Inspiration
Zero Waste Victoria aims to inspire people to reduce their plastic consumption and waste through everyday choices and actions. We aim to connect a community of changemakers who are inspired, passionate and empowered about a waste-free future. We generate inclusive conversations to inspire zero-waste actions.
Waste-less Community
Working together in a shift towards zero waste.
- Are you inspired and motivated in your personal war on waste?
- Do you want to empower others to reduce their waste too?
- Have you been frustrated that some refillables have been refused, during the pandemic crisis, and now you’re ready to bring back reusables.
- Maybe you just want to get your family and friends on board to reducing waste too.
Whatever your motive for a life with less waste, connect with some local legends who are empowering community in a shift towards less waste.
Connect
- David Paynter – Gold Coast Tool Library
- Eliska Bramborova – ShareWaste
- Jo Barrett
- Joost Bakker
- Jo Taranto – Good for the Hood
- Kirsty Bishop-Fox – Sustainable Pathways
- Letitia Howlett – Brunswick Tool Library
- Matt Stone
Read
- Drawdown by Paul Hawken to inspire hope in the face of climate change.
- Retrosuburbia by David Holmgren.
Watch
- A panel discussion on creating a Waste-less Community – https://youtu.be/vYl6HgsV9Nc.
Plastic Pollution Solution
Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to ocean health worldwide. But, there are many solutions to plastic pollution that you can participate in today. Read some basic facts about ocean plastic pollution and explore some specific plastic pollution solutions that everyone can take part in.
Connect
Read
- Marine Debris Inititative
- Plastic: a toxic love story
- Plastic Free by Rebecca Prince-Ruiz and Joanna Atherfold Finn.
- Junk Raft by plastic pollution researcher, Dr Marcus Eriksen (an amazing story about his journey on a raft made from plastic bottles across the Pacific and more!) His website (https://www.marcuseriksen.com/) is a great resource as is his research institute website (https://www.5gyres.org/).
- The Guardian – The solution to the plastic waste crisis? It isn’t recycling
Explore
- Tangaroablue.org
- Plastic Free July – How to break up with plastics
- Trash talk – what happens next
- Teacher/Student Resources: https://www.plasticpollutionsolutions.com.au/teacher-student-resources/
Do
- Take the Plastic Free July challenge!
- Plastic & Waste-wise Initiatives
- Download the Tangaroa Blue data collection app and watch the short video https://www.tangaroablue.org
Watch
- A panel discussion on Plastic Pollution Solutions and Workshop with Heidi Tait from Tangaroa Blue Foundation as she shows us how to use the Australian Marine Debris Initiative data collection app to contribute to the national marine debris/litter database. – https://youtu.be/vYl6HgsV9Nc
Slow Fashion
Slow fashion is the widespread reaction to fast fashion. It’s thoughtful, intentional, and holistic. It’s also an argument for hitting the brakes on excessive production, overcomplicated supply chains, and mindless consumption. We need to address the 6,000 kilograms of used but still wearable clothing that goes into Australian landfill every 10 minutes. By getting you to hold on to your clothes for at least 9 months longer reduces the water, waste and carbon footprint by up to 30%. Refurbishing the clothes your already own enables you to express creativity and individuality whilst reducing your impact on the environment.
