Commercial Award
Sponsored by Landcorp Farming Ltd
Winner - Southern Discoveries Ltd
Sinbad Sanctuary
Thousands of people see Sinbad Gully every year when they visit Milford Sound – but only a tiny handful will ever set foot there. The remote area at the base of Mitre Peak has become a sanctuary for rare species of lizards and geckos, and is once again home to kiwi, thanks to the efforts of Southern Discoveries, who are funding DOC and the Fiordland Conservation Trust in their work to control predators and make the area safe for native species once again. As well as committing thousands of dollars each year, Southern Discoveries also encourages its staff to volunteer their time to set and check traps at the Sinbad Sanctuary.
Highly Commended – Rain Espresso
The sustainable café
When Megan and Paul Breen moved to Invercargill from Wellington, they brought along their personal dedication to sustainability and now they’re injecting good environmental ethics into the city’s café culture. The Breens made a conscious decision not to sell drinks in plastic bottles – you’ll only find glass or plant-based bottles in their chiller. From their fully biodegradable and compostable takeaway cups and salad bowls to the local produce they serve at the counter, Rain Espresso is a model for how businesses can minimise their environmental footprint.
Highly Commended - Rakiura Resource Recovery Centre.
Islanders lead the way
When it comes to kerbside recycling and waste minimisation, Stewart Islanders are years ahead of the rest of Southland. The Rakiura Resource Recovery Centre is the clearing house for all of Stewart Island’s waste and recycling. From used car batteries to food scraps, they sort and process the lot – and they even manage to show a profit.
The island’s community has been recovering and recycling all of its waste since 2003. The Resource Recovery Centre crushes glass, feeds the community’s food scraps to the worms, and bales up everything that can be recycled so it can be shipped off the island for reprocessing – in the last seven years they’ve diverted an estimated 1200 tonnes of waste away from landfill. They run a second-chance shop and even old bedframes get a new lease of life – apparently these are very popular with people wanting to refurbish their glasshouses.
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.