What if your businesses waste stream was revenue in disguise? More than toast and tea, the Circularity for Business Breakfast has local businesses looking how what they throw away could just strengthen their bottom line.
The event will be at Repurposing for Resilience, Moruya Transfer Station from 8 to 10am on Monday 11 May. Eurobodalla Council's sustainability education officer Debbi Long says the idea of a circular economy sounds like a thing for big-city boardrooms and multi-national sustainability reports but in reality, it's already happening here in Eurobodalla.
"It's common sense in action – like cafés sharing their coffee grounds with gardeners or sharing still-working appliances with friends or gifting them to strangers instead of sending to landfill," says Dr Long.
"Eurobodalla has a strong culture of repurposing rather than replacing and this breakfast is about expanding that mindset in our commercial sector. Our businesses already care about their environmental footprint, and we'll be sharing ways to spot more opportunities – profitably."
Speaking at the event will be CEO of the Regional Circularity Co-operative Andrew Taylor, who will share real-world examples of regional business reducing waste, improving efficiency and finding new revenue streams. Simply, circular economy thinking keeps material in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair, recycling and repurposing instead of the take, make and dispose model that loses money and makes landfill.
It's about rethinking how materials flow through a business' operations says Dr Long.
"While formal recycling systems play a role, discussion could develop on the informal circular behaviours already embedded in our community. There's a lot happening that already applies the principles – it's just not labelled or leveraged; from simply feeding food scraps to chooks right through to creative repurposing and sharing networks to keep material circulating," she says.
"Highlights will be easy changes a business can make without the need to overhaul operations and the chance to connect with other local operators, exploring partnerships for turning waste streams into shared opportunities."
The Circularity for Business Breakfast is co-hosted by Eurobodalla Council, the Regional Circularity Cooperative and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. Breakfast and beverages will be provided. Bookings essential.
