THE 5 Rs: Every November, National Recycling Week is held to promote sustainability and increase recycling awareness.
We are absolutely thrilled that Whitsunday Regional Council hosted a ‘Waste in the Whitsundays’ event, bringing together businesses and individuals in the region interested in reducing their waste.
Our co-founder Lucy Smith presented and shared the concept of the 5 Rs.
Tell Me More, Tell Me More
The 5 Rs offer a simple way to address our use of just about any resource.
In order of usefulness we can Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose or, as a last option, Recycle any item.
Refuse
This option may not have occurred to me if I had not read about it: To refuse to use an item you know has a short and landfill likely lifespan.
Single use plastic is an important example. In daily life, when offered a plastic straw or plastic cutlery or cup, make an alternative choice.
At the supermarket, refuse to purchase items with excessive or non-recyclable packaging.
One of our favourite practices is being intentional when shopping for groceries and choosing glass containers as the number one option, refusing receptacles made of plastic.
Reduce
Only purchase what you need. Do all you can to reduce waste and the trap of overconsumption.
The holiday season is a time when we can become swept up in the consumer machine and forget all about mindful buying.
Choosing secondhand items and buying in bulk reduces volume fast.
Reuse
Products that encourage sustainability: Beeswax wraps, cloth napkins and refillable cleaning bottles are excellent antidotes to our single use culture.
Glass jars are useful for storage, especially by choosing glass over plastic. This alone will reduce your imprint significantly over a 12-month period.
Repurpose
Upcycling is a personal favourite: Find another use for no longer needed clothing and linens, as cleaning cloths or sewing tote bags.
Broken ceramics are great for mosaic craft projects or drainage in pots.
Recycle
When every other R has been considered and you are left with an item that needs recycling, become familiar with recycling guidelines.
It is important to prevent contamination.
There are now considerable pathways for specialty recycling including drop-off points for e-waste and batteries.
Incorporate the 5 Rs and help us create a Zero Waste Whitsundays.
Follow us and share your wins @zerowastewhitsundays on FB and Insta.
