permaculture

[Fiona Campbell + Russ Grayson <pacedge@magna.com.au>]

ReThinking ReUse Seminar

September 22, 1998

The Country Embassy
NSW Dept of State & Regional Development
Level 4, Grosvenor Place,
225 George Street, Sydney

A seminar exploring the development of sustainable reuse businesses.

This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Waste Reduction
Grants Program
RETHINKING REUSE

ReThinking ReUse is the first seminar to specifically address reuse in
the context of solid waste minimisation. Since the introduction of the
NSW Waste Minimisation and Management Act 1995, the focus on waste
minimisation has shifted so that more and more waste avoidance and
reduction strategies are coming to the fore. Little attention has been
paid previously to incorporating reuse into integrated waste
minimisation planning, yet there is much in its favour.
Reuse businesses although small in number have a tremendous role in
focussing community waste minimisation efforts. Apart from the
environmental benefits to be derived from utilising potential waste
items again and again, reuse businesses can create jobs and local
wealth. Overseas, reuse enterprise is a growth sector.

This seminar has grown from the groundswell of interest within NSW (and
beyond) in the creation of sustainable reuse businesses. It brings
together a range of speakers to explore the concept of reuse, not only
as a waste reduction tool but as a focus for community development.
The seminar consists of a mix of speakers’ presentations and practical
hands-on workshops aimed at providing knowledge, ideas and practical
tools to a broad audience from government, the waste industry and the
community.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The ReThinking ReUse seminar will provide relevant and informative
insights into the business opportunities for new reuse enterprises.
Anyone interested in the potential of reuse enterprise to reduce waste,
create employment or assist community development will gain from this
seminar.
The seminar will be of interest to people from:
® Waste Boards
® Local Government
® Waste Industry
® Reuse Enterprises
® Waste Managers
® Waste Educators
® State Government
® Environmental and Community organisations
® Community Co-operatives

REUSE CENTRES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
The ReThinking ReUse seminar is part of the Reuse Centres Development
Project. The Reuse Centres Development Project is being conducted by
Reverse Garbage Co-operative under a NSW Government Waste Reduction
Grant. The primary aim of the project is to facilitate the development
of new reuse businesses in NSW.

Seminar Program
Tuesday 22nd September
9:00  REGISTRATION
9:30  WELCOME & OPENING
Hon. Pam Allan, NSW Minister for the Environment
9:45  KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Leith Sharp, UNSW Environmental Project Officer and Young Australian of
the Year (Environment Category) 1997
10.05-11.15 SESSION 1: WHY REUSE?
10:05  What is reuse ? a waste minimisation tool or just commonsense?
John Street, General Manager, Reverse Garbage
10:25 Moving up the waste minimisation hierarchy ? community attitudes
to reuse.
Toby Hutcheon, Manager Education and Promotion, Western Sydney Waste
Board
10:45  Community Education and the Reuse Centre.
Mark Joseph, Education Officer, Reverse Garbage
11:15  MORNING TEA
11:35 -12.45 SESSION 2: THE BUSINESS OF REUSE
11:35  Reuse business development and job creation.
Steve Lawrence, General Manager, WorkVentures
11:55  Re-designing ? reuse, remanufacture and responsible design.
Kirsty Mate, Society for Responsible Design
12:15 Co-operative structures and reuse business development ? how
working co-operatively can be a model for reuse enterprise
 Muriel Smith, Registry of Co-operatives
12:45  LUNCH   Catering: Alfalfa House Co-operative
1:45-2:35 SESSION 3: REUSE NETWORKS
1:45 Networking for reuse ? development of on-line waste exchanges.
Marie Louise McDermott, Illawarra Waste Management
2:05 Reuse businesses and local market development ? the Resource
experience.
Brad Mashman, Co-operative Co-ordinator, Resource Work Co-operative
Society Ltd. t/a Tip Shops
2:35  AFTERNOON TEA
3:00 ? 4:30 SESSION 4A: PRACTICAL TOOLS FOR REUSE - Panel Discussion.
Facilitator: Lorraine Larri, Manager, Education Planning, Sydney
Institute of Technology
The Panel will consist of reuse business and waste industry ‘experts’
each presenting on a critical aspect/ issue relating to reuse enterprise
development.
The panel will then respond to comments and questions from the floor.
The aim of the session is to provide an interactive forum for the
exchange of knowledge, experience, ideas and practical tools to assist
reuse business development.
3:00-4.30 SESSION 4B: ‘Now that we’ve collected all this stuff, what are
we going to do with it? - Workshop
  Facilitator: Mark Joseph, Education Officer, Reverse Garbage
In a hands-on workshop Mark will take participants through specific
materials and the ways that they are used in Reverse Garbage’s education
programs. The workshop will involve looking at those materials that
offer the most possibilities, with the main focus on the development of
resources and activities for use in school education programs.
4:30  SUMMARY AND CLOSE
7:30  INFORMAL DINNER AND REUSE NETWORKING FORUM

ABOUT THE KEY PRESENTERS
Leith Sharp
Leith Sharp is the Environmental Project Manager at the University of
NSW. Leith's core approach to the challenge of introducing environmental
best practice into UNSW has been to undertake effective community
involvement and to trial projects before expanding successful models.
Leith has been awarded Young Australian of the Year, NSW Environment
category and a Churchill Fellowship in recognition of her achievements.

