This Plastic Free July, the Annangrove Environment Centre and local libraries are offering a variety of workshops and working bees to help citizens rethink their approach to waste.
Founded in 2006, the Annangrove Environment Centre provides residents with workshops on topics such as growing your own food, caring for native bees, and living a plastic-free lifestyle. As the Hill Shire’s Community Centre, its mission is to promote sustainability tips for local residents and support native biodiversity through initiatives like their free annual plant drive.
For any avid green thumbs, the Annangrove volunteers also organise the ‘Growing Food for Wildlife’ Working Bees. These events, held on the second Saturday of each month, involve tasks like weeding invasive species, harvesting native foliage, and concluding with a social BBQ.
However, the Centre doesn’t just focus on household and gardening advice; the Centre is also engaged in platypus research in the Hills. Collaborating with the Cattai Hills Environment Network and other local environmental groups, they aim to track and study the movements of these webbed marsupials.
Workshops are held most Thursdays and Saturdays, and can be found at the Community Environment Centre, off Currie Avenue in Annangrove. Working bees are currently operating on the second Saturday of the month from 10am – 1pm with BYO lunch.
Mayor Gangemi has previously praised the work of the Annangrove Centre and is looking at ways to integrate its sustainability practices into broader council operations:
“The Community Environment Centre is an integral part of the environmental work of the Council. It’s a tremendous way for the community to connect, and deepen our appreciation and respect for our natural environment.”
The Hills Shire Council has also undertaken various environmental initiatives, including reducing plastic waste at the Council chambers in Norwest and reviewing the use of single use plastics, including practical ways to phase them out.
In line with Plastic Free July, the Council has planned a series of workshops. For schoolchildren in Years 2-6, the “Go Plastic Free” workshop will be held on Thursday, July 18th, at Vinegar Hill Memorial Library from 10:30 am to 11:30 am. For adults, the “Plastic Free Living” workshop is scheduled for Thursday, July 25th, at Castle Hill Library from 6 pm to 8 pm. Bookings are required for both events and are available online for Hills Shire residents only.
