Living the green dream

One of the country's biggest eco events, Ecofest, is on in Nelson this weekend. Tracy Neal reports.

Everything that's good about green will be showcased in Nelson this weekend at the 10th annual Ecofest expo at the Trafalgar Centre.

Ecofest, winner of the prestigious Green Ribbon Award, is a joint initiative of the Nelson city and Tasman district councils.

Since it started in 2001, Ecofest has become established as one of the biggest events for environmentally friendly products, services and messages in New Zealand.

It's a giant forum for the sharing of eco-friendly, innovative, energy-saving ideas, products and messages covering a broad range of practical applications from building and solar energy to organic cooking, clothing and makeup.

Examples will be on display at more than 120 stands at the festival, which is the culmination of several weeks' buildup.

The public have so far taken part in tours of eco-homes and edible gardens, checked out sustainable businesses and have taken part in the Top of the South Food Challenge, in which people have for the past month been encouraged to only eat and drink produce grown, baked, made or produced within 200 kilometres of where they live.

A couple who have lived "rubbish-free" for a year will be on hand to share their tips on reducing household waste.

Ecofest project manager Jo Reilly says that in one year, the average Kiwi couple send about 1.5 tonnes of rubbish to the landfill.

Through a combination of composting, careful purchasing, re-homing, reusing and recycling, Auckland couple Waveney Warth and Matthew Luxon managed to generate only 2kg of waste between them during their "rubbish-free year" in 2008-09.

Mr Luxon says the experience permanently changed the couple's lifestyle.

"We've got new habits. When we walk around shops we don't see products, we see packaging. It actually helps to make purchasing decisions easier."

The rubbish-free seminar is on Sunday, August 22, from noon to 1pm in the yurt (circular tent).

Among several highlights at Ecofest are the cooking demonstrations.

This year will be no exception with some of the country's top chefs providing "organic culinary inspiration". Traditionally the organic cuisine cooking demonstrations have been a favourite, and this year won't disappoint, Ms Reilly says.

Chef Julie Biuso, author of 12 food books and a regular on radio and television, will be the star of this year's show.

Ms Biuso began her career at the Cordon Bleu School of Cookery in London, and later became principal of the franchised Cordon Bleu Cookery School in NZ. She went on to open her own cooking school – La Dolce Vita, but eventually shifted gears to pursue her writing career. She is also the food editor of Taste and Your Home & Garden magazines.

Chris Fortune is another name that will be familiar to foodies. For his session at Ecofest, the Marlborough chef, author and chair of the NZ Farmers Markets has been challenged to create an "all local" menu.

Mr Fortune is currently the executive chef at the Heartland Hotel in Marlborough and has worked as a contract chef on superyachts.

In 2003, he was the winner of the first ever New Zealand version of television show Hell's Kitchen.

Saturday will see Karyn Fisk, the Nelson finalist in the MasterChef New Zealand competition, creating something special from a mystery box of ingredients. At just 22, Fisk was one of the youngest contestants on the show.

On Sunday, Matt Fahie, culinary tutor at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, will show how easy it is to create your favourite takeaway items yourself.

Mr Fahie comes from Perth and has worked in many four and five-star hotels as an executive chef and sous chef in Australia and New Zealand. He now shares his passion for food with students at NMIT and Nayland College.

Ecofest, this weekend: Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 10am-4pm at the Trafalgar Centre, Nelson.

Entry $5 for adults and free for kids.

Feature seminars, Saturday:

10.30am-12pm. Kay Baxter, the Koanga Institute, holder of New Zealand's largest collection of heritage seeds and fruit trees.

12.30pm-2pm. Lynda Hallinan, grow your own eco-feast.

2.30pm-4pm. Philippa Jamieson: Eco travel – Wwoofing (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) as a learning experience.

Feature seminars, Sunday:

11am-12.30pm. Dennis Greville: Reality gardening – what can you really produce?

1.30pm-3pm. Guy Salmon: Is science and technology the answer to climate change?

Yurt workshops, Saturday:

10.30am-11.30am. The economic benefits of being a sustainable business.

Noon-1pm. Power to the people. Brian Walsh discusses the emissions trading scheme.

1.30pm-3pm. How to achieve an eco-friendly home.

3.30pm-4.30pm. The facts on yurts and teepees.

Yurt workshops, Sunday:

10.30am-11.30am. What's new with solar.

Noon-1pm. Want to reduce your rubbish? Matthew Luxon talks about his year of living rubbish-free.

1.30pm-2.15pm. How to green your school.

2.30pm-3.15pm. Paint your place with an eco decorator.

3.30pm-4pm. The facts on yurts and teepees.

• For more information visit ecofestnelsontasman.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News