Did you know you can drop off hard-to-recycle items like blister packs, milk bottle lids and oral care items, like toothpaste tubes, at the Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Center? Alongside this new recycling initiative, the center has set up compost bins to reduce food waste from their weekly meal programs and they host a regular repair cafe. They are leading the charge in waste reduction on the Eastern Shore.
Warrane’s Waste Warriors
“Around 12 months ago the first Eastside Repair Cafe was held at the center, with support from Clarence Climate Action,” said co-ordinator Katie Kristensen. “It started with a groundswell of interest from waste-aware people in the community, keen to see broken and holey items rescued from landfill. We just hosted our tenth cafe and repaired 29.4 kilograms of items. Our best cafe so far.”
Volunteers share their skills and fix items such as small furniture, toys, clothing, bags, bikes, and books for free. The repair cafe is held every six weeks, and everyone is welcome. The next one is on 1 July 2023, from 2pm–4pm.
“The repair cafe was kicked off with funding from Clarence City Council Community Grants Program,” Katie says. “With some of that seed money and some generous donations from repair cafe attendees, we were able to purchase some TerraCycle bins to bolster the neighborhood center’s sustainability initiatives.”
Now you can drop your used blister packs, oral care items, and milk bottle lids in the TerraCycle bins during the center’s opening hours and at the repair cafe. The bins are located in the little library space.
Katie says, “We are keen to provide easy ways for the center’s volunteers and the community to reduce waste alongside all the great programs and events that the center offers.”
Find out more about the Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Center.
Eastern Shore Sun, June 2023, page 14