What is your impact on the planet?

FutureFit offers a chance to discover your personal carbon footprint by answering a few quick questions on your everyday decisions around food, transport, shopping, and home energy use.

Ōtūmoetai College

Year 13 student

Karlia Taylor recently gave FutureFit a go to add to her toolbox of positive climate efforts.

“Although I am already conscious of my impact on the environment, this tool makes it easier for me to put thoughts into action and therefore I think it is a big opportunity to grow,” says Karlia.

“I like the way the tool shows numerical values of how much you are reducing your carbon footprint with every action you take, because it feels fulfilling measuring your progress.”

Easy actions to reduce a carbon footprint can include hanging washing out on a clothesline instead of using a dryer, replacing older lightbulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs, composting food waste, or going dairy-free for a day.

Karlia says others should try FutureFit because it makes it easy to choose sustainable habits. “It’s important for everyone to make these small changes because only as a team can we combat the potentially irreversible climate change we are facing today.

“I have hope for the future because if we all set small targets of carbon reduction by simply hanging out the washing instead of using the dryer or eating less meat more often, we as a collective can catalyse change.”

Visit www.futurefit.nz to find out your carbon footprint, discover actions, and set goals to assist you in making small changes for a better future.

Baypark welcomes new venue partner Mercury

Hello, yellow.

Tauranga’s premier venue for live music and entertainment, sports and recreation, conferences, meetings, shows, and exhibitions has a new partner – Mercury. And a new name – Mercury Baypark. And a new favourite colour – yellow. Everything else, however, is exactly the same. Mercury Baypark Arena is where you will find social netball, football, basketball and volleyball leagues, community programmes like Tumble Time, and large indoor events like this weekend’s PROJECT hip hop dance competition.

Mercury Baypark Stadium is where you will find family-friendly entertainment such as the recent Grand Finale of the Valvoline D1NZ National Drifting Championship. And Mercury Baypark Open Air will continue to be the home for big outdoor festivals and events, like Polo in the Bay. Same, same – but with a new name, and a splash of yellow to match.

Mercury bought Trustpower’s retail business in May last year and this winter is bringing the best of both brands together for customers under the Mercury brand, while continuing to be a supporter of the Bay of Plenty community.

“We are delighted to have Mercury as our new venue partner at Baypark,” Bay Venues Chief Executive Chad Hooker said.

“Mercury is an innovative and forwardlooking company that works with a wide range of New Zealand communities to make great things happen. This is a perfect fit for us,” he said.

“Here at Baypark, we also strive to make great things happen for our communities.”

“Mercury is an innovative and forward-looking company that works with a wide range of New Zealand communities to make great things happen. This is a perfect fit for us.”

“Our purpose is to connect people through exceptional experiences and every day those connections bring a certain special energy to this venue. Welcome aboard, Mercury,” Hooker said.

Bay of Plenty-based Mercury General Manager Customer Operations, Fiona Smith, said Mercury is thrilled to be adding a splash of yellow to Baypark.

“We will continue the good work Trustpower started, investing in and being an active supporter of Bay of Plenty communities through sponsorships like Mercury Baypark and partnerships.”