When you look in your bin what do you see?

If you're like most Australian households you will see a lot of food waste – in fact, one third of the average bin consists of food waste. This equates to one in five shopping bags ending up in the bin!

Life in lockdown continues to challenge our community in new ways. With spring on our doorstep, and more of us working and schooling from home, it’s tempting to tackle those nagging cleaning and decluttering projects, possibly resulting in a small mountain of stuff we no longer want or need. There is no better time to learn a few good tricks for turning our trash into treasure, so we can mindfully manage the excess.

For the past 100 years since their invention, plastics have revolutionised packaging for everyday products around the world. However, the 3.4 million tonnes used by Australians, or 136 kilograms per person, in one year alone has created significant environmental challenges including pollution of lands and waterways.

The good news is that the tide is turning on plastics at a government level to drive change from the top, as well as via simple actions taken every day by every one of us.

As the seasons change an extraordinary movement of birds is occurring above our heads.

With the arrival of cooler weather, tiny birds are flying over our homes as they migrate further north to find food.

Cloth nappies are making a huge comeback amongst parents eager to reduce plastic disposable items or save money. It’s sobering to find out that almost 800 million disposable nappies end up in Australian landfills annually, meaning a stack of hard-earning money has just gone to ‘waste’, quite literally.

Australia now boasts the highest rate of household rooftop solar in the world. With the promise of cheaper electricity from solar panels, decreasing technology costs and climate change action top of mind amongst many, it’s not surprising that residents living in apartment blocks are keen to get some skin in the game.

Here we unpack some of the key benefits of solar power for apartments, plus considerations and challenges. We also ‘shine’ a light on a couple of local buildings that have made solar happen.

Waverley Council’s Sustainable Waste Team shares solutions to the growing problem of ‘problem waste’ choking our cupboards, garages, attics, kerbside bins and eventually, landfill. Read on for tips on how you can help reduce and recycle it, and ways this waste is made into other useful products once it leaves your home or office.

Can we build resilience in our children through nature? Michelle Carrick, Council’s Manager of Children and Family Services, reckons we can.

Marrying her passions for teaching kids and environmental education, Michelle has been delving into the long-lasting benefits that play-based learning and ecological experiences have on a growing person’s wellbeing and academic success.

We talked to Michelle to find out more...

It’s not surprising that grevilleas have gained popularity with local gardeners and landscapers. They tick the 'native’ box and the hybrid varieties display large showy flowers in bloom most of the year. Sadly, hybrid grevilleas are now known to be contributing to local extinctions of small bird populations. In this story, we unpack why, and how by using a diversity of shrub species and vegetation structure, as well as providing water and a pesticide-free environment, you can help all wildlife thrive.

Interview with Alex van Os of Op Shop to Runway

Sydney eco-stylist to the stars and op-shop devotee Alex van Os from Op Shop to Runway has a passion for pre-loved fashion. She’s worked on the style teams for popular Australian TV programs including The Bachelor, I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, Home and Away, and The Voice, and has a growing fan-base on Instagram.  

We talk to her about her love for vintage and pre-loved fashion, her tips for seeking out the best finds and why she’s on a mission to change the fashion industry, one of the biggest polluting industries in the world.