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Avon Electric

Sustainable Living on the Increase - New Trust Established

Sunday, August 03, 2008
Most of us want to do the right thing by the environment, but waver when it comes to knowing how to, and then having the motivation to stick with it.

But for the nearly 2000 New Zealanders who last year took part in a district council or regional council sponsored course with Sustainable Living Programme, living more-sustainably is becoming a habit.

Now a new trust established to develop the programme nationally, The Sustainable Living Education Trust plans to guide 3000 more Kiwis to a sustainable lifestyle in the next 12 months. The not for profit trust, which is awaiting charity registration, is the brainchild of seven of the 25 local councils that make up the Sustainable Living Programme.

On 1st August the trust deed was signed and an official launch will occur before the end of the year, once the charity is registered. National Coordinator Rhys Taylor says the trust will provide a strategic backbone for the programme, with inaugural trustees drawn from staff at partner councils, including Auckland City, Greater Wellington Regional, Christchurch City, Waimakariri District, Dunedin City and Environment Southland. “All have extensive skills and a range of experiences to bring to the trust.”

“After six years of locally organised courses across New Zealand, it is positive that a national governance structure is coming together to take the programme to the next level.”

“The growing public popularity of the programme has meant servicing more and more council partners. The trust will be able to develop governance capacity beyond reliance on one Council as 'host'.” Since the outset, Marlborough District Council has coordinated and overseen the programme’s national delivery.

Six new partner councils joined the programme last financial year. These are Gisborne District Council, Kapiti Coast District, Palmerston North City, Waimakariri District, Greater Wellington Region and Auckland City. Councils planning to join in the next year include Wanganui, Far North and Waitaki Districts.

The programme focuses on practical tips and techniques to reduce your environmental footprint, such as house insulation, shopping choices to reduce waste, lower-carbon transport, and alternatives to toxic cleaning chemicals, plus practical composting techniques.

The Programme website is: www.sustainableliving.org.nz