Zero Waste for a Week Challenge
The Zero Waste for a Week Challenge is on again in Moreland during the month of June.
Be one of the first 150 households to register and receive a free Waste Wise kit containing products and information to help you succeed at the challenge!
What does the challenge involve?
Taking the challenge means that for one week in June you cannot put anything in your rubbish bin. By doing this you will not be sending any waste to landfill.
You can still use your recycling bin and a compost bin or worm farm though. If you're successful only your recycling bin will need to go out for collection at the end of the challenge.
The zero waste for a week challenge applies to all your personal waste so putting rubbish in public bins or the bins at work should also be avoided.
How to get involved
All you need to do to participate is fill in the online registration form. You will need to nominate which week in June you are going to take the challenge. The challenge will start on the day your bins are collected. Choose a week when you feel you will have time to make some changes to your purchasing habits.
To receive a free Waste Wise kit (containing reusable produce bags, a reusable food container and an information booklet) you must be in the first 150 to register. Offer applies to Moreland residents only.
What happens next?
Once you have registered, your details will be added to a database of residents undertaking the challenge (these details will only be used for the purpose of communicating with you throughout the challenge.) If you are in the first 150 to register a Waste Wise kit will be delivered to your home in late May. The kit comes with a booklet full of information and tips to help you successfully complete the challenge.
Workshops and tours
Visit the Materials Recovery Facility
Throughout the month of June there will be 2 opportunities to visit the Recycling Centre (Materials Recovery Facility) in Coburg to find out what happens to your recyclables once they leave the kerbside. Tours will take place on Tuesday 5 June and Wednesday 20 June from 10.30 am - 11.30 am. Meeting at Coburg Library at 10 am. Please send an email if you would like to register for a tour.
Sign up for a composting workshop
Two workshops will be held in June covering composting, worm farming and using a Bokashi bin. Come along and learn all you need to know to keep food waste out of your rubbish bin.
Composting workshop 1
Monday 18 June, 6.30 pm - 7.30 pm, Glenroy Library, 737 Pascoe Vale Road, Glenroy
Composting workshop 2
Tuesday 26 June 2 pm - 3 pm, Coburg Library meeting room, 26 Louisa Street, Coburg
Places send an email if you would like to register for a workshop.
Refresh your recycling knowledge
Purchasing items with recyclable packaging will also help you reduce waste. Check the recycling page to refresh your knowledge of what can go in the kerbside recycling bin and chose items that come packaged in these materials. Don't forget that a range of additional products can now be recycled in Moreland including soft plastic packaging and polystyrene.
There are many items that can’t go in the recycling bin but can be recycled if dropped off at a collection point. Check the A-Z guide to waste and recycling to find out where you can recycle items such as batteries, CDs and compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Measure your success
Complete the online evaluation survey to measure your success when you have completed the challenge and to let us know what you thought about the experience. A link to the evaluation survey will also be emailed to all participants at the end of June.
How you can start reducing your daily waste
This webpage offers lots of advice and information on how to succeed at reducing your waste to zero. The first step is to compost your food waste. The next step is to think about what packaging you regularly purchase and also to refreash your knowledge about what can go in your recycling bin.
Turn food waste into food for your garden
The average household garbage bin is between 30 and 40 per cent full of food waste. If you do not already have a compost bin you can purchase a compost bin from Council for $49.50 with free delivery or visit CERES or your local nursery or hardware store to purchase one.
Ditch the plastic bags
Most people by now have cottoned on to reusable shopping bags. This is a positive step for the environment however many people are still using single use plastic bags for their fruit and vegetables at the supermarket. Try using Fregie Sacks or other bags that you can reuse when buying your loose items at the store.
Getting your daily caffeine hit
Cutting down on waste means cutting down on disposables, which means breaking the take away coffee habit. Try sitting in and enjoying your coffee or carry a reusable coffee cup such as the Keep Cup with you. This reusable cup is small and light so you can take it with you everywhere and never be caught out when coffee calls.
Box it don’t wrap it
If you enjoy taking your own lunch to work or school you will need to think about how you package it. Many people rely on single use cling film for sandwiches, biscuits and snacks. Try using a reusable sandwich container or lunchbox to keep your sandwiches or snacks fresh and in one piece.
Nappies
There are many modern, easy-to-use alternatives to disposable nappies now available including reusable cloth nappies and compostable nappies. Reusable nappies can be purchased online, at wholefood stores and at some supermarkets. Visit an Australian Nappy Network Melbourne group monthly meet up at the Brunswick Baptist Church Hall, 491 Sydney Road, Brunswick, to learn more about the range of reusable nappies available and to speak to other people who already use them. The group also organise occasional free nappy sewing workshops with the Multicultural Women's Sewing Group. Send an email to get in touch with the group.
Personal hygiene products
There are many good reasons to avoid buying disposable pads and tampons. Most women in their lifetime willl use on average 11,000 tampons or pads. In Australia and New Zealand well over 700 million tampons and 1 billion pads are disposed of in landfill every year. Both come in non-biodegradable plastic packaging and unless you are choosing organic products they will contain bleaching agents which are harmful to the user and to the environment. An alternative is to use reusable pads and menstrual cups. Both are available online and at wholefood stores.
Compostable partywares
When organising events, parties and functions if you are unable to use real crockery and cutlery consider compostables as an alternative to disposables. It is possible to find a large range of plates, cutlery, cups and other items made from bamboo, palm leaves and corn starch online that can be composted rather than landfilled. For more information on bioplastics visit World Centric, for supplies visit Green Pack or Going Green Solutions.
