Local hero pledges funds for Fight the Tip

Local environmental sewer Maxine Stringer is contributing from her reduce, reuse and recycle BYO Bags funds to help the Environment Court legal battle against the Dome Valley landfill proposal.

Dargaville's BYO Bag movement was born in 2017, when a group of Kaipara women set up their sewing machines and got to work for the environment.

In a bid to get Kaipara shoppers and businesses to ditch single use plastic shopping bags for good, the BYO Bag team began to cut and sew donated fabric scraps into reusable shopping bags.

The environmental action idea came from Kaipara councillor Victoria del la Varis-Woodcock, who was inspired by what the BYO Bag Waiheke movement had achieved with Waiheke Countdown being the first supermarket in New Zealand to go plastic bag free.

Sewing 2000 thousand bags on her industrial machine, Stringer's skills enabled the BYO Bag team to set up Plastic Free stalls at Dargaville Countdown, leading the way towards the government's final ban of single use shopping bags for good.

“This was the start of something bigger," recalls Cr del la Varis-Woodcock. “People leading their communities is where change begins.”

In October 2020, Stringer received a Kaipara District Council Environment Award for her contribution. Now she is proud to be pledging $500 to the Fight the Tip legal team from the sale of the BYO Bags.

“I'm glad to be able to do my bit to make the world a better place," says Stringer.

Alan and Maxine Stringer pictured after Maxine’s Kaipara enviro award presentation last year. PHOTO/SUPPLIED