We talk with local residents who have embraced environmentally friendly lifestyles and practices, and invited them to give their tips on how you can do the same!

KRin’s journey of op shops, water saving and more

KRin has incorporated many actions into her sustainability journey. KRin reflects, “I suppose it started many decades ago with developing a love of charity and op shops. Living on a very limited income in my late 20s, these shops kept me supplied with things I needed”. 

An awareness for saving water came next, helped by a free 4-minute shower timer. These lifestyle changes expanded when she started to look at other ways to help the planet, including increasing the amount she recycled as the kerbside waste services developed and using secondhand materials whenever possible.  

KRin continues to expand her sustainability knowledge, including doing some formal studies in sustainability.

“I went back to studying before the pandemic and did two years of a sustainability course through the University of Tasmania”. She has also taken advantage of numerous online resources. “During the pandemic I joined many groups online - other councils’ sustainability groups (I had already been following Sustainable Living in Whitehorse), Boomerang Alliance, Zero Waste Victoria, Take 3, The New Jones, and so many more - and binged on Zoom sessions,” says KRin. 

KRin believes in keeping things out of landfill and passing on unwanted items to other people.

KRin says, “I joined the Good Karma Network online and gave away so many things, trying not to get many in return! My latest venture was joining the Whitehorse Repair Cafe, hopefully saving items from landfill”.  

Tips for other people 

We asked KRin what her sustainable living tips were, and she narrowed it down to her top four. KRin says:  

1. About 30 years ago I decided to plant out my nature strip. I had had the yard redeveloped in 1999 and wanted to carry that onto the nature strip.  The planting has developed from cottage garden style to more indigenous plants. The local indigenous plant nurseries (Bungalook and Greenlink) have been a wonderful source of plants and you can't really beat $2 tube stock. The latest development will be planting out more kangaroo and wallaby grass as the soil profile was turned over when the NBN came through, where the clay is now on top. 
2. Break the fast fashion cycle. There are so many wonderful places and markets to buy good quality secondhand clothes. For the more voluptuous lady, the A+ market at Coburg Town Hall once a quarter is a must. The Round She Goes market is also there for ladies of all sizes. Keep an eye out for clothes swaps, they are so much fun. Children and baby clothes markets pop up from time to time. The internet is your friend in the search. 
3. For the more difficult-to-recycle items, groups and businesses are popping up to fill the need. I use Banish to recycle pill packets.  Terracycle recycles a heap of different items. Some dentists have the toothpaste tube recycling boxes. Some Council waste transfer centres have electronics recycling, check their websites. 
4. The Treasure Chest tip shop at the Knox tip is just that, a treasure! If you want a bike, there have been a dozen or so there each time I've visited. I've got so many new items there that would otherwise been sent to landfill.