Exciting opportunities during National Recycling Week

Southern Downs residents are encouraged to get involved in a range of FREE events to celebrate National Recycling Week 2012. Get into the spirit and learn how to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in a way that benefits you, your community and the environment through interactive workshops, an educational public place display and Southern Downs’ first ever Swap Party!
Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor, Cr Peter Blundell said, “Recycling is such an easy way to take positive action for our local environment. National Recyc-ling Week 2012 will bring new and exciting events to our region and I hope residents will take full advantage of the opportunity.”
For your chance to learn more about sustainable waste management, visit the public place display at Stanthorpe Library on November 15. Alternatively, register to attend one of the interactive community workshops that will be held in Stanthorpe and Warwick on November 14 and 15. These workshops will include practical information on how to establish and maintain a backyard organics recycling system, with one lucky resident taking home their very own worm farm or compost bin!
Mayor Blundell urged those residents with an eye for a bargain to head along to the Southern Downs Swap Party on Friday, November 16 from 12.00pm – 1.30pm.
“Everybody likes getting new things, but buying them all the time can be hard on the budget, as well as on the environment,” said the Mayor.
“The Southern Downs Swap Party is an event where people can exchange good quality items they no longer need, instead of throwing them away and I am looking forward to my role as MC on the day,” he said.
Participants exchange their unwanted goods such as books, toys, games, CDs, DVDs and bric-a-brac for Swap Party tokens that can then be used to ‘purchase’ pre-loved goods that have been brought in by other participants. Residents also have the opportunity to contribute to the ‘recycling collection’ by bringing in old mobile phones, printer and fax cartridges and eye glasses.
“Participating in the Swap Party will not only benefit your hip pocket, but the environment too. Choosing something old over something new helps preserve natural resources, divert waste from landfill and reduce carbon dioxide emissions,” Cr Blundell said.
“With only four weeks to go until National Recycling week, I encourage interested residents to register now, to guarantee their place in one of the workshops and to look out for three to four good quality items to bring along to the Swap Party.”
For more inform-ation about the National Recycling Week events in Southern Downs, please contact Erin Searle on (07) 3457 2400 or email SDRCWasteEd@envirocom.com.au.