Re-Gift, Re-Use, Re-Purpose

This summer, focus on connection, not consumption! Checkout our resources to help you have a waste-free season. 

Avoid stress, clutter and mountains of stuff this festive season:

• Keep it simple
• Choose quality over quantity
• Simplify gift giving by switching your family to a Kris Kingle method (one good gift per person).
• Gift experiences like a dinner out, trip to the movie or fun family activity
• Focus on time together with the people that matter most
• Support charities, making donations and spreading kindness
• Choose upcycled, recycled, edible or handmade gifts
• Embrace re-gifting and pre-loved / secondhand purchases (explore local op shops or pre-loved fashion and vintage stores)
• Reuse Christmas decorations for years to come
• Skip the single-use use plates and cutlery and choose reusable options

Christmas is also a great time to reflect and talk with family things you would like to do differently next year.

Keep food waste under control

Did you know that 1/3 of all food is wasted? In Australia alone, the average household throwing away 265kg of food waste each year (costing $2,500) – there's plenty of room to improve, especially over the festive season! 

Here’s some quick tips to help reduce food waste: 

• Don't over cater. Plan out what you actually need.
• Make a shopping list and stick to it.
• Store food correctly and make it last.
• Embrace the boxing day tradition of eating all the leftovers.
• During regular weeks, keep a night free of dinner plans to repurpose leftovers. 
• The freezer is your friend. If you’re not going to get to something in time, pop it in the freezer for later.  
• Get creative and use food you already have first. 

Head to The Great Unwaste for recipe ideas and more.

Remember to use the green bin (or home compost) for any remaining food scraps.

Mouldy bread? Slimy veggies? Leftovers or diary that smells a bit too funky? Meat scraps and bones? Pop it all in your green organics bin! They are taken to a commercial composting facility, where it spends 8–10 weeks transforming into nutrient-rich compost and mulch.

• Use a kitchen caddy to collect your food scraps in. Line it with newspaper, paper towel or bags labelled Certified Compostable.
• Freeze scraps like seafood and meat until collection day.
• Place lawn clippings, leaves or shredded paper in your green bin to reduce odours.