Ward Mike: General Debate 
Ward Mike: General Debate 
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MIKE WARD (Green) 
: 
 It is nice to have so many turn up for a general debate speech at this early hour of the evening. 
Hon Member 
: We are looking forward to it. 
MIKE WARD 
: Thank you. During question time today I asked the Minister for the Environment about the effectiveness of the packaging accord. I asked not because I think that non-recyclable milk containers are the greatest problem or even on their own a significant problem but they certainly are a problem for many of the groups and individuals around the country who spend their time trying to combat the amount of stuff we throw away. 
Non-recyclable containers on their own are part of a much bigger much more insidious and much more threatening problem. Our throwaway practices do not end with milk cartons—there is little that we make or use that is not made to be thrown away. Although it may be encouraging to think that it is OK to use something if we recycle it it is not possible to reclaim all the energy that goes into producing and transporting all the stuff we throw into the ground at the rate of something like 10 million kilograms every day in this country. The packaging accord is one mechanism for dealing with an important element in the waste stream. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: Will members please be seated and give the speaker a fair go. 
MIKE WARD 
: Thank you Madam Speaker. 
It is no secret that we have had our misgivings about the accord but this latest package is an opportunity for the signatories to the accord to say that we can make it work by telling Meadow Fresh to get its act together. I would not be discouraged by that; in fact we are mightily encouraged by that. If they cannot do so then we will have to say to the Minister and her accord partners that it is time to look seriously at container deposit legislation. 
As I said earlier non-recyclable milk containers are part of a much bigger and much more threatening problem. As important as recycling is it is important that we move beyond the mindset that says that providing we recycle the products we take home and throw away all will be well. It will not. On a seriously overheating finite planet it is not possible to recover the energy that goes into producing products let alone packaging them. If we add all the other products from appliances to furnishings and even motor vehicles and buildings that are deliberately designed with a limited shelf life—indeed they are deliberately designed to fall apart—then it is clear that the throwaway mindset is a major contributor to both peak oil and climate change. 
Although the environmental implications of waste are significant the social implications are I believe much worse. It is not possible to spend our lives shopping every waking hour taking stuff home and throwing it away and then doing it again the next day without working seriously long hours. There is not a party in this House that does not express concern for families. I would suggest that what families need is time not stuff. We cannot spend our time shopping until we are silly and still have time to spend talking with our kids talking with our families and actually being families. It takes time and energy to be a family and a friend and that energy currently is going into shopping. When families are constantly bombarded by messages to consume we inevitably wind up with mum dad and the children all working to participate in the feeding frenzy that is today’s shopping culture. When this stuff threatens to make our planet uninhabitable at the same time it is doubly tragic. So my plea is that we get our act together stop taking home stuff that is likely to degrade the planet seriously and take time out to enjoy life and that the next time we get a long weekend do not spend it shopping. 
Debate interrupted.