Something that I really have come to like a lot about New Zealand is the way that they seem to care more about the environment. Simple things like not being wasteful. Of course everywhere you go, there are going to be people who care and “do their part” but if I can pick out so many things that are different (in a good way) after being here for such a short time, I think it’s safe to say that New Zealanders are a bit more conscious about their environment.
The other day, Josh and I got some McDonalds. Of course you have to try McDonalds if you’re in another country! The cashier handed us our meal which contained two napkins. One for each of us. Isn’t that all you need? Well, in New York, they give you a handful of napkins in every fast food place you go and most people just end up throwing the rest away.
We have done a fair amount of food shopping, as well. Do you know that most people use their own reusable bags? They do. Also, if you have just enough things to carry, the cashier won’t even offer you a bag. Crazy, right? Carrying things with your hands? The best part is… you have to actually pay for the bags if you use them. Sure, it’s only a few cents but it’s still something.
People hang up their clothes here instead of using a dryer which wastes power.
There are laws that you have to recycle and on “recycle day” there is a green bin in front of EVERY house.
There is just no litter anywhere. It’s just not something people do.
Maybe that’s why New Zealand is so beautiful.
What do you do to make the world a better and more beautiful place?
It was the same in Australia! The thing that struck me the most was the reuseable bags- everyone used them all the time! I wish it could be more like that back here in the USA!
I hear Australia is beautiful too. :P
We sort our trash – plastic, paper, food are seperated from the rest. We also have containers placed around the city for glass and cans. I try to sort the best as I can – everything counts I think.
We have the same arrangement as NZ – you have to pay for the plastic bags at the grocery store. The only “problem” with that is the fact that we use this bags for trash, so we kinda need to have them. If we didn’t, I’d definetly use reusable bags.
Yeah, when I was in New York, I used a reusable bag most of the time but when I needed a garbage bag for the bathroom, I got groceries in platic bags.
When you lived here in the USA you used your own “green” bags when you food shopped. You were getting ready for the New Zealand way without even realizing it! ~ I use the plastic bags for trash, also. Otherwise I would probably use my own “green” bags, too! Love you, Mom xoxo
At least on the grocery store front, most people out here in Oregon use their own reusable bags. It’s really nice. I always get annoyed at myself when I forget to bring mine. Out here they don’t yet charge if you use a plastic bag, but you get 5 cents off if you bring your own!
Well that’s good to hear! It’s probably beautiful out there too. Stop n’ Shop used to do that – I forgot about that! I used to get a few cents off when I brought my green bags there!
You must have been shopping at Pak’n'Save (or maybe an independent supermarket) because they’re the only (chain) supermarket in NZ that charges for their bags. The others tend to go through bags like nobody’s business. I used to work for Countdown and Woolworths and they way we’d been taught to pack bags would be SO wasteful.
I always say “No bags.” and just use the shopping trolley to get the groceries to the car, and then I use a clothes basket to transfer them from the car to the house :).
I love my recycle bin! If it weren’t for my recycling bin, my Pepsi habit would be even worse because I would be polluting the planet with all the plastic bottles I end up with! Hehe.
Aww, don’t burst my bubble! Haha! Well that’s good that you (and probably a lot of other people) use no bags. I will be doing that too. :)
I hear you on the bottles. I have been addicted to Bundaberg Ginger Beer and L&P. We have nothing like it over in NY!
I agree…McDonald’s in other countries is so different from the ones here in the US. I have only been to the ones in Italy, but still.
To help the environment, James and I recycle the materials that we can. We bag them up and take them to the county’s recycling center about once a month. We also use the energy efficient bulbs in our home.
Not much, but I know it all adds up!
It definitely adds up! I’m glad to hear that lots of people do recycle. I guess where I was it was just bad. :P
That sounds a lot like Canada, very very environmentally conscious.
Me? Share songs on video?
Smile a lot.
Use my reusable Starbucks travel cup! Just got it a couple weeks ago, as I knew I was wasting resources with my to-go cups.
xo
You better keep making those videos because they definitely make the world a better place! :)
Ooh, reusable Starbucks cup is an awesome idea!!
We use reusable shopping bags here, but it’s not something everyone does. If I forget mine, we do use the plastic bags as small trash can liners and for sifting out the cat box. Our city has to pay for trash bags ($2 per big bag, or $1 per smaller one), and recycling is free. Except that in our apartment, we have a dumpster so we aren’t in that program. I don’t get to recycle and I hate throwing away cardboard boxes, cans, plastic and glass. Another reason to look forward to being able to buy a house.
I wish the US was more environmentally friendly, there are some baby steps in the right direction, but so much of our country is wasteful (Giant SUVs anyone?).
