As part of Plastic Free July, Justin Forshaw and his wife Donna, from The Real Pantry in Angaston, are encouraging the use of eco-friendly products to help create a healthy and sustainable environment to benefit the future.
Plastic Free July, a key initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation has become a global challenge in helping millions of people reduce their plastic waste since 2011, and continues to offer viable advice on reducing plastic pollution.
By participating or beginning your plastic free future, refusing single-use plastics is a good way to start according to Justin.
“The first thing to do is not get overwhelmed and just take little steps to do what is practical for your lifestyle,” he added.
“Initially you should use what you have already got and then start from there and try to eliminate waste from your pantry or bathroom.”
In beginning his plastic free journey at home, Justin said he was lucky enough to travel overseas and experience recycling systems which led to a change of lifestyle choices.
“We are lucky in Australia as we have a good waste system and it disappears,” he said.
“But when you see countries that don’t have similar structures in place, you can see the real impact it has on the environment.
“For my family, the decision was to benefit our children’s future and part of looking at our weekly waste and seeing how much is produced.
“We have also started introducing solutions at home like composting and we have always had our own chickens.
“But mainly, just trying to re-use what we can with jars and limiting food waste is a huge factor.
“It’s also about thinking about produce bags when you go to the supermarket.
“You go to the supermarket and you see how many products are wrapped in plastic packaging which is not essential.”
Justin said learning about being eco-friendly is a never ending cycle.
“You never stop learning about how you can eliminate plastic and we are lucky to have that base of people who come in store who come and share their ideas and solutions.”
“I think people in the Barossa have become more eco-friendly.”
Bim Lange, The Barossa Council Mayor told The Leader that Council is committed to reducing waste going to landfill through a range of initiatives.
“We recognise that as a Council we have an obligation to lead the way in responsible waste disposal,” he added.
“We recently rolled out our mandatory kerbside Food and Green Organics (FOGO) bin service across Angaston, Eden Valley, Lyndoch, Moculta, Mount Pleasant, Nuriootpa, Penrice, Sandy Creek, Springton, Stockwell, Tanunda and Williamstown. “Residents have been supplied a kitchen caddy with their green bin to help reduce single-use plastics through encouraging them to put food scraps directly into...
