Plastic waste at event courtesy https://www.theguardian.com/

It’s time to devoid from single use plastic at your event with the Queensland Government, “re-introducing legislation to ban single-use plastic items in Queensland, starting with straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates that will take effect in September 2021.”

In December 2019, Climate Wave Enterprises (CWE) shared our earliest and growing positive waste/resource diversion outcomes with The Village Markets, and our eagerness to continue working together for better social and environmental outcomes.

“During the year 119 x 240 litre household bins were filled with rubbish, 88 bins were diverted from landfill.”

2019/20 Landfill Diversion for The Village Markets

In December 2020, CWE had established a familiar and productive system within The Village Markets.

In December 2019, CWE found that the total amount of landfill that was created between events decreased exponentially, although it was always less than the total amount of recovered waste.

In December 2020, despite its ups and downs, and the distended prevalence of single use plastics, particularly between March and July, compostable, recyclable and organic material and detritus still persevered, with compostable waste consistently the most prominent, having a 57% difference between recycling, which is much better environmentally.

CWE was able to achieve an average of 36% landfill during this challenging period, because of conscientious Eco Angels and consumer waste education; and following July, CWE accomplished a 42% improvement in average landfill diversion, coming in at 79%, and at best, 87%. Because of the keenness of the event management and staff, and retailers, CWE was able to achieve a remarkable 13% improvement from 2019 as well.

Climate Wave Enterprises at Tani Tei En Open Garden fundraiser for Southern Beaches Community Garden with details of the composting system

In 2019, CWE was excited to see how our relationships in the community would grow, such as with Smoothjuice, as the continued to helpfully contribute to CWE’s endeavours.

In 2020, CWE established positive relationships with retailers and found sustainable, local businesses, such as Minimalist the Label, to help at waste education and community events. Smoothjuice, among others, continued to support CWE to perpetuate the value of materials in the economy for as long as possible, by providing canned water, which was able to be exchanged via container deposit schemes to support Surfrider Foundation Gold Coast. They also provided rich organic material, that CWE transported and layered into the Southern Beaches Community Garden after every event.

This not only reduced our impact and supported the health and vitality of local ecosystems and ecological communities, but also provided much needed immense social and health benefits, as outlined in the 2020 National Pandemic Gardening Survey. It showed community gardening contributed to an overwhelming improvement in mental wellbeing, brought people together to foster social connectedness and contributed to food security and dietary diversity for low-income-impacted households, which was an unanticipated result of Climate Wave Enterprises’ ardent social responsibility.

In 2021, again, we would like to repeat that it has been an extremely enjoyable and rewarding experience working with the event management and staff at The Village Markets and seeing the growing positive impact that CWE’s presence has made, and the dramatic improvements in sustainable choices, because of the support of all stakeholders; and are excited, again, to see how these relationships and outcomes will continue, starting on Sunday 3 January.

The Village Market 2019/20 waste diversion chart

Between December 2019 and December 2020:

1,535L of organic waste was diverted from landfill to be used at the Southern Beaches Community Garden;

12,712L of compostable material was diverted from landfill to be composted;

1,420L of cans and bottles were diverted from landfill to be used for a container deposit scheme;

5,432L of recyclable material was diverted from landfill to be recycled; and

7,412L of waste went to landfill.

This means that 28,511L of waste was produced, where:

21,099L of waste was prevented from going to landfill; and

Only 7,412L of waste went to landfill.

In other words, 119 x 240L household bins were filled with rubbish, 88 bins were diverted from landfill.

The Village Market diversion data 2019/20

Please contact Climate Wave Enterprises on how to get great waste diversion results for your event.

Written by Murray Morris
CWE 2ic & Market Coordinator
Climate Wave Enterprises…working with the planet

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Partnering with Griffith University Community Internship Program

CWE acknowledge the Yugambeh language people as traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work and live.

At the Wanderlust, yoga, meditation, food and music festival, Climate Wave Enterprises and dedicated Eco Angel volunteers, achieved a 97.71% resource diversion from landfill rate. The festival concluded over the October 20-23 weekend at Novotel Twin Waters Resort, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.

