Ruapehu council runs zero waste workshops, starting in Raetihi

Having fun while reducing waste

Ruapehu District Council's waste minimisation education programme is running a series of zero waste workshops starting in Raetihi this Sunday at the Angel Louise Café followed by others in Ohakune and Taumarunui.

The first workshop is on making DIY zero waste toiletries and cleaners, with others on having a zero waste approach to household rubbish and zero wasting your pantry.

Waste Minimisation educator Emily Jasmine said that the new workshops follow on from the hugely popular beeswax wrap workshops.

"We had originally planned just to run the beeswax wrap workshops through July as part of providing a practical solution for Plastic Free July," Jasmine said.

"They were so popular however that we ended up running them through until the end of November.

"In the end we had 344 people of all ages taking part in the beeswax wrap workshops at community venues, local schools and kindergartens throughout Ruapehu.

"It has been really was amazing to see people and especially kids of all ages totally getting into the process and learning a practical new skill that helps reduce the use of single use plastics."

They made 405 beeswax wraps equivalent to 122m of clingfilm.

"Assuming people use their new beeswax wrap to wrap their lunch for school or work this would save around 24,300m of clingfilm use in a year which is just amazing"

Jasmine said people who enjoyed the beeswax wrap workshops should come along to one of the zero waste ones which will be just as educational and as fun.