Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Make love, not environmental war

25 November 2004

Make love, not environmental war

The Green Party is reminding New Zealanders that it’s the thought that counts this Christmas.

Tomorrow, Green Party Christmas Issues spokesperson Mike Ward MP is launching a Waste-Free Christmas Campaign to coincide with International Buy Nothing Day.

“If you fear the onslaught of the usual Christmas shopping hullabaloo then take the opportunity to do things a bit differently this year,” Mike said. “Christmas should be fun, not stressful. It should be about sharing time and great experiences with the people you care about.

“Christmas doesn’t need to be a time to spend vast sums of money that you don’t have or to get so stressed that you don’t feel like spending time with your friends and family. Nor is it a time to create more waste through buying unnecessary gifts that come over-wrapped and will be under-loved.”

International Buy Nothing Day was a good opportunity to contemplate how best to spend the silly season, he said.

“International Buy Nothing Day isn't about going without. It's about spending our money in ways that enhance our community, so that it is more likely to find its way into the pockets of people we know and care about. It's about buying the things we really need, unpackaged, and buying food that is fresh, local and in season.”

Mike is launching the Waste-Free Christmas campaign – which is geared around the idea of “buying local, little, wisely and waste-free” – as part of his eighteen-day trike tour of the North Island. He has helped produce a Gift Guide and waste leaflets with ideas on “how to show the ones you care about that you care about them without breaking the bank or destroying the planet”.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

The Gift Guide suggests useful stuff and acts as “a reminder that by thinking carefully about what we buy and from where, and who made it, we just may help save the planet and make life more enjoyable for ourselves and our communities”.

The Guide has suggestions for: yummy stuff to fill your belly; “growing” stuff to feed the soil; “doing” stuff because by doing we are creating and that requires things to create with; “big” stuff that is environmentally friendly, such as a bike or solar water heater; “art” stuff because it provides us with pleasure and inspiration; and vouchers promising special favours to indulge a fantasy or passion, to dance, to love, or to picnic in the park.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.