Search

Placeholder Content Image

The Great Wheelie Bin Debate rolls on: What's the correct way?!

<p>Australia is no stranger to heated debates – rugby versus Aussie rules, meat pie versus sausage roll, or which state has the best beaches. But a new challenger has emerged for the crown of most contentious topic: the humble wheelie bin.</p> <p>In the bustling inner-city suburbs, where space is as precious as a parking spot on a Friday night, one resident in Carlton, Sydney, has found themselves at the centre of the latest bin-based brouhaha. The seemingly innocuous act of placing wheelie bins for collection has sparked a clash of titanic proportions between neighbours, with one visually impaired newcomer caught in the middle.</p> <p>According to the frustrated resident, the bins in question have been making a weekly pilgrimage to the worst possible spot. “These people have been leaving their bins blocking the crossing every single bloody week since I moved here in October,” they vented.</p> <p>A photo shared online reveals the crime scene: two wheelie bins defiantly parked at a crossing entryway, appearing to guard it like bouncers at an exclusive nightclub. For anyone not blessed with perfect vision, navigating around them is less of a dance and more of a hazardous obstacle course:</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/12/wheelie-bins_reddit.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>“I’ve been so shocked at how the bins are put out. I see them on the street and I just question how that’s allowed... it’s a freaking jerk move,” the resident continued. Adding to the drama, they highlighted the danger: “I’m visually impaired, it’s not safe to just cross the road anywhere.”</p> <p>Bin battles are nothing new in Australia. Earlier this year, Melbourne residents went head-to-head over the correct bin-spacing protocol. Should there be a gap between bins? Should they form an impenetrable wall of waste? After what we can only imagine was a spirited exchange of opinions (and possibly garbage puns), the local council stepped in to confirm: gaps are indeed preferable.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Georges River Council’s website offers sage advice to would-be bin wranglers: “Avoid obstructing the footpath and driveways”, and for the love of all things recyclable, “never place items on the road or gutters”. This guidance, alas, has yet to penetrate the stubborn psyche of certain Carlton bin-barons.</p> <p>Our beleaguered resident, unwilling to let this trashy behaviour go unchecked, has considered taking direct action. “I’ve thought about taping a note to the bins, asking kindly to please not block the crossing, maybe explaining why it’s dangerous,” they mused. Such a note, perhaps paired with a smiley face or a diagram, could be just the diplomatic olive branch needed to defuse the situation. Or it could escalate into the neighbourhood’s first wheelie bin Cold War.</p> <p>Watch this carefully placed, wheelie-bin sized space.</p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock, Reddit</em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

Uproar over council's bin "shaming" move

<p>As councils around the country make big changes to the way we dispose of waste, one council's move has left an entire street in Melbourne "offended". </p> <p>On Wednesday morning, Essendon mum Kali took out her bins and thought nothing more of her weekly habit. It was when she came back after a coffee run that she spotted a tag that had "oh no" written in big red letters. </p> <p>"We found items that don't belong in your mixed recycling bin," the note read, identifying reusable shopping bags as the culprit. </p> <p>When she looked around all but one household on her street had the same yellow note. </p> <p>"I came back  and saw all these tags on the bins, I thought 'That's a bit weird'," she told <em>Yahoo News Australia</em>. </p> <p>"It was the talk of the street," she said, after finding out that fellow residents were in "uproar" over the tags. </p> <p>Kali, a mum-of-two, has lived in her home for over nine years and said this was the first time she saw the tag on her bin. </p> <p> "It's just a bizarre thing to do," she said.</p> <p>"I thought it was funny that I got bin shamed. I'm sure we're all guilty of [recycling incorrectly], it's an easy mistake.</p> <p>"Our whole street was embarrassed about it," she added, saying "other neighbours were more offended". </p> <p>Kali is adamant that she didn't do anything wrong, as she ensures the bags in her bin were made out of paper, but said that "you don’t know who is putting things in your bin."</p> <p>A council spokesperson told <em>Yahoo </em>that the move was made to "inform" residents. </p> <p> "Council’s intention is to provide information to people at their homes through our kerbside bin education program to create more awareness, so everyone in the community can recycle right," the spokesperson said.</p> <p>"We understand that recycling can be confusing and that there may be a misunderstanding in what can and can’t go into a recycling bin."</p> <p><em>Images: Yahoo News</em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

