By KATH GANNAWAY
WARBURTON’S campaign to go plastic bag free got a shot in the arm last week with around 100 people turning up for the official launch by community group ‘Plastic Bag Free Warburton’.
The event, held on Wednesday 29 July at the Upper Yarra Arts Centre, included screening of the award-winning documentary ‘Bag it’, and a Q&A panel session as part of a grassroots campaign to get business, community and government on board to make Warburton the first town in Yarra Ranges to achieve ‘PBF’ status.
Spokesperson Michelle Fisher said the event was an outstanding success with lots of questions asked and answered and a great sense that there was a strong community will to achieve their goal.
Speakers included Robert Skehan from Plastic Bag Free Torquay, Yarra Ranges Council’s O’Shannassy Ward representative, Cr Jim Childs and owner of Warburton IGA, Shane Wyles.
Mr Skehan, who has been working with the Torquay group, said the night was inspirational.
“That collaboration between council, with Jim Child there, and Shane (from IGA) and the community so well representated, indicates that they are certainly moving in the right direction,” he said.
“It needs equal effort from all three to make it work, but I think with those three pillars, this is not only achievable, but achievable in a short time frame.”
Mr Skehan said he believed Warburton was the right place, and the right time, to achieve success with transitioning to a plastic bag-free town.
Shane Wyles was also very positive, but said it needed to be community driven.
“It’s about educating and increasing awareness and support,” he said.
“There are a whole lot of ways we can assist and support this, but the groundswell has to come from the community and we will support it.
“It needs to be community driven, but supported by commerce and by local government.”
Ms Fisher said the PBFW would continue the momentum with plans for a number of initiatives to raise awareness and gather support.
“We will be working with Upper Yarra Landcare who will be taking the idea into the primary school and talking to the children,” she said.
A Bag Exhibition at the Waterwheel Gallery and a ‘Big Sew’ where people can bring along their sewing machines and ‘sew like mad’ making all types of functional and creative bags is also on the agenda.
For more information on Warburton’s bid to be first off the mark to go plastic bag free in Yarra Ranges, visit their facebook page – plasticbagfreewarburton, or email to info@plasticbagfreewarburton.com .
