Thursday, 09 October 2025 14:25

Ripe Wanaka named NZ’s top sustainable event

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

The waste-free Ripe Wanaka Wine and Food Festival won Sustainability Event of the Year at the New Zealand Events Association Awards this year, while Festival Director Nathan White was named Emerging Event Professional of the Year.

The 2025 Ripe Festival used reusable service ware, comprehensive recycling and composting systems, and partnerships with local sustainability organisations to minimise the festival’s environmental footprint.

“Creating waste-free festivals isn’t just about logistics,” Nathan says. “It’s about reshaping the culture of events in New Zealand.”

More like this

Fifth-Generation Farmer Transforms Dairy Farm into Biodiversity Hotspot

Fifth generation farmer Stu Muir believes dairy farming and conservation can go hand in glove.

Subsidies keeping wind, solar generation viable

OPINION: I recently wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister because at a recent Federated Farmers meeting, Chris Luxon told me wind and solar generation is not subsidised.

Fieldays’ sustainability credentials getting greener

The New Zealand National Fieldays Society has achieved a major sustainability milestone - reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and reaching the target five years early.

Additional land needed to feed the same number of people

OPINION: Eight point two billion people on the planet. Ten point three billion exported by 2084 (according to the latest United Nations' projections). And it is our role as farmers and growers in the food system to feed them. We need to do this as sustainably as possible, but the primary goal must be food production.