Through the Seatoun tunnel and around the corner on a hill with a view, Brad and his whānau are putting their leftovers and more into their compost bin.
“It’s pretty straight forward. We just dump the food scraps in and every once in a while we give it some water or some grounds from the coffee machine and mix it up.
“Time and heat does the work, then whenever I need to do some planting or want to refresh the garden I use the compost on everything from fruit trees to native bush.”
Originally from Chicago in the US, Brad says he’s always been a fan of composting, but living in a coastal suburb, it is really a no brainer.
The nutrient-rich compost has hugely improved the quality of his sandy Seatoun soil, which “needs to get a good base” to ensure planting is successful.
His garden has benefited, especially his fruit trees, including figs, peaches, plums, nectarines, lemons, and limes.
Everything from meal leftovers and paper napkins to broken-down cardboard boxes and green waste can go into the compost bin.
“We’re putting out less waste and buying less compost so it’s a win-win,” Brad says.
“Reducing the amount of space needed for landfills is important but the main thing is to cut down on greenhouse gases.
“Once you figure out how composting can work for your household, it just makes total sense.”
For the Para Kai project, we liaised closely with Predator Free Wellington. The compost bins are sealed with mouse/rat-proof mesh on the bottom, and have a tight-fitting lid.