2 a year. That is equivalent to the emissions of owning another small car.
Al Yates. photo / Greg Bowker
Everyone likes cooking with gas, right? The unfortunate truth is gas cooktops are only 35 per cent as efficient compared to induction cooktops. Induction is 180 per cent faster than cooking with gas and it gives your more control of the heat.