How did we achieve such a high level of resource diversion?

Over the four day period with 3500 attendees, our volunteer Eco Angels were able to collect over 1,000 kilograms of resource/waste which was then hand sorted and properly allocated. This included 22 recycle bins, 13 compostable bins, 7 bins of soft plastic and only half a bin of waste/landfill.

Our Eco Angels with Chris Goldsworthy of Party Bins “what only half a bin of landfill”

When broken down further, 46% of the total waste was recyclables followed by 45% being compostables. With the addition of Party Bins to the event, their meticulous detail and local advice completed the waste management system.

Earthborn generously offered to take the compostables collected from Wanderlust and introduced it to their Aerobic Composting Process. They treat compostables through numerous processes and create customised soils/potting mix/growing media for a variety of applications. Earthborn have also offered to return the finished product back to the Novotel Twin Waters to be spread on their gardens.

Surfrider Foundation Sunshine Coast collecting soft plastic for recycling with

Surfrider Foundation Sunshine Coast assisted with education on plastic pollution and general coastal environmental campaigns. The Sunshine Coast Branch looks after an extensive stretch of pristine coastline, from Caloundra to Noosa and on to Double Island Point. The branch keeps busy with regular beach cleanups and dune care across the entire region. Their main local campaigns include the award winning ‘Clean Up Double Island Point Weekend’, run twice a year and regular ‘School Education’. They coordinate and manage the iconic ‘Eco Challenge’ sustainable event run annually and also conduct environmental awareness & education presentations at local surf, music & community events.

Special thanks goes out to all the volunteers, staff & crew of the Wanderlust Sunshine Coast festival.

Eco Angels attended to the ZeroHero waste management stations and educated attendees on how to sort waste accordingly for, recycling, organics/compostables and landfill. Their aid along with the desire to help the environment by the event attendees paved the way for such a high success rate.

Eco Angels attending the ZeroHero waste resource tents

For further inquiries on the event or to find out how to green your own event, contact Greg Howell, Climate Wave Enterprises; Sustainable Event Manager: greg@climatewave.com or call +61 (0) 414 939 942.

by Michele Ziobro

For more information on this event see the previous news item ‘Wanderlust Sunshine Coast sustainable waste management’

It was reported on the Packaging Innovations London 2012 website that “success of this large-scale bottle-to-bottle recycling process is part of” the drink companies “commitment to helping the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) deliver the most sustainable Games possible.”

The article goes on to say, “Nielsen research commissioned by” the drink company “shows that 70% of visitors surveyed at London 2012 said, on learning this, they would now be more likely to recycle at home.” Well that has to be a good thing, the more product we keep out of landfill the less we pollute our water tables and have more space for humans to spread.

There is some amazing recycling work going on around the world with innovative design and engineering. Our goal could be not to use new resources but keep recycling while research and developing alternative products that have zero impact to our natural environment.

More from the blog

kind regards

Greg Howell

working with the planet

In a newspaper article it was stated that only 25 per cent of waste thrown in the yellow-lid recycling bin was actually recycle-friendly.

How long have we been recycling for now?

Records show that one particular company started recycling paper 120 years ago and what, after all that time we still can’t get it right.

The article went onto discuss the ramifications for the future of recycling with the increase in the cost of water which has risen by 20 per cent recently.

The correct method of recycling is to remove lids from all containers and rinse any foreign material before discarding. Any break down in this process will see contaminated articles dumped with general waste.

So how do you educate effectively so recycling is not just a feel good thing and can become an effective way of reducing waste? I’m keen for your thoughts on this subject.

I know one day recycling will be mandatory and we will reap the benefits of this which will reduce the amount of resources needed for industry. Reduce Reuse Recycle

CWE is up to the challenge and will be promoting recycling at all our events until the message and advantages are prevalent throughout the community.

A tip for effective recycling and water saving:

Use the last bit of the washing up water to rinse articles or for those with dishwashers take a bucket into the shower and rinse off together.

The energy saved in recycling one plastic bottle will light an 11 watt energy efficient bulb for 33 hours – so be a good sort and recycle right.

Yours for the Planet

Greg Howell