It was a given that the directors of Plastic Free Port Stephens would participate in Plastic Free July, but their efforts and commitment in educating a new generation of consumers in the benefits of a cleaner, greener environment are nothing short of inspirational.
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Mothers, campaigners, advocates, business owners and writers Alicia Cameron, Joanna Atherfold Finn, Jenny Weingott, Jodi Frizzel and Chontelle Grecian have much in common, not the least a passion to empower locals to do their bit to minimise waste.
The women - who have recognised the impact of COVID-19 on this year's campaign - were happy to offer their tips and some sage advice to anyone not sure about how to support Plastic Free July.
"It's probably best summed up by Anne Marie Bonneau [zero waste chef] with her quote: 'We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly'," said Plastic Free Port Stephens president, 2019 citizen of the year and Nelson Bay mother Alicia Cameron.
"It's actually the little things that people do that can make a big difference. We need to educate ourselves and our children to ensure a more sustainable future for our kids. And while COVID-19 has had its impacts, we hope it does not deter people from taking part.
"In our household we use produce bags, keep cups and non-plastic drink bottles, 100 per cent recycled toilet paper plus we have a compost bin and worm farm."
Bay business owner Ms Frizzel said that she had made the conscious decision in the workplace to use low impact products and disposables made of bamboo or reusable material.
"And we are planning to adopt the TerraCycle recycling gloves," she said.
At home, her family has done away with garbage bags and remains plastic-free alert.
Ms Atherfold Finn, who has just co-authored a book with Plastic Free July founder Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, said that the family decision to growing her own fruit, vegetables and herbs had cut the waste in both her garbage and recycle bins.
"Going plastic free was not very well received by the kids at first but they are slowly learning to adapt. We have removed all cling-wrap from the cupboards and we are organising a plastic free Christmas in July."
Nelson Bay mother of two primary school aged children, Ms Weingott, said they try to keep the kids' school lunch boxes free of single-use plastic.
"I don't use cling-wrap and or buy little individually wrapped chips and biscuits. I try to save money by baking school snacks at home and use a reusable container for lunchboxes."
Ms Weingott said that she sends all her soft plastics back to the supermarket in the RedCycle or Woolies soft 'scrunchable' plastic recycle bins.
"I'm not sure where all this recycled soft plastic ends up, but it still sends a strong message to the supermarkets who have to then manage the waste their business helped to generate," she said.
Anna Bay mother Ms Grecian said that her family was firmly focused on reducing its weekly household waste by using fully degradable garbage bags; REDcycling soft plastics; buying in bulk for the pantry; recycling all other materials including composting and giving scraps to the chickens.
Tips to help you reduce plastic waste
- Take a reusable coffee cup or dine-in at your local cafe
- Use alternatives to tampons and pads for a plastic-free period
- Use Plastic-free toothbrushes, toothpaste
- When decorating for a celebrations such as birthdays, use plastic-free items such as balloons, disposable plates and cutlery
- Choose to refuse single-use plastic bathroom products
- Swap liquid soap for bar soaps and avoid single-use plastic
- Avoiding disposable products and packaging has a huge impact
- Avoiding pre-packaged foods by choosing bulk or loose food
- See more tips at: plasticfreejuly.org
