NO WASTE BALLARAT
  • Home
  • Inspiration & Information
  • Creative
  • Contact
  • ABOUT
  • Others
  • Wish List
    • What's rolling
  • Blog

Ballarat
&
region​

This website was created for the town I live in, but no matter where in the world you live, you will find the majority of the information relevant and important.
​
'No Waste Ballarat' can help you reduce the amount of rubbish you put in your rubbish bin. You don't have to change your lifestyle, you just need to do things a little differently. Take your own shopping bag to the shops; put left over food in a bowl and place a plate over it instead of cling wrap; ask for no straw; sit down to enjoy your coffee instead of drinking it on the run; take your own container to be filled (this includes water); return containers to be refilled. Try and make the change in as many of your lifestyle activities as you can. 

​I've provided you with information to help you with the; 
what, how, where, and most importantly, the why. Spend a bit of time on links that interest you. Hopefully the ideas will motivate you to make the change. 

Step lightly on the planet
.......one way to do this is to produce 'no waste'. 


The What

'No waste' means no landfill.  

Aim to have as little rubbish, if none, in your rubbish bin, so when bin night comes around you don't need to put it out for collection. Your reward is knowing you haven't added to the forever growing mountain of rubbish our current lifestyles create. 
Taking your own containers/bags to businesses to be filled is a small step, but will create a big impact if everyone takes up this lifestyle change. The result will be a healthier world to hand over to the next generation.....isn't that worth changing for? 


Always remember the 5R's
Bea Johnson from
Zero Waste home puts the 5R's so succinctly:
Refuse what you do not need,
Reduce what you do need,
Reuse what you consume, 
Recycle what you cannot Refuse, Reduce or Reuse,
and Rot (Compost) the rest. ​

The 5R's relate to our actions, but for us to make a genuine change we need to consider both our actions and attitude. The word '
Mottainai' is all about our attitude.
Mottainai: "conveys a feeling of awe and appreciation for the gifts of nature or the sincere conduct of other people" Hitoshi Chiba


The ​How

There are businesses in and around Ballarat (Australia) that are happy for customers to bring along their own containers to be filled with their purchased products.
Below are the business I have found so far.


  1. All you have to do is to take along your clean containers to the business listed below.
  2. The business will weigh the container and subtract the weight from the final weight of the product.
  3. You then have the product you want and no waste!

The Where if you don't live in Ballarat
There's a fantastic Australian organisation called Trashless Takeaway that lists places that will let you BYO container. If a business is not listed, you can add them yourself. Also, keep an eye on the No Waste Ballarat Facebook where links will be posted when new tools become available.

The Where for Ballarat & region

Ballarat Wholefoods Collective

Products: A large range of primary produce (see produce list on their website)
Most of the products are sourced locally. If you're able to source a product they're happy to stock it.
You have to be a member. 
(members can also shop at Creswick Wholefoods)
​Location: Barkly Square (BGT), 25-39 Barkly Street, Ballarat (opposite the old Ballarat East Fire Station)
Click here for more information

Go Vita

Products: All organic: flours, grains, sugar, beans, nuts, dried fruit, coconut, cacao.
Location: 23 Sturt Street, Ballarat
Click
here for more information​

The Source - Bulk Foods

Products: An enormous range of your cupboard staples
Location: Shop 3,  1-3 Eastwood Street, Ballarat
Click
 here for more information​

Hepburn Wholefoods Collective

Products: Basic cupboard staples such as: flour, grains, beans, honey, seeds, dried fruit, oil, salt, nuts, chocolate, teas, vinegar.
Most of the products are sourced locally. The product range is growing over time.
You have to be a member.
Location: Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre, 13 Camp Street, Daylesford
Click
here for more information

Buninyong Community Collective

Products: Basic cupboard staples such as: flour, grains, beans, rice, dried fruit, oil and more. 
Most of their products are sourced locally. Their product range is growing over time. 
You have to be a member.
Location: The Anglican Church Hall, 405 Scott Street, Buninyong
Click here for more information

Creswick Wholefoods Collective

Products: Basic cupboard staples such as: flour, grains, seeds, spices, beans, nuts, grains and more.
Most of their products are sourced locally. Their product range is growing over time.
​You have to be a member (members can also shop at Ballarat Wholefoods)
Location: Rear of Crewswick Neighbourhood Centre, 21 Victoria Street, Creswick.
Click here for more infomation



Coffee beans

For grounded coffee return your bag for refills.
Business: Ballarat Chocloate Shoppe
​
Location: 16 Doveton Street North, Ballarat
​Click here for more information​

