2021 Survey

We’ve released the findings of our recent 2021 Resourceful Communities survey. Thanks to everyone who took part!

See the summary of results HERE.

See the full report HERE. 

We asked people in Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes about a range of behaviours from taking your own cup or container, to refilling and repairing, all with the aim of identifying the barriers that prevent people from reducing and reusing. 

The results underline people’s deep concern for our environment and the impact that our choices are making. 

It is now the norm in Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes for people to use their own bag or bottle, with 96% and 92% respectively, always or usually doing so. Bring Your Own (BYO) cups are a little behind with 57% of people in the wider survey area always or usually doing this, but an outstanding 72% of Wānaka residents have given up take-away cups!

Wastebusters project manager Sophie Ward said the transformative behaviour change in Wānaka has been driven through cafes taking ownership of their waste stream through the collaborative SUCfree Wānaka campaign, supported by Wastebusters and Plastic Free Wānaka. 

Central Otago residents are leading the way when it comes to producing home-made cleaning, healthcare products and snacks. As a waste-reduction strategy, 15% of Central Otago respondents make their own cleaning or healthcare products, followed by 11% in Wānaka and 9% in Queenstown.

Wastebusters has gleaned some great insights into our community’s behaviours and concerns as well as how far we have come since 2019 when we first undertook the survey. Thank you again!