Zero Waste management is a framework we can use to guide us through the process of reducing and reusing our stuff. Using these as a frame of reference we can co-create our way towards a more circular system! Using the Zero Waste Hierarchy we can move towards longer-lasting producer and consumer habits, shifting us from a take-make-waste linear system to a circular system of resource reuse. Circular systems are pivotal in reducing carbon emissions and reducing stuff landing in Papatūānuku. Dunedin City has goals of being Zero Waste and Carbon Zero by 2030, and by using circular pathways we have a real shot at making this happen!

“The fundamental principle of circular systems thinking is that everything is interconnected”

Dr Leila Acaroglu Disruptive Design Method

What can Res.Awesome do for you?

Well, we love helping you minimise waste whether you're an individual, business, community member or group, running an event or just wanting to organise your office waste systems, we are here to help you!

We are a team of activators with experience and knowledge in zero waste management systems, we create resources that help you activate and understand your role in this process. We all have a role to play whether it's at home or the busy office, we can all create space for better waste management systems in our lives.

Recycling is not enough to tackle our overconsumption of products, especially as plastic is a major contender in this space and we can only recycle 1PET, 2HDPE + 5PP onshore here in New Zealand, a lot is still shipped offshore to Malaysia. Dumping that problem on someone else's doorstep is not an acceptable solution. We do this with many waste streams but now countries are starting to say enough. We believe that it is our responsibility to deal with the wasted resources we create here in Aotearoa. To do that we have to educate you about what is real and what is not in the current system and work on creating better infrastructure for our city.

All of this work helps our City of Dunedin move towards our Zero Waste and Carbon Zero goals by 2030, and if we want to reach this target, we need to get serious about reducing our waste to landfills!

Awesome resources for zero waste management!

We at Res.Awesome strive to create innovative, connected, and wide-reaching resource recovery and waste minimisation solutions for Dunedin City. Our work involves building infrastructure and initiatives, networking, consultancy, as well as inspiring, educating and supporting people within communities.

Our aim is to maximise local resource recovery, alongside implementing new ways of operating which inherently value the environment as part of the feedback-loop system in which we all live.

We want to educate the community, schools, events and businesses about waste minimisation and efficient resource use, while also connecting in with the existing waste management system that Ōtepoti operates under in order to enhance its use and assist in the redistribution of resources.

Our goal is to create a circular reuse economy for Dunedin City, which will ultimately relieve the pressure of waste to landfill in terms of both space and cost, while mindfully working within the values of reciprocity - i.e. truly valuing the work of our staff through paying living wage, while giving back to the Earth in a positive way in order to enrich (rather than deplete) the environment around us.

As a company, we work under a Safer Spaces Policy with all our staff, clients and events, and have a Health and Safety Policy in place to ensure we are able to realise our mission safely - physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

We are dedicated to providing fun, education-based activities with the intention of connecting communities with their waste and local waste management systems.

Our current system of a linear economy - i.e. take, make, waste - is clearly not sufficient and certainly not sustainable into the future. Therefore we aim to emphasise the importance of moving towards a circular economy, along with the substantial benefits it provides for both healthy communities and our environment. This requires community engagement and developing public understanding of where ‘waste’ ends up, whilst maintaining a strong focus on human connection with Papatūānuku.

We aim to provide creative, innovative and interactive programs to educate and engage students and staff in waste minimisation and resource recovery. We also provide long term support and resources to encourage schools to develop their waste management systems towards a circular system, including upcycling, repairing and recreating.

What one action can you take today that will enable change for the circular future we are moving towards? It can be as small as choosing to reuse an item or as large as calculating your carbon emissions.

Give it a try you never know what you’ll discover! and remember, we are here to help to just reach out any time.