Welcome to the September edition of the HOW newsletterHello everyone, Garage Sale TrailSaturday 20 and Sunday 21 October Join 400,000 Australians for the nation's biggest ever weekend of garage sales. Choosing to reuse by buying second-hand and selling items to give them a second life, is a great way to reduce waste. The Garage Sale Trail is an opportunity to do that declutter that you’ve been putting off, sell your unwanted hidden treasures and get to know your neighbours. The first 1,250 sellers who register before Monday 10 September will receive a FREE seller pack with posters, price tags and more to help with their garage sale. War on WasteRobinet – It’s French for tapThe War on Waste recently returned to the ABC for a second series. Covering everything from e-waste to straws, plastic bottles, furniture and food labelling, it’s well worth a watch. Get informed. Get inspired. Catch up on iView. The comparison between tap (robinet) and bottled water is particularly interesting and entertaining! Take the War on Waste pledgeMore and more people are switching from disposable items to reusable ones. From drink bottles to coffee cups, it’s one of the easiest ways to reduce waste and make a difference. Living with less wasteWant to eat take-away without the packaging?Some cafes and restaurants are happy to use your clean, reusable containers for takeaway food. Some even offer a discount! Check in with your local takeaway or search the Trashless Takeaway website to find a BYO container friendly café or restaurant near you. Make a shopping list and saveDid you know, the average Victorian household throws out $42 worth of food per week? That’s $2136 every year! The good news is that a lot of this food waste can be avoided by:
Recycle rightHave you found yourself wondering what goes in which bin? Find out at Council’s Bin Information web page. You might be surprised to know that empty aerosol cans, berry punnets and clean aluminium foil can all be recycled in your yellow-lidded recycling bin. What to do with e-wasteE-waste = any item with a plug, battery or cord that is no longer working or wantedBatteries and e-waste, such as mobile phones, computers, televisions, power tools and whitegoods contain hazardous toxic metals and must not be placed in your household bins. E-waste can be taken to the Frankston Regional Recycling and Recovery Centre (FRRRC) for FREE. From there it goes to Quantum Recycling Solutions in Dandenong for recycling. There are now a number of drop-off locations for e-waste and a few collection services for select items. Search Council’s A-Z Waste and Recycling Directory for options. Of course, repairing items can put off your need to dispose of e-waste and can be much more environmentally friendly than replacing electronic items. Greening Our Future eventsWe have lots of great environmental sustainability events coming up. Why not try a home composting session in October or a War on Waste tour in November – bookings are essential and you can register your place now. Also keep an eye out on Council's Environmental Events web page for information on a local talk by Erin Rhoads (the Rogue Ginger) on Waste Wise Living in December, with a particular focus on Christmas and the holiday season. Bookings for this event will open soon. These events are FREE and offer the chance to meet with like-minded individuals. Book early so you don't miss out. Detox Your Home in MorningtonDrop-off unwanted household chemicalsHousehold chemicals can be dangerous – they can harm your family and your pets, add extra fuel to a house fire, release toxic fumes and pollute the environment. Detox your Home is a safe, FREE and easy-to-use service to dispose of common household chemicals, such as solvents, poisons and cleaning products. Simply register online and turn up on the day. Composting and worm farming tipsIs your compost or worm farm starting to smell bad? Your compost bin might be too wet, too acidic or not be getting enough oxygen. Try:
You can eliminate bad smells in your worm farm (and make your worms happier) by:
Pick My ProjectPick My Project is a Victorian Government community grants initiative. A number of project ideas have been submitted from across Victoria, including several local waste related projects. Vote by Monday 17 September for your favourite three local projects to help them become a reality. Seaford » Frankston » Langwarrin » Karingal » Skye » Frankston South » Frankston North » Carrum Downs » Langwarrin South » Sandhurst |