Waste Not, Want Warmth

I just finished hiking 2 km straight uphill to get to the library in Titrangi village. Mindy's use of the car, thus leaving me without one, has really cramped my style. I came with my memory stick loaded with pictures of our flat -- a work in progress. The pictures included our first meal in our new flat. However, the library computers are very picky about how they are handled, and do not allow me to upload photos.

So I will tell you about things and post pictures this weekend. Our flat is basically 4 rooms -- a large livingroom, a small bedroom, a decent-sized kitchen and a bathroom. The floors are wood in the LR and bedroom and clay tile in the kitchen and bathroom. There are huge windows in every room, including two large sliding-glass doors in the LR and one in the bedroom. These windows and doors provide beautiful views of the surrounding bush (rainforest and pine mixed).

Much to Mindy's chagrin, the bathroom has only a stand-up shower (which is the norm in NZ). Also, there is no central heating or AC (again the norm in NZ). The winters are so short and mild that people only use floorheaters (mostly the oil fin type). Summers are so mild that an open window is all that is required. We have two oil fin heaters and are about to freeze to death (which appears to be the norm in NZ).

I have been in no building or structure that is heated to the extend that it would be in the States. I Moari woman that works with Mindy stated that, while visiting her brother in Palestine, Texas in winter, she was most surprised by how warm the buildings were kept. It seems they just knock the chill off here, but do not "heat" their homes. This is compounded by the lack of insulation in the home construction. One reason may be the cost of electricity here. Another may be that Kiwi's are an efficient and conservative bunch. Every household recycles. "Approved" rubbish bags cost $1.30 each. If your rubbish is not in an approved bag, it is not picked-up. I have noticed that most homes generate 1-2 rubbish bags per week. Glass, plastic, paper, and cardboard are placed in large "dumpsters" issued to each house for recycling. Most homes have a "worm box" or compost bin for organic waste. It surprises me that, given all this efficiency, the homes are not better insulated and more energy-conscious.

To "reduce, reuse and recycle" is not a liberal, hippie thing here. It is a way of life that simply avoids waste. I am starting to see how much excess there is in America and am amazed by it. We (Americans) have a well-earned reputation world-wide for waste, overuse, and carelessness, but at least we are warm in our homes.