Recycling couple bag capital

Ralph and Ali Hogan are so keen on cutting their carbon footprint they have fled Wellington for Kaikoura, where they can recycle almost everything.

Their move south comes as World Environment Day approaches on Thursday, with Kick the Carbon Habit its theme.

Carbon footprints are a measure of people's impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gases produced. They are measured in carbon dioxide units.

Rising levels of manmade carbon dioxide and other gases from burning oil and coal are blamed for rising global temperatures.

While living in Wellington, the Hogans became a poster pair for sustainable living, as one of the city's greenest couples.

They appeared in the city council's free newspaper, after managing to make one rubbish bag last six months, reducing waste through recycling and composting.

But three weeks ago they left for Kaikoura, in Marlborough.

Kaikoura's zero waste policy was a major pull, Mr Hogan said. The town aims to send no waste to landfills by 2015.

Kaikoura residents can recycle all grades of plastic, while Wellington City Council does not recycle grades three to seven - icecream, margarine and yoghurt containers.

"It has amazing natural beauty of course, but zero waste was a big part of our decision to move here," Mr Hogan said.

"Wellington has a clean green image, so to only take two out of seven grades, that was a bit disappointing."

Emboldened by their new home's comprehensive recycling scheme, the Hogans now plan to make one rubbish bag last a whole year.

"That's kind of how we're marking World Environment Day, starting a new bag."

Wellington CitiOperations manager Mike Mendonca said Wellington's recycling system would struggle to cope if all grades of plastic were collected.

"We'd need more trucks and more men."

Wellington's recycled rubbish is sorted in Petone before being transported to China, where it is used to help in the manufacture of new goods.

Mr Mendonca said the council was about to embark on a major review of recycling.