At last some common sense! Not too common that…..we have mountains of waste going to landfill plus solid waste days now some NSW councils are holding mass garage sales to encourage people to swap their unwanted goods rather than dump them in tips that are fast running out of space.
Faced with a total rubbish tax of more than $222 million a year, cash-strapped councils want people to barter and share.
A mass giveaway will be held at Blacktown Showground during its art and music Burbs Festival, where hundreds of people will swap clothes, shoes, books and oddities on April 17.
In the Hunter region, more than $8000 in prizemoney is being offered by a group of eight councils to get people to turn rubbish into sculptures to go on display at Maitland Town Hall and Raymond Terrace art galleries.
Giant neighbourhood garage sales with up to 50 householders opening roller doors are being held across Sydney. Leichhardt, Hornsby, Manly and Ryde councils run ‘Second Hand Saturdays’, giving registered households free ads online and in suburban newspapers.
In Adelaide we have “Solid Waste Days” and I had not idea of the import until one Sunday morning I was going for a walk, thinking there was more that usual traffic, when one solid waste pile I went past had a small toddlers toy plastic “motorbike” so I stopped, looked and picked it up thinking it was perfect for my one year old grandson. Much too good for the tip.
Well I understood the traffic after that. All the way home, carrying my plastic bike, I had people hanging out of car windows shouting at me that “you’ve done well love” so I started to look at the solid waste – a lot was perfectly good furniture and toys that the cars and trailers were collecting. Well over half the solid waste in the streets near where I lived disappeared before the truck came on Monday. If they can increase that percentage so much the better.
Oh by the way, my one year old grandson is now six and his two year old brother is still enjoying his “motor bike” whenever he comes to Gran’s house.
Finding new homes for goods simply makes sense.
Jean Cannon

Jean is an award winning consultant and trainer helping people and businesses around the world who want greater efficiency and reduced stress!
If you sometimes need to deal with staff errors and what is even worse, covered up errors that come back to bite, you are riding a time bomb and Jean will help you defuse it. Plus get you real recognition from markets and regulators.
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