"Absurd" $312 fine for common bin act

<p>Aussies have been warned to not leave out their bins for too long unless they want to cop a $312 fine. </p> <p>An Adelaide resident was stunned after they received a "final warning" letter from their local council, stating it had received complaints over their bins. </p> <p>“How is ‘$312’ justified for leaving a bin out too long on a quiet back road,” the confused resident wrote on Reddit. </p> <p>They also said the penalty was "absurd", however, council said the resident was not fined. </p> <p>Hadi Jafari, another local from Kilburn, said he was "really surprised" about the cost. </p> <p>“$300 for a fine is really hard for people to afford, it is really a lot of money,” he told <em>The Advertiser</em>.</p> <p>He added that his family would struggle to pay the amount if they were fined over the common act. </p> <p>“We would probably have to repay it over time, I don’t think we could pay it at once so that is not good.”</p> <p>Under Port Adelaide Enfield Council’s waste management by-laws, bins have to be placed out after 4pm the night before rubbish collection and taken back in by midnight the day after. </p> <p>Council also clarified that it has only issued four fines in the last five years. </p> <p>Residents caught in the common act first receive a reminder letter that their bins have been reported to council. </p> <p>“However as a final resort expiations may be issued,” council said in a statement.</p> <p>The council said it receives 200 complaints annually in relation to bins being left on the street, however the number of warning letters issued has not been disclosed.  </p> <p>Port Adelaide Enfield Council noted other councils also have bylaws in place regarding bin collection.</p> <p>“This is because when people do not remove their bins from footpaths, it can result in impediments to people being able to use the footpath for walking, people with prams, people in wheelchairs, incorrect use of bins and contamination, and it can also impact vehicle and emergency access on streets.”</p> <p>Image: Shutterstock</p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Shoppers outraged over Coles bin full of discarded groceries

<p>A shocking photo of a bin filled with discarded groceries at the back of a Coles supermarket has gone viral, outraging many shoppers. </p> <p>The photo, taken behind the Drouin store in West Gippsland, Victoria, shows a skip bin measuring over a metre high overflowing with tens of thousands of dollars worth of food, including meat, ice cream, pasta, pizzas, dips, cheeses, juice and smoked salmon.</p> <p>According to <em>7News</em>, the products were thrown out after the region was hit with a storm that caused a power outage, and as the store did not have a backup generator, the refrigerated food was spoiled and needed to be thrown out.</p> <p>Coles has explained that items had to be discarded to ensure customer safety, but many shoppers were left shocked and infuriated about the waste, arguing the store should have been ready for the storms with backup generators.</p> <p>“For the 2023/24 financial year, Coles Australia reported a net profit of $1.1 billion and can’t afford back up generators, go figure,” one wrote.</p> <p>Others insisted some of the food could have been saved or donated, as one person said, “Butter that stays on the bench for two weeks (is) fine!” while another insisted, “at least donate it”.</p> <p>A supermarket worker commiserated with the upset shoppers, as they wrote online, “As someone who works for one of the supermarket chains, I have had to partake in this due to a prolonged power outage earlier this year.”</p> <p>“I feel for these staff, there’s nothing worse than having to throw out so much refrigerated stock. Coming from a family who didn’t have much, I get the pain people feel from this incident.”</p> <p>However, one social media user noted that regarding donations, “legally they cannot, if they give someone food poisoning and kill them they are liable”.</p> <p>A Coles spokesperson told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/photograph-of-coles-bin-full-of-discarded-items-stuns-shoppers/news-story/871cedeb7daf66422534e4aee55f1ee4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> that food safety is a top priority, saying in a statement, “Due to the extreme weather that hit much of Victoria early last week, there were widespread power outages, including in the Drouin and surrounding areas.” </p> <p>“Food safety is paramount at Coles and unfortunately as a result of products being un-refrigerated for an extended period of time, for safety and quality reasons, we needed to dispose of a number of products to ensure customer safety. </p> <p>“Where possible, Coles always donates product that is fit for use and safe for consumption to food rescue organisations.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

"Cut this rubbish out": Channel 7's fresh "news" segment slammed

<p>Channel 7's major bulletin shake up has not been well received by some viewers. </p> <p>On Friday night, they kicked off their new comedy segment with Mark Humphries, whose satirical humour was intended to be used to "cut through political spin and translate current affairs in the universal news language of taking the piss” according to appointed news director Anthony De Ceglie. </p> <p>Humphries’ three minutes comedy segment premiered under the banner <em>The 6.57pm News</em>, and was made to look like a continuation of the news. </p> <p>That night, they were discussing US President Joe Biden's press conference which aired earlier in the day. </p> <p>“His press conference was delayed for over an hour, presumably because the President was running late … or more likely waddling late,” Humphries said in the segment. </p> <p>“Biden who is 81 – but doesn’t look a day over 90 – spoke smoothly on a variety of issues and allayed voters fears about his age … is what I wish I could tell you.</p> <p>“Instead, this happened …”</p> <p>He then played a clip of Biden confusing  Kamala Harries with Donald Trump, followed by another clip of him whispering on the lectern. </p> <p>“Very reassuring and not weird at all,” the comic said.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9TGVSTTozZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9TGVSTTozZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mark Humphries (@humphriesmark)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Humphries then tried to make a joke out of it saying that Biden was suffering from a condition called “that guy old” with symptoms including confusing names, long pauses, “and keeping your mouth just that little bit open with that slightly disappointed look like Bunnings just told you the sausage sizzle is closed”.</p> <p> “But if you think that’s bad, wait till you find out the condition the other candidate has ‘that guy convicted felon’,” he concluded. </p> <p>While some Channel 7 viewers "loved" it and thought it was “better than <em>The Project</em>,” a few others were less impressed. </p> <p>“This was an appalling segment … hire, rather than sack, journos,” read one comment on social media. </p> <p>“It was a deplorable segment that has no place in a news bulletin,” another added. </p> <p>"It was absolutely ridiculous. I hope channel 7 cut this rubbish out," wrote a third. </p> <p>"This was cringe," another said. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

