Plastic Wise Benalla, an action group of BSFG now incorporated in  the WasteWise sub group,  comprises community volunteers who have taken part in projects over the years to reduce the impact of single use plastic on our community and raise awareness about sustainable alternatives to plastic.

​Plastic Wise Benalla arose out of concern about the environmental impacts of plastic bag use, such as

• Danger to animal life, especially when they find their way into the sea.
• Pacific Trash Vortex.  The amount of floating plastics in the world’s oceans is increasing dramatically.
• Litter problem.  Plastic bags are a highly visible, ugly component of litter. 
• Loss of resources.  Plastic bags are typically used for a short period of time but take hundreds of years to break down in landfill. While plastic bags can be recycled, only a tiny proportion of plastic bags are collected and reprocessed.
• Greenhouse gases.  Based on using ten lightweight plastic bags per week over a 2-year period, the greenhouse gas impact has more than three times the greenhouse gas impact of a reusable ‘green bag’.
• A lightweight plastic bag consumes about 4.5 times more energy in its manufacture than reusable ‘green bags’.
• To get the full greenhouse gas benefit from a reusable ‘green bag’, it must be reused over 100 times.
• Starch-based biodegradable (or ‘compostable’) bags consume less than one-third of the energy to produce as plastic alternatives, but emit marginally more carbon dioxide (CO2 - a greenhouse gas) as they decompose. However, unlike single use plastic bags, biodegradable bags will completely breakdown. 

​BSFG's Plastic Bag Action Group, later 'Plastic Wise Benalla',  looked at options to reduce or eliminate plastic bags from the waste stream in Benalla.    Our goal - to have Benalla a 'single use plastic bag free' town. The group initially met on several occasions with employees of Benalla Rural City and a representative from Benalla Business Network in an initiative to make Benalla a "Plastic Bag Free" town.  

​​The 'Plastic Wise Benalla' 'bag making' project commenced in early August 2017 and proved to be an exciting initiative, with upcycled bags made available locally. ​The “Plastic Wise Benalla” Sub-Committee spent the first half of 2019 continuing to upcycle unused or recycled fabric into reusable shopping bags. Our small team of dedicated volunteers undertook sewing either in the Drill Hall or in the comfort of their own homes. Approximately 250 bags were sold throughout the year with over 100 being sold at the Swanpool SCRAP Art Festival.  Two very dedicated community members continued to sew at home, with bags on sale at the Benalla Food Cooperative and market stalls.

'Plastic Free July' mounts the challenge to attempt to refuse single use plastic during the month of July.  The 'Plastic Free July' website is a rich resource containing strategies which could be used throughout the year.    Check out the Toolbox and the Plastic Free July calendar of events for this and previous  years for ideas about activities.  ​

In July 2021, as part of 'Plastic Free July',  the group published weekly articles in the Ensign in pursuit of a 'Plastic Wise Benalla'. 

• 'Benalla Sustainable Future Group ask you to Think, reduce, refuse, rethink, repair' (30 June): 
• 'Benalla Sustainable Future Group Explain Recycling Symbols' (7 July),
• 'Prepare for a Life Without Plastic' (14 July). 

Plastic Wise Benalla is keen to engage young people in promote the reduction of plastic usage within Benalla. 

It would be great to have new members in our passionate, committed action group with time on their side to work towards our goal. 
​
Wendi Baker,
Plastic Wise Benalla Convenor,

If you would like to be involved with Plastic Wise Benalla please contact Wendy Baker - wendibaker30@gmail.com