The 500 residents of Waitati, a township 19km north of Dunedin city, are showing how to live a sustainable lifestyle. Sarah Harvey reports on how "people power" can make a difference.

Otago Daily Times
http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/16790/sufficiency-efficiency-pluc...

Residents of the seaside settlement of Waitati are building on their "1970s hippie roots" and are remodelling the township into a hub for energy-saving and sustainability. In the backyards of many Waitati residents' homes are flourishing vegetable gardens, hen houses and composting toilets. Not for them, petrol-guzzling vehicles; instead a proposed "hitching" scheme could see residents wait at designated pick-up points to save on petrol and cut environmental impacts.

The Waitati Energy Project is the driver of the movement and co-ordinator Scott Willis, a University of Otago lecturer in anthropology and Waitati resident, is amazed at the will in the community to get things done. The turning point came in 2006 when the area was cut off by floodwaters. Houses, infrastructure and crops were damaged, and residents realised they could not rely on centralised authorities for help. They needed to help themselves. » Read more

2010-2011 Focus

The Blueskin Energy Project is a community led project. It is also the Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust's economic project and flagship. While taking an integrated approach, the 2010-2011 strategy is to progress the community wind cluster development.

New Blueskin Power Website! » Read more

Waitati School Environmental Code

1. We conserve energy by shutting doors to keep rooms warm and turning off appliances and lights when not in use

2. We conserve water by turning taps off properly

3. We care about our health so we eat a variety of healthy food and exercise regularly

4. We respect living creatures and enjoy watching them and not hurting them

5. We care for plants and trees by weeding and watering them and not hurting them

6. We are responsible for our waste by using compost bins and rubbish bins correctly » Read more