How We’ve Been Building a Sustainable Future, One Step at a Time
Happy New Year! Thank you for making 2024 a year to remember
We wanted to kick off 2025 by celebrating you and everything you helped us achieve last year to make it easier for everyone across Mercury Bay to integrate waste minimisation into their everyday lives.
More and more people are joining us in our campaigns, from the Reuse Revolution (SUCFree and Refill NZ), Plastic Free July and Food Focus (Food Waste Prevention and Kete Kai Cookbook) campaigns (links to the web page), but there’s still a long way to go. We’re already planning how to inspire even more people this year – and we want you to be part of it. So, if you have an idea for a project or want to join us in making a difference, drop us a line at hello@wahitukurua.co.nz and let’s make it happen!
Over the past year, we’ve embarked on an incredible journey to turn waste into action and build a resilient, sustainable future for our community. Every campaign, event, and initiative we’ve undertaken has been a deliberate step towards achieving this vision. As we prepare to open our new Resource Recovery Centre in 2025, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on how far we’ve come—and where we’re headed next.
Thanks to you, last year we have taken these steps:
Step 1: Raising Awareness
2024 started with bang as we began creating awareness around single-use waste. Our SUCFree Mercury Bay and the Thirsty Thursdays campaign sparked conversations in cafes across Mercury Bay, encouraging the use of reusable cups and even edible alternatives. Through this initiative, we reduced the number of single-use cups going to landfill by more than 13.4%, supported local businesses, and empowered individuals to make more sustainable choices.
It was amazingly rewarding to have our efforts here recognised by the Hauraki Coromandel Business Awards team – two category nominations and a win in the Waste Minimisation – Environmental category!
Step 2: Inspiring Action
In September, we hosted our second World Cleanup Day event. This year’s theme, "Less is More," focused on minimising waste and highlighting the overwhelming presence of plastic in our environment. Together, we collected 390 kg of waste, with plastic making up the majority. This wasn’t just about cleaning up—it was about starting conversations around how waste gets into our oceans, impacts the food chain, and affects future generations.
Step 3: Food Focus
As the year drew to a close, we were excited to introduce Kete Kai, our food waste minimisation cookbook. This collection of delicious, easy-to-follow recipes is designed to help families and individuals reduce food waste while making the most of every ingredient. With a focus on sustainability, Kete Kai offers creative solutions to transform leftovers and overlooked items into nutritious meals. Grab yours here.
The Big Picture
While these steps may seem distinct, they’re all connected by a common thread: our commitment to turning waste into action. Each initiative has built on the last, creating a ripple effect of positive change. Our journey has shown that small, consistent actions can lead to significant outcomes when we work together.
What’s Next?
As our efforts gained momentum, we’ve worked tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare for the next big step: the opening of the Resource Recovery Centre in 2025. This facility is more than a place to manage waste; it’s a hub for education, innovation, and community collaboration. It will allow us to expand into programs like repair workshops, waste audits, and recycling initiatives, making an even greater impact in our community.
With the Resource Recovery Centre opening soon, we’re excited to take our mission to the next level. From launching EveryBite in February and Repair Cafés in October to expanding our Cleanup Day efforts across the district In September, there’s so much more to come. But we can’t do it alone. We’re calling on our community to join us in this movement. Together, we can continue building a sustainable future—one step at a time.
Thank you for being part of this journey to date. Let’s keep going, one step closer to a resilient, sustainable future.
Here’s to another year of teamwork, innovation, and making a waste minimisation mindset the norm in Mercury Bay. Thank you for being with us on this journey - we can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together in 2025.
