Avoid single-use plastics 

One million tonnes of Australia’s annual plastic consumption is single-use plastic.

Single-use plastics are items designed to be used once and then thrown away.

Many cafes and food retailers now offer food and drink packaging made from paper, bamboo or similar materials, as many single-use plastic items are now banned in WA. This is a positive step, but it is still best to avoid single-use products where possible because of the waste generated through their production and disposal.

Putting together a low-waste kit for when you’re out and about is a simple way to cut out single-use items altogether. Keep it in your bag, car or by the door so it is easy to grab when you need it.

You might like to start small with just two or three items, or create a full kit, whatever suits your lifestyle best. Your low-waste kit might include:

• reusable water bottle (stainless steel is a durable option and can be recycled at end of life)
• reusable coffee cup
• stainless steel lunchbox or food container
• stainless steel straw
• cutlery
• fabric napkin
• reusable bags for groceries, mesh or fabric bags for fruit and vegetables, a fabric bread bag, and reusable containers for deli items

If you don’t carry reusable items, you can still try to minimise your waste by:

• saying no to a straw
• dining in and enjoying your coffee or meal instead of opting for takeaway in disposable containers
• choosing beverages with the 10-cent Containers for Change mark so the container can be returned for recycling

BYO Containers is a helpful website for finding reuse, refill and bring your own container locations across Australia for takeaway, groceries, beauty, home, pets, wine, beer and more. Its aim is to help individuals reduce waste and save money.

Reducing food packaging waste 

Australia uses around 70 billion pieces of soft ‘scrunchable’ plastics, such as food wrappers, each year.

Limiting the amount of food packaging entering your home is an effective way to cut waste and save money. Here are some simple tips to reduce packaging consumption.

• Buy “nude” foods such as loose fruit and vegetables. If you prefer items to be bagged to keep them together, take your own produce bags.
• Buy bakery items loose (bring your own fabric bread bag) or choose paper packaging where available.
• Shop at bulk food stores and bring your own reusable jars, bags or containers to fill. This also helps you control the quantity you buy, reducing both food waste and packaging waste.
• Take your own clean, sealable containers to be filled with deli items, meat or fish.
• Choose your packaging wisely. Where possible, opt for glass, cardboard, paper or aluminium over plastic.
• Choose items with the least packaging.
• Avoid cling wrap and pack leftovers into reusable containers.
• Grow food at home or in a community garden. Herbs are a great example: they are easy to grow and can reduce both plastic waste and food waste by avoiding the need to buy small amounts packaged in plastic for each recipe.

Reducing food waste 

Food waste refers to food intended for human consumption that is thrown away. Australian households discard around 2.5 million tonnes of food each year, which represents 30% of all food waste nationally.

The Great Unwaste is a nationwide behaviour change campaign designed to inspire and empower all Australians to reduce food waste in their homes to save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and conserve valuable resources. Visit The Great Unwaste website to find out the steps, tricks and tips to reducing food waste at home.

You can also try out some interesting apps to reduce your food waste.

Apps to help generate recipes based on what you have in the fridge and pantry:

• Supercook – A free recipe search engine that generates meal ideas based on the ingredients you already have at home, helping prevent food from going to waste.
• Saveful – A free app that helps you turn ingredients you have at home into tasty, money‑saving meals the family will love.

Apps to connect you to surplus food:

• Too Good To Go – A mobile app that connects customers with restaurants, cafes and stores selling surplus unsold food at discounted prices.
• Foody Bag – An online platform that helps food retailers reduce waste and allows customers to purchase end‑of‑day surplus food at a reduced cost.
• Olio – A community‑sharing app where people can give away, borrow or receive food and household items for free, reducing both food and household waste.

Plastic Free July 

From humble beginning originating in Western Australia in 2011, to a worldwide call to action, Plastic Free July has grown into one of the world’s most influential environmental campaigns. Millions of people now take part each year, committing to reduce plastic waste through simple, everyday choices and be part of the solution to plastic pollution.

Plastic Free July has great ideas and solutions on how you can reduce plastic in all areas of your home and at school, work, events and in the community.

Plastic Free July is a key initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation, which helps the movement grow and work towards our vision of seeing a world free of plastic waste. 

Buy Nothing New Month 

Buy Nothing New Month (also known as a No Spend Month) is a personal challenge where you commit to buying only essentials, such as food, hygiene items and medicines for 30 days.

This challenge acts as a financial and mental reset by:

• Breaking impulse buying habits
• Highlighting where money is mindlessly spent
• Reducing overconsumption and waste 
• Accelerating savings goals

October is Buy Nothing New Month, but don’t let that stop you starting a buy nothing, week, month or challenge any time of year.