John Street
John Street is General Manager of Reverse Garbage Co-operative, a
community co-operative that has collected discards from industry for
community creative reuse for 23 years. Reverse Garbage has grown from a
voluntary organisation to a self-sufficient enterprise employing 20
staff and with two Sydney warehouses/ retail shops.

Toby Hutcheon
Toby Hutcheon is Manager Education and Promotion at the Western Sydney
Waste Board. Toby worked for Greenpeace from 1986-1995 where he was
coordinator of Communications Division and Director of the Actions Unit.
>From 1995-97 he had his 'Seachange' and settled in Port Douglas in
N.Qld. returning to Sydney in 1997 to coordinate Sutherland Shire
Council’s successful opposition to a second airport at Holsworthy.

Steve Lawrence
Steve Lawrence is founder and Chief Executive of WorkVentures, a Sydney
based employment and economic development agency which assists over 300
new business start ups and 2000 job seekers each year. WorkVentures
began in 1979 with a $3000 loan and today has a budget of over $10
million p.a.

Kirsty Mate
Kirsty Mate is vice-convenor of the Society for Responsible Design and
Principla, Ecobalance Sustainable Design Consultancy. A qualified
architect and designer, she has worked in ecodesign for 7 years.

Muriel Smith
Muriel Smith is a Senior Advisory Officer with the NSW Registry of
Co-operatives. Muriel has assisted over 25 organisations to form
co-operatives.

Marie Louise McDermott
Marie Louise McDermott holds qualifications in science, education,
experimental learning and sciences communication. At Illawarra Waste
Management, Marie Louise’s work included creating the Regional Waste
Plan and establishing the Illawarra Waste Exchange.

Brad Mashman
Brad Mashman is Co-operative Co-ordinator and Founder of Resource Work
Co-operative Society Limited which operates two salvage and resale
businesses within Hobart, Tasmania. Resource Co-operative is a
not-for-personal-profit organisation, which has been operating for 5
years and employs 28 people.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP FACILITATORS
Larraine Larri
Larraine Larri is the Manager, Education Planning at the Sydney
Institute of Technology. Larraine has over 20 years experience in the
education field and is an experienced facilitator specialising in
business planning and change management.

Mark Joseph
Mark Joseph is Education Officer at Reverse Garbage. Mark is a qualified
Secondary Teacher. His role at Reverse Garbage is to design and
implement waste education programs.

 OUR SPONSORS
We would like to thank our sponsors, without whom we would not have been
able to offer this program:
Major Sponsors:
Waste Boards
NSW Department of State and Regional Development
NSW Government
Other Sponsors:
Sydney Institute of Technology
Australian Ethical Trust
CRC for Waste Management & Pollution Control
Burnett Innovation

SEMINAR REGISTRATION FORM
Name:
Your Organisation:
Address:
      Postcode:
Telephone:
Facsimile:
Email:

Registration fees include attendance at sessions, lunch, morning and
afternoon teas. Each participant will receive a complimentary copy of
the Reuse Centres Development Project Handbook.

Full Registration    $75.00
Community Member# Registration  $25.00
# Members of community, environmental and non-profit organisations.
Payment
By cheque*   Amount $………..
We will invoice you  Amount $………..
By cash   Amount $………..

*Please make all cheques payable to: Reverse Garbage Co-operative

Mail to:
ReThinking ReUse seminar
C/- Reverse Garbage Co-operative
8/ 142 Addison Road
Marrickville  NSW  2204

Fax:02 9560 9765
Telephone bookings:
Call the ReThinking ReUse hotline on 02 9564 3250

Venue:
The Country Embassy
NSW Department of State and Regional Development
Level 44
Grosvenor Place
225 George Street, Sydney
Transport
The venue is conveniently located close to Circular Quay, Wynyard and
Martin Place railway stations.
--
PACIFIC EDGE PERMACULTURE
Russ Grayson and Fiona Campbell
PO Box 446, Kogarah NSW 2217 AUSTRALIA

Phone   02-9588 6931    (IDD-61+2+9588 6931)
Email: pacedge@magna.com.au

Permaculture education, publishing, design.
NSW contact, Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network.
APACE Kastom Garden Program, (village agriculture), South Pacific.
PaD (Permaculture and Development) Project .