New York City mocked for only just discovering wheelie bins

<p>New York City has been trolled online after discovering wheelie bins for the first time. </p> <p>In order to tackle the "trash revolution", the mayor of NYC Eric Adams announced that wheelie bins will be introduced city wide, instead of the current system which is just leaving rubbish bags on the street.</p> <p>Despite the introduction of wheelie bins being a great solution for the city's trash and rodent problem, many were shocked to learn that the receptacles don't already exist there. </p> <p>Introducing the roll out, Mayor Adams began his press conference rolling in a bin and proudly demonstrating how to use it before celebrating with colleagues.</p> <p>He said “many people thought it was impossible” that these wheelie bins were going to be part of the city’s “trash revolution”.</p> <p>“We all have one unified dislike, and those are those pesky New York City rats,” Mr Adams said.</p> <p>“They’re getting more and more bold. They no longer run from you. They just hang out and just do what they want. We want to make sure we change that in a real way.”</p> <p>NYC department of sanitation commissioner Jessica Tisch described the official NYC bin as a “beautiful, rat-fighting piece of engineering” to conquer the estimated three million rats that dominate the streets. </p> <p>The wheelie bin announcement, which was intended to impress New Yorkers, has also gone global – with Europeans and Australians baffled by concept of wheelie bins being new.</p> <p>“Oh my word! Are they seriously showing their constituents how to use a trash can?” wrote one person.</p> <p>“Huh, they don’t have wheelie bins? What century do they live in?” said a second.</p> <p>“How the hell is this revolutionary??” agreed another.</p> <p>“So they finally figured out putting your trash in piles on the sidewalk is not a good idea,” mocked someone else.</p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter) </em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

Woman found in wheelie bin identified as English teacher

<p>The body of a woman found in a wheelie bin at a waste management facility has been identified as a 67-year-old teacher. </p> <p>Staff at Repurpose It in the north Melbourne suburb of  Epping found the body of Annette Brennan while moving green waste last Wednesday. </p> <p>Police believe that the 67-year-old was inside a bin picked up outside a home in Coolaroo on Tuesday July 2nd, which was then taken to the facility in Epping. </p> <p>Brennan spent most of her life teaching English to students, many of whom were international, and has been described as “gentle and kind”. </p> <p>Police have arrested a 45-year-old man in connection to Brennan's death, who has since been charged with murder and will appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.</p> <p>Homicide detectives believe the pair were known to each other. </p> <p>On Monday night, Repurpose It CEO George Hatzimanolis said staff were “deeply saddened” by the incident.</p> <p>“Our staff members who made this tragic discovery are understandably shaken, and we are ensuring they receive the support and counselling they need,” he said.</p> <p>“We ask for privacy and understanding for our employees as we navigate through this challenging situation. We are fully co-operating with the police as they conduct their investigations.”</p> <p>Police are still combing through CCTV in the Coolaroo area and have urged anyone who may have video from between June 23rd and July 2nd to contact them.</p> <p>Detectives are also keen to speak to anyone who noticed any suspicious behaviour in the area. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Sunrise </em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

“Is this illegal?”: Mum sparks debate over divisive rubbish bin tactic

<p>A mother has reignited an age-old debate over neighbourhood etiquette, asking whether it is "illegal or frowned upon” to add rubbish to a neighbour’s wheelie bin if yours is completely full.</p> <p>Brooke Bliss, who lives on the NSW Mid North Coast, said that in her area bins were only collected once a fortnight and her outside bins fill up very quickly as a family of five. </p> <p>Often left with overflowing rubbish by the time collection day rolls around, Bliss admitted that she waits till the "dead of night" on the day before the bins are emptied and tosses a couple of bags of general waste into neighbours' bins.</p> <p>“Is this illegal or frowned upon?” the creator asked her followers in a video online.</p> <p>The mother-of-three explained to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/mum-sparks-debate-over-widespread-rubbish-bin-tactic-everyone-does---but-is-it-illegal-004710089.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yahoo News Australia</em></a>, “It’s actually super stressful, especially when you have young children… the bins fill up quite quickly.”</p> <p>“I find that my bin is full maybe like the fourth day after it’s just been collected and there’s still another eight or so days to go.”</p> <p>She added that she had “the most lovely neighbours” who would never have an issue with it, but she’d heard of other people being told not to do that by other residents.</p> <p>“I mean, if your neighbours aren’t letting you do that even if they have room in their bin, you then have the rubbish lying around your property because you have nowhere else to put it," Bliss added.</p> <p>Many fellow Aussies commenting on her video said they also sneak rubbish into their neighbours' bins and that once they were on the kerb they were fair game, with one adding, "as long as you're not putting rubbish in recycling or garden waste".</p> <p>“Both our neighbours know we do this to them,” one wrote, while another said, “I do it in broad daylight.” With a third adding, "everyone does this".</p> <p>While there are technically no laws against using your neighbours' bin, trespassing could be an issue unless you wait until the bin is on council land. </p> <p>A spokesman for Bliss's local council said that the move is generally frowned upon unless there is an agreement among neighbours.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Shutterstock</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

