Written by Brianna Le Brusque
Plastic Free July is a global movement helping millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution. Together we can reduce our plastic waste and create cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.
There are lots of great community initiatives and organisations supporting individuals and groups to reduce their waste. This post shines a spotlight on four of these. We encourage you to get involved with groups and projects that interest you!
Plastic Free SA
What is the project?
Plastic Free SA are is a pilot community in South Australia that works directly with Adelaide food retailers to assist businesses with reducing their use of single use plastics.
How can you get involved?
If you are a food retailer in Adelaide, Plastic Free SA will assist you with plastic free solutions. If you are a consumer of food retailers in Adelaide head to the Plastic Free SA website to see which businesses are ‘Plastic Free Champions’ and support these businesses if you can.
How to find out more? https://www.plasticfreesa.org/
Boomerang Bags
What is the project?
Boomerang Bags started as a conversation about plastic and how something as simple as minimising plastic bags can have a huge impact on reducing landfill. Boomerang bags encourages people to purchase or make plastic free reusable shopping bags.
How can you get involved?
Purchase a Boomerang Bag and replace plastic bags when shopping, or if you are looking for a fun activity get a Boomerang Bag Toolkit and make your own bag!
Here at the Adelaide Sustainability Centre we also host Boomerang Bag working bees! Keep an eye on our events page for future post-restriction dates.
How to find out more? https://boomerangbags.org/start-a-community/
Seaside Scavenger
What is the project?
Born out of a simple clothes swap and beach cleanup, Seaside Scavenger has grown into an organisation that takes steps towards cleaner coastlines. Running a variety of events including beach clean ups, pre-loved items sales/swaps, and corporate workshops.
How can you get involved?
There are multiple volunteer roles within Seaside Scavenger including event support, fundraising, and storytellers. They also run a variety of ‘scavengers’ across Australia, not just the coastline that you can get involved in!
How to find out more? https://www.seasidescavenge.org/
AUSMAP
What is the project?
AUSMAP stands for Australian Microplastic Assessment Project and it is a large-scale citizen science project which gathers important data about microplastic in Australian waterways. Very little is currently known about how much microplastic exists in Australia waterways so this information is important.
How can you get involved?
You can become a citizen scientist and help in the science process. There are various roles suited to people with no scientific experience through to people with lots of science expertise. There are also opportunities for community groups and schools to get involved in the project.
How to find out more? https://www.ausmap.org/get-involved