Avoid packaging
One of the biggest challenges when cutting down on waste is avoiding plastic packaging. Everything these days seems to come wrapped in plastic of one type or another! Although soft plastics are now recyclable in Moreland it is still preferable to avoid packaging all together.
There are several shops in Moreland that offer loose, bulk items such as rice, pasta, cereals, grains, coffee, nuts, flours and refillable options for olive oil, shampoo, laundry liquid and washing up liquid to name just a few. You can take your own containers to fill up and save on packaging.
A-Z of waste avoidance
The Rubbish Free Guide offers tips and suggestions on how to reduce or elimate waste to landfill. Presented as a comprehensive A-Z you can search by product for waste free alternatives.
Where to go for unpackaged bulk items in Moreland
The Brunswick Uniting Church has a monthly food co-op where you can purchase cheap, unpackaged, dry goods and green cleaning products. Where possible the co-op tries to source organic and Australian grown products.
The following shops sell goods in bulk and you can take your own containers to fill up. If you know of any other bulk buy shops in Moreland that aren’t listed here please use the feedback form to let us know.
Organic Wholefoods
483 Lygon Street, Brunswick East. Phone 9384 0288 visit Whole Foods
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9 am - 6.30 pm / Friday 9 am - 7 pm / Saturday 9 am - 5.30 pm / Sunday 11 am - 4 pm
Large range of cereals, grains, pastas, legumes, seeds, nuts, oils, vinegar, shampoos, conditioners and cleaning products available.
CERES Shoppe
Corner Roberts and Stewart Streets, Brunswick East. Phone 9387 2609 visit CERES
Opening hours: Wednesday 9 am – 1 pm / Friday 9 am – 5 pm / Saturday 9 am – 1 pm
Large range of cereals, grains, pastas, legumes, seeds, nuts, oils, vinegar, shampoos, conditioners and cleaning products available.
Where to go for unpackaged bulk items in other areas
Friends of the Earth Food Co-op
312 Smith Street, Collingwood. Phone 9417 4382 visit Friends of the Earth
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10 am – 6 pm / Saturday 10 am – 4 pm / Sunday 11 am – 4 pm
Large range of cereals, grains, pastas, legumes, seeds, nuts, oils, vinegar, shampoos, conditioners and cleaning products available.
Naturally on High
697 High Street, Thornbury. Phone 9484 7131
Opening hours: Monday - Saturday 9 am - 5 pm / Sunday 10 am - 2 pm
Grasslands Grocery and Catering
211 Nicholson Street, Footscray. Phone 9362 0830 visit Grasslands Organic
Opening hours: Thursday 10 am - 6 pm
Plump Organic Grocery
24 Ballarat Street, Yarraville. Phone 9687 6422 visit Plump
Organic Wholefoods
227 Smith Street, Fitzroy. Phone 9419 5347 visit Wholefoods
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9 am - 6.30 pm / Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
The Fruit Pedallers
103 High Street, Northcote. Phone 9489 5824 visit Fruit Pedallers
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9 am - 7.30 pm / Sunday 10 am - 7.30
A limited range of bulk goods including cereals, grains and legumes are kept out the back, please ask staff for assistance.
Joe's Organic Markets
64 Victoria Road, Northcote. Phone 9077 2746 visit Joe's Organic
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am - 8 pm / Sunday 11 am - 8 pm
Limited range of grains, cereals and pulses.
Melbourne University Food Co-op
1st Floor, Union House, Melbourne University, Parkville. Phone 9347 8716
Queen Victoria Market
Organic Indulgence
Stall 46-49, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne.
Organics at the Market
Stall 50-55, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne.
Vic Market Organics
Stall 58-64, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne. Visit Ripe Organics
Garden Organics
Stall 71-77, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne. Phone 9329 4228
Some other ideas to help you reduce waste
- Grow your own fruit and vegetables – avoid packaging and produce healthy, organic food. Visit Sustainable Gardening Australia for factsheets, advice and information.
- Buy organic produce - join a box scheme for your organic vegetables – avoid packaging and have fresh organic produce delivered to your door – find your nearest organic supplier at the Biological Farmers of Australia website.
- Ue the All Recipes website to get recipe ideas for food left over in the fridge or pantry. You can type in ingredients and it will find you great recipes.
- Join a local home grown produce exchange and swap your excess fruit and vegetables.
- Learn to sew or share sewing and other craft skills with the Multicultural Women's Sewing Group.
- Make your own cleaning products – avoid packaging and keep your home free of toxins. Visit Back to Basics Cleaning for advice, recipes and tips.
- Use rechargeable batteries – avoid single use batteries.
- Buy products that last - consider what the product is made from and how well it is made rather than just what it costs.
- Join your local Sharehood to find and share goods and services in your neighbourhood.
- Choose products with replaceable parts – you may not be able to reuse the whole product but reusing a part of it is better than nothing.
- Drink tap water – avoid disposable plastic bottles. Learn more about the environmental impacts of water bottles at the Story of Stuff website.
- Buy second hand – chose to reuse. Choosing second hand over newly made products saves resources, water, energy and CO2 emissions.
- Buy Nothing – join the international movement to reduce consumption on Buy Nothing Day Saturday 24 November 2012 and take a break from consuming – and why not do it more than once a year - make it a weekly habit!
We'd love to hear your feedback about the challenge
Zero waste blogs from home and abroad
- Cambridge Zero waste challenge
- Ethical Consumer Guide - Zero waste week challenge
- Jon Rolls - Zero waste challenge
- My zero waste
- No impact man
- Rubbish free
