Waste on the Wild Side

Those of you with an appetite for adventure, gumboot milkshakes and huhu grubs will be familiar with the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival. Recently Waste Exchange has begun making its own contribution (and it didn’t require a cast-iron stomach). 

In 2006’s March festival reused cardboard drums and paper bags have supplanted plastic ones as the waste receptacles. The move is part of a vision by organisers to make the festival more environmentally friendly. In the 2005 festival organisers began integrating recyclable materials into the festival. The festival offered biodegradable cups made from corn paste, an effort which won them an environmental award. This year they wanted to take their efforts further. 

West Coast Regional Waste Minimisation Officer Gill Pontin put organiser Mike Keenan onto TerraNova Waste Exchange to find suitable reusable and recyclable items for the festival. The Waste Exchange service was recently extended to the West Coast and Mike’s interest coincided with the first visit by co-ordinator Jim Forsman. With approximately 18,000 people attending the festival Mike knew from experience that along with them there would be a lot of rubbish. Through Waste Exchange Mike was able to access 100 cardboard drums and 400 large paper bags, which will be used for waste collection. “We didn’t now what was available (through Waste Exchange) until Gill suggested it” Mike says. “This is a good thing for us, with our plans to be more environmentally friendly. There will be savings in end, and we hope in the next few years to become even more biodegradable and recyclable.” 

The Wildfoods Festival takes place in Hokitika each March.