Plastic Free Wānaka (PFW) says a new solution for local events and organisations looking to reduce their single-use waste has got off to a great start.

In collaboration with Wastebusters, the Wānaka Community Workshop and Dishrupt, the local social enterprise launched a portable mug library at the Siddharta’s Intent event earlier this month.

A wooden tree, created by the Wānaka Community Workshop, was filled up with mugs from Wastebusters, and dishwashing facilities were provided by Dishrupt.

The portable mug library prevented close to 2,000 cups from ending up in landfill across the nine-day event.

Wastebusters communications manager Ruth Blunt said the organisation was stoked to be part of an initiative “which creates accessible and easy alternatives to single use takeaway cups”.

“We know from our Resourceful Communities survey results that the main barriers to reuse are forgetting a cup or not planning ahead, so a simple return scheme like this one can have an immediate impact in helping visitors reduce waste and adopt zero waste behaviours,” she said.

Disrupt spokesperson Lucy Deuble said she was impressed to see the mug library come to life at the event.

“It was the perfect addition to our reusable servewear, and we have the ‘people power’ to wash and return them, so the operation ran really smoothly,” she said.

“We are so stoked to collaborate with Plastic Free Wānaka and Wastebusters and keep even more single use servewear out of landfill.”

Attendees at the Siddhartha’s Intent event - who came from all over the world to study a 14th century Tibetan text - gave back to the community in multiple ways. 

See also: Global Buddhist gathering gives back to community.

Thousands of dollars were gifted to Love Wānaka (which provides grants to organisations working to improve Queenstown Lakes’ environment) and attendees supported the restoration of the Bullock Creek wetlands area with a tree planting session.

After the success of its first use, the portable mug library is now available to hire for events across the Upper Clutha in return for a donation.

Donations received from the project will be used to support SUCfree Wānaka, a community initiative led by PFW with the aim of making Wānaka the first single-use cup free town in the country.

Wānaka now has 11 cafes and restaurants that are 100 percent SUCfree, and a total of 29 that offer a loan cup scheme or mug library.

SUCfree Wānaka is currently collaborating with Lake Wānaka Tourism and Destination Queenstown on a summer campaign targeted at visitors to the region.

If you are interested in using the portable mug library for an upcoming event, please contact Emma at [email protected]. 

PHOTO: Supplied