Milton Ulladulla Men’s Shed has recently initiated a novel scheme to reduce the impact of manufacturing waste and landfill on the local environment.
Shed members are collecting fabric off-cuts and left over materials from local sources and up-cycling these into homewares destined for the Shed’s sales and market stalls.
The scheme is a mutually beneficial one. Local businesses benefit by being in a better position to meet the demands of environmental authorities who monitor manufacturing waste and request businesses to reduce their contribution to landfill.
For the Milton Ulladulla Men’s Shed it provides an on-going supply of raw materials and knowing that the program has a positive benefit for the local community.
An additional spin-off of receiving smaller pieces of fabric is that every item has to be individually designed and is a unique piece.
The idea to recycle is not a new one for the shed. They have used recycled timber for many years to build their projects.
For example, landowners often contact the Shed to salvage fallen trees.
Where suitable this timber is slabbed and dried for future use in furniture making, photo framing and wood turning.
This provides a far better environmental outcome for the local community than the usual practice of wood-chipping or burning fallen trees as waste.
Overall, the scheme demonstrates small initiatives by community groups and businesses who ‘Think Global and Act Local’ can make a real difference to community environmental health.
