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GREEN GOLD
 in association with Greater Wellington Regional Council

~ sustainability projects

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2022 FINALISTS

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BLUE STAR  

Very Pressing issues

Blue Star knows sustainability is a serious issue. 
A marketing execution partner for their customers, the printing, logistics and design firm has an obsessive focus on keeping things sustainable.

It’s pioneered the use of soy-based inks, eco-friendly chemicals and sustainably sourced paper.  As well there’s a constant push to reduce waste and measure its carbon footprint among its 228 staff in Wellington.

“We take our leadership in the industry very seriously,” says Wellington Group General Manager 
Darren Comrie (pictured). “Our business must be responsible and sustainable, taking the right actions for our stakeholders and ultimately our planet.” 

 

LEARN MORE

www.bluestar.co.nz

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EAST BY WEST FERRIES

No ordinary Ferry 

Sometimes beer cans can help save the planet.

East by West Ferries swapped bottles for cans on its harbour ferries and they estimate the lighter loads will cut out about 1.9 tons of carbon going into the atmosphere each year.

Even better is their locally-built electric ferry Ika Rere, launched in March. The first fast zero-emission ferry in the Southern Hemisphere, Ika Rere is big, quiet and clean.

“We have set the benchmark for low-carbon, marine passenger transport,” says managing director 
Jeremy Ward (pictured). “Now others are looking to follow in our wake!”

 

LEARN MORE

www.eastbywest.co.nz

www.facebook.com/eastbywestferries

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JH WHITTAKER & SON 

Clean Green Beans 

Crafting chocolatey goodness isn’t the only great thing Whittaker’s does.

From 2025, its aim is to have both fully sustainable packaging, and to ensure all its cocoa is 100% traceable to farm level.

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“We’re making great progress on delivering to those goals,” says Whittaker’s co-Chief Operating Officer Matt Whittaker (pictured with co-Chief Operating Officer  Holly Whittaker). “We have had full traceability of the speciality beans we source from Samoa and Nicaragua for some time through our direct relationships there. And thanks to our investment in geo-mapping the Ghanian farms we source from, this year we have delivered on our goal of 100% traceable beans!”

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“As New Zealand’s Most Trusted Brand, we want to do what we can to protect the environment for future generations”.

That’s the total sustainable package.

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LEARN MORE

www.whittakers.co.nz

www.facebook.com/WhittakersNZ

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ORBA SHOES

Carbon Zero footprints

Kapiti’s Orba Shoes have created a product that does it all, environmentally speaking.

Using flax, hemp, cotton, cork, coconut husk and natural rubber, the Ghost sneaker is made with plant-based materials with minimum environmental impact, and it can be disposed of leaving no trace.

It won the Sustainability category of the Global Footwear Awards and the NZ Best Design Awards.

“We put sustainable practices at the core of our decision-making,” says Sustainability manager 
Gillian Boucher (pictured). “This applies to staff, suppliers, materials and processes. It’s not just the products, it’s our business culture.”

 

LEARN MORE

www.orbashoes.eco
www.facebook.com/orbashoes 

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WONKY

Ugly Beautiful

Getting a Wonky Box of fruit and veges means you’ve just broken the  grocery duopoly all by yourself. With a bit of help from Wonky.

 

Their crew takes produce from farmers and delivers it to customers’ doors, in a very carbon reduced way.

 

Co-founder Angus Simms (pictured right with co-founder Katie Jackson) says food waste is a big issue, and Wonky is a nice solution. But it is also a great way to make big cuts in weekly food costs.

 

“By shortening the supply chain, we remove the ticket clippers and help out the producers of this great food.”

 

LEARN MORE

www.Wonkybox.nz

www.facebook.com/wonkybox

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YY NATION

One giant green leap for mankind

It was a Hawaiian beach which sparked the idea for footwear firm YY Nation.

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Founder Jeremy Bank (pictured) saw blue plastic specks in the sand which didn’t belong. He asked why was it there and why wasn’t more done to fix this. 

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YY Nation’s new range of four sneakers are full of natural and recycled materials, from sugarcane, pineapple husk, to Merino wool, bamboo and ocean plastics. Launching with the Worlds lowest carbon footprint sneaker was just the start. 

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“The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters on the planet.  We set out to change that with innovation, building great shoes that makes the world better.”

 

LEARN MORE:

www.yynation.com

www.facebook.com/yynation/

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