"Can't WAIT to try this": Tradie's simple bin night hack

<p>Taking the wheelie bins out and having to drag them back in is a chore that many dread, but one Aussie tradie has made life so much easier with his simple hack. </p> <p>Kyle Hume took to TikTok to share his simple yet effective trick to bring in two bins back from the curb at the same time, without having to wrangle two bins with both hands or make multiple trips. </p> <p>"I've been wheeling two bins my whole life until I noticed this," he shared. </p> <p>Hume's trick is to line up two bins in front of each other, resting the lid of the bin at the front on top of the bin at the back, and then closing the lid so it creates a makeshift hook that allows you to tip both bins back and wheel them in unison. </p> <p> </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important; width: 573px; max-width: 100%;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7360205539604696336&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40kylehume7%2Fvideo%2F7360205539604696336%3Flang%3Den&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoYPnEqGncBAAtH22Eli4AIzBQC4wEANEIsf1ki%3Fx-expires%3D1715479200%26x-signature%3Di%252BOzi1g942kcQ1F0%252FqQuNd7eiho%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Many Aussies were "flabbergasted" by the trick, taking to the comments to express their shock at the simple method. </p> <p>"I've learned more on TikTok about adulting than I ever did in school," one joked. </p> <p>"I have four bins - this is going to save my life," another added. </p> <p>"What? Are you kidding me?" a third exclaimed. </p> <p>However, not everyone was impressed with his method, with some saying that it wouldn't work and there is a risk of damaging the bins. </p> <p>"Guessing that green bin slipped over and split using this hack, lol," one wrote. </p> <p>"This seems awkward and clunky," another added. </p> <p>"Don't you have two arms?" a third wrote. </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

“I couldn’t believe it": Man's incredible find in client's trash

<p>A rubbish removalist’s tendency to upcycle and recycle his clients' trash has led him to a rare discovery. </p> <p>Jesse Stewart, from Brisbane's Get It Gone Rubbish Removal, recalled the moment he was getting rid of an entertainment unit at the tip, when he found a mistakenly discarded medicine bottle with a wad of cash inside. </p> <p>“I didn’t think too much of it but when I picked it up it was heavy, and I was like, ‘I wonder what’s in there’,“ he told <em>7News</em>. </p> <p>Stewart “couldn’t believe” his luck when he found out the wad of notes amounted to $7000. </p> <p>“I’ve never found anything like that before," he said. </p> <p>But being the good samaritan that he was, Stewart returned the money to its rightful owner, a woman in her 60s and his long-time client. </p> <p>“She was so grateful. She couldn’t believe it,” he said, adding that she did not even realise she had the cash stashed away. </p> <p>“She didn’t think anyone would be that nice to give it back, so she gave me a few hundred bucks, which was nice," he said, revealing that she gave him a $300 unsolicited reward. </p> <p>While he did return the money back to its rightful owner, Stewart shared that he did think about keeping it. </p> <p>“To be honest, my first thought was to keep it,” he laughed.</p> <p>“The person who owned it has treated me really well over the last year of working for her ... I just felt too guilty, I could not keep it.”</p> <p>This is not the Brisbane local's first interesting find, as his tendency to upcycle trash has led to a trove of treasures including <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">a haul of rare Australian stamps, an electric scooter and an antique piano.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">But, the cash definitely </span>“took the cake”. </p> <p>“I don’t think I’ll find something like that again,” he said.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

"Ignore it": The one parking ticket Aussies can chuck in the bin

<p>Western Australian driver, <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Connor Wright,</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> has gone viral after sharing his advice on how to handle penalty notices issued by private parking companies.</span></p> <p>The TikTok, which now has over 1.5 million views, started off with Wright recalling the moment he walked back to his car to find a ticket issued by Parking Enforcement Services (PES), a division of Wilson Parking. </p> <p>Wright then proceeds to rip up the ticket and told others to "make sure to read the fine print on these bad boys".</p> <p>"If you read at the back, it says important information: 'This is not a parking fine'," he said. </p> <p>"Useless, throw it in the bin, don't pay that sh*t."</p> <p>Many have commented how they "wish they knew this earlier". </p> <p>The ticket itself is a 'breach notice' which starts at a $65 penalty from Wilson and is only issued when a person drives into private car park, for example in a shopping centre, and break the terms and conditions issued by the private entity. </p> <p>"What they try and do is recover the debt for the loss incurred, effectively like a breach of contract, but they're not fines — only a statutory body has the power to issue a fine." Sydney Criminal Lawyers James Clements told <em>Yahoo News Australia</em>. </p> <p>Clements also called the penalty a "bullying tactic" to "effectively try scaring people into paying them," but it is difficult to enforce it due to government "crackdowns." </p> <p>However parking fines from bodies like councils, some universities and hospitals should be paid.</p> <p>Clements advises that when you receive the breach notice you should "ignore it" or "write back and say, 'I dispute this and do not intend to pay'."</p> <p>"What you don't want to do is write to them and say that you disclose you were the driver."</p> <p>Drivers are also encouraged to read signs and the terms and conditions when entering a private car park. </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

