As pandemic infection worries calm and the locked-down population of New Zealand begins to think more creatively about the future…. Earth Day has arrived.

To mark this, Sustainable Living Education Trust is publishing eight free guides to sustainability actions at home, on its website sustainableliving.org.nz

The free downloads cover garden food growing, shopping choices that help the environment, energy efficiency, house design for warm dry homes, low-carbon travel, waste minimisation, water use and river care, and community resilience in emergencies.

Trust National Coordinator Rhys Taylor, from his home and productive garden in Geraldine, South Canterbury, says “the community education programme was first developed for evening classes at high schools but has been adapted for informal study groups and workmates who can use it on-line, adding discussion by social media and conferencing such as Zoom or Skype. The Trust itself meets on-line and requires no permanent office or vehicles.”

Sustainable Living is also recruiting facilitators in 12 Districts of New Zealand to help run short courses, weekend study groups and on-line discussions using these learning guides. “The website details how local facilitators can use Future Living Skills learning guides and we also publish extra information on the member council areas, visual aids and group activities.” Says Taylor.

From north to south across Aotearoa, the Trust is currently supported by: Hauraki District, Kapiti Coast District, Wellington City, Masterton District, Nelson City, Tasman District, Marlborough District, Chatham Islands, Waimakariri District, Christchurch City, Timaru District and Dunedin City. More councils are in discussion about joining from July.

The Trust has no commercial sponsorship and independent editorial. Grant funding in recognition of Future Livings Skills’ relevance to waste minimisation education comes from The Waste Minimisation Fund of the Ministry for Environment.

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