By ANNE BESTON
The Government department charged with showing us how to save the planet claims that it is at the forefront when it comes to waste reduction and saving energy.
The Environment Ministry yesterday released figures showing its staff have cut rubbish from an average 80kg a year for each office
worker to 6.5kg.
It has also leased two hybrid cars as its Wellington fleet, and in its Christchurch office a staff member is taking home all the lunchtime food scraps for composting.
The ministry is encouraging other Government agencies to reduce waste and improve their energy efficiency.
About 20 Government organisations, from the police to Transit, have signed up for the ministry's "Gov Three" conservation programme.
Gov Three project manager Ross Wells said that as part of their efforts to operate more sustainably, the police had signed a contract specifying waste reduction and Transit had included waste and energy reducing activities within its performance measures.
Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said the Government spent $2.5 billion every year on day-to-day business.
She said Gov Three aimed to cut through the "business as usual" mentality and to encourage departments to operate more sustainably.
Waste not
* The ministry's 250 staff reduced waste from 80kg a worker each year to just 6.5kg.
* Food waste goes to Living Earth composting facility. Most office rubbish is recycled.
* In the ministry's Christchurch office, a staff member collects all food scraps for composting at home.
Herald Feature: Conservation and Environment
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