Modern items sit beside objects from times past in Western Bay Museum's new exhibition called ‘How To Save The Planet – what we can learn from our grandparents'.

The aim is to encourage people to do their bit to help save the planet by drawing on our ancestors' practices while highlighting local organisations who are doing mahi (work) to reduce waste in the Western Bay of Plenty today.

Museum manager Paula Gaelic says the exhibition – which is running until February 2023 – re-visits attributes such as thrift and frugality, to see what is really practical for us to do today – skills like preserving, mending, growing your own fruit and vegetables, and reducing waste.

Skills into practice

And to put these ideas and skills into practice – or into the hands of visitors – the museum is offering a number of free community talks and workshops. 'The idea came from our museum joining the Tourism Industry Aotearoa's sustainable business group,” says Paula.

'They gave us a strategic plan to change our thinking about what we're doing – it's also making us really aware of everyday things we can change to help save the planet.”

The stunning wartime dress made from ribbons, with an electric jug below, which you could change elements to make it last for decades. Photo: Merle Cave.

Topics include waste in general, food and drinks waste, clothing, gardening, and activities around the house – showcasing old tools and practices that previously championed sustainability. Think glass milk bottles, tea leaf strainers, cheese bags and more.

'Yes, we are looking back – but ‘How To Save The Planet' is really about what we can learn from our grandparents because they didn't waste things like we do in today's throwaway society,” says Paula.

'There are some really good examples of this in the displays…but you can also see new initiatives.”

For example, one display shows an old electric jug, used by a family for decades due to the ability to replace the element inside, alongside today's popular metal straws that come with a cleaning brush.

Frugality with clothing

Two displays depict our ancestors' necessary frugality with clothing.

'There is this beautiful blue-and-white wartime dress. Well, back then fabrics weren't available – so what does this lady do? She makes a dress out of ribbon.”

Beside it hangs a pair of bloomers made from flour bags.

'That was common practice – it's just a cotton fabric. Instead of just throwing out the flour bags, they made use of them.”

Cheese bags were used to enable cheese to keep for longer and not go mouldy. Photo: Merle Cave.

Another display has a winter coat that's been re-sewn and repurposed from another family member's garment.

Paula acknowledges today's clothing recycling initiatives; 'the thing is back in the day, your best dress was actually your best dress – you didn't have a wardrobe full of clothing”.

'If you can afford to, buy good quality clothing that lasts longer and think about where fabrics are made and what they are made from.”

The exhibition, sponsored by Western Bay of Plenty District Council, also highlights results from nearly one year of the district's kerbside service being implemented.

'At first I was a bit anti this as I was already a recycler – but this service has really forced people to look at their waste,” says Paula.

'It's not only what we've diverted, it's about what's being done with collected recyclables – they're not stockpiled. Our glass is recycled with an Auckland company. Our food waste is going into making compost. In the past that was going into landfill and the methane gas from that is massive.

'So it's about making everyday people aware of what we can do. Some may say: ‘It's too late, we can't save the planet' but I think everybody has a responsibility to try their best.”

New target audience

The exhibition's timing is also key.

'The museum has opened a whole new target audience. We get children through our school programmes, we get older people because they enjoy museums – but that middle age-group of early-30s-50s are not generally museum-goers.”

Only open a week, Paula can already see numbers showing engagement with this group.

Also, Covid-19 played its part.

'I think Covid really made us aware that we can grow some vegetables in our small backyard – we can make meals from scratch instead of buying pre-packaged stuff.”

Free workshops ‘Gardening all year round in a small space', ‘DIY upcycled Christmas decorations', and ‘Make your own kawakawa salve' can be booked by emailing: admin@westernbaymuseum.nz or call 021 113 4451.

The exhibition also nods to today's movements away from use of throwaway nappies, plastic bags, disposable coffee cups, and more.

'In New Zealand we are isolated a lot from a lot of rubbish…you go overseas and there's rubbish everywhere you look,” says Paula.

'However, our children are learning about sustainability at school, they are vocal about it. They want to be able to make a difference – and it is our responsibility to support that.”

View the exhibition at Western Bay Museum, open 10am-4pm Monday-Friday, and 11am-3pm on weekends. Find out more at: www.westernbaymuseum.nz

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