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Sustainability Tips from our Kaitiaki!

He Toa Taiao is our kaupapa all about protecting our natural taonga of Aotearoa and looking after our earth – with passion!
Our kaitiaki Tāne, Waitaki, Te Hau, Mārama and their kurī (dog) Manawa all love to protect Aotearoa. Check out some of their top sustainability tips below!
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Kia ora, e hoa mā, ko Te Hau taku ikoa, kaitiaki of the air!

Did you know that around 3/4 of electricity in Aotearoa comes from renewable energy sources? Renewable energy is energy from natural resources that are naturally replenishing as they are used, this includes wind energy from wind turbines.

Aotearoa has one of the best wind resources in the world. Wind energy can be used to turn the blades of a turbine, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity. Wind energy production does not produce any air pollution or greenhouse gas emissions during operation.

There are 17 wind farms operating in Aotearoa and these wind farms currently have a combined installed capacity of 690 megawatts. They supply around 6% of New Zealand’s annual electricity generation, which is about the same amount of electricity as 300,000 kiwi homes use in a year.

AKU TINO ĀWHINA | MY TOP TIPS!

  • Help out your whānau to keep your electricity bill low by switching off lights and appliances when you’re not using them.
  • Do your bit to conserve water and save money by taking shorter showers and not running the tap when you’re brushing your teeth or washing dishes – every little bit helps!
  • Do your bit to conserve water and save money by taking shorter showers and not running the tap when you’re brushing your teeth or washing dishes – every little bit helps!
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Ko Tāne ahau. I’m kaitiaki of the land  – Aotearoa the land of the long white cloud!

I am passionate about looking after our planet and what we can do to care for our land – our most precious taonga. The more we can do today to look after the earth the better. We need to change our ways today for the generations to come after us.

Protecting our planet from rubbish and unnecessary waste is so important and you can play a big role in this kaitiaki kids!

AKU TINO ĀWHINA | MY TOP TIPS!

  • Reduce, reuse, recycle – an oldie but a goodie! Tamariki mā think about your waste and rubbish, and reduce buying unnecessary things where possible.
  • Recycle everything! There’s always a use for something – if you don’t need it maybe someone else would like it. Join a neighbourhood page online where you can swop or share items you don’t need anymore.
  • Reuse. Get as much out of items as you can. Reuse paper bags, plastic bags and work out what you can do with items like meat trays from the supermarket or cardboard boxes. I’d love to see some of your best ideas tamariki mā!
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Ko Waitaki taku ikoa! I’m kaitiaki of water!

I want to share with everyone how important it is to look after our rivers, lakes, and oceans here in Aotearoa and the world.

Our waterways are in crisis because of pollution and climate change, meaning that some of our favourite swimming spots are not safe to swim in, and water wildlife is in danger. We especially need fresh water to survive and so do our fish, insects and plants, so we need to look after our lakes and rivers!

So, tamariki mā, what can we do to help conserve water and keep our water clean and fresh for everyone?

AKU TINO ĀWHINA | MY TOP TIPS!

  • Make sure rubbish and harmful chemicals don’t go into your drains – did you know that stormwater drains connect to our streams and sea?!
  • Use eco-friendly soaps and detergents
  • Help conserve water by using less! I also use a bucket to collect rainwater for my plants.
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Kia ora, ko Marama taku ikoa! I’m the kaitiaki of the sun.

How much do we love the sun? It’s another source of renewable energy! Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. You can make your own electricity or heat your water with solar power for your whare. But it’s still expensive in Aotearoa so it’s not affordable for everyone.

Here are some ways you can utilise the power of the sun – without the big bill.

AKU TINO ĀWHINA | MY TOP TIPS!

  • Dry your washing outside. In summer use the sun to dry anything and everything! Don’t leave your washing indoors on a rack, put it outside. The sun can also get rid of stains on clothes or towels!
  • Do you have a greenhouse or a garden? The sun will help you to grow plants or vegetables with ease! Choose a spot facing the sun and remember to water regularly. Growing items from seeds is easy – see our previous pānui for ideas on how to grow seeds in egg cartons!
  • The sun can help you feel better! Vitamin D comes from the sun and is better than anything else if you’re feeling tired or run down. Sit outside with your face in the sun (being sun smart of course! Slip slop slap tamariki mā) and enjoy this powerful force of nature!