Where the three Key Political Parties stand on Plastics and Recycling
Posted by Jeff Angel · May 14, 2019 10:43 AM

Plastic Pollution: Why helping our Pacific neighbours is important
Posted by Toby Hutcheon · May 13, 2019 12:10 PM

Phase-Out Single use Plastics is the next step in reducing Plastic Pollution
Posted by Toby Hutcheon · May 06, 2019 12:21 PM

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And it’s also the most wasteful. Studies suggest household refuse increases by 30 per cent as Australians splurge $50million on food, drink, presents…and decorations.

And with the vast majority of Christmas decorations comprise of plastic in some form, a huge percentage is destined for landfill comes New Year where they will languish for a very long time.

And while there are a number of plastic-free options for sale, why not get creative and make your own gorgeous festive decorations. They’re easy to assemble and fun for all the family. Here’s a couple of suggestions for festive merriment this holiday season.

CHRISTMAS BUNTING

Deck the halls with our festive prints. Print them out and simply fashion into any shape you fancy.

ORIGAMI PAPER CHRISTMAS TREE

Download the .pdf for easy-to-follow steps to create your own

CONICAL CHRISTMAS TREE

Download the .pdf instruction to turn your old magazines into something magical.

FACT: Some Australian councils reckon Christmas waste increases by more than 1,000 tonnes between December and January

Go back to 12 days of plastic-free Christmas  >

We’ve all been there. It’s Christmas Eve and between all the shopping and wrapping and cooking and stressing, there’s the horrible realization you forgot to send Christmas cards. But who needs a festive greeting that comes covered in glitter or wrapped in plastic, requires postage and takes an age to be delivered.

Digital Christmas cards are the only way to go and the benefits are outstanding. No plastic footprint, no charge and instant delivery anywhere around the globe means eChristmas cards are the way of the future.

With a huge selection from Paperlesspost and Smilebox, you can even design your own and upload photos for that personal touch.

FACT: Each Christmas season over 100 million cards are consumed within Australia alone… wiping out over 200,000 trees.

Go back to 12 days of plastic-free Christmas  >

REDUCE: Money

Cash, bills, dough, Benjamins, bucks, dinero, wonga – whatever you call it, nothing beats money as the ultimate Christmas gift. Instead of scrambling around for a gift, or being landed with an item you would sooner do without, cash is always the way to go. And forget gift cards and gift vouchers. They’re usually plastic and unrecyclable and bind you to an individual store.

So for the perfect gift, fashion a homemade card, pop a note in there and spread the Xmas cheer.

FACT: EVERYONE LOVES MONEY

Go back to 12 days of plastic-free Christmas  >

REDUCE: Furoshiki

Forget wrapping paper, plastic labels or sticky tape. It's all about Furoshiki.

Originating from Japan, the age-old technique of wrapping gifts in a fabric of choice has made a significant resurgence in the wake of increasing environmental awareness.

Highly versatile, colourful vibrant fabric like scarfs can be found at op shops while cutting up old sheets offers the opportunity to decorate and embellish with dyes and fabric paint or pens. And tying with a ribbon gives that extra personal touch.

Affordable and eco-friendly, there are hundreds of tutorials clips with knot techniques on YouTube. And let’s be honest, all the cools kids are doing it.

FACT: Cloth wrapping has been used for over 1200 years in Japan and the word furoshiki came about during the Edo period (1603-1868) when the cloths were commonly used in bath houses to wrap clothes and as a bath mat. The word furoshiki means 'bath spread'.

Go back to 12 days of plastic-free Christmas  >

REDUCE: Non-plastic toys

The toy industry is a huge contributor to the waste stream because 90 per cent of toys made are of plastic, they’re virtually unrecyclable – and kids can’t get enough of them. AND let's not forget the plastic packaging.

Thankfully, there is a wide selection of non-plastic alternatives available.

Wooden toys are the obvious choice. They're classic, durable and long lasting. And go for ones that offer more open-ended play where children can think up lots of different games with them rather than being restricted to just one.

Stockists include Knock on Wood and Honeybee.

FACT: The health effects of the chemicals used in the manufacturing of plastic toys are not fully known but at least one type of common chemical, called phthalates ― which is used to soften toys ― has been linked to a number of health issues including birth defects, diabetes and cancer.

In short, plastic toys are BAD!

Go back to 12 days of plastic-free Christmas  >

REDUCE: EXPERIENCES

Making memories together is what life is all about. And what better way to do that then by gifting your loved ones with special experiences they’ll never forget.

Why not paddle-boarding? Get fit and up close and personal with some of the hidden, inaccessible gems on our coastline.
What about a whale-watching cruise? Encounter the majestic marine wildlife we’re striving to protect from marine plastic pollution.
Why not a tour of the Great Barrier Reef if you’re feeling particularly generous?

The choices and possibilities are endless.

TIP: Shop around for a local experience to help support your community

Go back to 12 days of plastic-free Christmas  >

REDUCE: Sowing the seeds

They say a home without plants is a home without life.

The benefits are endless – improvement of air quality and humidity and reduction of carbon dioxide levels. They’re proven to reduce stress levels and promote calm and serenity. And let’s be real, they’re beautiful to look at.

