WasteNothing challenge launched for Garden Route
The WasteNothing Knysna programme has launched a competition with prizes worth R20 000. Sue Swain from BioWise said they are looking for ingenious, original, practical and implementable ideas or designs on how not to waste any resources. “There are four categories: water-wise, waste-wise, space-wise and energy-wise. The emphasis of the programme is not to waste as opposed to wise utilisation.”
Participants are allowed to enter more than one category.
“In the water-wise category we are looking for new, innovative ways to harvest, save, re-use, and to slow, spread and sink, or plant, the rain. In the wastewise category the team is looking for new and innovative ways of reducing our waste to landfill. This can include innovative, unique and new upcycling ideas or cleverly constructed, useful bottle brick structures.”
Swain said nature is extremely space wise, as every nook and cranny is used in a multi-functional and regenerative way. “Every level in a forest has a role to play - how do we mimic this in the spaces that surround us?”
The last category focuses on energy. “Do we access freely available, clean, naturally renewable sources of energy where we can? Can we improve on current concepts that are available? These are the questions we want the participants to think about,” said Swain.
She said the first prize for each category is R3 000 cash, and the runner-up in each category will receive a weekend away for two in the Garden Route to the value of R2 000. “Extra points will be given for
materials used that are current waste products; the more upcycled materials used, the better.”
Entries must be in by 17:00 on 21 September. Visit the Facebook page, WasteNothingKnysna, for the terms and conditions and how to enter. For enquiries, contact Keagon on 082 950 9388 or wastenothing@knysnapr.co.za.
“The aim of the challenge is to make people think about how we do things,” said Swain. “Look at nature for inspiration - every organism has a role to play, actively contributing to maintaining a healthy, resilient system able to respond and adapt to changing conditions. A system where there is no pollution and no unemployment. I also want to thank the National Lottery Commission as it is their funding support that makes it possible for us to run the programme, and the competition.”