logo
Funding Available For New Projects To Reduce Waste In Tauranga

Funding Available For New Projects To Reduce Waste In Tauranga

Scoop02-05-2025

Press Release – Tauranga City Council
With grants of up to $25,000 available from a total pool of $100,000, individuals, community groups, businesses, iwi/Mori organisations, and educational providers are encouraged to submit applications for waste minimisation projects by Friday 13 …
Tauranga City Council is pleased to announce applications are open for its annual Resource Wise Community Fund, supporting local initiatives aimed at reducing waste to landfill.
With grants of up to $25,000 available from a total pool of $100,000, individuals, community groups, businesses, iwi/Māori organisations, and educational providers are encouraged to submit applications for waste minimisation projects by Friday 13 June.
Building on the success of previous years, which saw impressive contributions from a range of recipients including Bin Inn Papamoa, A&J Demolition, Confidential Document Destruction, Emroce, Sustainability Options, Envirohub, AgainAgain events, Good Neighbour, Pacific Coast Village, and the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, the Resource Wise Community Fund continues to champion innovative solutions to reduce landfill waste.
Daniel Smith, Manager of Sustainability and Waste at Tauranga City Council, emphasised the importance of community-led waste reduction initiatives.
'We can all contribute towards reducing waste and its impact on our communities. Our fund is intended to help bring innovative ideas to life by removing monetary barriers for organisations and businesses keen to reduce waste in Tauranga.'
Aligned with the Waste Management Minimisation Plan 2022 – 2028, the 2025 Resource Wise Community Fund aims to support projects that reduce material consumption, promote reuse and repair, prevent food waste, and identify opportunities to transition to a circular economy.
Grants range from $2,000 to $25,000 from a pool of $100,000. The fund is sourced from the Waste Levy, provided to councils by the Ministry for the Environment for waste minimisation education, and does not impose additional costs on general rates.
Projects funded by the Resource Wise Community Fund must meet specific criteria outlined on the Tauranga City Council website. Interested applicants can access the online application form, guidelines, and funding criteria at

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fifth Year In A Row Of Equal Gender Representation On Public Sector Boards
Fifth Year In A Row Of Equal Gender Representation On Public Sector Boards

Scoop

time24 minutes ago

  • Scoop

Fifth Year In A Row Of Equal Gender Representation On Public Sector Boards

Minister for Women For the fifth consecutive year, women's representation on public sector boards and committees has reached 50 percent or above, with women now holding 52.1 percent of public sector board roles, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says. Ms Grigg announced the results of the 2024 stocktake of gender and ethnic diversity on public sector boards and committees at an Institute of Directors event on Wednesday. 'I am delighted to see that women's representation in public sector governance remains strong, and that women also continue to be well-represented in Board chair positions – at 44.5 percent. 'We know that having more women in leadership not only brings about greater diversity but is better for business with a positive impact on financial performance and better decision making.' Ms Grigg says that Māori and ethnic diversity on public sector boards has also increased since collection of ethnicity data began in 2019. 'There are many great women leaders in New Zealand who have achieved amazing things. A big part of what we need to do now is inspire the next generation of leaders, and this includes identifying, supporting, and growing future generations of women in governance. 'This is a great achievement, but the work is not done. It's taken a deliberate and coordinated effort to achieve this result, and we continue to focus on ensuring we have gender-balanced boards appointed on merit that result in better governance practices, decision-making and financial performance and, ultimately, better outcomes for New Zealanders.'

Supermarkets Slammed For Bad Behaviour
Supermarkets Slammed For Bad Behaviour

Scoop

time3 hours ago

  • Scoop

Supermarkets Slammed For Bad Behaviour

Another day, another report that reveals how badly the duopoly supermarkets of Woolworths and Foodstuffs are treating their customers and suppliers to benefit themselves. 'Kiwi consumers deserve so much better than this. We are still paying some of the highest prices on the planet to put food on the table and we have known this for more than three years,' said Grocery Action Group chair Sue Chetwin. Today's report from the Commerce Commission slams the supermarket duopoly sector for the way it treats its suppliers by making unrealistic demands of them and asking them to wear costs the supermarkets should be covering. The Commission also says this is a significant issue for any potential competitors who face an insurmountable battle to get wholesale groceries at a reasonable price. 'The report reveals the supermarkets suppliers are being subsidised by around $5 billion in rebates, discounts and promotional payments. Competitors just cannot compete with that power inbalance. 'It doesn't work for consumers either because prices bounce around so much they no longer know what a fair price might be,' Chetwin said. 'The report shows once again that despite the Commission and the Government calling out this appalling behavour the incumbents continue to treat consumers and suppliers as if they own them,' Chetwin said. 'In many respects they do. Foodstuffs and Woolworths hold more than 80% of the market. This lack of competition means consumers have no to little choice about where they shop.' Grocery Action also notes the large suppliers are complicit in this play because the lack of competition also helps keep their prices high. GAG is concerned improvements to the supply and wholesale codes proposed by the Commission, including prohibiting retaliation against suppliers who assert their rights will not be enough. 'The Commission is asking the duopoly to 'voluntarily' change the wholesale code over the next 12 months – that's like politely asking the greedy to stop being greedy. It won't work. 'We have already seen the duopoly play by its own rules. The industry has been on notice since the Commission released its Supermarket Study in 2022, which said supermarkets were making excessive profits and that a lack of competition meant we were paying some of the highest prices in the world for food, but nothing has changed. 'Hopefully this latest report will assist the Grocery Minister Nicola Willis, to conclude that forced divestment of the supermarkets to allow more competition needs to happen now, not in some distant future. Consumers will thank her.' Grocery Action background The Grocery Action Group was formed to bring down the prices of groceries for all Kiwis. Our vision is to influence government, the regulators and other parties to deliver a competitive and consumer-focused grocery sector in New Zealand. Our board is made up of consumer, industry, supplier and Māori interest experts. For more info visit

