One shopping bag per week Mia Swainson Sustainable lifestyle writer and environmental engineer

Our garbage bin 40 – 50 % Organic Waste (food and garden) 10 – 20 % Recyclable (not sorted) 20 – 30 % Low value (incl. soft plastics)

Take out organic waste Compost Worm farm Chickens Community compost

Take out Soft plastics Insert red cycle poster Drop your soft plastics into your nearest REDcycle collection bin and RED Group will do the rest. There are more than 630 participating supermarkets around Australia. Find the REDcycle drop off point nearest to you. REDcycle bins are typically located near the checkout. If you have trouble finding it, please ask the supermarket’s customer service desk. we recycle The collected plastic is returned to RED Group’s facility for initial processing, then delivered to Victorian manufacturer Replas where it undergoes an incredible transformation.  Replas uses the material as the resource to produce a huge range of recycled-plastic products, from fitness circuits to sturdy outdoor furniture, bollards, signage and more. the comprehensive list of what to REDcycle YES PLEASE! Biscuit packets (outer wrapper only) Bread bags (without the tie) Bubble wrap (large sheets cut into A3 size pieces) Cereal box liners Chip and cracker packets (silver lined) Chocolate and snack bar wrappers Cling Wrap - free of food residue Confectionery bags Dry pet food bags Fresh produce bags Frozen food bags Green bags (Polypropylene Bags) Ice cream wrappers Large sheets of plastic that furniture comes wrapped in (cut into A3 size pieces) Netting produce bags (any metal clips removed) Newspaper and magazine wrap Pasta bags Plastic Australia Post satchels Plastic carrier bags from all stores  Plastic film wrap from grocery items such as nappies and toilet paper Plastic sachets Potting mix and compost bags (cut into A3 size pieces and free of as much product as possible) Rice bags Snap lock bags / zip lock bags Squeeze pouches with lid on Wine bladders - clear plastic ones only Please make sure your plastic is dry and as empty as possible. NO THANKS! Plastic bottles Plastic containers Any rigid plastic such as meat trays, biscuit trays or strawberry punnets Adhesive tape Blister packs, tablets and capsule packaging Bread bag tags Cat and dog food pouches (these are predominantly foil) Coffee bags Cooler bags Disposable food handling gloves of any variety Drinking straws Film negatives and x-rays Foam or polystyrene of any kind Foil / Alfoil of any kind Food waste Glass Medical waste materials Paper and cardboard Paper post packs Plastic packaging that has contained meat Plastic strapping used for securing boxes and pallets Powdered milk packets, made of foil Rubber, rubber gloves, latex Tarpaulins Tin cans Wet plastic materials as mould is a problem for us Wine bladders - foil based Please note that the REDcycle Program has been developed for post consumer household plastic. Participating supermarkets are not obliged to accept large volumes of commercial plastic waste.

Take it to the next level Buy nothing new challenge Naked shopping (bulk buying) Recycle toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes BYO Coffee Cup and Water Bottle Repair clothing and appliances Take it to the next level Options for taking it to the next level: Buy nothing new challenge: inner north buy nothing new group, clothes swap, use the green shed/ thrift shops, take the pledge and see how you go. Sasch Milne did it for a year with a toddler… Buy in bulk, buy at farmers markets Make your own stuff: food: yoghurt, cheese, mustard, bread… or clothes/ knit wear Clothes swap Toy library Bamboo toothbrush BYO coffee cup and water bottle Reusable sandwich wraps, nude food (waste free Wednesday)… Repurpose clothing, home textiles, furniture Bring your own water bottle Repair clothing and appliances

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One shopping bag per week To change the world… …every person counts