Shellharbour City Library's sustainability workshops most popular among community
To celebrate National Recycling Week, Shellharbour City Council will host hands-on sustainability workshops to promote waste reduction and community skill-building.
Kicking off the week, the Shellharbour City Library will host a special visible mending sewing workshop on Tuesday, 12 November. The workshop will introduce participants to the traditional Japanese embroidery technique, Sashiko. This method combines beauty and function, teaching people how to repair and repurpose clothing in an eco-friendly way.
Caption: Shellharbour City Mayor, Chris Homer and Library Assistant, Rebekah Thomas at Shellharbour City Library Create Space. Image courtesy of Shellharbour City Council.
All workshops are held in the Shellharbour Library's Create Space, a dynamic area where members can access creative tools and equipment for free. This includes sewing machines, audio gear, and musical instruments. The Create Space has become a hub for lifelong learning, fostering hands-on and accessible educational experiences for all ages.
The library team, who coordinate the workshops, are thrilled by the community's support for these events.
"With rising living costs and growing awareness of the environmental impact of fast fashion, these workshops empower our community with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to repurpose items that might otherwise end up in landfill," said Margie Kirkness, Shellharbour's Manager Libraries and Museum.
In addition to sewing workshops, the council has introduced Makedo kits at all library branches. These kits encourage children to create STEM-themed projects using repurposed cardboard. Recent activities have included intergenerational cardboard house-making for Grandparents Day and a 'Build Your Bear a House' project during school holidays.
Oak Flats Library, known for its Green Living programs like Green Thumb, also offers a Seed Library. This program helps people learn to grow their own plants and food by sharing seeds and gardening tips. You can borrow seeds, grow them at home, and return some seeds after harvesting, keeping the cycle going.
Ahead of National Recycling Week, Council is hosting the Eco Eats and Beats Street Festival this Sunday 10 November, at the Warilla Town Centre. The event will feature upcycled dining, live music, an upcycled market, and eco-friendly workshops like nature crafts, paper beaded jewellery, eco-friendly tie-dying, and boomerang painting.
Visitors can also check out the Waste Services stall, where kids can build a paper bin, wear fun temporary tattoos featuring our red, yellow and green bin characters - including Smashley the Avocado - or explore the inside of a garbage truck. These activities are designed to spark creativity and inspire a passion for sustainability.
Shellharbour City Mayor Chris Homer said the Council remains committed to providing eco-friendly learning experiences and will continue expanding these programs into 2025 and beyond.
"As a passionate advocate for the environment, sustainability programs at our libraries and events like Eco Eats and Beats are very important to me. They bring our community together and highlight how crucial sustainability is," he said.
"I'm proud to support initiatives that help protect the beautiful region we all call home."
To stay across the libraries' upcoming workshops and events, visit the Shellharbour City Libraries What's on website.
