Spreading the green message

Greater Dandenong councillor Youhorn Chea and SUEZ State General Manager Nathaniel Bryant with members of Springvale Neighbourhood House.

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 What do you do with the mountain of plastic bags in our homes, streets and tips?

Springvale Neighbourhood House is seeking answers in a program for environmental action among CALD communities.

Backed by a $3500 grant from waste operator SUEZ, the project will raise awareness on the damage caused by plastic bag litter, promote plastic recycling and encourage reusable shopping bag use.

The grant will help employ a project worker to lead the initiative and inspire community leaders to spread the word in their communities.

The project will include multicultural sewing groups making shopping bags from recycled and donated materials.

A working bee will clean up and examine the amount of trash dumped on walking pathways near the railway line.

A mindfulness workshop series will focus on mindful use and disposal of plastic bags.

“We will raise awareness in our community of the need to dispose of plastic bags mindfully and to use alternative bags wherever possible,” Springvale Neighbourhood House manager Melanie Virtue said.

SUEZ state general manager Nathaniel Bryant said it was a wonderful community-led initiative.

“We believe that when they come together to take action, communities have real power to make a significant difference to their local environment.

“We’re pleased to be able to support this important project to remove barriers to participation.”

Now in its fifth year, the SUEZ Community Grants program has donated more than $740,000 in funding across Australia.