Para Kore Marae Incorporated is a community-based, not-for-profit, Māori organisation (by Māori, for Māori) established in 2008 to deliver waste minimisation education and training on marae, with kura, kōhanga reo and community organisations throughout Aotearoa.
Our organisation seeks to create behaviour change that diverts waste from landfills, reduces water and air pollution and educates the public to reduce plastic litter. Para Kore is a Māori organisation and its programme is grounded in relationships and whakapapa to Papatūānuku, Ranginui me ō rāua uri.
Turning waste into resource
Para Kore is working towards embedding zero waste behaviours within marae and Māori communities across Aotearoa. While ‘de-normalising’ the throwaway mentality that currently exists through much of our society, we aim to normalise the careful consumption of local products while promoting reuse, recycling and composting as standard practices. Our goal is to ensure that materials previously considered to be waste will instead be seen as a resource.
Free resources and support
Para Kore provides free resources (recycling bins and signage), interactive waste audits/wānanga, help setting up recycling and composting systems and ongoing support for marae and organisations.
Para Kore was established in Tauranga Moana in 2014 and is currently working with 41 marae and community organisations across the region.
Please contact us: taurangamoana@parakore.maori.nz or 027 5555 034 if your marae, kura, kōhanga reo or community organisation is interested in Para Kore.
By Rachael Ruakere
I write for the Bay Waka to encourage everyone to take up the Para Kore (zero waste) challenge within their homes and community.
