The MCG is kicking goals for waste reduction.
Ten years ago, it was recycling only 20 to 30% of its waste. Now, more than 83% of its 2000 tonnes of rubbish gets turned into stuff we need. It’s either put back in the ground, as fertiliser and water to feed the heritage-listed parklands surrounding the stadium or turned into bollards and furniture made from plastics.
So, if you’re hosting a Grand Final BBQ for a few mates at your place, be a leading goal-kicker like the MCG. Here’s 6 points to tell you how.
1. Get set-up to separate from the start
Help your teammates help you. Make sure you’ve got separate bins for recycling, rubbish and food – and make sure it’s clear what’s what. Three empty carboard boxes and a good black marker to clearly label them should do the trick as make-shift bins if you need them. If you don’t have a compost for your food waste, you can find a local drop off point on ShareWaste.
Or, so there’s no excuse for getting it wrong, print off and pin-up these posters next to your bins. Tell them: anyone getting rubbish wrong is on washing-up duty. That oughta do it.
2. Drink sustainably (and recyclable-y)
Whether sipping a soft drink, or downing something stronger, there are ways to make sure what it comes in can be reused or recycled (or to avoid waste altogether).
Local shops are taking a stand. Slowbeer in Fitzroy, let you bring your own growler for a waste-free refill of beer on tap. ReWine fill and refill bottles for takeaway with locally sourced wine straight from the barrel. Now that’s waste-free goal kicking.
For teetotallers, make big cuts in plastic waste by getting a SodaKING or SodaStream to create your own sparkling drinks (and your own flavours too: a favourite – grab a jug, pour in fizzy water, lemon juice, a spoon of sugar and a touch of cranberry juice for a bitter, pink lemonade).
Once you’re done with any disposable bottles you can’t reuse, make it easy to get them sorted.
3. Don’t go OTT on disposable plastic cups, cutlery and straws
It’s cheaper, nicer and there’s no waste at all if you use your own crockery and cutlery. If you don’t have enough, head out (op-shop?) for some extra real plates and glasses you can use again (and again, and again). Go bamboo or metal if you really want straws.
Worried about washing-up? Start the day with an empty dishwasher, and it should take care of most of the work. Otherwise, get those mates of yours to chip in on doing the dishes. (The ones messing up your bins, or reward someone with an extra snag or two. Or a hug. Whatever works!)
4. Share leftover food with guests
Cooking for many often means leftovers. Send your mates home with a plate of goodness, (we’re thinking a real plate, or reusable container they can keep or bring back), freeze what’s left and, only if you must, send any food scraps into the compost. Food waste uses water, energy, transport and your money. Feeding your mates, or your future-self, is always better.
5. Recycle soft plastic packaging
If you end up with soft plastic packaging to recycle, take them to your local Woolworths or Coles and drop them off in their REDcycle bins. These bins accept a lot of different soft plastics, including biscuit packets (outer wrapper only), frozen food and veggie bags, lolly bags, chocolate wrappers and chip and cracker packets (even silver lined ones).
6. Show your mates what a totally waste-free party looks like
When you make the call or send out that text to invite people over, let your mates know that your place is a waste-free zone. If they’d like to bring something along, suggest something homemade (or, if you’re feeling game, that you only want things that come in reused/reusable containers).
Cook for them. Show them how real food tastes. Avoid take away (that mostly comes in plastic) and any packaged ingredients. Instead fill your own containers and produce bags at your local bakery, deli-counter, butcher, fishmonger and market.
Get charcuteries in your own container at Obelix & Co in Fitzroy North and bulk chocolates, veggies chips and crackers at one of The Source Bulk Foods shops or the Friends of the Earth co-op on Smith Street.
You can find out which food suppliers have pledged to accept your reusable containers by looking at our zero-waste map. And don’t use disposable cups, plates, cutlery, straws or even napkins (use cloth ones instead).
Go on, we dare you, to dare them.
