MEDIA RELEASE
30th May 2018
For immediate release

What a load of rubbish!
Otaki calls important community meeting.

Waste Community forum, Wednesday June 13th, 7pm
Otaki College 233 Mill Rd, Otaki 5512

Transition Town Otaki will host a community forum on Wednesday 13th June, on waste management, the first of three forums during 2018.

“The amount and type of rubbish we are generating in our community is at a crisis point, and the way in which we as a community are managing our waste, is becoming critical,” says Jamie Bull, Chair of Transition Town Otaki.

“We invite the community to join us in a forum with a panel of local leaders and experts to help create a new way forward for Otaki and Kapiti.”

“Our aim is to connect and educate, with the goal to inspire further development around the ‘Reuse, Recycle, Reduce’ approach to waste, which is in line with the stated desire of KCDC.”

“It is hoped that the key outcomes of this forum will assist in a new way forward for our community. With the recent change of stopping free collection of plastic rubbish bags, our community has responded and calling out for change. The current system is failing many and does not meet with the needs for a healthy community and our environment.”

“We have invited a great line-up of leaders in our community. The forum will look at the realities of where things are at now and what future development will look like in best and worst case scenario as relates to Otaki. Waste management is a major component of sustainability for our region and with the Kapiti Coast District Council taking a hands-off approach, which is different to the majority of local authority bodies across New Zealand, we believe the community wants to play a fundamental role in improving outcomes and setting some core principles and values around this.”

“We are very keen that this does not become ‘just another talk fest’ yet equally we consider it important that as we move forward as a community addressing the issues around waste management. We start from a base of knowledge and our panelists will help identify where we are at now, what other councils are doing and what are real possibilities for the future.”

Our panel are…

Glen O’Connor: Solid Waste Services Manager KCDC - identifying the current situation with respect to waste management at Kapiti Coast District Council, and any committed future possibilities. What is happening to our recycling?

Lucy Montgomery: Lucy’s Bins - will talk about the reality of being in the waste management business. The challenges of recycling and long-term plans for waste management.

Cr James Cootes: Otaki Ward Councillor KCDC -will discuss his sense of what Otaki community wants for waste management, and any unique challenges in our community with respect to waste management, ageing population, different communities.

Deirdre Kent: Low Carbon Kapiti - will give us an update on what is happening around New Zealand as other councils grapple with these challenges.

Leigh Ramsey: Chair Energise Otaki- will give real examples of what can be done with our waste and the challenges inherent in pursuing this.

Te Kawa Robb: Facilitator for Parakore in the Wellington region- will outline the Para Kore model of waste minimisation

Matthew Luxon: Envision New Zealand - will discuss the Xtreme Zero Waste initiative in Raglan as an example of what is possible in a small community.

WHERE
Wednesday 13th June 2018, 7pm - 8:45pm
Otaki College (staff lounge) 233 Mill Rd, Otaki
(followed by tea/coffee)

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