The annual Strengthening Communities Hui has kicked off this morning on the shores of beautiful Lake Karāpiro in Waikato. The Hui is the annual meeting of the Zero Waste Network, Community Energy Network and Environment Hubs Aotearoa.
The theme this year is ‘Regional Connections.’
“Over the last few years the importance of a thriving, local community has been made very clear. As we face greater challenges with climate change and extreme pressures on our natural ecosystems, it makes sense to develop strong regional interconnections between organisations that work for energy resilience, zero waste and ecological care,” said Dorte Wray, Executive Officer of the Zero Waste Network.
“This year, we want to bring members from across the three networks to explore what might be possible, and what is already happening, on a regional level.”
“Waikato is a really appropriate place to have this conversation. It is home to Network member Xtreme Zero Waste in Whaingāroa/Raglan, which sets an example for the whole country about what is possible in terms of achieving waste minimisation, developing sustainable employment and building community connections.”
“It is also home to Para Kore, a kaupapa Māori zero waste organisation that delivers a te ao Māori based sustainability education programme called Oranga Taiao across the country, and GoEco, an environment centre who support a regional ecosystem of communities, groups, ideas and projects that bear the fruit of healthy environments and thriving communities.”
“Waikato is also home to a proposal for a massive toxic incinerator in Te Awamutu that would burn plastics, tyres and mixed household waste. It’s important that we build knowledge about the alternatives to polluting proposals like these that lock communities into creating more waste and perpetuate burning fossil fuels.”
“We’ll be asking some critical questions of our networks such as: What are some of the foundations needed to build solid regional relationships and projects? And what are the opportunities that exist in your region? We will emerge stronger and more connected at the end of the three day Hui.”