Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) has announced the winners of this year’s Beautiful Awards, with Waste Management named the most sustainable large business.
Heather Saunderson, CEO of Keep New Zealand Beautiful, said the awards celebrate the incredible inroads into sustainability, environmental excellence and community beautification.
“From the efforts of councils in the Most Beautiful Towns and Cities Awards, to the contributions made by everyday kiwis in our Community Group and Individual Awards; every entrant in the Beautiful Awards deserves to be celebrated for their contribution towards making New Zealand a safer, cleaner and more beautiful place for current and subsequent generations.”
The Rubbish Whisperer was named the Most Sustainable Small Business (less than 20 staff) for its commitment to improving the environment by encouraging discussion around waste via blogs, social media, appearances and media coverage.
The Rubbish Whisperer offers environmentally friendly solutions to single use plastics with the aim of reducing waste and pollution. The Rubbish Whisperer has developed 12 product lines so that consumers are able to move towards biodegradable and reusable waste products – 8 of which are manufactured in New Zealand.
Waste Management was awarded Most Sustainable Large Business (more than 20 staff). In March Waste Management opened its Electric Vehicle Innovation Hub – New Zealand’s very first conversion workshop. The company now operates six electric trucks saving 125 litres of diesel per day for each truck and replaced 26 light vehicles saving nearly 50,000 litres of petrol.
See the full list of winners below:
Sustainable Business Awards
Most Sustainable Small Business – less than 20 staff
Finalists: The Rubbish Whisperer; The Falls Retreat; Pouch Products.
Winner: The Rubbish Whisperer
Most Sustainable Large Business- more than 20 staff
Finalists: ecostore; Waste Management; Road Metals
Winner: Waste Management
Most Sustainable Business Project
Finalists: UYOC, Vendella Ltd, Ceres Organics
Winner: UYOC
Community Awards
Klean Kanteen Community Environmental Initiative Award
Finalists: Plastic Bag Free Raglan, Coast Care Bay of Plenty, Timona Park Orchard Trust.
Winner: Plastic Bag Free Raglan
Community Group Award
Finalists: Plastic Free Coromandel Town, Eketahuna Chorus Building Project, Keep Waihi Beautiful
Winner: Plastic Free Coromandel Town
New Zealand Couriers Sustainable School Award
Finalists: Discovery School, Porirua; Dawson Primary School, Auckland; Portland Kindergarten, Whangarei.
Winner: Discovery School, Porirua
Resene Best Street Award
Finalists: Queen Street, Richmond; Upper Trafalgar Street, Nelson; Main Street, Gore.
Winner: Queen Street, Richmond.
Resene Kiwi’s Choice
Finalists: Castlepoint, Wairarapa; Margaret Mahy Playground, Christchurch; Taumarunui Northern Entrance.
Winner: Margaret Mahy Playground, Christchurch.
Plumbing World Best Loo
Finalists: Benneydale Public Toilets, Te Mata Peak Park, Hot Water Beach Toilets.
Winner: Hot Water Beach Toilets
Individual Awards
Young Legend Award
Finalists: Amy Magyar; Rosetta Brown; E Wen Wong.
Winner: Amy Magyar
Tidy Kiwi Award
Finalists: Anita Goodman; Bryan Fairbairn; Charlotte Fisher.
Winner: Anita Goodman
Local Hero Award
Winner: Wayne Davis
Beautiful Towns and Cities
Most Beautiful Small Town
Finalists: Waihi, Raglan
Winner: Raglan
Most Beautiful Large Town
Finalists: Taupo, Timaru
Winner: Taupo
Most Beautiful City
Finalists: Hutt City, Dunedin
Winner: Dunedin
