Environmentality 2 October 2013 - Royce DeSousa, Visy Industries

Did you know that Visy Industries produce 25% of its electricity requirements, that is enough to power 35,000 homes!

I don't know if I am right in assuming that when most of us put our plastics, cardboard and bottles in the recycling bin that is about the last thought we give it.  Out of sight, out of mind.

We were fortunate to have Royce DeSousa, General Manager, Energy and Sustainability, Visy Industries in the studio today.  Royce enlightened us with Visy's recycling processes, their clean energy plants and the investment that Visy is making in ensuring that their operations are continuing to strive for best practice in the packaging and recycling industry.  Visy don't only recycle, but it makes sense that Visy is willing to invest heavily in a cleaner, renewable future, of which we can play a part at home. Visy's website is full of interesting facts and information on sustainability and recycling. http://www.visy.com.au/

In preparation for Recycling Week - 11  to 17 November why don't we all remind ourselves of the little things we can do at home;

Vegetable scraps can go to a compost bin or even better a worm farm.   Most 'tips', now known as the resource recovery center now take household batteries, paint tins, car batteries, light globes and scrap metal for free.  Check your local council website for what is free or charged for.  

We can recycle our clothes and shoes and we can then buy recycled clothes from garage sales and opportunity shops.  There are more and more things being made from material that would have once just been landfill.  You can even buy door mats made out of plastic and tyres - now that is recycling!


The building industry is looking at new ways to recycle and reuse what is considered waste product.  This timber look decking (below) is manufactured mainly from recycled products, including plastics and wood sawdust.

Planet Ark have a great interactive website that has suburb by suburb information on recyclers in your area, fact sheets, how to set up a worm farm and how to get involved with recycling in your local community: http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/recycling-info

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) have launched a new site called Flikkit.com where you can list your unwanted items and proceeds of the sale go directly to the ACF.  The ACF have partnered with Buy Nothing New Month, which just happens to be October, http://www.buynothingnew.com.au  both sites are great reading.

If you want even more ideas on how to live sustainably and where to buy recycled goods there are lots of interesting websites, a couple of which are: http://www.sustainablelivingguide.com.au
http://www.livinggreener.gov.au 


Thanks to Royce for contributing to the music played on the show today:


Pompeii Am Götterdämmerung, The Flaming Lips from the album At War with the Mystics 5.1
That's Life, James Brown from the Gettin Down to It album
Moanin, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers from the album Moanin
All Blues, Miles Davis 

Next week on Environmentality we are talking to Robyn Deed, Editor of ReNew magazine

Be sure to LISTEN TO THE SHOW!