Sustainability Week skips into action

Wheeling recycling bins to a skip-diversion day in Castle St on Friday are (from left) Kate Gentle (19), of Gore, Olivia Hofer (21) and Erin Dench (20), both of Auckland, and Aisling Shirley (19), of Invercargill.

Sustainability Week began with a skip-diversion day, University of Otago sustainability office engagement co-ordinator Jesikah Triscott said.

The university made skips available in Castle St for students to fill with cardboard, glass, metal and e-waste for recycling.

Students could get electrical goods repaired on site and carpenters to help fix other items.

To create space for the repairs and skips, Castle St was closed between Howe St and the intersection of Duke and Brook Sts between 10am and 2pm.

University of Otago student Kasie Jopp (19) throws a bottle in a skip during Sustainability Week’s skip-diversion day in north Dunedin on Friday. PHOTOS: SHAWN MCAVINUE

Miss Triscott said other activities in the awareness week included social sewing studio Stitch Kitchen, which helped students mend clothing, and a free screening of The Lorax — a movie which included the quote “unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not”.

University of Otago student Kate Gentle (19), of Gore, said she would like the skip diversion day to be held more often because her flat had more items to recycle than could fit in the bins the Dunedin City Council provided for contractors to empty.

"We produce more recycling than they can pick up."

Many student flats had a surplus of glass for recycling.

"We drink too much for the size of the bin."