Connect
- Jane Milburn, Textile Beat
- Jenna Flood, Ironic Minimalist
- Nina Gbor, Eco Styles and Clothes Swap & Style
- Tamara Russell, Karhina Textile
Read
- Fashionoplis by Dana Thomas
- Wardrobe Crisis by Clare Press
- Rise & Resist by Clare Press
- Mending Matters by Katrina Rodabaugh
- Mend Your Clothes Creatively – The Handbook – E-book by Tamara Russell
- The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth Cline
- Folk Fashion by Amy Twigger Holroyd
- Modern Mending by Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald
- Second Skin by India Flint
- Slow Clothing by Jane Milburn
- Fibreshed by Rebecca Burgess
- How to be a Craftivist by Sarah Corbett
- Clothing Poverty by Andrew Brooks
- The New Daily – Fast fashion environment
- New York Times – Visible mending
- Teen Vogue – Fast fashion is a feminist issue
- The New Daily – Sustainable upcycled fashion
Listen
- The Wardrobe Crisis by Clare Press
- REV on air by Clare Press
- The Slow Home Podcasts by Clare Press, particularly the Katrina Rodabaugh episode
- Conscious Chatter with Kestrel Jenkins
Explore
- Eco Styles
- Eco Warrior Princess
- Ethical made Easy – articles on how to start your slow fashion journey
- Join the Fashion Revolution
- Facebook: Clothes Swap & Style
- Instagram: #visiblemending and #mending
Watch
Do
- Join the Slow Fashion Movement
- Post your restyled outfits, photos of your wardrobes, zero waste or mended outfits on your socials and use the hashtag #ZWVStyleMend.
- Learn to mend and sew: Thread Den.
- Go to Karhina.com for mending ideas and workshops.
The Arts
Sustainable art is art in harmony with the key principles of sustainability, including ecology, social justice, non-violence and grassroots democracy. Sustainable art is also understood to be art that is produced with consideration for the wider impact of the work in relationship to the environment.
Connect
- Brenna Quinlan – @brenna_quinlan and facebook.com
- Carla Scotto – @carladrawz
- Charlie McGee – Formidable Vegetable
- Karin Ecker – Plastic Free Boy
Listen
- Charlie and Brenna’s call to action as we come out of lockdown
- Podcast: The Sustainability Agenda
- Khory podcast – Ocean Protect
Watch
- Melliodora featured on Gardening Australia
- Happen Films documentary on Melliodora too
- Formidable Vegetables – No such thing as waste
- Environmental Film Festival’s Top 5 Waste Related Films To Inspire Change The Environmental Film Festival Australia, is an annual festival of groundbreaking films, traversing the relationship between humans and their environments, challenging the way people think about the natural world and inspiring them to discuss, explore and act on important environmental issues. Celebrating its 10th year this year, EFFA is working on bringing you an exciting program of films, panels and events. To be the first to hear about events, subscribe to our newsletter, and get along to the festival.
- A panel discussion The Arts: How can it inspire, move and empower change?
Do
- Charlie and Brenna have a deck of Permaculture Action Cards which can be bought through his bandcamp https://music.formidablevegetable.com.au/. We’ve been using these to teach adults and kids permaculture and sustainability, and a lot of parents, teachers and home schoolers have found them really useful.
- Look into Permaculture Design Courses in your area, or consider the Milkwood Permaculture Living Course, which is an online version at Milkwood.net
Focus on Food
Let’s rethink our food and food systems. thinking about your food choices and using up what your already have to hand makes sense. Smart consumption is more than just fashionable, it is becoming essential to the survival of our planet. Zero waste cooking is exactly that – cooking that produces as little waste possible. Simply making sure that nothing goes to waste.
Connect
- Alice Zaskavsky – Alice in Frames
- Hiro Okada – Sibling and Kinfolk
- Kirsteen MacLeod – The Compost Depot
- Mark Rathborne – Save our soil
- Simon Toohey – Sustainable Earth Network
Read
Watch
- Sustainable Earth Network videos
- How bio-dynamic soil conversion is done
- Save Our Soil farming method
- Focus on Food – The Farmer, The Market & The Chef
- Focus on food: Preserving and Pickling with Simon Toohey
- Focus on Food – Composting, Start to Finish
Do
- Go and support farmers market – Melbourne Farmers Markets and Veg Out Farmers Market
- Check what’s in season and more on Sustainable Table
- Look for products with Demeter Biodynamic certification
- Get your staples, treats and donate food to those in need – Sibling by Kinfolk
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