Thurso group plays key role in zero-waste partnership's first year
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A group aiming to reduce waste and encourage a more sustainable way of life in Thurso is becoming a “go-to organisation” in Caithness, a new report states.
Thurso Community Development Trust (TCDT) has been a key partner in the Highland Community Waste Partnership, which brings together similar organisations across the region to share ideas and collaborate.
Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful has published a report highlighting the impact of the first year of the partnership, which shows that TCDT had a significant role to play.
Among its efforts during the first year, TCDT rescued 450 items from landfill through swapping events; ran film screenings, held climate conversations, enjoyed foraging walks and had a dip at Thurso Midnight Swim as part of Climate Festival 2022; hosted repair cafes to help people fix household items as well as bikes and tools sharpening; held upcycling workshops and sewing classes as well as zero-waste cooking workshops.
The group said in the report: “It is extremely positive that we are becoming established as a go-to organisation when it comes to issues relating to waste and consumption in the Caithness community. This is testament to the difference we’re making.”
The Highland Community Waste Partnership, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and coordinated by Keep Scotland Beautiful, is a collaboration between eight partner organisations including TCDT working over three years to reduce waste and build a Highland-wide movement for more sustainable consumption, in line with a net zero future.
The partnership focuses on awareness raising, community events and workshops and behaviour change interventions, targeting key issues like food waste, single-use packaging and our relationship with "stuff" in general.
It seeks to reduce waste by promoting more circular habits, including recycling, reuse and sharing and repairing, instead of throwing things away and replacing them with new ones.
The other partners are: Broadford and Strath Community Company, Highland Good Food Partnership, Lairg and District Learning Centre, Lochaber Environmental Group, Transition Black Isle, Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust and Velocity Café and Bicycle Workshop.
Georgina Massouraki, Highland community waste partnership coordinator at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Through the partnership we have been collaborating to reduce waste in Highland communities by inspiring behaviour change around how we buy, use and dispose of things. The partnership is working to build a more circular economy from the ground up.
“We’ve achieved a lot in our first year and are now looking forward to expanding our programme of activities.
“Some highlights coming up in year two include a new programme of online workshops and events, to help reach more people; a number of new opportunities to help businesses reduce packaging as well as food waste; and work to explore local solutions for food waste composting, starting with an in-vessel composter network.”
