SEE YOU in the Zero Waste future! Our council is calling on residents to participate in road mapping the future of the Whitsundays, with the Airlie Beach Master Plan.
This has us reflecting on how far we have come as a community.
When we commenced writing this column, there was very little zero waste presence and few resources to learn how to reduce impact.
Fast forward to multiple bulk stores, eco-minded festivals, and sustainability having a strong focus region wide.
Where to next?
In our usual style, we are aiming big when we think about the future of sustainability in the Whitsundays.
What could the region look like in 10 years?
2035 sounds futuristic but, by then, we will have hosted Olympic events and grown considerably.
If we had a magic wand, the far reaching zero waste projects we would love to see in full flight, in the Whitsundays’ future, would include:
- A Fix It Hub
- Repair Cafe
- A Library of Things
- Refill stations for filtered water in far reaching locations
- Plastic water bottle-free town
- Single use coffee cup-free town
- Reef Safe Whitsundays branded sunscreen
- Plentiful plant-based options at every cafe and restaurant
- An abundance of Electric Vehicle charging stations
- Industrial composting
- Every home having a worm farm
- Seamless recycling and composting support systems onshore and offshore, to make it easy for every home and vessel to be zero waste.
Imagine being the first zero waste town in Australia; a thriving community in the Whitsundays that has fully embraced zero waste.
In the future, every home and business has composting and locally supplied produce, where single use is no longer used.
Across the board, our region‘s tourism offerings have sustainability as a focus.
This vision is a reality, in other locations around the world, and we continue to see what’s possible for us right here.
Why does it matter?
We are the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and our town thrives on tourism and hospitality.
As lifestyle leaders, attracting international attention for our unbeatable experiences in the natural world, we can show the importance of prioritising the planet.
This is not a faraway dream.
It’s only 10 years until 2035, which will fly by before we know it.
Let’s work together to create ‘next level’ sustainability.
See you in the zero waste future!
