June 11, 2022 – Own Your Impact

Recycling

Wa’s Ultimate Op Shop Guide

Did you know that every time you leave a brand new item on the shelf in favour for a pre-owned one you are helping to own your impact? LAST UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2019 OUR FAVOURITE SECOND-HAND SHOPS There are HUNDREDS of second-hand shops, often operated by charities, scattered across neighbourhoods and small towns all over WA. Patience and perseverance are the keys to success when you’re shopping for pre-loved items, that’s why we’ve put together a list of our favourite destinations for clothing, bric-a-brac, toys, manchester and furniture. If you’re looking for other ways to source pre-loved items, or to find a...

Waste Reduction

Your Guide To Second-hand Living

There’s a lot of truth in the phrases “everything old is new again” and “one man’s trash is another’s treasure”. Embracing second-hand – either as a buyer or a seller – is an excellent way to reduce your household waste and own your impact. Not sure where to start? We’ve put together a guide to help you on your preloved journey to success. ONLINE SECOND-HAND DESTINATIONS Forget about ride-sharing, we think the rise of online marketplaces for second-hand items has been one of the most valuable outcomes of the sharing-economy! These are some of our favourite online places to shop,...

Household , Waste Reduction

What To Do With Old Clothes You Can’t Donate

Do you need to know more when it comes to knowing how to responsibly get rid of all of worn clothes, towels and sheets? Not everything can, or should be, donated to your local op shop. In fact, a good rule of thumb should be that if you wouldn’t gift it to a close friend or family member you shouldn’t be donating it to a charity to be resold in the first place. SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? Often after a big wardrobe clean out, you’ve separated out the items that are still in a good condition that can be...

Household , Waste Reduction

What Are Toy Libraries? (And Why They Make Sense!)

Let’s talk about toy libraries – a concept that is as simple as it sounds and one that is helping many families to own their impact AND save money. A LIBRARY FOR TOYS Access your inner-child for a moment and think about how exciting it would be to walk into a toy store and know that you could choose anything you wanted from the shelves and take it home with you that same day. That’s what it feels like walking into a toy library too. You choose the items that appeal to you, take them home, play with them and...

Household , Waste Reduction

Repair Cafes – What Are They And Where Can I Find Them?

The (almost) lost art of repairing broken objects is alive and kicking again in Western Australia thanks to the community-powered ‘repair cafés’ that are popping up around suburban Perth and regional centres. WHAT IS A REPAIR CAFÉ? Repair cafés (and labs) are grassroots community-based events helping to keep items out of landfill for longer. MENDING As the name suggests, the focus of these events is on repairing broken items. It costs nothing to use the service – all you need to do is bring along your broken item and an appetite to break up with waste. It could be anything...

Waste Reduction

Up For A Nudie Run?

Dude food is so 2018. Today it’s all about nude food. So what exactly is nude food? Well, it’s less to do with undressed salads and more about getting rid of excess packaging. HOW TO GET YOUR NUDE ON If you’re ready to embrace the nude food revolution, here are 5 tips to help you on your way. 1. BUY FOOD WITH LESS PACKAGING Whether you’re shopping at a big name supermarket, local provedore, weekend farmers’ market or speciality food shop – say no to the excessive packaging. Okay, no-one wants to put an unwrapped chicken in their shopping basket,...

Household , Recycling

Hazardous Waste – The Things You Just Can’t Bin

We use hazardous chemicals and materials in our homes every day – think batteries, paint, aerosol cans and gas cylinders – usually without thinking twice and without obvious risk to our health. But when these items (known as household hazardous waste or HHW) reach the end of their useful lives, we need to take special care to dispose of them. They’re often flammable, toxic, explosive or corrosive and can’t be disposed of in household bins. SO HOW DO YOU DISPOSE OF… Here’s a list of 5 common HHW you may need to dispose of and how you can do it....

Household , Waste Reduction

Taking-away The Recycling Confusion

Australians love the convenience of take-away food (we apparently spend around a third of our annual food budgets on it!). But convenience comes at a price – an abundance of plastic and cardboard containers. And even when we look to do the right thing and recycle those take-away items, we often get it wrong. So just what can and can’t be recycled once you’ve finished your take-away or grab-and-go snack? YOUR GUIDE TO TAKE-AWAY RECYCLING These on-the-go vessels and takeaway packaging should ALWAYS be placed in a recycling bin. ITEM EXTRA NOTES Plastic bottles Empty, lids off Glass bottles Empty, lids off Aluminium...

Recycling , Waste Reduction

How Wa’s Container Deposit Scheme Will Work

You might have heard that WA is getting its own container deposit scheme in 2020. From Tuesday 2 June, eligible containers will earn you a 10 cent refund if they are returned to one of more than 170 refund points around the state. This article shares what we know about the scheme right now, and what we can expect to learn closer to its launch. GOT QUESTIONS? WE’VE GOT ANSWERS! Q. WHAT IS A CONTAINER DEPOSIT SCHEME? A container deposit scheme is a program designed to help divert recyclable waste from landfill and reduce litter. A small deposit is added...

Household , Recycling

Tips For Sustainable Living

Western Australians love a month-long challenge right (don’t forget the global movement Plastic Free July started here!)? So who’s up for embracing the next call to action – Sustainable September – with us? WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? Let’s get back to basics – the Oxford Dictionary describes sustainability as the: “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.” HOW CAN I BE MORE SUSTAINABLE? At the most simple level, to be more sustainable you will need to be more considered about everyday decisions – what you do, what you eat, what you buy (or don’t...