The Shire of Bridgetown – Greenbushes has a 2-bin system and currently there are no viable diversion options for food waste. Rotting food waste in landfill contributes up to 40% of the methane produced.
Ideas to reduce food waste at home are to:
- Meal prep and only buy what you need
- Make smaller meals
- Value leftovers and make sure you either eat them or freeze them
- Use veggie scraps to make your own veggie stock
- Feed inedible leftovers or scraps to animals like dogs, poultry or pigs
- Worm farm or compost! The added benefit of doing this is you make a rich compost or soil amendment for your garden!
We do not have a 3 bin system due to high costs of processing, issues with contamination and the distance from processing facilities.
The Shire of Bridgetown – Greenbushes has been endorsed as a Waterwise Council since 2021, committing to investing in water efficiency technologies and progress towards reducing corporate scheme water usage.
If you are a scheme water user, you are eligible for the following Water Corporation offers:
- Showerhead Swap Program: offers up to 2 showerheads per household to be swapped for a 4-star waterwise model for free. You will need a recent water bill, your old showerhead/s and have permission from your landlord if you are renting. In the last 3 years our residents have saved over 2.3 million litres of water by swapping 152 showerheads! Swap centres are the Shire Administration Office in Bridgetown and the Community Resource Centre in Greenbushes and there are two models of showerhead available. For more information: https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Waterwise/Waterwise-offers/Regional-Showerhead-Swap
- Regional Rainwater Tank Rebate: a plumbed in water tank can save up to 20% of your household water use. In support of this, Water Corp are offering between $500 to $1,000 back for water tanks over 2,000L to help with the cost for a new tank and plumbing, plumbing in an existing rainwater tank or replacing an existing plumbed in water tank. This is on offer until 31 May 2026. For more information, terms and conditions https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Waterwise/Waterwise-offers/Regional-Rainwater-Tank-Rebate
- Dual Flush Toilet Rebate: a new offer to support replacing a single flush toilet with a waterwise dual flush toilet. The Water Corp are offering a $400 rebate per toilet (maximum of 2 toilets) when you swap to a WELS 4-star or higher water rated toilet at a property connected to scheme water. This offer is available until 31 May 2026. For more details on eligibility and how to apply: https://www.watercorporation.com.au/Waterwise/Waterwise-offers/Waterwise-Toilet-Rebate
- Regional Irrigation Rebate: a new offer to support efficient irrigation systems in regional areas. The Water Corp are offering a $200 rebate when you engage an Approved Garden Irrigator to address specific issues with your system. This offer is available until 31 May 2026, though may close early if funds are exhausted beforehand. For more details on eligibility, to find out who is an approved garden irrigator in our Shire for this program, and how to apply: https://www.watercorporation.com.au/waterwise/waterwise-offers/regional-irrigation-rebate
We can all do our bit to minimise the amount of stuff we bring into our lives and reduce how much we are wasting.
Simple actions you can take:
Pantry
- Avoid disposable takeaway coffee cups and single use water bottles by taking your own – keep a cup or bottle in your car and at work.
- Swap store bought granola, muesli, or crackers for homemade and eliminating plastic packaging.
- Avoid bagged fruit and vegetables and choose to buy and support loose.
- Swap bagged tea for loose leaf - a lot of tea bags contain plastic, which when hot water is added release microplastics into your tea. Loose leaf tea can also be added to your compost or worm farm to decompose.
Laundry
- Replace plastic pegs with metal which last far longer and don’t disintegrate in the sun overtime.
- Swap out traditional washing detergents and powders for water soluble laundry strips.
Bathroom
- Consider trying a reusable safety razor instead of disposable. These are easy to use, cost effective and recyclable.
- Swap to a plastic free deodorant or lip balm wrapped in cardboard or in a reusable tin. It is also easy to make your own.