Continuing the work to reduce our carbon footprint Goodwin has adopted two ACT recycling programs, and is working towards accreditation as an Actsmart business recycler.
We are calling on all staff members and residents to participate.
Under the ACT Government’s Actsmart program, recycling skips are now in place across our villages for both cardboard waste and comingled plastics and containers. We have also installed organic waste recycling bins, similar to worm farms, taking food waste from our cafes and turning it into compost used for village gardens.
Goodwin has also provided our office areas and villages with bins to participate in the ACT’s Container Deposit Scheme, whereby small recyclable drink containers can be cashed in at outlets across the city, and are processed into manufacturing materials.
Our residents at The Central have already raised around $1000 for their own use.
‘With four large villages and residential care facilities, Goodwin currently sends an average of 11 tonnes of waste to landfill every month’, said project manager and Procurement and Contracts Manager, Michael Hardgrave.
‘We recycle around 3 tonnes. We want to reverse that scale, and small changes by all our staff can see big differences very quickly.’
So far, more than 900 businesses across the ACT and Queanbeyan have joined Actsmart.
More than 26 million containers have been returned and recycled in Canberra through the Container Deposit Scheme in its first year, and a new type of asphalt made from deposited glass bottles and plastic bags is already being trialled on roads in Gungahlin.
‘In our corporate responsibility policy Goodwin committed to ensuring that its environmental footprint is neutral and that sustainability is a core value in everything we do’, said chief executive officer Sue Levy.
‘For Goodwin, sustainability includes ensuring that future generations can enjoy the same or better economic, social and environmental conditions that we do today.
‘Recycling gives a second life to materials that would otherwise end up in landfill, and reduces the world’s demand for manufacture of new products. This reduces the over-exploitation of the world’s resources, protects the natural world that these resources come from, and saves energy among other benefits.’ Sue said.
‘Take-up by staff and residents has been very positive,’ added Michael. ‘We’re now rolling out a program of staff education, and will report to Actsmart over coming months to demonstrate the reductions we’re achieving.’
Goodwin staff and residents also support Lids for Kids, and e-waste recycling programs.