Recycling Redefining
Apassion for the environment, combating climate change and the effect landfills have on our planet prompted Cairly Bradford to establish a recycling centre with a fresh and forward-thinking concept.
Nestled in the up-and-coming tourist hub of Ashburton, the Waste Lands Recycling Centre opened on March 26. According to Bradford, the recycling centre aims to not only change the way one thinks about and does recycling, but also to create opportunities for people to use recycled matter to create an income or learn a new trade.
“I am very passionate about the environment and the horrible effects of plastic on our planet. I honestly had no idea that plastic had value when I first started this. I just wanted to build a well-structured and conscious community recycling centre, but as I met people and conducted research, I learnt how valuable it is and what an amazing tool it can be for the unemployed,” explained Bradford.
By creating an easily accessible place for locals to drop off their recycled waste, Waste Lands aims to reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfills. They will ensure that every piece of recycled trash is reused and any person leaving their recycling at Waste Lands can be confident and proud in their contribution to saving their environment. The centre will also promote education around climate change, reducing landfills, recycling and up-cycling.
Adjacent to the recycling centre is a unique and inventive shop called Waste Me Not, that sells only upcycled and repurposed goods. The shop is also constructed out of upcycled and repurposed materials.
Workshops on upcycling and creating sellable goods out of recycled rubbish will be hosted at the Waste Me Not shop. This way, the shop hopes to change the way people think about the value of their trash, and how important it is to reduce the use of single-use packaging, by being able to view the tangible and valuable products that are being created.
Bradford has embarked on a series of projects as part of the recycling programme. These include recycling and upcycling, education, an agricultural training centre and a snare project.
Recycling will be the foundation of the projects. Students will participate in a short waste management course and will be educated extensively on how they can make a living from waste. They will create useful items out of the collected waste which will be sold in the shop and the online store.
The students will then visit schools where they will educate learners about recycling and upcycling. They will be responsible for the management of the bins installed at schools and will use their waste management course to document the waste collected. They will also get a profit share of this.
Bradford said an Agriseta accredited agricultural programme will be implemented.
“The training will include a nursery for seedlings, transplantation, diagnosing and handling plant diseases as well as harvesting and marketing strategies. The students will also build a worm farm which will be sold in upcycled bottles,” Bradford added.
The last project involves a snare project where students will learn how to use snares to create art and other useful products.
As an added incentive, every month Waste Lands will host a live music day for the community, where people will pay a reduced entrance fee when they bring in their recycling. The next event will be held on Wednesday, April 27 (Freedom Day).
For more information, contact 079 972 2467 or visit their Facebook page: Wastelands