Smarter, Cleaner, Greener - October 2020

Our Common Ground - Applications Now Open

Our Common Ground, our popular apartment-based sustainable food program, is now open for applications! We're looking to help five groups of neighbours to establish and maintain their very own food garden in their apartment complex. 

Successful applicants will receive horticultural training and garden material from Toni “the Veggie Lady” Salter to establish a small vegetable garden, as well as the following:

• Onsite training, webinars and growing notes
• Composting and worm farming equipment.

Register your interest by 12 November 2020, and you and your neighbours could be enjoying your own delicious home-grown food in Autumn 2021.

Compost Bins and Worm Farms

Did you know? City of Ryde residents can get subsidised compost bins and worm farms to help minimise food waste and produce nutrient-rich fertiliser for the garden.

You can place an order by visiting our Customer Service Centre at 1 Pope Street, Ryde or calling our Customer Service team on 9952 8222. Your compost bin or worm farm will be delivered for free to your property within five working days.

Are You Prepared for a Bushfire?

Summer 2019-2020 was one of the worst bushfire seasons on record for many parts of Australia, with devastating effects on many communities and their environment. Although the City of Ryde was largely spared from last summer's destruction, we've had our share of major bushfire events in the past because of our proximity to bushland.

While the State fire and emergency service agencies will do everything in their capacity to prevent and manage a bushfire, residents also play a vital part in preparing and protecting their homes and the people who live in it.

In the coming weeks, we'll be updating our online community information, advice and tools to help you and your household become more 'resilient and ready'. This way, you'll be prepared for and can quickly respond to the threat or risks from bushfires and other severe weather events such as storms, floods and heatwaves.

Rehoming and Recycling Services

Are your items too good to go to waste? Council provides a number of free services to help you rehome and recycle your unwanted household items.

• Book a free Collection and Rehoming service and The Bower will collect your unwanted household items from your property
• Hold a Second Hand Garage Sale and Council will advertise it for you free of charge
• Book a free kerbside TV and Computer Collection service
• Organise a free kerbside Chipping and Mulching Service and turn your branches into mulch for your garden
• Use one of our Clothing Bins located in over thirty convenient locations
• Drop off your household batteries, light globes, ink cartridges and mobile phones at one of our Problem Waste Drop-off Stations.

Learn to Identify a Cassia (weed) from a Coffee Bush (native)

Weeds can look very similar to native plants; this makes it easy to mistake a weed for a good plant.

The latest addition to our Weed Watch Ryde video series will show you how to spot the differences between the weed, cassia, and its native look alike, coffee bush. You'll also learn how to use the cut and paint method to control cassia.

If you need more information or advice, feel free to contact our Biosecurity Weeds Officer at biosecurityweeds@ryde.gov.au.

Have Your Say: Field of Mars Reserve

We're seeking your input to create a new Plan of Management and Masterplan for the Field of Mars Reserve. We'd like to hear what you currently like about the Field of Mars Reserve, as well as ideas and suggestions for how the reserve can be managed, maintained, protected and improved now and into the future.

Located in East Ryde, the Field of Mars Reserve is a 51-hectare protected wildlife refuge which includes natural areas (bushland), sections of Buffalo and Strangers Creeks, walking tracks, Visitors Centre/amenities building, Environmental Education Centre, picnic areas and a car park.

Complete the online survey by Sunday 1 November 2020.

How to Dispose of Certain Items After Spring Cleaning

Spring is a great season to clean out your property but not all items were created equal. Did you know that not everything that comes out of your house can go into your household bins at home?

Items such as paints, oils, light globes, gas bottles, smoke detectors, batteries, ink cartridges, computers and TVs can be taken to the North Sydney Community Recycling Centre (CRC) in Artarmon. These items will be recycled responsibly at the CRC for free.

City of Ryde Mayor Clr Jerome Laxale, pictured with Open category winner ‘Telefishion’ by Nicole Williams. Image credit: CLIPPED.TV

Sustainable Art 2 Waste Prize - Winners

Thanks to everyone who joined us for this year's Sustainable Art 2 Waste Prize (SWAP) digital launch and winners announcement, and those who voted for the People's Choice Award!

2020 Winners

• Open Category: ‘Telefishion’ by Nicole Williams
• Youth Environment Prize: ‘Everlasting Bouquet’ by Charlotte Hill
• Junior Youth Environment Prize: ‘Too late to say I’m sorry!’ by Stephanie Wilcock
• Functional Award: ‘Plarn Products’ by Clover Barnard
• Schools Participation Award: Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School, Gladesville
• People's Choice Award: 'Fairy Dress' by Debby Sanurryta

Upcoming Events

Online Webinar on Brush Turkeys

Love them or loath them, brush turkeys are making a comeback across Sydney. Join us for a free webinar featuring brush turkey expert, Dr Ann Goeth, who will shed light on the antics of these incredible birds.

You'll learn tips on how we can live with them and how to not attract them to your backyard. Find out about their behaviour, historical distribution and why they are becoming more prolific.

2020 Riverfest

Riverfest, the annual community celebration of the Parramatta River and surrounding catchment, is back! Running until 31 October, there will be a wide range of online and COVID-19 safe in-person events and activities that encourage people to connect with the river and help make a difference.

You  will also have the chance to learn more about the four new swim sites currently being planned for the Parramatta River and the Riverwatch monitoring program that will ensure the water quality is safe for swimming.

Tips and Tricks

Water Saver

Fill a 600ml bottle with water and place it in your toilet cistern, this will reduce the amount of water used in each flush. You could save an average 3L of water per person per day.

7 Tips for Growing Veggies

1. Ensure six hours of sun for flowering crops
2. Grow leafy crops in shadier areas
3. Choose the right fertiliser for the plant – nitrogen for leafy crops and potassium for flowering crops
4. Add organic matter such as compost or worm castings to improve your soil
5. Liquid feed regularly – worm wee is great
6. Plant according to the season i.e. warm vs cool
7. Rotate crops each year.

Joke of the Month

Why did the chicken carry a tin can cross the road?
The recycling bin was on the other side.

Do you have a good sustainability, resilience or recycling tip, trick or joke? Send them to us at waste@ryde.nsw.gov.au and we’ll feature our favourites in next month’s SCG.

Energy Saving for Apartment Buildings

Couldn't make our Energy Saving in Apartment Buildings webinar series held in September? You can now watch the webinars online via the links below.

• Lighting for Apartment Buildings
• Solar for Apartments
• Ventilation for Apartments
• Hot Water Efficiency for Apartments