 Sustainabilty in our workplace
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Hamilton City Council takes its position as a leader in our city seriously. To keep aligned with our responsibilities for sustainability in the city, we have our own organisational education and awareness programme to help ensure we have an environmentally conscious workforce.
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ReThink
ReThink is a programme designed to guide staff in best practice to ensure that Council operates in an environmentally sensitive manner. The programme covers initiatives around:
- Transport – encouraging staff to consider alternative travel methods including carpooling, bussing, walking or cycling to work, raising the awareness of the personal health benefits, reduced cost and improved environmental impact of driving to work, establishing a workplace staff travel plan, participation in events such as Bike Wise and Walk2Work day and providing information and facilities to keep staff enjoying this journey;
- Waste – providing adequate disposal mechanisms for all sorts of waste, including food, paper, glass, plastic, other recyclables and inorganic materials. Currently 60% of our ‘office’ waste is diverted from the landfill through the recycling programmes we have operating.
- Water – raising awareness of staff around water use and conservation practices to ensure our business is effectively ‘walking the walk’ whilst managing the city’s water resources effectively.
- Energy – driving energy saving initiatives within our organisation to contribute to city, regional and national energy saving goals.
- Sustainable buildings – the efficiency and design of the 200+ buildings Council owns in the city directly effects how much resources Council uses and the benefits of sustainable buildings also relates to our culture, health and well-being.
- Purchasing – purchasing environmentally friendly products and services where possible and keep things as simple as possible for everyone involved.
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City responsibilities
With the city continuing to grow, our teams face the ongoing challenge to work along with the community toward ensuring a healthy sustainable environment exists for all in the future.
To this end, Hamilton City Council has developed a range of environmental policies and programmes to create a more sustainable and liveable city and our list of green initiatives is growing every year.
Using innovative and proactive approaches to initiate and facilitate collective community action in order to protect and enhance the local environment and promote urban sustainability, our programmes work directly with schools, householders and other members of the community through providing opportunities for learning and making change. |
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Know it?... Live it!
The 'Know it?... Live it!' programme provides important information to assist householders in their attempts to live and work more sustainably. The programme covers a wide range of sustainable topics including targeting key issues such as energy, water, waste, transport and purchasing decisions. Click here to find out more about this programme or to join to find out more. |
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Events and activities
As a city council we are involved in lots of events, but there are a number with have a sustainable theme to them.
The most recent was Earth Hour 2009, held on 28 March 2009, 8.30pm. This was a flagship project delivered through our Environmental Sustainability Strategy. On the night, Hamilton led all other cities in New Zealand with energy savings of a massive 10.3%, which is enough to power 10 – 15,000 homes for one hour. That’s about the size of Flagstaff/Rototuna (or bigger even)!
Click here to find out more about a variety of sustainable events and initiatives in our city.
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International recognition
Recent mention in Emigrate magazine (Issue 2, March 2009) showcased the work of one of our staff making a difference in sustainable travel. British expat Phil King joined Hamilton City Council’s Transportation team in April 2007. Here’s what he had to say:
“My role was to be the face of ‘active travel’ for the council, and involved construction of the city cycle network, improvements for pedestrians, promotion of walking and cycling using the media and websites, and trying to understand and help with resident’s concerns and fears about being on foot or on a bike… We are also working to deliver national and local strategies to do what we can to increase levels of sustainable travel and at the same time reduce accidents, air pollution and congestion.”
Hamilton’s involvement in Earth Hour 2009 was also profiled in Good magazine (February/March 2009). |
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Staff involvement
A number of our staff are involved in participating or promoting sustainable activities across the city. Click here to find out some of them.
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Contact
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Human Resources
Level 1, Council Offices
Garden Place
Hamilton City Council
Private Bag 3010
Hamilton 3240
New Zealand Phone (+64) 7 838 6799
New Zealand Fax (+64) 7 838 6599
Monday to Friday 8.30am-4.30pm
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