Wonky cherries transformed into cola, discarded fishing nets repurposed into kitchen panels, a waste waka cleaning the streets, and community composting efforts were all celebrated at the 2024 Tāmaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards.
The awards night, held on Thursday 24 October, honoured outstanding contributions to zero waste initiatives from people right across Auckland. Among the guests were the 170 individuals, groups, schools, marae, businesses, and social enterprises that were nominated for their dedication to reducing waste and championing sustainability across the region.
"We celebrate the work and success of Zero Waste Award winners and nominees in reducing waste and supporting a circular economy. We had a record number of nominations this year which is testament to the ingenuity and aspirations of every Aucklander working in this space. Auckland Council congratulates the winners and thanks everyone who is striving for a Zero-Waste future,” says Parul Sood, Deputy Director Resilience and Infrastructure at Auckland Council.
Judges Charmaine Bailie (Uru Whakaaro), Ngarimu Blair (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei), Parul Sood (Auckland Council) and Carla Gee (EcoMatters) selected winners as well as highly commending several other entries in each of the six categories.
Rangatahi Leadership Award - Rangatahi, rangawhenua, rangatangata
The winner is Pacific Vision Aotearoa’s Food Hub Gang. The self-named trio of young volunteers - Nazihah Buksh, Ayla Brockes, and Alena Lui - collects food scraps from New World supermarket to create compost at the Papatoetoe Food Hub. Despite their busy schedules, they contribute weekly with dedication, diverting 1.5 tonnes of waste from landfills. Each member has a unique role, with their efforts supporting community gardens and highlighting the importance of reducing waste.
Growing the Movement Award - Whakakanohi i te kaupapa para kore
The winner is Brigitte Sistig, co-founder of Repair Cafe Aotearoa NZ and a key figure since 2013. She was part of the 2016 Auckland Council funded "Repair Café Auckland", delivering 18 events with 12 community partners across Tāmaki Makaurau. Now largely volunteering as the Co-Founder of Repair Cafe Aotearoa NZ, she helps manage 22 regular Repair Cafes in Auckland, at both permanent and pop-up locations, with the first Repair Festival having taken place in September 2024. Brigitte also leads the Right to Repair Aotearoa Coalition, advocating for the Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill Campaign.
Brigitte Sistig of Repair Cafe Aotearoa NZ, winner of the Growing the Movement - Whakakanohi i te kaupapa para kore award.
Community Collaboration Award - Hā ora, Hāpori
The winner is Junk2Go, a rubbish collection business in Avondale that focuses on diverting usable items to people in need instead of sending them to landfill. Collected items like furniture, clothing, appliances, and e-waste are sorted and donated through the "Junk2Go turning Junk2Good" initiative. Nothing is sold. Their depot opens weekly to charity partners, allowing them and the families they support to freely take what they need, helping to turn houses into homes.
Cultural Connection Award - Whīria te ahurea, whīria te kaitīakitanga
The winner is PlanetFM, a not-for-profit community radio station, that amplifies the voices of Tāmaki Makaurau's minority and special interest groups. It has supported the zero waste campaign by broadcasting programmes and ads in multiple languages, including Arabic, Nepali, and Tamil, to reach ethnically diverse communities. Volunteers were trained to promote zero waste and used their networks to extend the campaign’s impact, delivering messages in culturally relevant ways through trusted community leaders.
Innovation Award - Anga whakamua
The winner is Clevaco. Clevaco created New Zealand’s first circular building foundation with its CLEVA POD® system, made from 100% recycled plastic. This system replaces polystyrene pods and can be fully recovered during demolition, avoiding landfill waste. CLEVA POD® offers the building industry an easy, sustainable alternative. Clevaco partners with companies committed to environmental practices, helping them adopt circular construction and sustainable building methods.
L-R: Andrew Minturn and Grant Brown of Clevaco, winner of the Innovation - Anga whakamua award.
Community Engagement – Food Scraps Service Rollout – Rukenga kai
The joint winners are A Fool’s Company and the EcoMatters Food Scraps team.
A Fool’s Company helped roll out the food scraps service with an interactive theatre show for primary schools in Tāmaki Makaurau. "Freddie's Food Scraps Quest: A Rukenga Kai Story" is a 45-minute performance combining storytelling, comedy, music, and audience participation. Teaching children the importance of rukenga kai, 75 shows have reached over 11,000 children and 500 adults since August 2023. The success has led to renewed funding, allowing free performances across the region and expansion into recycling education.
L-R: George Shead and Melissa Cameron of A Fool’s Company, joint-winner of the Community Engagement – Food Scraps Service Rollout – Rukenga kai award.
The EcoMatters Food Scraps team received six individual nominations. They spent 10 months educating Tāmaki Makaurau residents on using the rukenga kai service. A team of 25 canvassers held over 35,000 conversations across 98 areas, putting in 3000 hours. They engaged the public at community events, door-knocking, and even beside sports fields.
This year’s awards were organised by EcoMatters Environment Trust, in partnership with Auckland Council, as part of its aspirational goal for Tāmaki Makaurau to be zero waste by 2040.
