Plastic Free July this year kicks off in world cup style, coinciding with the ban on single-use plastic bags here in Queensland. It’s been good to see a lot of movement globally, nationally and most importantly in our local community.
We got a good plug for Plastic Free Noosa and Boomerang Bags in a recent segment on Channel 7s Great Day Out. Good job to all the PFN Champions who have ticked all the boxes in our quest to rid Noosa of the six worst offenders.
Aromas and The Source Bulk Foods Noosa featured in this segment, but the list is growing… make sure you vote with your wallet and support our local champions.
Our schools are getting involved too, and Sunshine Beach State High School is hoping to lead the way as the first Plastic Free Noosa school champion. One of the first things to go will be the sale of bottled water at the tuckshop – kudos to Unitywater who will be providing another water refill station to ensure students can stay hydrated for free. Remember to BYO bottle, kids!
Another great trash story was the newly formed partnership between Kin Kin Native Bees and NZ biotech startup Humble Bee. How refreshing to see this young female entrepreneur use biochemistry and science to help solve a global problem. Venturing to Noosa in her search for a certain species of solitary bee whose “cellophane-like” nesting material has potential to be a bioplastic, Humble Bee founder and CEO Veronica Harwood-Stevenson found a kindred spirit in Chris Fuller of Kin Kin Native Bees, who had just figured out a way to trap nest bees from the same family using special wooden blocks. Humble Bee will initially focus on the outdoor gear like tents and shoes that currently uses toxic chemicals to add waterproof and dirt-repellent finishes.
And a trash story can’t be complete without a mention of the Trashy Artisan which for now has morphed into Reviva Noosa. For many years Lucy Yule fought hard to establish a maker space where people would learn to value, reuse and recycle waste, and in teaming up with Resource Recovery Australia she managed to snag the top job at the new tip shop due to open on 4 July. Lucy is content that she’ll get her trashy artisan bit eventually, but that the seven-year tender gives them security and the ability to take it slow and see where it takes them.
Reviva Noosa needs some volunteers to help set up the new shop, so please email Lucy for more information and to get the link to the safety induction, which needs to be completed before you are allowed onsite.
