SPEAKS & BUBBLES
It used to be that for a successful awards evening Miss Venezuela had to be present. She was nowhere to be seen at Thursday nights Get Sustainable Challenge awards - but that did nothing to dampen raucous laughter and stories of genuine success.

Tales of Fridays off and slain worms had the crowd amused, and you could almost be excused in forgetting that four local businesses were the pick of a highly sustainable bunch. For the record, Remarkit Solutions (IT equipment recyclers), absolutely.co.nz (web solutions), Alto (Design), and YHA Wellington (tourism) were category winners.

YHA took the 'supreme' award, along with my thumbs up for best laugh. You'd never be bored stuck in a room with manager Hamish Allardice!

Well done to all the businesses who stuck their neck out and entered. And for you - the peeps on the street - keep an eye out for this next year. It will be bigger and better.