Living Greener

Zero Waste


We all need to reduce our waste, reuse things where possible and ultimately send zero waste to landfill.

A staggering one-third of the planet’s natural resources have been consumed in the past 30 years. The consumerist society we are all part of is undermining our planet’s capacity to regenerate itself. We must consider what we buy, where we buy it and how we dispose of it.

Changing our behaviour will help to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, lower greenhouse gas emissions, ease the pressure on our natural environment and save us all money.

So what can you do?

  • Rethink - Be mindful of your consumption, your relationship with ‘things’ and your relationship with Earth
  • Reduce how much ‘stuff’ you buy, particularly unnecessary items
  • Repair what you already own, to get more life from it
  • Re-use any single-use items you have as much as you can
  • Repurpose old clothes or items as cleaning or gardening tools
  • Refuse single-use items like plastic bags or cutlery
  • Regift your clothing and items
  • Recover potential treasured items from second hand stores
  • Rot your food scraps in the garden (composting)
  • Recycle in your yellow kerbside bin as a last resort
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Recycling right is easy with the helpful tips and tricks below

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A - Z of Recycling - Your local recycling guide
Find out how to dispose of your unwanted stuff responsibly... Search or browse by what you'd like to get rid of.

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Red Cycle
Unfortunately Red Cycle is not currently running. There are projects being trialled at the moment, so hopefully Red Cycle will be up and running again soon.

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The Rogue Ginger
No plastic. No trash. Less stuff. Less toxins. Simple and mindful living.

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The Story of Stuff Project
We have a problem with Stuff. We use too much of it; too much of it is toxic, and we don’t share it very well. But it doesn't have to be that way.

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Plastic Free July
By 2050 its estimated there will be more plastic than fish in the world's oceans. Refuse all single use plastic.

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Buy Nothing New Month
A global movement for collective, conscientious consumption.

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Freecycle Geelong
Freecycle is for all who want to find a new home for reusable items.

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Detox Your Home
Toxic household chemicals - solvents, poisons, cleaning products, fertiliser and car care products - can be safely disposed at no cost and diverted from landfill.

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Uniting Church Recycling Guide for Geelong
A comprehensive list of what can be recycling and where to drop it off.

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The New Joneses
The New Joneses show us the simple stuff we can do for the health + wellbeing of our people, planet + pockets.

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ShareWaste - Give Your Waste a Second Chance
Connecting people who wish to recycle their food scraps and other organics with their neighbours who are already composting, worm-farming or keep animals.

Plastic Free Communities

Plastic Wise Communities Toolkit
A step-by-step guide to reducing waste in your community.

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Looking for Local Suppliers?

The Sustainable Directory can help you connect with local trades and suppliers.

Search the listings of local businesses that offer sustainable products and services.