Festival Program

10.00 am – Festival Opening and Children’s Waste wise show

Welcome to Country


Mrs. Ticklebottom and the Plastic Problem

This show is funny, highly original and very effective. It has been reported back that students who have seen the show are chanting about evil plastic litter and that playgrounds have never been so clean. Which means ultimately less rubbish is getting into our waterways and environment. Because people understand the connection between streets and creeks, rivers and the ocean.

‘Mrs Ticklebottom and the Plastic Problem’ is a play all about plastic, litter, our wildlife and waterways, the ocean and one mean old Lavender Lady.  What will this brolly wielding litter-lout do as she encounters all the animals troubled by the plastic problem?’

This show is a fast paced, super silly and thought provoking ride suitable for all the family.

“‘Mrs Ticklebottom And The Plastic Problem’ is a performance that every child should have the opportunity to enjoy. Not only does it entertain the audience with humour and clever characters, but it makes you walk away at the end of the show wanting to take action for such an important environmental issue.” Alex Artavilla, Principal, Sunshine Heights Primary School

11.00 am – How everyday people became legendary Waste Warriors

The difference that small community actions can make

Community’s desire to see less waste and pollution has been the catalyst for many to take action.

From beach cleans and citizen science, to advocating for government policy change, it all makes a difference. When advocacy is driven by passion, persistence and collaboration with this can, and does, influence change in environmental policy enabling better outcomes for the future of our planet.

Find out how you can take action, and how small acts are having a big impact.

Hear from 

  • Ross Headifen, Beach Patrol, who created an app for everyday people to report the litter they collected
  • Fam Charko, Port Phillip EcoCentre, where marine biologists help volunteers to become skilled citizen scientists
  • Birte Moliere, Boomerang Alliance’s, advocating Plastic Free Places
  • Ricki Hersburgh, Plastic Oceans Australasia
  • Shane Gunston, Zero Waste Victoria (panel moderator)

12.00 pm – The Secret life of food waste

Fight climate change by preventing food waste

No one wants to see food go to waste. Aside from wasting money, food waste is a huge contributor to climate change. Yet about two-thirds of food discarded from homes could have been eaten.

This panel discussion will share perspectives from household food waste to business focused on fighting food waste and a little dumpster diving to prevent good food from going to landfill.

We’ll expose the myths behind food waste, best before dates and how food waste can be avoided in ways which might surprise and delight you. Because we can all help the planet, save money and have healthier diets if we simply stop wasting our food.

Hear from:

  • Mark Boulet, a Research Fellow at BehaviourWorks
  • Grant Miles, Cheaper Buy Miles
  • Shae Anderson, a community activist and long-time Dumpster Diver 
  • Kirsty Bishop-Fox (panel moderator)

1.00 pm – The Sharing Economy

The rise of collaborative consumption

Think global, act local has been in the spotlight more than ever during the last few years. This is one reason why community sharing and collaboration initiatives are gaining momentum.

Many of these initiatives reduce waste to landfill, revive and pass on skills, and rekindle community spirit. Find out more about these initiatives, the hurdles and the challenges some have faced in establishing and operating and the positive outcomes for the community.

Hear from 

  • Brendan Norris, Fixable, free online community for repair & reuse
  • Sallyanne Hunter, Bayside Toy Library, a library of toys for kids
  • Scott Watkins, Brunswick Tool Libraries, a collection of tools for community to borrow
  • JD Hohmann, Maker community, a makerspace providing tools and education to the community
  • Vicky Rae Ellmore, Reusable Nation, (panel moderator)

2.00 pm – Low Waste Living

Australia is experiencing an urban waste crisis and there is an urgent need to change norms and practices at the household level. Households are often seen as a problem for sustainability transitions, but they are also a source of innovation.

Monash University has been researching how households can help transition toward low-waste cities, with a focus on households’ contributions to grassroots innovation and their influence on policies and systems change

Each research participant designed their own at-home experiment to trial an aspect of low-waste living. The experiments included: Reducing waste overall, Reducing plastic waste, Changing ways of shopping, Changing ways of cooking and sourcing food, Establishing food gardens, Skills in repair and Social influence/education

In this panel session you’ll hear from some of the household innovators who participated and a policy maker who is also encouraging household innovation.

Hear from

  • Jo Lindsay, Researcher on low waste living from Monash University
  • Alice Trumble, Acting Coordinator Sustainable Environment at City of Stonnington
  • Caitlyn Socwell
  • Alejandro Rendon
  • Kirsty Bishop-Fox

3.00 pm – Sustainable Fashion – is it possible?

Redressing the future of Fashion

Household innovation to reduce waste

Trying to shop sustainably is not always easy in a world dominated by ‘fast fashion’. While this makes high turnover clothing affordable, there are negative environmental and social impacts in clothing production. And the waste is enormous with 23 kg of clothing per person ending up in landfill each year.

Change in the way we treat fashion needs to happen now. Learn where you can start, what you can do, and hear from some inspiring individuals who are shifting the fashion paradigm.

Hear from 

  • Aife Oloughlin, Salvation Army, Customer Experience Manager
  • Patricia McCarthy-Henry,  Educator at RMIT and Knitwear Designer at PMAXI knitwear
  • Ben Kaminsky, Textile Recyclers Australia
  • Nat Stratos, Circular Design Practitioner and Consultant
  • Katrina Naish, A Fitting Connection (panel moderator)

4.00 pm – Guided Meditation with Wayapa Wuurrk

Based on ancient Indigenous wisdom, Wayapa Wuurrk combines earth mindfulness, storytelling, an embodiment practice and taking action to look after the planet to create a unique modality that is perfect for every human being.

4.30 pm – Film Screening – “Going Circular” (Followed by Q/A)

Join us for an exclusive premiere screening of the new documentary “Going Circular” followed by an in-conversation discussion.

Going Circular dares to imagine a future where humankind not only survives, but flourishes, by rethinking global paradigms and respecting the limits of our planetary resources.

Meet four groundbreaking thinkers who navigate environmental, economic, and social crises of the modern age. They each discover that the solutions for creating a circular economy and planet have already been perfected in nature itself.

An Off the Fence production for Curiosity Studios in coproduction with ZDF Enterprises, ZDF and Arte. Executive Producers Robert-Jan van-Ogtrop, Thomas Anthony and Allison Bean. Produced by Ellen Windemuth and Sam Barton- Humphreys, Directed By Nigel Walk and Richard Dale.

The screening will be followed by a Q/A panel featuring:

  • Joost Bakker, the influential visionary and creator of the newly released Greenhouse by Joost documentary.
  • Kate Luckins, author of the influential Sustainable Lifestyle blog.
  • Dale Martin, a passionate and dedicated sustainability professional (panel moderator)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this event are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Zero Waste Victoria or Fed Square

Back to Top

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is RGB-POS-FedSq-Logo-Horizontal-green-300x169.png

The Zero Waste Festival 2022 is brought to you by Zero Waste Victoria and event partner FedSquare. Supporting sponsors are Burwood Brickworks, Stonnington Council Waste Education Team, and Ecyo

Keep connected on:

Follow Zero Waste Vic's Instagram account

You can view our past festivals