Repair Cafe educate community during Plastic Free July

REPAIR Cafe Surf Coast is continuing to be leaders within the circular economy space by striving for less waste and more resources throughout this month’s Plastic Free July.

This month, Repair Café volunteers have used informative videos and information boards at their recent drop-in sessions to encourage locals to stop and reassess their plastic use.

The community group has also collected plastic lids from milk, water and soft drink bottles as well as plastic bread bag tags, toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, DVDS and CDs.

Many of the plastics have since being sent on to established recycling facilities to be disposed of or converted in the correct manner.

In 2023, the Repair Café has already saved 700kg from landfill, with between half to two-thirds of this made up of different types of plastic.

Repair Café member Kate Long said education had been the most crucial theme in trying to make a difference in the local community.

“The Repair Café has a powerful mission beyond just reducing landfill waste through repairs.

“One of our main goals is to promote the 7 Rs of conservation and sustainability: Reuse, Repair, Recycle, Repurpose, Reduce, Refuse, and Regift.

“Living a Plastic Free month of July fulfils five of these goals.

“Through the information boards and videos shown at our workshops, we want to educate people to stop and think before they go and buy something.

“It’s about giving people some ideas about what they can do to make change and for them to challenge using plastics and to say no to the plastic straw or takeaway cup.”

Mrs Long said the organisation looked forward to continuing to make eco-friendly choices to reduce plastic waste, with the hope more community members will come along for a greener future.

For more information about the Repair Café Surf Coast, head to facebook.com/RepairCafeSurfCoast