So what could be a better gift this Christmas? But while garden centres generally exercise the use of plastic pots (often unrecyclable black plastic, no less), why not gift your friends and family with a packet of seeds. Flowers, herbs, saplings, the choice is yours.

And boost your sustainability street cred by reusing an old paper egg carton (try to avoid the Styrofoam alternative).

Cut the cups of your carton apart and pop your seed in with some soil. Experts also suggest tossing in a pinch of coffee grounds because they add nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

When they’re ready, plant them directly into the earth and the roots will be able to break through the paper which will break down into compost eventually. The paper will also help your newly-planted seedling's roots stay moist until it breaks down

TIP: For a truly plastic-free Christmas, dress one of your pot plants in decorations and lights and avoid chopping down a tree. When you’re done, put it back outside for another year.

Go back to 12 days of plastic-free Christmas  >

REUSE - Books!

Books are the perfect plastic-free present for your family and friends this Christmas. From classic tales to latest bestsellers, the perfect page-turner can enhance the imagination, expand the mind and broaden knowledge.

When you’re finished, books are the perfect regift. But remember, paperback is best. Avoid hardback covers with plastic sleeves

TIP: Protect trees by purchasing an electronic or second-hand copy from your local op shop.

Go back to 12 days of plastic-free Christmas  >

....On the TWELFTH day of Christmas, Time to get creative
Posted by Rianti Bieler · December 14, 2018 7:55 PM

....On the ELEVENTH day of Christmas.. Save money on postage!
Posted by Rianti Bieler · December 11, 2018 6:18 PM

....On the TENTH day of Christmas.. money money money!
Posted by Rianti Bieler · December 10, 2018 1:09 PM

Supermarket Progress Report
Posted by Sara Gibson · March 19, 2024 3:26 PM

Boomerang Alliance Newsletter - November 2023
Posted by Rianti Bieler · November 22, 2023 9:10 PM

Boomerang Alliance Newsletter - July 2023
Posted by Rianti Bieler · July 12, 2023 9:09 PM

We have only days to defend the ocean around Australia.

Next Friday 27 April 2018, our State and Federal Environment Ministers will meet to discuss crucial issues, including the introduction of a nationwide ban on microbeads.

From personal care to dental hygiene to household cleaning, microbeads are used in an enormous range of products. They slip through our inadequate waste water filtration infrastructure and end up in the ocean. Once there, they act as a sponge for water-borne toxins and are easily mistaken as a food source by unwitting marine life, potentially adding toxins directly to the human food chain.

What’s more, without a national ban, surplus products containing microbeads that have been rejected by other countries could easily make their way to Australia, as manufacturers try to cut their losses. We can’t afford to let Australia become a potential dumping ground for these billions of pieces of microplastic.

Right now, the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, France, Sweden, Taiwan, Italy, Ireland and the Netherlands have or will soon introduce bans on microbeads. Australia has no plans to do the same.

Instead the Commonwealth Government is relying on a voluntary phase out but only a national ban will eliminate the problem once and for all.

We need to put the pressure on. We need to protect marine wildlife, we need to protect the ocean. We need to protect our health.

Can you help us by contacting our state environment ministers and making your voice heard? 

Thank you for taking action on microbeads! With your help, Australia’s environment ministers will be under no doubt of our communities desire to safeguard our oceans with a ban on microbeads. And every voice counts.

A voluntary phase out of microbeads by Australian industry is not an option. Voluntary action can easily be revoked. We need legal protection for our marine wildlife, our marine environment and consequently, our own health.

Please share this call to action with your family, friends and followers. The more pressure on our state environment ministers, the greater the chance of a nationwide ban on microbeads. Make your voice heard.

https://www.boomerangalliance.org.au/microbeads_action

We will keep you closely updated on the situation as it progresses.

Dear Minister,

To date, Australia's Environment Ministers have favoured voluntary action to phase out the use of microbeads in cosmetics and cleaning products. With the growing, worldwide alarm about plastic pollution and its undoubted impact on Australia's marine life, I urge you to call for the implementation of a legally binding national ban to eliminate those remaining products that still contain trillions of ready-made microplastic microbeads just waiting to be washed down our drains and into our oceans.

I regard industry agreements as an interim step, but in order to ensure that microbeads do not reappear in the future and that all products and businesses are captured, only a binding law passed by the Commonwealth Government will suffice.

The rest of the world is responding to this problem, implementing robust laws to ban the use of microbeads. Australia cannot afford to become a dumping ground for all those non-compliant products that can no longer be sold in other countries and which may find their way here, as one of the only remaining markets into which they can be sold.

At your meeting with other environment ministers on April 27th, I urge you to demand that the Commonwealth Environment Minister agree to pass this important law before the end of 2018.

Thank you for your action to protect our oceans and contribute to a cleaner environment for present and future generations.

The Big Bottle Tour on ABC NEWS
Posted by Stephen Milton · May 31, 2018 11:49 AM

Day 14 - Last but not least in Ballarat
Posted by Dr Annett Finger · April 16, 2018 9:48 AM

Day 13 - Collected in Castlemaine
Posted by Dr Annett Finger · April 12, 2018 10:07 AM