"Heartbreaking" issue set to engulf Bali

<p>A viral video has shown the devastating side of tourism in Bali, with mountains of garbage taking over the popular holiday destination. </p> <p>Gary Bencheghib, a French filmmaker living in Indonesia, captured a heartbreaking video of a massive “open rubbish dump” 50 metres high covered in trash.</p> <p>He said it is one of many open dumps around Bali, which are overflowing with waste. </p> <p>“I’ve just made it here, right at the foot of this giant open landfill. It’s so high we can’t even see the top and it falls right into the river,” he said.</p> <p>Gary’s post has attracted hundreds of comments from shocked users who described the state of the site as “depressing”. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvH6Sw2t09U/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvH6Sw2t09U/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Gary Bencheghib (@garybencheghib)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“My️ [heart] brakes by seeing this … such a beautiful country! They need education and see this. How can I help???” one person asked</p> <p>“Totally heartbreaking,” said another.</p> <p>A third person wrote, “As we love Bali so much, things like this need to be addressed also by the local community and local government hand-in-hand.”</p> <p>In an attempt to combat the ever-growing rubbish problem, that Indonesian officials have said will cost $40 million to fully resolve, a new tourism tax has been implemented. </p> <p>In July, Bali Governor Wayan Koster confirmed as of next year tourists will need to pay 150,000 Indonesian rupiah (about $15) to enter the popular island.</p> <p>He said the funds would be used for “the environment, culture and [to] build better quality infrastructure”.</p> <p>Indonesia’s co-ordinating minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, suggested to have the money spent on addressing Bali’s waste problem.</p> <p>"I think it [tourism tax] is good for Bali; why not use it to look after its waste,” he told reporters last week after signing a new conservation agreement at the Bali Turtle Special Economic Zone.</p> <p>“Garbage must be cleaned; now there is a smell. I spoke to the mayor of Denpasar to fix it but don’t use it as a political issue, it’s not good just fix it and reduce the smell.”</p> <p>He explained that if it continues without “significant and rapid improvement” the problem will become “uncontrollable”,<em> <a title="thebalisun.com" href="https://thebalisun.com/minister-says-new-tourism-tax-in-bali-should-be-used-to-tackle-islands-waste-problem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Bali Sun</a></em> reported.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

How to deep clean your kitchen bin

<p>Cleaning the kitchen bin is household chore that can be easily overlooked until a stench begins to creep into your home.</p> <p>To rid your bin of the odour, follow these deep cleaning steps so that you can have a fresh-smelling and clean kitchen bin.</p> <p><strong>1. Put on your rubber gloves</strong></p> <p>Cleaning a bin requires you to handle an object that has been full of food scraps and questionable liquids, it is best to wear some rubber gloves to protect you from the germs.</p> <p><strong>2. Empty the bin</strong></p> <p>Begin by emptying your bin and ensuring that there are no lingering food particles in the bottom. Your main objective is to remove any gunk that can be seen.</p> <p><strong>3. Wash the bin</strong></p> <p>If you have access to an outside area, take your bin outside and hose it down. If you can only clean your bin indoors, then you can do this in the bathtub. Once the bin has been rinsed, pat it down with paper towel.</p> <p><strong>4. Spray with disinfectant</strong></p> <p>Using a disinfectant cleaner of your preference, generously spray down the inside and outside of your bin. Also include the top and bottom of the bin as you spray.</p> <p><strong>5. Scrub the bin</strong></p> <p>Use a toilet brush or other long-handled nylon bristle brush to scrub your bin thoroughly. After you have finished scrubbing all over, let the disinfectant cleaner sit for five minutes.</p> <p><strong>6. Rinse and dry</strong></p> <p>After the five minutes has passed, rinse the can thoroughly. Depending on what you prefer, let the bin dry in the sun or dry it with a towel.</p> <p>Once you have deep cleaned your bin, maintain your hard work by wiping down the inside and outside of the bin with disinfectant spray every time you empty the trash can.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

