Wendy Showyin is the waste and recycling champion of Erko Apartments. She reimagined and transformed the space in Erskineville.
Residents can take what they need and leave what they can in the dedicated reuse room – everything from DVDs and toys to stationery and crockery.
- A new packaging station makes shipping and moving easier with access to boxes and bubble wrap.
- Residents can also recycle tricky items like coffee capsules, light bulbs and textiles.
Community buy-in was key to the room’s success. Wendy fostered support by creating:
- bespoke multilingual signs in the waste room, lifts, and foyers
- regular social events and charity collections
- an active Facebook group to promote social connection.
Residents appreciate the convenience of the recycling facilities – there’s no need to follow set drop-off times or travel to locations across the city.
Lessons
- Start small and build momentum.
- Get all the help you can: cleaners, building managers, volunteers and subscription services.
- Enjoy the wins and focus on the positives.