Sustainable Living Products Need a little help converting your lifestyle to a more environmentally friendly one? AWESOME! We can help! Or perhaps you are looking for thoughtful gifts that contribute to a thriving planet? Not only can we support your decision to be more eco-conscious, you will also be helping support Envirohub Marlborough! Every purchase directly supports our Zero Waste, Conservation Kids NZ, Marine Conservation and Sustainable Communities projects. PLEASE NOTE: As of November 1st 2025 we have moved out of previous premises at the fabulous Picton Environment Centre. We will be opening at our new premises in 2026 so watch this space. In the meantime, we are mobile and can be found at most Picton Cruise Ship markets and other major Marlborough events. If you know what product you're after, we also offer free delivery in Marlborough and you can simply pay online or via mobile eftpos on delivery.

Past Adventures World Albatross Day On June 19th 2020 we celebrated the first ever World Albatross day Read More Bat Night Learning all about the Long Tail Bat that lives here at Pelorus Bridge Read More Making Tracking Tunnels and Lizard Lounges Our kids had a hand at making Pest tracking tunnels and Lizard Lounges. Read More Branford Park Exploring Branford park the Edible walk Read More Visiting the Koru Wildlife Centre We went to learn all about the NZ Giant Weta at the Koru Wildlife Centre Read More Kakapo Day We learnt all about the Kakapo and then did a fundraiser to adopt one. Read More Exploring Momorangi Bay Exploring the beauty of Momorangi Bay Read More Grovetown Lagoons Clean up Doing our part to keep our water ways clean, kids did a clean up around the Grovetown Lagoons Read More Honey Bee Event We learnt all about the honey bee and what they do for our environment Read More Building Weta Motels We built Weta Motels to hang up at the Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve Read More Kaipupu Sanctuary Trip Our very first ever trip as a group to the wild life sanctuary Read More

Envirohub Marlborough's Guide to Zero Waste Events - How to plan your event with less stress and maximum benefit to the community and environment. Zero Waste Events Envirohub Marlborough's Guide to Zero Waste Events Hosting a zero waste event is much easier than most event organisers realise. From a small morning tea to a large scale festival, here is how you can plan your zero waste event with less stress and maximum benefits to the community and the environment. Essentially the zero waste philosophy works towards: ‘Eliminating waste by using reusables, home compostables and recyclables’. A win for the environment and a win for your community. Advantages of Holding a Zero Waste Event More attractive to sponsors and funders A desirable setting with no rubbish Educates the public Creates a sense of pride between the organisers, vendors and patrons Reduces/eliminates the cost of waste disposal Reduces costs to vendors by eliminating expensive disposable serveware You are protecting our stunning Marlborough environment! Before the Event Think about the different ways that waste would be created.Visit the venue and note any existing rubbish receptacles. Decide what bins you will need to bring to deal with compost, recycling and any rubbish that may occur unexpectedly. Determine what can be eliminated and what can be substituted with reusables, home compostables and as a less preferred option, recyclables. As there are no commercial composting facilities currently in Marlborough, home composting and using food scraps as animal feed are currently the only options for food waste. These rely on a community approach. Consider how much food waste your event may generate. Work with your networks to find people who can take the waste for home composting/animal feed. Let stakeholders know early about your plan to ensure correct marketing & preparation Provide vendors a clear zero waste policy for them to sign and agree to. Vendors should be encouraged to reduce their “back of house” waste as much as possible by choosing reusables, recycling, composting,etc . If any “back of house” waste is created, the vendors need to agree to pack it out with them. A “pack in, pack out” system will also make vendors aware of the amount of “back of house” waste being generated. You need to explain to vendors that so called “biodegradable” or “compostable” serveware is not acceptable at this time because Marlborough doesn’t have commercial composting facilities, so it will go to the landfill. Offer to meet, and provide plenty of support to vendors/stakeholders ensuring the event is a positive and successful experience for everyone. Vendors may need to advise you in advance what dishes / cutlery they will need from you at the event Organize volunteers to help with making your zero waste event a success. Proudly let everyone know it’s a ‘Zero Waste Event’. Get the word out there on all your media channels to: BYO water bottle, coffee cup and picnic set At The Event Signage Ensure clear and bold signage for recycling, compost bins and dish wash area. Existing Rubbish Bins If your event has existing rubbish containers in the vicinity these will need to be covered with a tarpaulin so they are not used . This will allow you to have a true reading of your zero waste event results. Reusable Serveware Ideally attendees will bring their own picnic sets (cups, plates, cutlery, etc) but for those who don’t, provide food vendors with reusable crockery and cutlery for serving their food and beverages Envirohub Marlborough has re-usable serveware available to borrow or it can be sourced cheaply from local second hand shops Volunteers will need to keep the vendors provided with clean serveware as needed. A wash station can be set up for washing the serveware if an existing kitchen is not available. A template for this is available from Envirohub Marlborough. Zero Waste Dishwashing Marquee Set-up Template Recycling You will need bins for recycling glass, cans and clean cardboard. These bins need to be manned by volunteers as if they become contaminated, it will all end up in landfill. Alternatively volunteers can walk about with a rubbish bag and a recycle bin to collect any rubbish or recycling. This works really well because it prevents the possible problems occurring. Compost You will need bins or buckets for compost. If the compost is going to be fed to animals make sure you have a separate bin for serviettes Food scraps can be taken to a home compost or fed to pigs or chickens. If food scraps end up in landfill they break down without oxygen and create methane and leachate, highly toxic substances. If serviettes are used, ensure vendors know only unbleached ones are acceptable as they can be composted at home. One step at a time It is not always easy to go from a regular event to one creating absolutely zero waste all at once. You can always ease into your zero waste journey with manageable steps or a 3 year plan. For example: Don’t sell bottled water. Set up a water refill station or stations. Ask attendees to bring their own water bottles. Ask attendees to bring their own picnic set Don’t allow single use pottles or sachets, go for reusable jars and bottles of condiments Sell coffee without lids or ask vendors to ask “Do you need a lid?” Offer reusable cups for a refundable deposit (see globelet.co.nz for festivals) Avoid giveaways such as promotional materials, balloons, glow sticks etc Avoid prizes that create waste, eg. give an experience or an electronic voucher Use an ink stamp instead of wrist bands Use reusable decorations, eg. bunting Use electronic tickets Use blackboard signage or other reusable signage. Feedback After Your Event Find out from your attendees, vendors and volunteers what worked well and what could be improved and share these results with the community. Write a report to send to Council and offer advice for future events. How Envirohub Marlborough Can Help We can help with advice and planning your zero waste event We hire equipment to help your event be zero waste - reusable crockery, wash station boilers, water containers, dishwashing tubs, etc Resources for Event Organisers Beyond the Bin - Let's Talk Rubbish Videos for Event Organiers Sustainable Event Alliance - 'Reusables' at Events Hygiene Please contact Heather Barnes, Zero Waste Coordinator, if you have any queries or need support with achieving your event's zero waste goals. zerowaste@envirohub.co.nz Good luck and thank you for supporting the shift towards Zero Waste Events!