The New Zealand Vac from the Sea is about to hit the road to help spread awareness about the worlds bad plastic karma, how we can address this imbalance by improving recycling habits, and what Electrolux is doing in this space. In a two week tour Green ambassador, Julian Huitfeldt and the New Zealand Vac from the Sea will travel to schools and retailers across New Zealand, all the while raising money for Allergy NZ. This is however a tour with an interesting twist; Huitfeldt is only allowed to travel via hitchhiking. With the Vac in a specially made harness, mounted on Huitfeldt’s back, the two are preparing for one epic journey. The journey starts today Monday 31st October 2011.
- We are beginning in Whangarie near the top of the north island of travelling all the way to Invercargill in the bottom of the south Island; we have two weeks to make this journey which covers over 2000km. We’re planning to showcase the Vac from the Sea to ten schools along the way, to help spread awareness with the future of NZ on environmental responsibility with plastics. It’s a little quirky, but I’m confident that the good people of NZ will be keen to help me along the way! We’ve had a specially made harness for the Vac so I can wear it on my back when hitch hiking, so there’s no way anyone is going to miss me. Also, under no circumstances can I be picked up by an Electrolux employee, which helps add to the challenge, says Julian Huitfeldt.
New Zealand’s only national broadcaster, More FM will be following the journey on a daily basis, not only helping encourage drivers to give Julian a lift to the next destination, but promoting the journey on their website. You can follow Julian’s journey to help spread to work on environmental responsibility and Electrolux on www.morefm.co.nz Today however, Julian has kindly provided us with his first update on this epic journey:
First day, October 31st. A massive trip today with six drivers kind enough to help the NZ Vac from the Sea and me make our 284 KM trip from Whangarei to Hamilton. After presenting the $500 winning cheque and UltraOne Green to the winners at Whangarie Girls High School in appreciation of their great recycling efforts, we hit the road headed south. Several times we thought we'd be stuck by the road for hours so a massive thanks to the drivers, especially for the pick up in the Auckland CBD that somehow got us back on the motorway headed to Hamilton. From the sub tropics of the roads north of Auckland to the rolling hills of Hamilton, one big first day is behind us now. Tomorrow, destination Napier! Regards! Julian Huitfeldt, Product Marketing Manager, Electrolux Floor Care & Small Appliances