Meridian Energy has commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Waitaki Dam with New Zealand’s first ‘sustainable’ fashion shoot, to celebrate the role the Dam plays in providing renewable energy for New Zealanders.
Meridian joined forces with Wellington clothing label Starfish to hold the official photo shoot for the Starfish Winter 2010 range at the Waitaki Dam last week.
All of the garments in Starfish’s Brave New World collection are made in New Zealand, and more than half feature either New Zealand-made or ‘low-impact’ fabrics, such as organic cottons, silk hemps, bamboo silks, New Zealand wools and a breakthrough recycled fabric, Koplon. Special care was taken to ensure all aspects of the photo shoot were as eco-friendly as possible. This included using Fair Trade footwear and Living Nature make-up (free of chemicals or parabens), ensuring that catering used low-impact, minimal packaging, and carbon-offsetting all transport and flights.
Meridian spokesperson Alan Seay says, “Some people may ask why a fashion label would partner with an energy company, but to us it makes perfect sense. Sustainability is at the core of both our businesses – Meridian generates electricity using only renewable energy sources and Starfish is well known as a Kiwi pioneer in the field of sustainable fashion and the use of eco-friendly fabrics.
“Inviting Starfish to shoot its Winter 2010 collection at the Waitaki Dam seemed like the most fitting way to showcase our joint efforts and pay a modern tribute to a icon of sustainability on its 75th anniversary.”
Starfish founder Laurie Foon says, “As well as being an breath-taking backdrop for our garments, we thought the fact the Waitaki Dam was hand-made (literally by pick and shovel method) by Kiwis back in the days of the Great Depression was quite symbolic, as Starfish is 100% designed and manufactured in New Zealand. This is extremely important to us – keeping the label Kiwi-made ensures premium quality and helps keep our local industries alive.
She adds, “I know, both as a woman running a business and a mum running a household, that pursuing a sustainable lifestyle can be challenging and intimidating. Through this shoot, we wanted to be able to send a message to Kiwis that while it’s not easy being green, every little bit counts.
“In the case of Starfish, rather than try to do everything all at once, we’re learning to identify opportunities where we can make a difference – seeing what we can do within our means to make our range more sustainable rather than aiming for absolutes and biting off more than we can chew.
"Anf if nothing else, we hope this shoot will show that you don’t have to dress down to care for the environment – eco-friendly fashion can be fabulous.”
The Waitaki Dam is famous for playing an important role in New Zealand’s social development. Nowadays, as part of the Waitaki chain of eight renewable power stations operated by Meridian, it helps to provide some 30% of the country’s power.
In addition to the sustainable Starfish shoot, Meridian celebrated the 75th anniversary with the community with an Open Day at the Waitaki Dam and a series of community events in Kurow on Sunday 25 October.
For further information, please contact:
Alan Seay, Meridian – 021 494 475, alan.seay@meridianenergy.co.nz
or Claire Shaw, Meridian – 021 370 677, claire.shaw@meridianenergy.co.nz
About the Waitaki Dam
The Waitaki Dam and Power Station was built as a “make-work” scheme during the Great Depression. It was literally built by hand, with men using picks, shovels and wheelbarrows in an effort to provide more jobs. The men endured very harsh conditions – the area has freezing winters and very hot summers – and there was a great deal of hardship and illness as a result. Given the nature of the work, there was also a high toll in workplace deaths and injuries. There were nine fatalities during the course of the construction.
The Waitaki Dam construction project is considered the birthplace of some of the pioneering social legislation introduced by the first Labour government of Michael Joseph Savage. Several of the leading figures of that government were involved in the project, including Dr David Gervan McMillan, who was a medical officer on the project and became a minister in Savage's Cabinet. Based on his experiences and observations on the Waitaki project, he introduced the legislation which led to the country's national health service, accessible to all.
The dam and power station were the first link in what is now the Waitaki chain of eight power stations, which are now owned by Meridian Energy and together provide some 25% of New Zealand’s power.
As the Waitaki Dam marks its 75th anniversary, it is a focus for the next phase in the hydro development known as the Waitaki. The storage lake will be the entry point for the tunnel-based project planned for the north bank of the Waitaki, which will see water pass through a 30km tunnel housing an underground power station. The project is known as the North Bank Tunnel Concept, and the Environment Court has just granted Meridian the water use consents. It is envisaged that construction of the project will get under way in 2012.
About Meridian Energy
Meridian is a 100 per cent renewables generator and nationwide retailer of electricity.
Meridian began in April 1999 (following the split of ECNZ into generating, transmission and retail components). As a State-Owned Enterprise it operates as a commercial entity in a de-regulated market. Meridian is ultimately owned by all New Zealanders.
Sustainability is at the core of Meridian’s business and it considers social, economic and environmental impacts when making decisions. Meridian generates electricity using only renewable energy sources and is committed to becoming a carbon neutral company. Since February 2006, Meridian’s electricity has been a certified carboNZeroCert TM product.
Meridian is New Zealand’s largest electricity generator owns and operates nine hydro stations and two wind farms in New Zealand:
- Manapouri power station and eight hydro stations on the Waitaki River in the South Island
- Te Apiti wind farm near Palmerston North
- White Hill wind farm in Southland.
- West Wind near Wellington.
Meridian puts significant investment into new renewable energy sources from Wellington’s first wind farm West Wind, through to our most southern wind farm Ross Island (Antarctica).
Meridian retails electricity to around 188,000 customers throughout New Zealand, which includes households, farms and businesses. It also provides electricity to Rio Tinto Alcan New Zealand Limited (formally Comalco New Zealand Limited) an aluminium smelter, in Bluff, which is New Zealand’s single largest electricity user.
Meridian is committed to improving the lives of New Zealanders through its investments in a number of business units and subsidiaries such as Arc Innovations, Right House, DamWatch Services, EFI and Whisper Tech. Through its sponsorship and community funding, Meridian supports the development of projects and activities that provide real benefits to New Zealand. Meridian’s support varies widely, from local kids’ events to The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Project Crimson through to grassroots rugby.