Remix Plastic, created by Anthea Ibell in Christchurch, has a vision to foster sustainable behaviour and a circular economy. “This vision gives us the focus to carry out our mission of providing education that encourages and empowers individuals to make sustainable changes.”
A finalist in the 2020 Sustainable Business Awards, Anthea creates beautiful jewellery made from plastic waste diverted from landfill. Each piece carries a sustainability story.
Already supporting Forest & Bird with bird of the century, Puteketeke, earrings and Our Seas Our Future with white feather earrings inspired by the rare black-billed gull, Anthea reached out to the West Coast Penguin Trust.
Her little blue penguin / kororā earrings are made from recycled ice cream container lids and are striking in their wonderful blue and white. $2 from the sale of each pair will be donated to support our penguin conservation projects. Importantly for many, earring hooks are hypoallergenic stainless steel and all items are shipped plastic free. 
Find out more and purchase kororā earrings here and the Remix Plastic website with other wonderful creations is here.
Anthea has also created a podcast about sustainability and a circular economy – find episodes here.
The three key principles are:
- Design out waste and pollution
- Keep products and materials in use
- Regenerate natural systems
Congratulations and thank you Anthea!
While materials were chosen that would stand up to the harsh coastal conditions, those same coastal conditions are conducive to plant growth! Occasional checks of the fences have been carried out by volunteers and rangers so that any maintenance needs can be identified and remedied. The never-ending need for maintenance is managing the vegetation that can grow through the fence, for example gorse, blackberry and hydrangea, pushing it to breaking point in places, or flop over causing damage from the weight of rank grass, rushes and weeds such as montbretia.
Volunteers recently spent a few hours tidying up the main fence along Woodpecker Bay north of Punakaiki so a big shout out to them - thank you Fiona, Jony, Reef, Katrina, Mandy, Marty, Teresa and Deb! Flax had been pressing down on the fence, but now the fence has been freed up by these wonderful volunteers - and they picked up a fair bit of rubbish too.
Volunteer Natassja Savidge has offered to check and help maintain the Hokitika penguin protection fence and joined Ranger Lucy Waller and Manager Inger Perkins in May to inspect the length of the fence. Some minor issues were found but the main finding was the extent of the vegetation growth that was damaging the fence in places. Big thanks to Natassja!
