Wollongong City Council is encouraging residents to be extra environmentally friendly this week and ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ for National Recycling Week 2010.
National Recycling Week, now in its15th year, is improving the environment through community recycling programs, waste minimisation and education about better management of materials.
Manager of Environmental Strategy and Planning, David Green, said Council supports National Recycling Week and has chosen this year to focus on home and garden reuse and recycling.
“With just a little creativity, everyday items lying around your home can be transformed into something new,” Mr Green said.
“With a few tools, some glue, sandpaper, water and an old toothbrush for cleaning, you’ll be able to transform common place or unwanted items from around your home into creations such as a birdbath, frog ponds, garden chandelier, wind chimes, drawer knobs or jewellery.”
“Before you place out items for the Household Cleanup Service, have a good look over any unwanted items to see their potential for reuse, or why not consider holding your own garage sale,” Mr Green said.
Back in November of 1996, Planet Ark founded National Recycling Week as a community education and behaviour change campaign. The campaign has grown over the decade through hard work by other organisations and Councils such as ours all over the world.
Council has many activities planned for National Recycling Week between 8 and 14 November. Some of these include:
• Make your own hanging worm farm, from old denim jeans - learn all about how worms can recycle your food scraps into fertiliser. Tuesday, 9 November from 10:30am -12:30pm at the Discovery Centre at Botanic Garden, Madoline Street Entrance.
• Op Shop Tour with a Difference - enjoy a day exploring hidden treasures at a number of local opportunity shops followed by a stop at Whytes Gully, landfill site and the Revolve Centre. Monday, 8 November from 9.00am – 3.30pm
• Backyard Reuse Revolution competition – WIN the ultimate ‘reuse’ makeover for your backyard valued at $1000 (see details below).
• Have your own garage sale, we’ve got some tips on our website about how to hold a garage sale as well as links to other trade/swap or sell websites.
Council is also running a National Recycling Week competition, offering one lucky resident the chance to have their backyard renovated using pre loved or recycled items.
Valued at $1000, you get to choose what you would like to do to transform your backyard into a sustainable haven.* Our team has a wide range of ideas for you to consider or you may like to suggest your own.
You may be interested in;
• A mini permaculture garden
• Worm farming
• Composting
• Reuse sculptures
• Strawberry wheelbarrow
• A garden chandelier
• Birdfeeder
• Hanging pots
• Frog pond
• Chicken coup
• Planting fruit trees
• Vegetable garden
• Books on reuse in the garden
*Terms and conditions apply. Council has final discretion to approve activities agreed upon as they will be dependent on resources available and must meet waste wise specifications.
Visit Council at the following locations to grab an entry form and go in the running to win a backyard makeover. National Recycling Week display at:
• Dapto Mall shopping centre on Tuesday, 9 and Wednesday, 10 November.
• Westfield Warrawong shopping centre on Thursday, 11 November
• Wollongong Mall on Friday, 12 November