2009 Eco-my-flat winners
Major Prizes
Best Overall Eco-Flat: Pri-Uta
Their flat name was made up of a combination of their surnames, and for Nicola and Jody becoming more eco is all about teamwork. Their quarter acre section out at Lincoln University boasts a DIY chicken coop sourced from locally foraged materials, a recently planted native garden, and an impressive array of home-grown veges including fifteen varieties of ‘heritage’ tomatoes, the seedlings of which Nicola sells on Trade Me. Inside, they went chemical-free on cleaning products for both the house and their bodies, and have set aside a cupboard for all the preserves they’re making out of their home-grown and bartered food. Here’s to DIY style!
Most Improved Flat: The Lotus Garden
With six ‘newbie greenie’ flatmates, vegan Paigan had her work cut out for her at the start of the competition, but she proved herself a true eco-warrior and has brought them all on board – to the point that they are now teaching her more about sustainable living. The flat’s efforts included: building an impressive worm farm from foraged materials; implementing vegan, electricity-free nights once a week; building gardens from scratch; and creating special charts to track power usage.
Other Categories
Best Overall Eco-Flat
These awards acknowledge the efforts made by flats that were already making an effort to live sustainably, and who have really amped things up as part of the competition.
Runner-up, Best Overall Eco-Flat: Cass Bay Hideaway
Being on the other side of the hill hasn’t stopped Lisa and Dan from walking and bussing to uni and work, and they’ve also been improving their eco-ness by replacing supermarket purchases, with produce from bulk food stores and the Lytellton Farmer’s market. And, just in case you doubted these guys dedication, Lisa even hand-sewed a pair of boxer shorts for Dan so that he doesn’t have to wear a ‘Made in China’ label. Now, that’s what I call love.
Runner-up, Best Overall Eco-Flat: Beveridge St
With a truly impressive garden to begin with, Hollie and Cameron took to preserving, freezing and cider-brewing with relish. Elsewhere, they’ve started preparing for winter with hot water cylinder wraps, window glazing and checking insulation. They’ve also started bartering, shopping at bulk bin stores, and are becoming expert food foragers in their mission to take eco-living to the next level.
Runner-up, Best Overall Eco-Flat: Winkle's Lair
Sarah and Jacob ran out of time to eco up every room in the house, but already the toilet and bathroom at Winkle’s Lair have undergone something of a transformation. They’re devoted organic shoppers and recently they’ve dedicated a sizeable chunk of their small back yard to a vegetable garden. They are now looking forward to using reusable eco-nappies on the forthcoming third flatmate, whose arrival is due shortly.
Commendation, Best Overall Eco-Flat: Dingle
With a beautifully aesthetic and highly practical garden that is threatening to take over all available lawn (and roof) space at the Dingle flat, these vegetarian flatmates will be eating well all year long. Their efforts didn’t just stop there however – these guys even took up hand-washing as part of their plan to live more sustainably.
Commendation, Best Overall Eco-Flat: Sunflowers Ate My Potatoes
With a mammoth, overladen pear tree in the back yard, preserving and bartering have been just two of the ways this flat has been living more sustainably. They’ve also been improving their garden, buying second-hand, cycling heaps, and generously sharing their front yard with a van dweller.
Most Improved Flat
These awards acknowledge the efforts made by ‘eco-my-flatters’ doing their best to improve their sustainable living practices.
Runner-up, Most Improved Flat (Special Commendation for Garden Improvements): De Hare Green Veges
With several flat members eating vegan meals, the large new garden at De Hare Green Veges should keep this flat well-fed during winter. That veganism is also scrumptious was proved at the Earth Hour feast hosted by this keen green flat.
Commendation, Most Improved Flat: Stables
Although they wondered what they’d got themselves into after the first workshop, the five guys at the Stables have now discovered that being eco doesn’t mean being hippie, and they are seriously keen about improving their eco-consciousness – although we hope they don’t waste away with their efforts to reduce their supermarket bills.
Commendation, Most Improved Flat: Carbine Place
The girls at Carbine Place’s efforts at eco-ing up their flat included: growing seedlings in the glass house, having baking marathons, turning rubbish into art, and getting to grips with an old-fashioned push-mower.
Commendation, Most Improved Flat: The Burrow
The Burrow took eco-consciousness very seriously indeed, and found that the greatest value of the competition was the (often heated) intra-flat debates around the issues that arise with eco-living choices. The Burrow are keen food foragers and second-hand shoppers.
Commendation, Most Improved Flat: Eco-Warriors
Aimee was so inspired at the first workshop on Food and Gardening that before it was over she’d organised a parental bread-maker to be delivered to the flat. In addition, the Eco-Warriors also took to gardening and made serious efforts to reduce their electricity consumption.
Commendation, Most Improved Flat: Team Waimairi
Ditching over-packaged biscuits in favour of baking, the ladies from Team Waimairi discovered that their efforts were a little too good, but fortunately, the new vege garden they’ve planted as part of the competition should help balance out the cupcakes.
Best Landlord
This is a new category to acknowledge the importance of landlords in making housing more sustainable.
Winner, Best Landlord: John and Aimee van Gerwen, Dingle
Having installed insulation, a heat pump, and sourced thermal drapes for the Dingle flat, John and Aimee have been model landlords and have even encouraged keen gardener Jonny to dig up most of the lawn for vegetable gardens.
Commendation, Best Landlord: Ting Leong, De Green Hare Veges
When it came to setting up their garden and making a compost bin, De Green Hare Vegies found Ting Leong's expertise as former fruit and vege grower invaluable, and he even mucked in and helped them.
Award for Transport Innovation: Andrew from The Greasers
A keen eco-flatter, Andrew has converted his Toyota Hi-Lux to run on used vegetable oil which he sources from restaurants. As part of the competition he also planted out the flat's glass house and went deer hunting in the vege truck.
Award for the most extensive use of bikes and public
transport: 53 Hillary
With five flatmates and no vehicle between them, 53 Hillary have proved themselves in the transport department, even bussing and biking to the Port Hills for climbing expeditions.
Earth Hour Participation Awards
De Hare Green Veges, Winkle's Lair, Lotus Garden (pictured below).
