Start your own War on Waste

Captain Clutter sorts his pile of toys for Second Hand Saturday

After a solid week of decluttering I was feeling pretty pleased with my efforts.

Our family soon realised that this wasn’t just about the things we’d accumulated so far, but those things we could potentially continue to accumulate. There was a much bigger picture developing here; we had inadvertently just declared war on waste in our very own home!

There was no going back now.

Armed with our What’s in My House Quiz questions each of us attacked a room, sorting through the layers of ‘stuff’ we’d kept over the years.

The whole process made us sit down and question how we could live a more waste-wise lifestyle.

So where does one start?

Every little bit helps

To be honest, I had been an environmental education officer for the last 15 years and I could still see a lot of room for improvement.

During my working career, one of the common questions people would ask me was, ‘how can I make a difference? The problems are all so much bigger and it doesn’t feel like I’m making any significant changes’.

What’s important to remember is that we are all a part of this community like pieces of a puzzle. We need each piece to play a part in creating the larger picture. You’d be surprised how each of our small changes collectively makes the big difference we are all striving to see. As they say, every little bit helps.

Stop the landfill

While recycling is great, re-using is even better! And reducing the waste you bring into your home and life to begin with is the ultimate goal. For those who have been following the War on Waste episodes on ABC, there are some great challenges ahead but the underlying message is PEOPLE POWER!

Take action now!

Taking part in Second Hand Saturday, the North Coast’s largest community garage sale event, is a fun way to join forces with your neighbours and friends and collectively make that bigger difference.

Last year, there were over 1200 garage sales held across our region and this September 22, marks the 10th birthday of Second Hand Saturday. Imagine how much waste could have otherwise ended up in landfill?

Holding a garage sale or shopping for pre-loved items is not only a great way to reduce what is sent to landfill, it’s also a fantastic way to get out and meet your neighbours and be part of the community.

Use your piece of the puzzle and let’s create that bigger picture together!