Ten Top Secrets To A Sizzling Summer In Sustainable Style

By Nicola Saltman (Waverley Enviro Officer) on December 23, 2015 in Other

Sandy toes. Beers on the deck. Sun-cream stickiness. Barbecue scents on the breeze. Early surfs. Salty smiles. Holiday fun. Seriously, who does not love summer?

Whether you’re making staying local or heading away, bring a sustainable ‘sizzle’ to the silly season with these ten simple ideas…

1. Dare to be different – Ditch the traditional Christmas pine tree or plastic number and decorate an outdoor tree, existing plant, or fashion one out of bare broken branches for that minimalist look.

2. Waste-free gifts – Buy an ‘experience’ for a friend or family member for Christmas. Give away a paddleboard lesson or tickets to a comedy show. There’s no need to fiddle with wrapping paper and, better still, it’s the stuff of good memory making.

3. Share the love – Global charities like Oxfam have an array of clever offers to support those who need it. Your loved one will be chuffed to know they’ve donated a chicken to an African family. If you buy Fairtrade, it means the people who made these products are getting a fair price.

4. Pick up – No dating advice here, sorry! Just a sweet reminder that loving our beaches, streets and parks means taking our rubbish with us. Left litter gets into our stormwater system and oceans, wreaking havoc on the environment. Plus, it’s ugly.

5. Clean up with care – Swap, sell or donate your unwanted bulky household items. You can organise a free council ‘clean-up collection’. It’s super easy; just call Waverley Council on 9369 8080.

6. Bottomless cups – Every year Australians throw away over a billion takeaway coffee cups. For your next steaming pick-me-up, grab a funky reusable cup instead. Most cafes are happy to use them and some even provide a discount. They are dishwasher-proof and make cool presents too.

7. Bag the bag – Make your summer plastic-bag free. Plastic takes a load of resources to make, winds up in our oceans, suffocates marine life, and ends up in landfill for centuries. Use reusable tote bags to shop and support the ‘BlueBondiGreen’ plastic-bag-free initiative – visit bluebondigreen.org.au.

8. Go native – NSW Christmas bush explodes in red flowers every summer and is a lovely present for anyone with a backyard. Most good nurseries sell it, or you can head down to Randwick Community Nursery to find the perfect living gift.

9. Join the Compost Revolution – Over half of our rubbish that ends up at the tip is food scraps, rotten food and dinner leftovers. Join the Compost Revolution program to learn how to turn it into compost for your plants. Visit www.compostrevolution.com.au.

10. Pedal power – Beat traffic stress, burn calories and ride the breeze on your bike. Council runs free bike maintenance, rusty riders and cycling skills workshops. Visit waverley.nsw.gov.au/environment.

A happy and safe silly season to all!