It is estimated that Australians ‘throw away’ over 2.7 million coffee cups every day. These end up in landfill and are costly and resources intensive to recycle, if at all.

Refusing single-use plastic packaging and switching to reusable alternatives is the best way to reduce your plastic waste footprint. 

This is a space for you to find out more about plastic waste and how to avoid it.

Watch full screen on our YouTube channel.

Tips and tricks 

We’ve compiled the following list of tips and tricks to inspire and encourage you to eliminate single use plastic from your life.   

Doing your food shop 

• Bring your own reusable shopping bags and help reduce plastic waste. Try storing them in your car or near the door so you don’t forget them.
• Refuse pre-packed fruit and vegetables. Look for the non-wrapped alternative for carrots, tomatoes, avocados and lettuce.  
• Ditch the plastic produce bag and switch to a reusable cloth alternative.
• Take your reusable containers to the butcher, fish shop, deli or bakery.
• Buy your grains, nuts and pantry staples in bulk.  

At the café 

• Bring your own (BYO) reusable coffee cup or dine in at your local café.  
• BYO takeaway container when getting food to go. 
• Refuse plastic straws or bring a BYO reusable alternative like metal or bamboo straws.  
• BYO reusable water bottle instead of buying plastic ones.  
• Talk to your local café about their plastic packaging and encourage them to join Responsible Cafés.

At home 

• Buy your cleaning supplies in bulk or refill them with reusable containers. Wild Things Food, Piedimontes Supermarket and The Source Bulk Foods all have refill facilities. 
• Store your leftovers and pantry food in reusable containers and ditch the cling wrap. Bees wax wraps are also an excellent option for keeping food fresh! 
• Ditch the plastic bin liner. Wrap up ‘icky’ stuff in newspaper and then wash out your bin when needed.  

For more tips on reducing your plastic usage check out the Plastic Free July website.  

Yarra’s Circular Economy Map

We have developed an online tool to help residents and businesses alike to join the circular economy. The circular economy helps us all reduce waste by reframing how we think about the value of materials. Circular economy principles aim to design out waste from the beginning and keep products in use for longer. Find out more on Yarra’s Circular Economy Map webpage.

Other resources

• Plastic Free July- getting started
• Planet Ark - Tips for dealing with single-use plastics