3 Feb 2023 A warm congratulations to John Goodman of Taupō, who is our first Tidy Kiwi Volunteer of the Month for 2023. John’s litter journey started with the goal of keeping fit, and finding litter an absolute eyesore while doing so. He became passionate about keeping ‘his patch’ in Taupō free of litter, as a way of contributing to the community. Aged 83, he puts in multiple hours a day, seven days a week and at least three out of every four weeks of the month collecting litter around the town, focusing not just on the waterfront but on the streets too. He’s easily recognised by the wheelie cart he pulls behind him as he walks from his house down to the lake, and to other litter routes he frequents around the town. He also frequents Warkworth, north of Auckland, and continues his litter walks there too. While his litter walks do have many frustrating moments, as litter is 24/7, he also meets many people who express their gratitude and he gets to hear the community’s stories. He mentions that it’s a wonderful way to meet people. Shannon Hanson, Waste Minimisation Officer at Taupō District Council nominated John and said, “John is an amazing contribution to our town and we’re so grateful for him.” Whakamihi – congratulations! As this month’s Tidy Kiwi Volunteer of the Month, John will receive a Keep New Zealand Beautiful merchandise pack and a Resene paint voucher to help him continue his beautification efforts in Taupō, as well as being entered into this year’s Beautiful Awards. Know someone keeping New Zealand beautiful? Simply nominate them on our website to become a Tidy Kiwi Volunteer of the Month. Our friends at Stand Desk give away one of their sustainably-produced workstations to support our Tidy Kiwi Volunteer of the Month programme. The desks are manufactured here in Aotearoa using sustainable materials and are built to last. The Stand Desk team are starting 2023 off by giving away a desk to Antonia Wood, who is a great advocate of the environment working tirelessly with several Dunedin groups dedicated to keeping the community clean. As the founder of Plogging Ōtepoti Dunedin, she’s an expert at organising community events and working together with local groups to make a difference to her community. She also brings her children along to clean ups, so they can understand the importance of keeping the environment clean from an early age. Antonia is the recipient of a Stand Desk valued at $799 – congratulations! We hope that the time she needs to spend behind a desk is done so in comfort, with sustainability in mind. Check out the Stand Desk range here. Share this page
