Media — Zero Waste Revolution

Media Release 15 October 2020

Jackie French to open 2020 Zero Waste Festival

Jackie French will headline the Canberra Zero Waste Festival in November.

Australia’s beloved author, passionate sustainability expert and honorary wombat will share her zero waste journey, in the keynote address on the opening night of the virtual festival.

An initiative of community group Zero Waste Revolution, the festival wants to inspire the community to live with zero waste by making small changes. Mia Swainson, Chair of the Zero Waste Revolution, said today, “waste is such an important issue right now. We want to show that if everyone did just one thing differently, we could have a big impact.”

“Our festival is about demonstrating a practical approach to how you can reduce the amount of waste your household creates.”

“We have some amazing speakers lined up from local businesses sharing their Zero Waste journey to The Joyful Frugalista, Serina Bird, who will provide practical tips on how to live sustainability and save money at the same time.”

Jackie French is excited to join the festival for the first time. “Nothing is truly a ‘waste’ – it’s just stuff in the wrong place. This is such a generous planet – when we allow it to be.”

Jackie's home recycling is based on chooks, lyrebirds, microbes and 'consign it to the ecology’. Due to council confusion, she hasn't got a reliable relationship with a garbage bin.

“I don’t see waste as a problem, but a challenge to be solved. It will be a joy to share my story at the festival.”

Last year, more than 800 people joined the inaugural festival at the National Museum. Once again, the Greenshed has come on board as the event sponsor.

“We are hoping that our virtual event will attract even more people this year. You can join in from your office, living room or garden,” Ms Swainson said.

The virtual festival will open on Wednesday 11 November, with a series of panel discussions on plastic-free living, waste innovation and personal experiences. On Thursday 12 November, the Canberra community are invited to join a series of masterclasses on composting, recycling and saving money through sustainable practices.

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Media contacts

Melanie Gibbons 0432866382
hello@elmcommunications.com.au
Monica Lindemann 0466964315
monica@bigbangsocial.com.au

More information Zero Waste Revolution

We are a community group that is educating the CBR community on how to waste less.

We do this through providing information and raising awareness through public events. We promote zero waste ideas and advocate for positive change across our community to ensure that all of CBR can take part in a zero waste revolution.

Jackie French

Australia’s beloved author, historian, ecologist and honorary wombat, Jacquie French, will share her approach to being on a zero waste journey. Learn from her reflections on the way lives have changed in the past 50 years and about the practical ways she reduces waste in her own home. Be inspired to look at your own life, from clothes to holidays, to see if any are ‘escapes’ from the reality of connection between being human and our environment.

Mia Swainson

With two adults and three children in an ordinary Canberra household, is zero waste an impossible challenge? Mia Swainson challenges conventional wisdom and wants to show us how to achieve a zero waste journey. Mia is the Founding Chair of Canberra’s Zero Waste Revolution, President of the Canberra Environment Centre and a regular contributor to local news outlet HerCanberra. In 2019, she did a Ted Talk on her Zero Waste Journey.