Getting the chance to visit the Sustainability Trust in Wellington today was a very cool and unique experience. I had no idea that there were companies that tackled so many different aspects of sustainability, from recycling waste to raising awareness to hosting repair events. What I enjoyed hearing about the most was how they combined many of the 17 SDGs into each project. The importance of this connection was something we discussed at Victoria University, so it was great to see it in action today. For example, the curtain recycling project combined recycling of waste and serving underprivileged communities. This project was interesting to hear about as I never realized how useful curtains were and how many textiles end up in landfills. This project prevents used curtains and fabrics from ending up in landfills, and repurposes them for warming and protecting privacy in underprivileged homes, and even for art and costume design events!
Another cool aspect about this company was the holistic nature of everyone’s jobs. I am a firm believer in being well-rounded and tackling aspects from many points of view, so it’s cool to see these ideas in an actual work environment. As our presenter Polly Griffith described, being directly involved with the work you are managing as opposed to simply reading about it from a desk far removed is key to being able to better understand the process and how to organize and improve it. Overall this day was really informative, and it was exciting to see such a cool workplace that fits my passions!
