This week is Conservation Week or Te Wiki Tiaki Ao Tūroa in New Zealand and the theme this year is taking a moment to act for nature. I absolutely love this idea and take more than a few moments for nature, whether that involves nature walks and bird watching or conserving water and electricity at home. In fact, everyone can help take care of the environment this week (and beyond) just by taking a few moments to think about nature as you make your decisions during the day.
“Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata – when the land is well, the people are well. When Papatūānuku thrives, we thrive.”
Let me assure you that each one of us can make a difference in big and little ways. Let’s explore ten of my favourite ways that our caring behaviors can benefit the environment and the earth we live on.
1) Shop Locally to Reduce Fuel Pollution
Shopping close to home reduces the fuel needed to bring products to you. Support local farmers, manufacturers, and retail brands by shopping nearby instead of ordering items from overseas.
2) Conserve Water and Give Water a Second Use
- Feed your plants with pasta water, they love it!
- Mop the floor with once-used dishwater
- Collect and use water when the tap runs hot
- Don’t leave the tap on when you clean or brush your teeth
- Only water at night when evaporation is least
There are so many ways to save water, these are just a few of my favourites. Did you know that plants love pasta water? So there’s no reason to throw it out. You can mop the floor with once-used soapy dishwater and even collect the water that usually goes down the drain when you run the water too hot.
3) Plant a Native Tree or Grow Native Potted Plants to Take Care of the Environment
The more we embrace the native biodiversity of New Zealand, the more New Zealand will thrive as its natural biome intended. If you are landscaping this year – or your lawn is simply looking lonely, plant a native tree. Sponsor the planting of trees in wild spaces. Or choose your favourite large planter and make a garden of any native varieties that you like best.
4) Become a Citizen Scientist for New Zealand
Did you know that New Zealand residents can become citizen scientists to help ecological groups? Count pigeons, spot fish on underwater cameras, or collect data on the wildlife near your home.
5) Get Your Children Involved as Kiwi Guardians
Children can help out, too. Kiwi Guardians can earn points by learning about nature and helping keep New Zealand clean and beautiful. From planting seeds to mapping the backyard to larger shared activities, your children may love the Kiwi Guardian program.
6) Community Gardening and Composting to Take Care of the Environment
Gardening and composting are great for the environment. But if you live in an apartment (or have a “black thumb”), then you can partner with your neighbours to create a shared gardening and composting project. Everyone can compost and everyone can garden – even if it takes large planters and brought-in earth to do it.
7) Creatively Up-Cycle Old Items
- Make new furniture from old furniture
- Sew old t-shirts and totes into blankets
- Repaint, rebuild, refinish, and refurbish
- Soak labels off jars and containers for home use
- Buy second-hand items
Don’t toss out old things with good parts, upcycle instead! You can make all sorts of things out of pieces of old furniture. Sew quilts from favourite old t-shirts, or refinish furniture that is still sturdy but no longer pretty. Reuse bottles and containers by soaking the labels off and, of course, take part by sharing and buying second-hand items.
8) Send Your Electronics to Be Recycled to Take Care of the Environment
Electronics should never be thrown away, they’re full of metals that are bad for landfills but wonderful for making new electronics. Send your old phones, keyboards, monitors, toasters – everything – to your local electronics recycler instead.
9) Hang a Clothesline
You don’t have to give up your dryer completely. But on a nice sunny day, you could enjoy the delight of an afternoon in the sun, of breeze-fresh clothes, and the comfort of spending zero electricity.
10) Treat Yourself to Smart Lights
Last but not least, treat yourself to a few smart lights. Not only are these clever lights able to “turn themselves off” when you leave home or are nowhere near a switch – they are also all LEDs and therefore use less electricity for every lumen.
Take Care of the Environment and Make a Difference
There are so many wonderful ways to participate in conservation week and keep conserving energy, power, and waste all year long. To learn more about loving and supporting native New Zealand and its incredible unique biome, sign up and join our blog community.