Council is throwing open the doors for residents to learn ways to make their houses and gardens more environmentally efficient, effective and cost less to run at Council's Sustainability Centre Open Day this Saturday.
The popular free family-friendly event runs from 9am – 1pm at the Rowes Bay Sustainability Centre, where Council's retrofit home, garden and woodland and wetland boardwalk are open to visit.
Mayor Troy Thompson said he encouraged community members feeling the pinch of the cost of living to come have a chat with the environmental community groups and businesses involved in sustainability.
"Members of the community can learn how to integrate sustainability and increase resilience in their own homes by learning about the great initiatives at Council's Sustainability Centre," Cr Thompson said.
"Sustainability Centre open day will feature displays, cultural engagement activities, a kids zone, local birds display and of course the crowd pleasers – free sausage sizzle and a sprinkler swap."
Council hosts the annual open day at the Rowes Bay Sustainability Centre to support and encourage healthy and sustainable lifestyles within the community.
Diana Condylas from Plastic Free Places NQ said everyone in the Townsville community could do at least one small thing to minimise their waste in and around their homes and businesses.
"We've teamed up with Council's Resource Recovery team for the open day to educate our community on how to best reduce waste in and around the home," Diana said.
"Every week, Townsville residents use enough standard size takeaway coffee cups to span from Townsville's city centre all the way to Paluma some 77km away if laid end to end. What's worse is that doesn't include cold beverages or large coffee cups.
"While at Plastic Free Places NQ, we focus quite heavily on engaging with businesses to cut down on their consumption of single-use plastics, it's so important people are heeding that message at home too.
"In Townsville, we have 126 businesses that champion the plastic-free message and we'll be engaging with our community at the open day to encourage people to create habits in their own lives as well as supporting local businesses that actively work to cut down on single-use items."
Divisional Councillor Ann-Maree Greaney said Townsville residents loved to get on board when it came to reducing their waste, water consumption and being more economically savvy around the home.
"This free event highlights improvements that our community can make around the home and garden to reduce costs, save energy and turn their waste into a home resource," Cr Greaney said.
"Council is committed to working towards zero waste and creating a sustainable city supported by a well-educated community that actively participates in the protection of our environment."
Visit What's On Townsville to find out more about the Sustainability Centre open day.