Well that makes sense. Your apartment needs to get its act together, haha. :P
Yeah, I hear you on the Giant SUVs. You don’t see that much here either!!
Hey! Visiting from SITS~ you have a lovely blog! I always daydream about living somewhere where I’m not the only one who cares about the simple things that add up big for our environment… All of the things you mentioned happen in my home here in the States, but I’m afraid I’m part of a minority…
Have a great weekend!
Thanks for visiting! It’s good to hear that there are a lot of people in the US that really do their part. :)
i’d love to live there! new zealand really is beautiful, i only see it on commercials haha
i wanna be there,
Oh, it’s gorgeous!
You’ve only seen the good people, eh? My flat mate using the dryer for EVERYTHING. God it drives me up the wall. I hate it. Our power bill for two people is so high. It’s stupid. >.<
Unfortunately, because I live in the middle of no where.. we have a land fill on our farm. well.. It's a huge hole in the ground that everything gets thrown into. No recycling or anything. I feel really bad about, especially since being around my aunt 2 years ago made me a little bit of a hippy!
You went to the Hawks Bay, hey? So you know what the fresh air here is like. Have you been to Auckland? My god the polution there is horrible. I HATED going outside when I lived there, because you can just smell the car fumes.. and. Erk. I'm not sure what Wellington is like (Are you staying there? I can't remember..) Is it fresh there too?
I think I will start recycling all on my own. I don't use much, but every bit helps. Keep NZ green aye! :)
Well after living in New York, even Aukland seems not polluted at all. :P
I will!
That does sound fantastic. We have the whole bag thing here in Calgary too. Most grocery stores charge 5cents per bag. I just bring my own re-usables in. It is so green friendly :D I just got back from Florida and I couldn’t believe how they basically had NO recycling! It is such a HUGE thing here. I felt a little pang of guilt every time I threw a bottle into the garbage. There was just no other place to put them. It sucks. I hope the world becomes more green friendly, and soon!
Yeah, so many places just don’t do it! It makes me so angry. At least I’m in a place where they do now!
Where I live in Canada, they passed a law that doesn’t allow free plastic shopping bags anymore. If you don’t bring your own reusable bags, they charge you for bags (of course, there are those bags still available for bagging things like apples) so I’m used to using reusable bags now – I keep one in my purse all the time.
Recycling here is the norm too – they just passed a motion in my city that all paper and food scraps go into the same bins as lawn clippings and such to all go to a main central composting area somewhere. Anything plastic or non-decomposing items go into the trash can as per usual – we have about half a can of non-decomposing things per week (5 member household) and a full can of clippings, papers, food scraps, etc.
Glad to hear that it’s like that by you, as well! :D
Oh how I wish more people here had the New Zealand attitude!
The UK is much the same as NZ. Very few driers, reusable bags and we have a green in and a blue bin for all the recycling.
I loved it when I first moved here and discovered all the little differences. Enjoy it while it lasts, it fades quickly.
I’ve definitely noticed that about New Zealand too! It’s much cleaner/environmentally friendly here. :)
…And this is why, for a first world country, the states is shockingly behind for environmental issues.
I had no idea it was actually TRUE that you guys didn’t recycle or have recycling days or anything. We have super strict recycling laws, anti-idling laws, pretty much zero plastic bags (we’re not like Ontario with their bag ban, but most stores have switched to reusable bags anyway), and to put a plastic bottle or a can in the garbage, even when you’re out and about (not at home), is unthinkable. There is ALWAYS A recycling bin next to the garbage bin. Not to mention tons of people here own smart cars or ride bikes everywhere :D
THAT being said, we still have a long way to go.
NZ apparently has more roundabouts than red lights to avoid idling, something we should totally get going on – there was an article in the paper awhile ago about how the city was looking into this but I haven’t heard anything since.
And of course a lot of big (in my experience, usually American) companies seem to think that they’re exempt to recycling laws and happily pay the fines rather than recycle properly.
But environmental measures are so important! And once you get used to doing something, it’s not a big deal at all. Never in my life have I thrown glass, paper, tin, or plastic drink containers in the garbage.
GAH.
I guess you hit a soft spot :D
I totally understand. It really frustrates me, too. I’m just glad that for now I’m in a place that seems to care like I do.
I never realized about the roundabouts being environmentally friendly but that makes so much sense!
The Blogger
I'm Caity! I am a New Yorker who married a Kiwi and recently moved across the world to New Zealand. I'm a math teacher who enjoys the outdoors, photography, video games, music, and general geekery.
Life is a great big adventure and I am beginning a whole new journey. It isn't always easy but it is always worth it. ♥
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