Anthropologist Margaret Mead said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” We may not have changed the world in the last few weeks, but we’ve certainly achieved a huge amount thanks to our fantastic team of volunteers.
It has been a bit of a saga, but we’re now open at Bank Street, and finally have phone and internet again! Apologies for a patchy online presence over the last two weeks whilst we’ve been cut off and trying to keep up online from home, as well as keep the EcoCentre doors open, organise the move, deal with a new grant coming in (hooray!) and write a proposal for the Council about the Lighthouse building which has been our home for the last five years.
Additionally the team has been busy organising the Hot Composting presentation at Far North REAP this coming Friday evening, with a display the next day at the Kaitāia market and a workshop following on afterwards setting the box up in its new home (see event for more details).
The Kiwi Bottle Drive are presenting their petition to Parliament on Tuesday 4th December, if you haven’t signed it yet you can pop in to the EcoCentre this week and sign the paper copy, or sign online at www.kiwibottledrive.nz Local environmental campaigner Warren Snow got this up and running, and was recently recognised for his work at the Waste MINZ hui in Christchurch with an award. Not one to sit on his laurels though he was out on the streets of Kaikohe yesterday collecting signatures for the return of a bottle deposit scheme to Aotearoa NZ.
Everywhere such deposit schemes have been introduced around the world has seen a huge rise in the amount of recycling and reduction in littering. We know recycling plastic isn’t the cure-all to our problems, but it certainly keeps it out of our oceans. We’ll have a post soon about the Awesome Ahipara Beach Clean up that took place on 10th November where all manner of detritus was removed from our beach and dunes to keep it out of the moana.
And there’s more… we’ve a limited edition of the Kaitāia Kete being produced for the festive season which will be available soon, market stalls planned, celebrations and we’ve still to shift the noticeboards and murals to Bank Street from the Lighthouse building! So please forgive us if we’re looking a bit frazzled, it has been pretty full on lately; which probably isn’t the best way to say we need some more volunteers, but hey… We really need two people on duty all the time at the EcoCentre so that we can serve those coming in through the doors as well as keep on top of all the other work that needs done. If you’re interested in helping out please contact us, or pop in and have a chat. Volunteers who sign up with Kaitāia TimeBank can earn timecredits for the hours they put in.