Small Changes, Real Impact: How We're Cutting Plastic Waste in Kilcunda
Growing up on a small farm and having parents with a keen interest in environmental conservation; choosing less plastic and making sure things can be reused, repurposed or correctly recycled was very normal to me. I even attended my first climate rally with Mum & Dad as a toddler, and have supported local and wider causes ever since. However, when I got my first job in the little cafe down the road at the age of 14, I was exposed to the vast amount of single use and plastic waste in the hospitality industry. It was so eye-opening to me, and I could scarcely believe it was real. I remember thinking: 'we are just one cafe, imagine if we added up the waste of every cafe... where does it all go?'. Well over a decade later and now being the current custodian of that same cafe by the ocean, I have kept this cause at the heart of our business, and hope to show others how to make choices in their own businesses or homes to support our precious planet.
Plastic waste is one of those problems that can feel too big to do anything about — but most of the change actually happens in small, everyday choices. In our cafe and shop, we've tried to build those choices into how we run things, rather than treating it as an occasional gesture. Today is the last day of July, so in honour of 'Plastic Free July', read on to find out a little about what we do to reduce plastic in Kilcunda.
1. Single-use cups and cutlery are one of the biggest sources of everyday plastic waste in hospitality, so we've made a point of keeping proper crockery, glassware, and cutlery in constant use for anyone dining in. If you're grabbing a coffee to take with you, we'd always rather see you bring your own cup — every reusable cup that walks out the door is one less lid and one less cup that ends up in landfill. If you are forgetful or simply don't like the washing, grab a Huskee Swap cup for life and swap it at any participating cafe for a freshly sanitised one. As a last resort, our disposable cups and lids are home compostable and marine biodegradable (most are not, beware greenwashing) - you can even repurpose your paper cup as a seed raising tube for the garden!
It's a small thing multiplied by a lot of coffees, and it adds up faster than people expect.
2. Our dairy milk has zero single use waste. We purchase refillable 'The Udder Way' kegs from a local dairy that are connected to our Juggler taps. Once empty, the kgs are sanitised and refilled. Completely circular. The Udder way even won best packaging at the Unpackit Awards. (Worst packaging, unsurprisingly, went to those horrible plastic cans - you will never find these at kgs)
3. We've also tried to stock the shop with things that genuinely help people cut down on single-use plastic at home, not just "eco" products for the sake of it.
Our selection of local and imported pottery is made to be used every day — mugs, bowls, and plates that are built to last years, not months. Every timeless, quality piece you choose over the latest trend is one less thing eventually thrown away.
Our enamel mugs, plates and bowls from our friends Salty Dunes are a favourite for exactly this reason: durable, doesn't leach anything into your drink, and built to survive years of daily use rather than being replaced every season. Perfect not only in your camping kit but as a tough everyday choice - they're a genuinely easy swap if you're trying to cut down on disposable cups on your way to work or on the road.
We don't think anyone needs to overhaul their whole life overnight to make a difference. Bringing your own cup or sitting for five to drink your coffee if yo forget, choosing one reusable mug instead of buying a new disposable one every visit, or picking up a piece of pottery that'll outlast a dozen throwaway alternatives — these small swaps genuinely add up, especially across a whole community.
Next time you're in, please ask us about these products or any suggestions we have to help you make small swaps at home — we're always happy to chat about where things come from and why we chose them.