Body of missing woman hidden inside wheelie bin

<p dir="ltr">The search for the remains of Queensland woman Lesley Trotter continues after police find “strong evidence” that her body was put in a wheelie bin near her home before being collected by a rubbish truck.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 78-year-old had been missing since March 27, sparking alarm when her family members reported that she was not home and had left her mobile phone and wallet behind.</p> <p dir="ltr">Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham told reporters on Tuesday that the body, believed to be Trotter’s, was placed in the general waste bin on Maryvale St on March 28.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was evident at that time that the person we believe is Ms Trotter was deceased,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Due to the positioning of the body, I can’t rule out foul play at this stage.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Massingham did not elaborate on the extent of her injuries or how police knew about the positioning of Trotter’s body, given that they are still searching for her remains.</p> <p dir="ltr">Massingham also revealed that the bin was collected by a rubbish truck scheduled for that morning, which was then taken to Nudgee Waste Transfer Station, where the rubbish was dropped into a pit.</p> <p dir="ltr">“An additional 22 trucks also visited the site on that Tuesday,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The loads from each of those trucks was compressed and then was taken away from the facility in six B-double semi-trailers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He added that the rubbish was then taken to dump sites in Rochedale and Swanbank, which are now being quarantined.</p> <p dir="ltr">Massingham said that police currently have no suspects, despite having conducted interviews over the weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">They are also planning an extensive search this week to recover Trotter’s remains, with detectives expecting it to be a “difficult operation”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Massingham added that once Trotter’s body is recovered, they will forensically examine it to “try find any piece of evidence” which will help them determine her cause of death.</p> <p dir="ltr">Forensic samples- reportedly including blood- were collected from Trotter’s unit complex and a neighbouring unit complex, although Massingham said that the relevance of these samples “are not yet clear and may be unrelated to this matter”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is obviously a disturbing development,” Massingham said, adding that Trotter’s family members have been informed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is traumatic to them. I think this is confronting for them, the nature ... would be concerning for any family, particularly a lady of that age ... looking forward to the next chapter of her life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were investigating a possible link between Trotter’s disappearance and her recycling habits, after it was revealed that her neighbours had complained about her taking rubbish out of wheelie bins and leaving it on the ground.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Massingham has stressed that this was only “one aspect” of the investigation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Queensland Police, 7News</em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Artist puts the lid on rubbish rental prices

<p>In the age of soaring interest rates and a global housing crisis, one young man in the United Kingdom had a wheelie good idea for getting a roof over his head.</p> <p>His solution? Skipping the queues, and moving into a bin.</p> <p>British artist and architect Harrison Marshall was down in the dumpsters when he decided to seize the opportunity, to both raise awareness about those being forced from their homes due to extortionate rent prices in London - and give himself somewhere to stay in the process - by converting an old skip into a tiny home. </p> <p>The Skip House boasts a whole range of features that one might not expect to find in a place so small - 25 square metres, in fact - with the likes of insulted timber framing, a barrel roof capable of fitting a bed, a kitchen hob - the whole set up including a sink, a stove, and a tiny fridge - as well as a wardrobe. </p> <p>And although it took a month since Marshall moved himself in, the skip was eventually connected to the grid, allowing him to warm his tiny property. The home doesn’t have its own flushing toilet or even a shower, but it doesn’t phase Marshall, who makes use of such amenities at work or at the gym. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Co22dZwoxaQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Co22dZwoxaQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by SKIP House (@theskiphouse)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“With the cost of living at an all time high, and no end in sight, this project is about living for less,” Marshall said of the project on the Skip House’s Instagram, “in one of the most expensive cities in the world, London.</p> <p>“People across the country are changing the way they live to compensate for the rising cost of basic necessities,” he continued. “Living in a skip isn’t the solution, but rather an exploration and a statement.”</p> <p>As Marshall, who now pays approximately $90 a week in rent, told <em>Southwark News</em>, “it seems crazy that people work in the city and can’t afford to live here. Or [that] people who have lived here their whole lives can’t afford to stay here, so they’re having to move out.”</p> <p>He explained that constructing the tiny home was “the only way” for him to continue to live there, and that he hoped to spark a conversation around housing, particularly when it came to unused urban wasteland spots, and how more creative solutions had to be out there. </p> <p>“It also gave quite a good juxtaposition between what you don’t typically think of as a house and almost the polar opposite of that, which is a bin or dumpster,” Marshall told <em>Business Insider</em>, “and how actually that could be turned into something which is relatively cosy and homely.”</p> <p>And as for what his neighbours think about his unusual housing venture, he told<em> Southwark News </em>that he had between 20 and 25 of them show up to his skip-warming, “they’re all super supportive.</p> <p>“People have even seen me doing stuff in the garden and gone to get their tools and come to help out and people around have filled up my hot water bottle.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Real Estate

Placeholder Content Image

A clever trick to make your rubbish smell nice (and 11 other handy home hints)

