Every little step counts. For those of us that live close to a plastic free shop like Manly Co-Op, Naked Foods, Scoop or The Source Bulk food, you can always check there first if they sell washing powder and you can bring your own reusable containers. However, imagine how many plastic scoops that would be saved if ALL washing powder companies made this switch. Besides that, most of us surely have a spoon at home if we need one for washing powder.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plasticfree #saynotoplastic #plastic #washingpowder

Yes, the circular transformation is happening! An old vinyl floor can now be turned into a new one!
Recycling one square metre of vinyl floor instead of burning it, reduces emissions by roughly 10 kilos of carbon dioxide.
Tarkett, a flooring manufacturer with roots in Sweden and France, is one of many companies recognising the advantage – for both the climate and the economy – of recycling and reusing.
– Recycling is crucial to reaching the climate targets. But it's complex, says Tarkett's Nordic Sustainability Manager Dag Duberg. To claim that a product is fully recyclable means that both a collection system and recycling technique have to be in place.
: Tarkett
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #recycling #recycle #tarkett #Sweden #floor #flooring #repurpose

Upcycled and primed with gesso and painted with acrylic enamel paints.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #upcycled

Be like Gator!
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #beachcleanup

Don't put your fruit and vegetables in plastic bags. Just leave them loose or upcycle an old t-shirt and make your own reusable produce bags. If you can, opt for items that are package-free. Or, choose items packaged in cardboard or tin instead of soft plastic.
Think about plastic items you frequently buy and whether there is a way to avoid these. If you’re a fan of carbonated water, instead of purchasing it in single-use plastic bottles, consider getting a carbonator. It’s an investment but it will save you money in the long run.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plasticfree

Inspect your bathroom:
No part of a plastic toothbrush is biodegradable, so try a bamboo toothbrush instead. The cotton bud is another big single-use plastic culprit in the bathroom. Again, the bamboo version is your friend.
Shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, handwash, toner, moisturiser... The list of plastic-packaged products goes on. But there are alternatives. Many of these products come in solid bars with minimal to no packaging. Instead of bodywash or handwash, use a bar of soap. Coconut oil can act as conditioner, moisturiser and makeup remover.
While you’re at it, switch to a recycled toilet paper that isn't packaged in plastic. Some brands deliver in bulk.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plasticfree #saynotoplastic #plasticpollutes

This year's Olympic Medals are made from e-waste that the Japanese residents were encouraged to donate.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #recycle #recycling #Olympics #olympics2021

Coles will stop giving away plastic collectable toys such as the popular Little Shop collection at its checkouts amid concerns the items have ended up in landfill and waterways. The decision follows a survey of 9000 Coles customers that found reducing waste and plastic packaging was a key concern among shoppers.
Coles said it would continue to explore other reward programs, citing its popular MasterChef cookware campaign and the Little Treehouse book series made from environmentally sustainable paper.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #coles #plasticfree #beachcleanup #plastic

Who needs plastic when you can get your delish takeout wrapped in a corn husk?! San Miguel de Allende's ban on single-use plastics and styrofoam took effect on January 1st, but that wasn't about to stop street vendors from serving up meals. Instead of tossing corn husks, the excess leaves are given new life as plates which can be composted after use and are completely biodegradable. These simple switches make excellent alternatives
El Chuy
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plasticfree

Do you have long hair and need to tie it up when you do ocean activities?
Please make sure you tie it up tightly or even better use a swimming cap. If your hair tie comes out, it can kill wildlife. This is the third "Blind Shark" we have seen dead in a short time on our beaches - suffocated to death because a hair tie got wrapped around its gills. We can do better than this.
Pic: Bold & Beautiful Swimmers
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #shark #hairtie #beachcleanup #saveouroceans #loveManly #Manlybeach #litter

It is now illegal to release balloons in Victoria
Read all about severe penalties here https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/balloons
Huge congrats to Karen at No Balloon Release Australia who tirelessly campaigned for years on this, a massive win and great collaboration with Zoos Victoria.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #balloons #balloonsblow #beachcleanup

What is the difference between degradable, biodegradable and
compostable bags? And which bin do they go in?

DEGRADABLE
Degradable bags are made from plastic with other chemicals added (including heavy metals) that cause the plastic to break down and disintegrate over time when exposed to sunlight and heat. If degradable bags are released into our environment they become quite problematic as they break down into hundreds of tiny pieces of plastic. Animals can consume the smaller pieces of plastic more readily than they would if the bags were still whole. It is also much more difficult to remove hundreds of tiny pieces of plastic from the environment than it is to remove a single bag.
Which Bin? Degradable bags should only be used for and placed into your general waste bin.

