Ways To Help You Save Heaps
.jpg)
There is an increasing awareness in the community that everyone can play an important part in reversing the current impact on natural resources. However, Australians remain the second highest producers of garbage in the world.
Find out how you can save heaps;
Please check the list of waste reduction tips below for consideration:
- Buy items that can be used more than once and avoid disposable items
- Try composting or wormfarming
- Buy items with recyclable packaging, recycled content and reduced packaging
- Plan your meals (see Re-Think Your Waste)
- Remember to use your freezer for leftovers
- Write a shopping list and stick to it
- Buy fresh food and fruits loose to minimize packaging
- Take your own bags shopping - avoid plastic bags
- Say no to unwanted junk mail
- Dispose of items responsibly. Placing items such as car batteries into the garbage bin can contaminate groundwater and compromise human health
- Sign up to Planet Ark's Green Resolutions
- Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle
See other recycling and disposal options for A list of disposal options for items which can be recycled or cannot be placed out for collection in the normal household garbage service including batteries, mobile phones, paints and chemicals, computers, televisions and more...
Second Nature - Recycling In Australia
Recycling items like newspapers, aluminium cans and milk cartons at home has become second nature over the past few decades. Planet Ark has released a report called Second Nature - Recycling In Australia. The Report examines the history of recycling, the current priorities and the likely future.
The following questions about recycling are addressed:
- How have wars, depressions and world crises, like the 1970s oil shock, affected the way Australians manage resource and recycle?
- Why are some materials recycled and others aren’t?
- What are the four key drivers that mean a material is likely to be recycled?
- What is happening with e-waste recycling?
- Why is it more difficult to recycle from homes than businesses?
- How effective have producer responsibility programs like ‘Cartridges 4 Planet Ark’ and MobileMuster been?
- Why should recycling be considered a second 'nature' now and in the future?
Visit the Planet Ark website to download the report and find out more.
Plastic Bags Are Our Biggest Problem
Plastic Bags are not recyclable through the household recycling service. Please do not place recyclables inside a plastic bag or place plastic bags in the recycling bin or the garden organics bin.
An average of half a million shopping bags are collected every year on Clean Up Australia Day. Plastic shopping bags also appeared in the Top Ten Rubbish Items in the 2006 Clean Up Australia Rubbish Report.
Saying 'No' to plastic bags is easy. When shopping, take reusable alternatives like "green bags", calico bags, string bags, baskets or boxes with you. Find a local supermarket that offers plastic bag recycling the next time you go shopping.
Our Shire's Streams and Waterways
Sea birds die every year around the world as a result on plastic litter. When the animal dies and decays the plastic is free again to repeat the deadly cycle.
Living Leaner
Australians currently spend $5 billion a year on food that we buy, but don't eat. As a result we send three million tonnes of food waste to landfill every year. Council is running Hills Kitchen Rocks workshops aimed at helping us plan our meals, shop smarter, eat healthier, save money and reduce our waist (waste) line at the same time.
If you want to save heaps go to http://foodwise.com.au/ to learn how.
Living Greener
To find out all about how you can live in a more sustainable way, by using less energy and water, creating less waste and using smarter transport visit www.livinggreener.gov.au. This site will give you step-by-step guides and tips for ways to use less energy and water, reduce waste and travel smarter as well as information on rebates, grants and loans which are available to help with the initial cost of practical solutions.
Back to Top
Planet Ark's Green Resolutions
Green Resolutions is a free, weekly email information service run by Planet Ark. They will provide you with eco tips and tricks to help you tread more lightly on the planet and reduce your carbon footprint in 2010. They'll show you simple ways to make a difference and be the change you want to see. We know that no one can do everything, but believe that everyone can do something!
Every week Planet Ark will send you a new Green Resolution for you to consider as a way to help reduce your impact on our environment.
The resolutions cover areas as diverse as saving water, recycling and waste reduction, reducing carbon emissions, getting close to nature and making a difference at work or school.
Go to Planetark.org/GreenResolutions to check out past resolutions and sign up!
No Junk Mail
In 2008, it was estimated that 8 Billion catalogues, distributed primarily through household letterboxes, were produced by retailers.
Unwanted advertising materials and junk mail can contribute to local litter and household paper consumption.
To assist Residents ‘Do The Right Bin’ Council provides FREE ‘No junk mail’ stickers, available from Council Chambers, Administration Centre.
A Distribution Standards Board (established by the Australian Catalogue Association) has been set up to help reduce the delivery of unwanted junk mail and advertising material. For more information visit www.catalogue.asn.au/distribution/.
Consumers wishing to report illegal or irresponsible distribution practices can phone the DSB hotline on 1800 676 136.The Regional Illegal Dumping Squad can also be contacted regarding the illegal dumping of catalogues on 131 555.
Please note community newsletters, local leaflets, electoral material and items from registered charities are exempt from the standards along with those catalogue distributors which are not members of the Distribution Standards Board.
Online Catalogues
Most Major retailers and brands now have their catalogues published on their website as well as on online catalogue sites such as www.cataloguecentral.com.au.
Online catalogues are a free, convenient and paperless alternative to see what your favorite stores are selling.
Cloth vs Disposable Nappies
Every day in Australia and New Zealand alone, approximately 3.75 million disposable nappies are sent to landfill. This represents a staggering expense not only for the families purchasing disposable nappies but also for the environment. There are now many ‘modern’ cloth nappy products on the market designed to reduce these expenses.
Environmentally, it takes more raw materials to make disposables than cloth nappies. They also have an obvious impact on waste disposal and landfill — in 1999 it was estimated that using an average of six nappies a day over two and a half years produces about 734kg of solid waste. Multiply that by the number of disposable-wearing babies born in Australia each year and that’s a lot of disposable nappies taking up space in landfill. (Choice Magazine, Disposable and cloth nappies buying guide, 2003).
‘Modern’ cloth nappies are easier to use than ever and can offer significant financial savings for growing families whilst reducing the amount of waste from the use of disposables.
Brands such as those below offer a range of ‘modern’ and stylish cloth nappies;
There is a wide range of cloth nappies on the market to suit all budgets and needs. Try searching cloth nappies on the internet or yellow pages for a full list. For further information on the difference between disposables and modern cloth nappies try visiting sources such as
Choice Magazine for reviews of both.
The Cloth Nappy Revolution Workshop
EVER THOUGHT ABOUT USING CLOTH NAPPIES?
Council facilitates cloth nappy workshops for interested individuals and groups. They include nappy folding demonstrations and examples of cloth nappy products. For more information or to express your interest, contact Council’s Waste Education Officer on +61 2 9843 0505
.
Unwanted Phone Books
With directories such as the Yellow and White Pages now online, hard copy telephone directories are becoming less frequently used in many households.
By visiting https://www.directoryselect.com.au/ds/ you can cancel unwanted hard copy directories you no longer want or need, saving the resources required to print and distribute these unnecessarily.
Back to Top