Your green idea could be worth a small fortune

Peter Yealands’ mission is to create New Zealand’s first fully sustainable winery and he is challenging Kiwis to help him out and win $50,000 in the process.

“My goal is to produce great wines that anyone can enjoy, whilst significantly reducing the environmental impact,” says Peter Yealands – a long-term advocate of sustainable practises.

“To achieve this, we’re using wind turbines, solar panels, rainfall harvesting and other innovative techniques. Now I want to hear your ideas for lessening your impact on the environment,” he says.

Green ideas submitted don’t have to be around wine production. “People can think big, say with an idea for a new biofuel to power commercial airliners around the globe, or how to reduce the amount of energy needed to run a single home appliance,” says Peter.

To enter people should buy any bottle of Yealands or Yealands Estate wine and enter using the promotional code by June 8th 2009. Entries can be online at www.mygreenidea.co.nz, by TXT, by posting in the neck tag on the bottle of wine, or in-bar if they order Yealands wines.

One of Peter’s more innovative green experiments is the trial of guinea pigs to keep the grass – and exhaust emissions – down at Yealands Estate.

“Unlike sheep which developed a taste for the vines, guinea pigs are no threat to vine growth as they’re so small. The little critters graze and breed requiring little sleep, and eat a surprising amount of grass for their body size,” says Peter.

In addition to a first prize place of $50,000 cash, there is a further $25,000 in prizes split between weekly winners ($500 each). The first week’s winning ideas follow.

For more information and terms and conditions, visit www.mygreenidea.co.nz


First week’s winning ideas:
“I would like to see milk bars in supermarkets dispensing milk from bulk containers into customers own containers. Would save plastic and cardboard waste.”
- Shelley Morison, Auckland

“Place black drainage pipes filled with concrete along the rows of vines, giving off heat at night to avoid frost damage.”
- John Taylor, Gore

“Have a separate tank attached to wastetaker outlet and use product on garden.”
- Mary Bimler, Amberley N.Z.

“Urban veggies! Don't buy any veggies this time of the year. Compost all green waste. No 'food miles' for us too...”
- Joe Nawalaniec, Carterton

About Yealands Estate:

Peter Yealands began developing New Zealand’s largest privately-owned vineyard six years ago in the rolling foothills of the Awatere Valley, Marlborough with a 100 per cent commitment to the environment.

He terraced the slopes of land considered unsuitable for viticulture, and his unwavering vision has translated into a $45 million winery, featuring advanced green production technology alongside a host of innovative ideas devised by the Yealands team.

Yealands Estate anticipates total energy savings of 949,000kWh in its first year of operation. Put into perspective, this saving represents the total annual energy consumption of more than 118 New Zealand households.

Yealands wines launched to great acclaim in August last year, and have collected 28 awards in the first year, which goes to show that being green also means making a great drop.