The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has welcomed a research report indicating that its television series, War on Waste, has led to major social and environmental change across the country.
The report, by the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures and the ABC, found many people who were inspired by the series reduced waste at home and went on to drive or demand similar changes across the public, private and community sectors.
The report identified 452 high-impact waste-reduction initiatives triggered by War on Waste.
The ABC said these included Woolworths’ decision to remove plastic straws from its stores in Australia and New Zealand; the Western Australian Government’s banning of single-use plastic bags; a surge in cafes offering discounts to customers with reusable cups; and schools introducing co-mingled recycling and e-waste collections.
In addition, it said, hospitality businesses were banning single-use plastic straws and hospitals and clinics were introducing recycling systems and replacing single-use plastics and polystyrene with reusable products.
Impact Producer at the ABC and co-author of the report, Teri Calder said almost half the 280 organisations in the report reduced waste in their operations, services or products based on ideas from War on Waste.
“Schools and universities introduced more than 200 initiatives, including e-waste collections and composting,” Ms Calder said.
“War on Waste has provided the foundations for policy change and driven widespread action to reduce Australia’s waste footprint.”
She said the biggest impact of the program had been in inspiring those with the power to make changes — in businesses, Governments, education institutions and community organisations.
The 51-page research report can be accessed at this PS News link.
