Looking After Our Natural Environment – Being Good Kaitiaki (Guardians) by Simone Greenwood
Kaitiakitanga means guardianship and protection. It is a way of managing the environment, based on the Māori world view. A kaitiaki is a guardian. This can be a person or group that cares for a specific area, such as a lake or forest. Kaitiakitanga is based on the idea of humans as part of the natural world, and that there is a relationship between the two. All life is connected.
Looking after our natural environment while on lockdown – Being good kaitiaki (guardians)
Kaitiakitanga means guardianship and protection. It is a way of managing the environment, based on the Māori world view. A kaitiaki is a guardian. This can be a person or group that cares for a specific area, such as a lake or forest. Kaitiakitanga is based on the idea of humans as part of the natural world, and that there is a relationship between the two. All life is connected.
How can we be good kaitiaki (guardians) of our natural environment at home?
Being on lockdown means you might have a bit more time on your hands. You might want to use some of this time to upskill yourself, or learn more about your natural environment. Being in nature is really good for your overall wellbeing and makes you feel less stressed. Have a look at the list below for some ideas about how YOU can be a better kaitiaki of your natural environment at home.
Some environmental ideas & activities to do at home:
- Get outside and help your family with some gardening
- Learn to grow your own veges from store-bought vegetables and herbs: https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/how-to-regrow-store-bought-vegetables-herbs-jag-singh
- Make an artwork out of recycled/sustainable products. E.g. Artwork made out of recycled fabric or dried flowers.
- Learn more about the plants in your garden or local park. Download ‘Picture This’ app where you can simply take or upload a photo of any plant, and get instant and accurate plant ID results: http://www.picturethisai.com/
- Learn to sew, even if it’s just to mend a hole or sew on a button
- Turn an old piece of fabric into something new, like an old blanket into a cushion
- Make an educational video about something related to being sustainable/helping the environment & share it with others. E.g. how to put rubbish in the bin properly/plastic recycling
- Make some DIY home cleaning products: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/how-to/98582156/make-it-yourself-cleaning-products & https://www.homestolove.co.nz/inspiration/green-living/8-natural-cleaning-products-make-home
- Make some DIY beauty products at home: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/beauty/how-to-guides/76598761/how-to-make-your-own-beauty-treatments-from-your-pantry
- Learn more about eco-friendly beauty products: https://www.thegreatecojourney.co.nz/post/eco-friendly-beauty-the-am-show
- Make some posters to put around your neighbourhood about how people can be more environmentally friendly.
- As a family, come up with some sustainable life hacks. E.g. Take a container with you when you buy sushi or take-aways, rather than getting it in a single-use plastic container.
- Investigate how to be more sustainable with gift wrapping. E.g. Recycling paper, using napkins/tea towels instead of paper etc.
- Reuse or repurpose items. Find another use for them.
- Learn about how to be better with food/waste less food
- Look at the numbers in terms of waste statistics in Christchurch: https://ccc.govt.nz/services/rubbish-and-recycling/how-were-doing-with-rubbish-and-recycling/waste-statistics/
- Learn
about the bin system in Christchurch and what to do/what not to put in:
- Yellow bin: https://ccc.govt.nz/services/rubbish-and-recycling/yellowbin/
- Green bin: https://ccc.govt.nz/services/rubbish-and-recycling/greenbin/
- Red bin: https://ccc.govt.nz/services/rubbish-and-recycling/rubbish-red-bin/
- Recycling separation process: https://ccc.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Services/Rubbish-recycling/RecyclingPlantSchematic.pdf
- Are you recycling right? Video 1 1/2 mins: Are you recycling right?
- Adam & Eve recycle video 6 1/2 mins: What Eve has DONE WRONG for many YEARS!
References:
• https://teara.govt.nz/en/kaitiakitanga-guardianship-and-conservation
• https://www.thetereomaoriclassroom.co.nz/2017/05/kaitiakitanga-and-matariki/
• https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/healthy-living/t/te-whare-tapa-wh%C4%81-and-wellbeing/
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