<p>You’ll wonder how you ever got along without knowing these sneaky home cleaning tricks.</p> <p>1. Throw lemon, lime or orange peels into your garbage disposal to clean the drain and give your kitchen a lovely fresh scent.</p> <p>2. Clean your silver quickly by lining your sink with foil, and then add half a cup salt and half a cup baking soda. Fill the sink with hot water and place your silverware inside for 30 minutes. The tarnish will transfer to the foil saving you loads of time as you won’t need to clean each piece separately.</p> <p>3. Use an old dryer sheet to polish and metal in your car. It will give much better shine than a regular cloth.</p> <p>4. To clean your cutting board, slice a lemon in half and rub it all over a plastic or wooden board. Leave to work its magic for 20 minutes before washing it.</p> <p>5. Clean the ceiling fan by sliding a pillowcase over each blade, then pull it off gently to collect the dust.</p> <p>6. If you have a grease stain on clothing, rub some chalk over it before washing to help get rid of the marks. </p> <p>7. Keep the tops of cupboards cleaner by lining with plain paper or newspaper. Simply replace every couple of months. </p> <p>8. Make your loo smell great by popping a few drops of your favourite essential oil in the middle of the roll. Lavender or rose are great options.</p> <p>9. Make your own fabric freshener in a spray bottle by combining one-eight of a cup of fabric softener, two tablespoons of baking soda, and topping it up with hot tap water. Shake well and use to freshen up clothing or upholstery. </p> <p>10. Clean vomit off a rug or carpet by baking a paste of baking soda and water. Clear up as much of the mess as you can and then smear the stain with the paste. Leave it to dry overnight until it becomes powdery and then just vacuum up.</p> <p>11. Clean your sandwich press or bench top grill by placing a doubled up sheet of damp paper towel in the press after you have used it and switched it off. The heat will cause the towel to steam and clean the press. Then just wipe it clean with another piece of paper towel. </p> <p>12. Clean up stained plastic containers by filling them two-thirds full with water and a tablespoon of washing up liquid. Add a quarter cup of bleach and microwave for 40 seconds, or until the solution is boiling. Leave to cool until the water is lukewarm and then wash your container as normal. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

$5000 fine for smelly bins set to cause a huge stink

<p dir="ltr">New rules introduced in a Perth suburb could see them face a fine of up to $5,000 if their rubbish bins get too smelly.</p> <p dir="ltr">A new law could see residents of Victoria Park cop a hefty fine if their green-lidded Garden Organics (GO) bins have a bad odour, which were introduced for the disposal of grass clippings, weeds, leaves and sticks.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mayor Karen Vernon told <em><a href="https://www.6pr.com.au/rumour-confirmed-vic-park-ratepayers-face-5k-fine-for-smelly-organic-bins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6PR</a></em> the fine was introduced in a bid to ensure people sorted their rubbish correctly.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We will need some powers, as a local council, to be able to make that behaviour change appropriately,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So what’s really important is that the contents of that third bin is just organic material, so there needs to be no level of contamination in there, that’s what makes an organic collection process to work really well,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While some have shared their support for the move, others have taken to social media to critique the “rubbish” decision.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Fining someone because their rubbish bin smells, should be a council service to disinfect bins when emptied. We pay astronomical rates let‘s see them justified,” Sheldon Baker wrote on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Omg who seriously has clean smelling rubbish after a week in an outside bin? Maybe they can provide deodorant for our bins or perfume!” Christine Stephan said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I mean, if your bins smell, it‘s because you are lazy and that’s on you,” Kendall Mulvena-Trinder said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rumours have also emerged that the council would employ “bin smellers” as part of the decision, with Councillor Vernon dismissing them as “exaggerated”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That certainly doesn’t mean we will be employing people to go smell other people’s bins,’’ she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the GO bin is currently restricted to garden waste, the council is hoping to expand this to food organics in the “not too distant future”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3c38e030-7fff-0f36-9a51-abf4ba6ea50d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @townofvicpark (Instagram)</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Plastic pollution on Australia’s coasts has decreased by 29% since 2013

