Sustainable Living - "a great way to get experience and meet people"

'Wasted' NZ TV series presenter and author Francesca Price has just produced her book The Good Life: Your guide to a greener, cheaper and more fulfilling life in New Zealand  (New Holland publishing, 2010).  On Sustainable Living NZ, she writes: "The Sustainable Living Education Trust offers courses around the country for people who want to learn how to live in a more sustainable way. The seven-to-nine week courses typically run once a week for two hours and cover such subjects as waste reduction, energy efficiency and gardening. They are a great way to get hands-on experience and, of course, meet like-minded people who will hopefully keep you on the straight and narrow when you finish." (quoted from page 138)

Our course participants tend to agree - see their quotes on the right of each page, underneath the logo. For them, we are a useful green knowledge trust. 

The  Annual Report, its data appendices and Accounts for 2008-9 financial year are now published. 

There were 2,000 participants in Sustainable Living courses and workshop sessions across NZ that year, which also had financial support nationally from Ministry for the Environment. Would you like to join courses or support our development in 2010? Or, already done a course and re-visiting this site for useful information on regeneration and renewability? - You could show your appreciation by a charity donation to the Trust through Give-a-Little.

Classes and courses have started for Term 3. Our courses listings by region are at:  http://www.sustainableliving.org.nz/Sustainable-Living-Regional-Info.aspx  More courses planned for Term 4 (these typically start in October).  Tutors, please let us know when your courses are ready to list.

A previous Newsletter (update in May 2010) is on line - read it here. 

Cut your carbon emissions!  Aim for 10% reduction starting during 2010 to get 10:10 in New Zealand  (suggested household actions, a free PDF file). It's our response to a UK-originated campaign to reduce carbon emissions which has won extensive support from their Government, councils, public, media and schools. Learn more about coming events on 10th October 2010 at www.1010global.org/nz or quicklink: www.1010nz.com

Typical Sustainable Living evening course description is here: Read more... 

Courses and workshops are hosted by Local councils, high schools, polytechnics, various NGOs,  REAP, WEA, Transition Town groups, etc.  If you'd like to host a course, check first if the Council in your area is a subscriber, on the About us page, then we will help you to find a tutor locally or perhaps become one yourself: call Rhys on 03 960 2656 or email the coordinators: rhys (at) sustainableliving.org.nz for South Island and Wellington Region,  or jennifer (at) sustainableliving.org.nz for the rest of The North Island.

This website was endorsed by Christchurch Press independent reviewer Lee Suckling in March 2010 who described it as "...a more entertaining way to learn about a sustainable lifestyle", and, after describing the courses and workshops, added: "if you can't make it to a course, you'll also find informative Action Guide PDF files for download which simplify the energy efficiency experience".  Extracts from the Press review, alongside four other leading NZ sites, is linked here.  Case studies about Sustainable Living participants appear in the Christchurch Press 'Good Living' section about fortnightly, on Thursdays.