Writing letters, Reusing cardboard boxes and a few more R's.

Recycling is last resort - we've been fooled into the world of recycling so how can you transition?

What are the 5 R’s? Refuse, Reuse, reduce, repair, repurpose, rot & then recycle. But why have we been sold the idea that Recycling packaging from our food is our best option?

Well if we recycle then we are still buying the products that the big companies want us to buy, it looks like they are doing the right thing and then we feel better for using plastics & over consuming clothing.

Now, don’t get me wrong - it is great if you are recycling your soft plastics and all that can go in your council recycling bin BUT what if you had half that amount because the products you need came in less packaging? The products came in compostable packaging? Or you switched to products that are not packaged? Or you bought your clothes once a year or from an op shop?

Here are my tips for trying to do this whilst working full time, with family & being able to still enjoy spare time!

- Buy fresh produce. The more unwrapped goods you buy the healthier you are & of course there is little packaging. Try a local coop like Box Divvy or your fruit and vege store for more of these options. Local is best for food miles too.

- Buy in bulk. This could be from a bulk store where you bring your own packaging or from a bulk food shop where you can buy large bags of rice or dried pulses - less packaging & less trips to the shops!

- Write letters to your favourite brands. Ask them to swap their packaging to compostable wrap or less wrapping. The more letters they receive from their consumers the more they will listen.

- Try and make your own. We are often time poor but baking & creating not only lessens packaging in lunch boxes, it also creates food that has little additives & preservatives.

- Recycle clothing instead of binning through Recycle Smart (some councils offer this for free) or Upparel (free socks when you recycle!)

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Adventures in Cardboard by Elanor Ford

A spaceship? A pair of butterfly wings or even a dinosaur? Anything’s possible with cardboard! Unleash your families imagination and enjoy endless hours of creative fun with the wonderful craft projects that all start with the humble cardboard box.

There are 16 ideas for upcycling a cardboard box and other odds and ends you have around the house as well as very well set out instructions which include a list of materials, construction tips and photographs of the product from conception to finished!

A great book for parents and early educators.

Dear Greta by Yvette Poshoglian

Alice is in Year 6 at Melwood Public School and she hopes it’s going to be a wonderful year. But it’s not really going to plan as Alice is stuck in the sunroom with her Grandmother now living in her bedroom, as she needs to recover from a heart episode..

But things begin to change when her teacher announces a class project - become a penpal to someone famous. Like many of her friends she hopes for Ash Barty or Beyonce but instead, gets Great Thunberg. Alice isn’t happy with this and to top it off, she is paired with her sworn enemies to also run the Harmony Day Food fair!

This story is written entirely in emails to Greta, as Alice works her way through all the things happening in her life. It’s a story of friendship and growing up, but more importantly, it’s about Alice learning that one person can make a difference - you just have to decide to do something, rather than nothing.

A thoroughly enjoyable novel that will make readers consider what they might be capable of.

Recommended for Years 5-8. Stage 3 & 4 teachers could use this as not only a novel study but also a study of story using different formats.

Get in touch with any comments of topics you would love to hear about.

Vanessa