BIODEGRADABLE
Like degradable bags, biodegradable are often still plastic bags that have microorganisms added to break down the plastic.
Which bin? Biodegradable bags should only be used for and placed into your general waste bin

​COMPOSTABLE
Compostable bags are made of natural plant starch, and do not produce any toxic material. Compostable bags break down readily in a composting system through microbial activity to form compost. In order to be classified as compostable they must meet the Australian Standard for compostability AS4736 and will have this symbol.
Which bin? Compostable bags can be used to line your kitchen caddy for collection of food scraps and then placed into the green lidded food and garden organics (FOGO) bin. Don’t waste them in your general waste bin as they will not compost well in a landfill environment.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plastic #plasticbag

A reminder that it is safe to bring your own cup! Check out this six step method for safe, contactless coffee - enabling reusable coffee cups to return to the take out menu! ⁠
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#northernbeachescleanupcrew #keepcup #takeaway #coffee #byocup

​Did you know that H&M recycles old clothes. The clothes don't even have to be bought at H&M and when you take them to their shop, you also get a 15% discount voucher to use within the shop. The closest H&M is at Warringah Mall.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #recycling #recycle #clothes #clothing

Every little step counts.
Merimbula McDonald’s has committed to divert its food waste from landfill through Bega Valley Shire Council’s FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) for Business scheme.
The Merimbula franchise is the first McDonald’s restaurant in NSW to adopt the FOGO scheme, adding to a growing number of local businesses pushing for better food waste management.
Council’s FOGO for Business Project Officer, Rechelle Fisher said the quick service restaurant’s decision shows a commitment to explore the commercial and environmental benefits of diverting food waste to Council’s composting facility.
“This is an established local business showing that responsible food waste management can be a commercially made decision with great social and environmental outcomes,” Ms Fisher said.
“It’s the bottom line that often dictates choosing one path over another, and Merimbula Macca’s plus a growing number of other local businesses now realise that saving on costs and making positive environmental changes go hand-in-hand.
“Another positive is the collaboration between Council staff and Merimbula McDonald’s management in overcoming challenges that may have otherwise resulted in FOGO not working for their business. “Initially, the restaurant jumped on board in 2019 as an early adopter of commercial FOGO in the Bega Valley. Their first go at this wasn’t so successful due to implementing different disposal methods with staff. “The Restaurant Manager flagged these issues with the FOGO team, and we were able to work with them to overcome any challenges.”
Restaurant Manager, Ryan Fraser said the restaurant reintroduced the FOGO bins late last year and the service is now running smoothly.
“Thanks to help from Council’s FOGO team we are now keeping food waste out of landfill and saving money on our disposal costs. It’s a win for everyone.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #lesswaste #fogo

Are you a jerk?
Remarkably, there was no sign of dog poo along the pathway between the Pavilion Cafe & Bar and the Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club yesterday.
Could this sign be working???
It looks to us like some vigilante got sick of seeing all the dog poop and dog poop bags along this path and created their own sign. What a legend!
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #beachcleanup

Thank you to ALL of you amazing people.
National Volunteer Week (NVW) is Australia's largest annual celebration of volunteers. From Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd May 2021
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #volunteer

In a river in the Danish city of Århus, a small machine called the WasteShark now autonomously sails through the water collecting trash, bringing it to shore, and then recharging itself. Soon, a drone will begin flying through the air to help: Using a special lens that collects data to be crunched by a machine learning algorithm, that drone can identify pieces of plastic or other garbage and direct the sailing drone to pick them up. The system can also identify oil spills, which the WasteShark can help clean up with a special filter.
While the small trash-eating drone isn’t new, the addition of the flying drone makes it possible to find more garbage more quickly. The sailing drone also hasn’t been used to clean up oil spills in the past, because without the drone overhead scanning the water, it wouldn’t be able to identify the oil.
This type of work isn’t a complete solution to our waste problem; stopping the flow of plastic waste into the ocean will require rethinking how products are packaged and sold and building better recycling infrastructure. But these types of tools can help governments better understand the scale of the challenge. And systems that catch trash in rivers, as the project in Denmark does, can be a final safeguard to stop plastic and other pollution before it drifts into the ocean, breaks down into tiny fragments, and ends up being eaten by fish or birds.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #litter #trash #beachcleanup #saveouroceans

We've now had 5 out of 8 states and territories commit to ban single-use plastics, and the differences are big. In addition to the plastics listed here, Western Australia will also be moving to ban helium balloon releases, microbeads and polystyrene packaging in the coming years.
PLUS the Australian Government has committed to phase out loose fill and moulded polystyrene packaging by July 2022, as well as expanded polystyrene foodware, oxo-degradable plastics, and PVC packaging labels by December 2022. One thing is clear - we have a long way to go! We still need several states and territories to get on board, and we need all jurisdictions to increase their ambition and phase out more of the lethal plastics hurting our ocean wildlife.
For a more detailed version, visit www.marineconservation.org.au/plasticstracker
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plastic #plasticfree #beachcleanup #litter