Open Polytechnic Launches New Introduction To Generative AI Micro-Credential
Open Polytechnic Launches New Introduction To Generative AI Micro-Credential

Scoop

time14 hours ago

  • Scoop

Open Polytechnic Launches New Introduction To Generative AI Micro-Credential

Press Release – Open Polytechnic By completing this micro-credential, konga will learn how to integrate generative AI tools into their workflows, enhance communication, and leverage these technologies to streamline operations and enhance overall performance. A new micro-credential developed by Open Polytechnic, New Zealand's specialist online learning provider, in conjunction with Spark, offers businesses and individuals the opportunity to understand and utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Introduction to Generative AI micro-credential, now open for enrolment, provides ākonga (learners) with an introductory understanding of how generative artificial intelligence can drive efficiency and innovation in Aotearoa New Zealand. Topics covered in the micro-credential include practical guidelines for getting the most out of generative AI, the ethical use of AI, and Māori data sovereignty. 'Open Polytechnic is a world leader in online and distance education with significant expertise in educational technology,' says Open Polytechnic Executive Director Alan Cadwallader. 'We are pleased to be able to combine our expertise with a company like Spark NZ to provide opportunities for busy adult learners to upskill in AI and learn more about the latest advancements.' 'By completing this micro-credential, ākonga will learn how to integrate generative AI tools into their workflows, enhance communication, and leverage these technologies to streamline operations and enhance overall performance. This highly relevant micro-credential will also teach ākonga about the ethical implications and limitations of generative AI uniquely applied in an Aotearoa New Zealand context.' Once ākonga (learners) have completed this micro-credential, they will have a basic understanding of Generative Artificial Intelligence to support their productivity, in both personal and work contexts, and know how to assess the generated content for accuracy, quality, and relevance. This micro-credential is relevant for people in different industries including media and entertainment, advertising, education, healthcare, and finance. Open Polytechnic has been pleased to work with Spark in the development of this NZQA accredited micro-credential. Spark is on its own AI journey, with a focus on upskilling its people through Te Awe, a skills acceleration programme within Spark that is building the 'hard to access' specialist digital skills needed in today's world. 'As the use of AI accelerates, we want to ensure that the skills shift we are experiencing does not further entrench existing inequities within the technology sector and our community. When we created Te Awe, our ambition was to eventually extend offering the digital skills and opportunities to learn them, to those groups who currently have low participation rates in the tech sector, to ensure we are intentionally growing a more inclusive high-tech workforce pipeline for the future,' says Heather Polglase, Spark People and Culture Director. 'We are excited to build on Spark's Te Awe foundations and take that next step now with the creation of an NZQA accredited Generative AI micro-credential. We have taken our learnings from Te Awe and collaborated with Open Polytechnic, as a business division of Te Pūkenga, to create a nationally recognised micro-credential, that will equip more New Zealanders with the skills and knowledge to co-create and engage with AI meaningfully.' Spark will be sponsoring micro-credentials for 30 digi-coaches (digital teachers) from around the country, who are a part of a Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa programme to support digital literacy in local communities. These digi-coaches will work in public libraries and community venues to help upskill digital literacy skills for local citizens. 'We're excited to be one of the first to engage with this new GenAI micro-credential', said Laurence Zwimpfer, Operations Director for the Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa. 'We have invited 30 jobseekers on our Digi-Coach programme to complete this course as part of their 13-week training, which includes work placements in libraries and other community organisations. We believe this will give them a real advantage in securing jobs and helping the communities and organisations that they work with to better understand and use GenAI tools.' Ākonga who complete the micro-credential receive a digital badge that can then be shared on social media or mentioned on a work-related CV. The Level 3 micro-credential can be completed online in 40 learning hours, with two intakes each month, making it ideal for personal or professional development. If you are a business or individual that is interested in utilising AI technology, then go to the Open Polytechnic website. Terms and conditions apply. At a glance

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store