Business: Enga Arabica Coffee
Location: Find their stall at the two Farmers Markets in Ballarat (the lake & Bridge Mall). Call ahead to have your own container filled.
Click here for more information

Lotus Oils

Products: Shampoos, conditioners, soaps (body, laundry, kitchen), massage oils, body moisturiser. 
Location: 29 Armstrong Street North,
Ballarat

Fruit and Vegetables​

There are many local business where you can buy fruit and veggies. Most sell their produce loosely, and there's normally no issue with using your own bags intead of the ones provided. 
Locations: Shops, market stalls, farmers' gates, fruit & veggie boxes.....
Additionally, there are some garden produce swapping programs which run in town where people drop off or swap excess produce for others to take:  Food is Free Laneway
and The Hidden Orchard
​You may also be lucky enough to know some roadside fruit trees which are free to harvest from.​

Meat

Don't be afraid to ask your local butcher to wrap the product only in paper. After all, it is called butchers paper.

​The business listed below will place the product directly into your own, clean, container, with a lid. Langes Meat will soon have deli paper to wrap your meat in if you forget to BYO, although containers are necessary for sauce covered meat.
​
Business:
Tarna Valley Farm
Products: Meat and poultry
Location: They do home deliveries and local Farmers Markets. Give them a buzz to find out what works best for you.
Click here for more information

Business:
Langes Meats
Products: Meat and poultry
Location: 119 Pleasant Street, Ballarat
Click here for more information

Bread

Most of our bakeries put their products in paper packaging, which is great. You may want to take it a step further by taking your own bags for bread. Put the bread straight into a cotton bag. If you're buying lots of rolls or loaves, place them directly into an old, clean pillowcase.

Fish

Business: Learmonth Trout and Fauna Park
​Products: Catch your own local fresh fish and yabbies. They have a variety of stock rates across their dams to suit time limits. They also supply the rod, bait and gut the fish.
Location: 1552 Sunraysia Highway, Addington
Click here for more information



Other products which fit into the 5R's.......

Cleaning untensils (no plastic)​

If you want to take this 'no waste' lifestyle to a new level then buying products which are only made from natural products is a great step. Next time you need a new body scubbing brush or dishwashing cloth consider buying one which can be placed in the compost at the end of its life.

​
Products:  Scrubbing brushes and cloths for the body, kitchen and laundry. 

Businesses: ​
The Foundary

Ballarat bamboo toothbrushes & straws

'The Boo Collective' is a wonderful and passionate Ballarat company who have a strong focus on reducing waste. Find amongst their products bamboo toothbrushes and straws. Kid sizes available. You'll also find their toothbrushes stocked in shops around town.

​Products:  Bamboo toothbrushes, bamboo or metal drinking straws, metal food containers, and natural health products that cater for children.

Businesses: 
The boo collective

Recycled toilet paper

Why buy toilet paper that is made from our beautiful forests. As the Melbourne Zoo's campaign goes 'Stop cutting down trees to wipe your bum! Switch to recycled toilet paper'. 

Here's a few recycled toilet paper websites:

iCare, made in Laverton available at Woolworths; http://icarepaper.com.au
Who Gives a Crap, Melbourne company and made in China; http://au.whogivesacrap.org
Gippsland Unwrapped does a comparison of available toilet paper here

Hardware

  • Ballarat Bolts and Fasteners. An extensive range of nuts and bolts. Buy the right number for the job. Location - 1129 La Trobe Street, Ballarat.  Website - www.ballaratbolts.com.au
​
  • Robert Sims Building Supplies. Buy the right number of nails for the job. They even wrap the nails in recycled newspaper! Other non-packaged products include: hinges, cabinetry fixtures, heavy duty wood screws, dowels, bolts and fasteners. They'll supply a wider range of products if people support them. Location - 102 Humffray Street South, Ballarat.  Website -  www.robertsimbuildingsupplies

Do you know any other businesses in and around Ballarat who sell bulk produce and don't mind customers bringing their own containers along? If so, send an email to nowasteballarat@gmail.com and we'll look into listing them on this website.

Picture
Website last updated 03/06/2019
The material on this website has been brought together in the hope that it helps people establish a 'no waste' lifestyle with as much ease as possible.  
No Waste Ballarat does not accept liability for reliance on any information contained on these web pages or the links provided.

​
  • Home
  • Inspiration & Information
  • Creative
  • Contact
  • ABOUT
  • Others
  • Wish List
    • What's rolling
  • Blog