Fifty workshops will be held before the end of the year delivering messages about the effects of single use plastic and food waste on the environment to more than 500 people.
The Northam Farmers market, as an initiative of the Northam Chamber of Commerce and Northam Women in Business, has secured a grant of $13,000 from the Waste Authority to deliver community workshops designed to upskill participants on making changes in their behaviour regarding waste.
Participants will learn how their small changes will collectively make a big difference.
This echoes market initiatives such as sustainable packaging, reducing waste and buying local produce.
In November the workshops will be also be held at an all-day state Scouts event at the Recreation Centre in Northam.
Northam Chamber of Commerce executive officer Esther Bliss said the workshops can be held anywhere for any group including in work places as a team building activity.
“Workshops will be held at the Northam Farmers Market each fortnight and each week at the Northam Chamber of Commerce, Bunch of Dreams and the Northam PCYC,” Ms Bliss said.
“With sponsorship funding from the Toodyay Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank we will be able to expand these workshops to the Toodyay Farmers Markets, the Toodyay CRC and into schools.”
A small sustainability shop will be available after each workshop for people to purchase items such as beeswax wraps, additional straws, keep cups and bamboo toothbrushes.
Toodyay Community Bank branch manager Kirsten Barrack said the bank came on board to enhance the reach and impact of the workshops.
“We have a very clear mandate to support local initiatives that promote sustainable living,” Ms Barrak said.
“The community workshops are a fantastic initiative and through our funding we’re delighted to see the expansion of the program in to locations such as schools, to other Northam locations and to also reach Toodyay residents.”
For more than 50 years global production and consumption of plastics have continued to rise.
Today we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic each year, half of which is for single use purposes such as straws, food packaging and coffee cups.
For further information about the workshops please contact the Northam Farmers Market on 0427 472 729 or by email at northamfarmersmarket@gmail.com.
The Northam Farmers Market community workshop program has been funded by the State Government through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Account and administered by the Waste Authority.