Marae divert over 60 tonnes of waste through recycling
“35 marae from Pukekohe to Piopio are participating in the Para Kore programme in an effort to reduce waste, recycle and
compost to do our bit for the environment. Over 60 tonnes has been diverted from landfills through recycling and
composting” says Para Kore waste advisor Pine Campbell.
“We started implementing our programme in the Waikato, Hauraki, Maniapoto and Raukawa region in 2009 and marae from
across the region have shown a keen interest as waste minimisation is not only good for the environment, there is also a
financial incentive for marae given the cost associated with waste disposal. When it comes to food scraps, some marae
opt for composting, while others feed pigs.”
“With support from the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund, Trust Waikato and iwi, we have been able to up-skill our
people and also provide our Para Kore resources, like bins and signs in Te Reo Māori, to participating marae.”
“Para Kore, which means ‘zero waste’, is about closing the loop. The marae have reduced their waste to landfill by over
50 per cent which is an awesome achievement” concludes Pine Campbell.
“Ko te kaupapa o Para Kore, he whakatikatika i a tātau te hunga tangata, kia mutu ai tā tātau tūkino, tā tātau takahi i
te mana a Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku. Kei ngā te rohe o Waikato, Hauraki, Maniapoto me Raukawa rānei, 35 ngā marae kei
runga i tēnei waka, mai Pukekohe ki Piopio” e ai ki a Pine Campbell, kaimahi mō Para Kore.
“Ko tā Para Kore, he whai i te kaitiakitanga, he whakaaro nui ki tō tātau whakapapa, he manaaki, ā, he whai hoki i te
māramatanga kia kite ano ai tātau ehara te rāpihi i te rāpihi, he rauemi kē! Heoi anō, me wehewehe tātau i te rāpihi.”
“Kei te tautoko te Kawanatanga, a Trust Waikato me ngā iwi i te kaupapa whakahirahira no te mea he huarahi pai mā tātou.
Kāore he utu mō te hangarua, he pai hoki mō te taiao.”
ENDS