Welcome to the March edition of the HOW newsletter

In this edition, find out about the Recycling Victoria Communities Fund, upcoming Clean Up Australia Day events this weekend, the benefits of using reusable bags, and how to make the most of leftover food.

Recycling Victoria Communities Fund - Round 2 now Open

Do you know of any Community groups in your area that have bright ideas for making your local community more sustainable by reusing, repairing, recycling or sharing items that would otherwise go to landfill?

The Recycling Victoria Communities Fund can help turn those ideas into reality, with grants of between $25,000 and $250,000 available for charities, not-for-profits, community organisations and social enterprises.

The grants can be used for projects such as repair cafes, sharing centres, community composting and more.

Some of the successful round one projects included:

• an UpCycle Repair hub where youth receive training to recycle old bicycles
• a program to dehydrate and compost organic waste from local hospitality businesses
• equipping Vinnies stores to be able to resell donated electrical items and rolling out an e-waste community education program across Victoria.

Applications close 11:59pm pm 31 March 2022

Clean Up Australia Activities - this Sunday 6th March 2022

Picking up litter is a great way to enjoy your favourite places such as parks, beaches and bushland reserves.

Every piece of rubbish picked up makes a difference. 

To join a local Clean Up Australia Day event (free):

When: Sunday 6 March, 2022

Where: Various sites registered across the municipality including:

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
House of Peace Mosque
(meet at mosque gate entrance,
6 Leisureland Drive, Langwarrin)
10am–1pm

3198 Seaford Beach Patrol
Seaford Pier and Beach
(meet at barbecues near Seaford Pier)
9.30–11am

3199 Frankston Beach Patrol
Frankston Pier and Beach
(meet at Frankston Pier,
5N Pier Promenade)
From 9.15am (sign in), for a 9:30am start

For further detail or to find another event near you, head to: https://www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au/join-a-clean-up

Conditions apply to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Please see Clean Up Australia Day website for further details: https://www.cleanup.org.au/COVID

Remember your reusable bags - play a part in reducing waste

Single-use plastics (SUPs) make up one third of the litter we see on Victoria’s streets and in our parks and waterways where they cause harm to wildlife and our health.

While nearly three quarters of Victorians are committed to reducing their use of SUPs, they often forget to take reusable bags when heading out to shops. Luckily there are simple actions that everyone can take to reduce waste such as keeping reusable bags by the front door, in the car or in a carry bag.  

By storing reusable bags in a few convenient locations, there will always be some on hand for a trip to the shops.

However, it’s not just reusable shopping bags that make a difference. Another step that Victorians can take to reduce waste and help the environment is to try reusable fruit and vegetable bags. Reusable fruit and vegetable bags are lightweight and come in various materials, sizes and designs. Often sold as produce bags, they can be found at major supermarkets, smaller shops and online.  

By using reusable bags, you can help reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfill and create a more sustainable Frankston City.

For more tips and information about alternatives to single-use bags, visit the link below.

Make the most of your leftovers

Did you know that wasted food is responsible for around 15 per cent of Victoria's non-energy greenhouse gas emissions and the loss of around 29 billion litres of water - enough to fill almost 12,000 Olympic size swimming pools (Source: Path to Half). 

Victorians throw out 250,000 tonnes worth of food every year - enough wasted food to fill Melbourne's Eureka Tower.

There are many ways your family or household can make the most of leftovers. Here are a few tips to get you started: 

Storing your food correctly 

• check your fridge temperature is between 1 to 3 degrees Celsius, and the freezer temperature is minus 18 degrees Celsius.
• Store leftovers in well sealed, clear and labelled containers in the fridge or freezer. 
• Create a ‘use it up’ shelf in the fridge for food that needs to be eaten first.
• Arrange the fridge or pantry so that food that needs to be eaten is easy to see.
• Freeze food that will not be eaten within the next 3 to 4 days.

Cook wisely 

• Every week, try to make a meal that combines any foods that need to be eaten.
• Make a few serves to store in the fridge or freezer for later.

Share your leftovers 

• Share leftovers with family and friends if they cannot be frozen or safely stored for later.

For an A - Z Guide on storing fresh produce, please see link below. 

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