<p>Plastic pollution is an escalating global problem. Australia now produces 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, while world-wide production is expected to double by 2040.</p> <p>This pollution doesn’t just accumulate on our beaches: it can be found on land and other marine environments (heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?)</p> <p>But according to a new study by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, plastic pollution on Australia’s coasts has decreased by 29% since 2013.</p> <p>The study, which assessed waste reduction efforts in Australia and their effect on coastal pollution, highlights that although Australia’s plastic use has remained constant since 2013, local governments are getting better at preventing and cleaning up pollution.</p> <p>“Our research set out to identify the local government approaches that have been most effective in reducing coastal plastics and identify the underlying behaviours that can lead to the greatest reduction in plastic pollution,” says lead researcher Dr Kathryn Willis, a recent PhD graduate from the University of Tasmania.</p> <p>“Whilst plastic pollution is still a global crisis and we still have a long way to go, this research shows that decisions made on the ground, at local management levels, are crucial for the successful reduction of coastal plastic pollution,” she adds.</p> <p>The study has been published in One Earth.</p> <p><strong>Local government approaches work</strong></p> <p>The new research builds upon extensive 2013 CSIRO coastal litter surveys with 563 new surveys and interviews with waste managers across 32 local governments around Australia completed in 2019.</p> <p>The results found that, although there was a decrease in the overall national average coastal pollution by 29%, some surveyed municipalities showed an increase in local litter by up to 93%, while others decreased by up to 73%.</p> <p>Since global plastic pollution is driven by waste reduction strategies at a local level (regardless of where the pollution originates), researchers then focused on identifying which local government approaches had the greatest effect on these levels of coastal pollution.</p> <p>To do this they sorted local government waste management actions into three categories of human behaviour, including:</p> <p><strong>Planned behaviour – </strong>strategies like recycling guides, information and education programs, and voluntary clean-up initiatives.</p> <p><strong>Crime prevention –</strong> waste management strategies like illegal dumping surveillance and beach cleaning by local governments.</p> <p><strong>Economic – </strong>actions like kerb-side waste and recycling collection, hard waste collections and shopping bag bans.</p> <p>They found that retaining and maintaining efforts in economic waste management strategies had the largest effect on reducing coastal litter.</p> <p>“For example, household collection services, where there are multiple waste and recycling streams, makes it easier for community members to separate and discard their waste appropriately,” says co-author Dr Denise Hardesty, a principal research scientist at CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere.</p> <p>“Our research showed that increases in waste levies had the second largest effect on decreases in coastal plastic pollution. Local governments are moving away from a collect and dump mindset to a sort and improve approach,” adds Hardesty.</p> <p>Clean-up activities, such as Clean Up Australia Day, and surveillance programs that directly involved members of the community were also effective.</p> <p>“Increasing community stewardship of the local environment and beaches has huge benefits. Not only does our coastline become cleaner, but people are more inclined to look out for bad behaviour, even using dumping hotlines to report illegal polluting activity,” says Hardesty.</p> <p><strong>Another piece of the solution to our plastics problem</strong></p> <p>This isn’t the be-all and end-all solution to Australia’s plastics problem – let alone globally – but this research does provide decision-makers with empirical evidence that the choices made by municipal waste managers and policymakers are linked to reductions in plastic pollution in the environment.</p> <p>Identifying the most effective approaches for reducing coastal litter is an important part of future plastic pollution reduction strategies. The CSIRO’s Ending Plastic Waste Mission is aiming for an 80% reduction in plastic waste entering the Australian environment by 2030.</p> <p>“While we still have a long way to go, and the technical challenges are enormous, these early results show that when we each play to our individual strengths, from community groups, industry, government and research organisations, and we take the field as Team Australia, then we can win,” says Dr Larry Marshall, chief executive of CSIRO.</p> <p><em><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/australia-coastal-plastic-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Imma Perfetto.</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Original artwork found in rubbish on sidewalk

<p dir="ltr">A Sydney man has hit the jackpot after finding an original piece of artwork worth thousands of dollars left on the sidewalk for council pick up. </p> <p dir="ltr">Leonardo Urbano stumbled across a cardboard box which contained several art pieces for children when he found one that stood out. </p> <p dir="ltr">Not thinking much about the price of it, Leonardo knew he wanted to give it a new home when he saw  Sydney artist and two-time Archibald Prize finalist Dapeng Liu's signature at the bottom.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I thought it was beautiful and I don't normally think about the price, I just think if someone would want it, then I'll take it with me," he told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/sydney-man-discovers-3000-artwork-hidden-council-throw-out-090958132.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Australia</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">He sent the artwork to his local art gallery who then confirmed that it was in fact an original and not  a copy. </p> <p dir="ltr">There is also a similar piece of artwork at the museum from Dapeng’s nude collection priced at a whopping $2,900. </p> <p dir="ltr">Leonardo has since been in touch with Dapeng and apologised to him saying the artwork was found in council pickup rubbish. </p> <p dir="ltr">Dapeng then informed Leonardo that he had actually gifted the piece of art to someone.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I said to him 'look, I'm sorry I found it in the street but I will treasure it as my own’.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Yahoo</em></p>

Art

Placeholder Content Image

How to build timber covers for wheelie bins

<p>The Sekit flat-packed system, from Bunnings (bunnings.com.au), uses ACQ treated pine and takes an hour to assemble, fitting 120 and 240 litre bins.</p> <p>A single bin cover measures 670 x 810 x 1200mm, and the double is 1340 x 810 x 1200mm.</p> <div id="firstFloatAd"> <div data-fuse="21928626849"> </div> <div data-fuse="21699960946"> </div> </div> <p>Simple latch bolts keep the doors secured and a chain joins the bin handles to the covers so both lids are raised simultaneously, making rubbish disposal much more hygienic.</p> <p>TIP – To remove the bins on collection day, unhook the lid chains before opening the doors.A chain connects the bin</p> <p>ASSEMBLE THE FRAME positioning the dividing frame against the side panels and adding the front and back supports, securing with the supplied screws. Square up the frame and secure the two diagonal back supports.</p> <div id="lastFloatAd"> <div data-fuse="21928512968"> </div> <div data-fuse="22652288252"> </div> </div> <p>INSTALL THE LIDS by aligning the holes on the lid with the holes in the frame then insert the supplied bolts, securing the outside bolts with the washer and nut and the inside bolts using a Phillips head screwdriver.</p> <p>ATTACH THE DOORS by aligning the top hinge and securing with a screw at the top, attach the base hinge, checking the door is parallel with the side then secure the second screw at the top and attach the latch bolts.</p> <p><em>Image: Bunnings</em></p>

Home & Garden

Our Partners

Over 60

© Copyright 2024 OverSixty.All Rights Reserved.