First off, I’m sorry for my absence. These past weeks after coming back from New Zealand really took me by surprise. It was more difficult than expected to go back to my (rather) busy routine.
My trip to New Zealand’s south island had so many highlights it’s difficult to pick where to start. Amazing scenery, great wines, heaps of adventure and lots of sustainable actions all over the country.
Seen in a convenience store in Fox Glacier
New Zealand is definitely a hub luscious natural feats and to preserve their delicate ecosystem, government and local authorities seem to be really on it, pushing for environmentally-friendly solutions and actions.
What New Zealand is Doing to Reduce Waste
Everywhere I looked, be it parks, tourist attractions and private business, there was something being done for the environment. Even convenience stores which are usually a haven for waste are asking for thoughtful plastic consumption and request that you bring your own or go without!
Most restaurants & cafes offer compostable serveware.
What I possibly got more excited about is the fact that even large tourist business tried offering better options to use instead of plastic.
Business are offering ‘greener’ options, such as wooden cutlery and recycled cups and serviettes. Some are going even further and when possible, providing reusable cutlery and glass cups and mugs.
Glass mugs for coffee on the Milford Sound cruise
Proper cutlery at the Puzzling World, Wanaka
Several places offer not only a rubbish and recycling disposals but also compostable stations to help people dispose of consciously.
Water is also widely available on tap everywhere, like in Australia, but cups are always in glass except in rare occasions or places where there’s little structure.
Most fresh produce is also loose and very little comes packaged.
I did some grocery shopping and most stuff comes free from plastic.
Like in Australia, you are charged for plastic bags at the checkout but you are most definitely encouraged to use boxes or bring your own bags.
Also, I could notice quite often several stations of rubbish collection with Recycling, Composting and Landfill options instead of just a recycling and rubbish bin here in Australia.
All in all, these seem like small changes but they affect the environment greatly and encourage the population to reduce their waste and dispose of consciously.
Have you travelled to other places where the environmental policies caught your attention? Or mostly you only see more rubbish than in Australia?
And what do you struggle most when travelling? Share it in the comments!
Peace & Love,
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2 Comments
Lucie
14/10/2018 at 2:34 amHi there, I am travelling with my family and we’re trying to reduce our waste, and finding ways to connect with others with similar passions. The challenging part is the need for bottled water, in places we are unable to drink from the tap. Where we can, we find refill stations, but its not always possible.
Larissa Tedesco
14/10/2018 at 10:43 amHope we can meet in Australia Lucie!