Jackson Street setting a green example
By Jamie Melbourne-Hayward
Coffee grinds its way to the compost heap. Already recycling glass and plastic, Go Bang Espresso has leapt into a new scheme to make Jackson Street the greenest shopping precinct in Wellington. Owner of Go Bang Espresso Cate Hall is taking part in a six week trial to test the viability of turning food waste into compost. ?It?s a very helpful, great initiative. There?s not more work for us, it?s just about being better organised. ?The coffee grinds are the most waste we put out,? she says. A Seaview recycling company collects the waste, which is a collection of coffee grinds, food scraps and other compostable matter. The cafe used to put all their waste into one bin, which would become another addition to the rapidly filling Silverstream Landfill. ?For us every little bit helps to keep waste out of the landfill. ?We all do it at home, but it?s harder to implement in the work place,? says Mrs Hall. She wants Go Bag Espresso to contrast with other Jackson Street shops that don?t recycle. ?It?s ultimately up to them, but it?s good if Jackson Street businesses can exert a positive influence. We want to show how easy it is, and how it can benefit the whole area,? she says. Jackson Street Programme manager Robert Hutton looked at data from the Hutt City Council and Weltec on where the most waste was produced in Petone, and found a focal point was local eateries. 75 percent of waste going to the landfill from Jackson Street comes from the 20 eateries on the strip. ?The trial figures showed that the eatery establishments produced the most waste. ?Instead of letting all that reach the landfill we want to recycle and compost it,? says Mr Hutton. Now He?s waiting to see if the waste can successfully become viable compost, with no adverse effects such as stench that could attract rodents. Mr Hutton says recycling, composting of food waste and energy efficiency are at the top of the list for Jackson Street businesses. ?We want to implement sustainable practices to help business save resources and money. ?We are hoping for a 70 percent take up, but that will take time,? he says. If the trial is successful the next step to becoming the ?greenest street? in New Zealand will be to apply for resource consent for composting food waste; a wholly different story to green waste. ?We want to reduce costs for Jackson street businesses by increasing recycling efficiency, especially with the increase in the cost of rubbish collection,? says Mr Hutton.
