Educating people about the need to reduce the volume of waste generated in the community can be a bit of a bore. However, Lismore has employed the time honoured method of theatre to take the message to the streets, where people make shopping decisions that influence the volume of waste.
At community events and in shopping centres, Lismore’s Re-Psyches Theatre Troupe, dressed in a variety of plastic bags, bottles and other materials that inflate the volume of waste, gives a graphic picture of the extent to which we can mindlessly add to the environmental costs of overpackaging and poor management.
Adding to their message is Earthworks, a community based education program originally set up as a pilot program with the EPA. This trains local people to reduce their own waste and spread the message throughout the local community. Pensioners to school students have completed the course.
The course covers waste minimisation and waste management at a domestic level, including ways to avoid buying waste when shopping, the separation of recyclables and worm farming.
For industry, Council has prepared brochures detailing guidelines for the best management of trade waste and intends to undertake a comprehensive Cleaner Production Campaign.
For further information contact Gordon Fraser-Quick, telephone (066) 250 544.
