LoveNZ recycling bins ready for action

Thirty attractive new recycling bins were revealed at a launch in Taupo yesterday to coincide with World Environment Day. The ‘LoveNZ Recycle With Care’ bins have been installed throughout the town centre, lakefront, reserves and other tourist locations.

The bins are part of a nationwide sustainability initiative funded by Ministry for the Environment and being coordinated in the region by Environment Waikato. Taupo and Raglan were both selected to partake in the project.

Councillor Kathryn Uvhagen and Taupo MP Honourable Mark Burton were present to officially unveil the bins in front of school and day care groups, Council representatives and the general public.

Cr Uvhagen says, “The LOVENZ recycle bins will help raise public awareness that not only do we value our beautiful town, but we expect and ask visitors as well as locals to recycle with care. I’m delighted that Taupo District Council has taken advantage of the government funding offer to install the bins.”

Hon Mark Burton told the public that the enormous global challenges we face can appear too difficult to fix, but the LoveNZ Recycling initiative is one of a myriad of small projects all over the world which do make a difference.

“Here in Taupo, we are gifted with the responsibility and guardianship of the most beautiful treasures on the planet. We have to look for the small things we can do every day which make a difference,” he says.

Those who brought recyclables along to the launch were rewarded with a native tree and a LoveNZ t-shirt.

Waikato University students designed the smart silver bins and created a marketing campaign and website to promote their use. The recycling bins will be located next to regular rubbish bins and usage will be tracked over the next two months in order to assess the impact of the project.