Plastic waste at event courtesy https://www.theguardian.com/
It’s time to devoid from single use plastic at your event with the Queensland Government, “re-introducing legislation to ban single-use plastic items in Queensland, starting with straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates that will take effect in September 2021.”
In December 2019, Climate Wave Enterprises (CWE) shared our earliest and growing positive waste/resource diversion outcomes with The Village Markets, and our eagerness to continue working together for better social and environmental outcomes.
“During the year 119, 240L household bins were filled with rubbish, 88 bins were diverted from landfill, and only 31 bins contributed to landfill.”
2019/20 Landfill Diversion for The Village Markets
In December 2020, CWE had established a familiar and productive system within The Village Markets.
In December 2019, CWE found that the total amount of landfill that was created between events decreased exponentially, although it was always less than the total amount of recovered waste.
In December 2020, despite its ups and downs, and the distended prevalence of single use plastics, particularly between March and July, compostable, recyclable and organic material and detritus still persevered, with compostable waste consistently the most prominent, having a 57% difference between recycling, which is much better environmentally.
CWE was able to achieve an average of 36% landfill during this challenging period, because of conscientious Eco Angels and consumer waste education; and following July, CWE accomplished a 42% improvement in average landfill diversion, coming in at 79%, and at best, 87%. Because of the keenness of the event management and staff, and retailers, CWE was able to achieve a remarkable 13% improvement from 2019 as well.
Climate Wave Enterprises at Tani Tei En Open Garden fundraiser for Southern Beaches Community Garden with details of the composting system
In 2019, CWE was excited to see how our relationships in the community would grow, such as with Smoothjuice, as the continued to helpfully contribute to CWE’s endeavours.
In 2020, CWE established positive relationships with retailers and found sustainable, local businesses, such as Minimalist the Label, to help at waste education and community events. Smoothjuice, among others, continued to support CWE to perpetuate the value of materials in the economy for as long as possible, by providing canned water, which was able to be exchanged via container deposit schemes to support Surfrider Foundation Gold Coast. They also provided rich organic material, that CWE transported and layered into the Southern Beaches Community Garden after every event.
This not only reduced our impact and supported the health and vitality of local ecosystems and ecological communities, but also provided much needed immense social and health benefits, as outlined in the 2020 National Pandemic Gardening Survey. It showed community gardening contributed to an overwhelming improvement in mental wellbeing, brought people together to foster social connectedness and contributed to food security and dietary diversity for low-income-impacted households, which was an unanticipated result of Climate Wave Enterprises’ ardent social responsibility.
In 2021, again, we would like to repeat that it has been an extremely enjoyable and rewarding experience working with the event management and staff at The Village Markets and seeing the growing positive impact that CWE’s presence has made, and the dramatic improvements in sustainable choices, because of the support of all stakeholders; and are excited, again, to see how these relationships and outcomes will continue, starting on Sunday 3 January.
The Village Market 2019/20 waste diversion chart
Between December 2019 and December 2020:
1,535L of organic waste was diverted from landfill to be used at the Southern Beaches Community Garden;
12,712L of compostable material was diverted from landfill to be composted;
1,420L of cans and bottles were diverted from landfill to be used for a container deposit scheme;
5,432L of recyclable material was diverted from landfill to be recycled; and
7,412L of waste went to landfill.
This means that 28,511L of waste was produced, where:
21,099L of waste was prevented from going to landfill; and
Only 7,412L of waste went to landfill.
In other words, 119, 240L household bins were filled with rubbish, 88 bins were diverted from landfill, and only 31 bins contributed to landfill.
The Village Market diversion data 2019/20
Please contact Climate Wave Enterprises on how to get great waste diversion results for your event.
Written by Murray Morris
CWE 2ic & Market Coordinator
Climate Wave Enterprises…working with the planet
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‘Chillax- Ocean Song’
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Partnering with Griffith University Community Internship Program
CWE acknowledge the Yugambeh language people as traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work and live.
