Blue Mountains News

Held on Saturday 4 May at the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub, the awards shone a light on Blue Mountains locals doing big and small things that make a difference and inspire others.

The awards were presented by Blue Mountains Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill, Susan Templeman, Member for Macquarie and Trish Doyle, Member for the Blue Mountains.

“In a world that often feels gloomy and like global problems are unsurmountable, it’s a special thing to spend time celebrating the people working tirelessly and selflessly to prove that wrong,” Cr Greenhill said.

“I love the name ‘Binfluencer’, it breaks the mould of what we’ve come to understand influencing to be in modern times. The Binfluencers I met on the weekend aren’t airbrushing themselves for likes and vanity, they’re putting in their heart and soul to make the world a bit better and brighter and inspire others to do the same.

“There was a real buzz in the air and a lot of emotion for those who were recognised. They don’t do it to be recognised, and they were blown away by being nominated and having their story told.

“Small actions keep the world turning and the Binfluencer Awards really highlighted that. There was no better way to spend a Saturday morning,” Cr Greenhill concluded.

The Binfluencer Award categories were:

• AVOID: celebrating Binfluencers who are combatting unnecessary consumption, disposable goods or single use materials.
• REUSE: celebrating Binfluencers who are reusing items, whether for its original purpose or to fulfil a different function.
• RECYCLE: celebrating Binfluencers who are recycling material by breaking it down and repurposing it into something else.

Awards were presented to 11 recipients, including one overall winner, seven category winners, and three outstanding contributions.

OVERALL WINNER: Roasting with Altitude – for being an exemplar of sustainable and net zero waste practices. The Blackheath coffee cart and garden is actively Binfluencing in all three categories, bringing people together to care for the community and our planet.

CATEGORY WINNERS:

• Kindlehill Senior High School (AVOID School age - up to age 18 years old - individual or group) for theirKatoomba Street Sends Plastic Packing! campaign.
• Blue Mountains Parents for Climate (AVOID Over - 18 years old - individual or group or business) for their quarterly Blue Mountains Childrens’ Toy and Clothes Swaps.
• Blaxland East Public School Green Warriors (REUSE School age - up to age 18 years old - individual or group) for turning food scraps at school into rich compost for the school garden.
• Rachel Grimshaw, Pay it Forward – Blue Mountains (REUSE Over 18 years old - individual or group or business). The Pay It Forward Facebook group has successfully supported the Blue Mountains community to rehome thousands of unwanted items and save them from landfill.
• Ismae and Eva Bernard (RECYCLE School age - up to age 18 years old - individual or group) for collecting bottles and cans for the Return & Earn and donating the money to charities as well as saving for a holiday.
• Elijah Lonsdale (RECYCLE School age - up to age 18 years old - individual or group) for his community recycling project that is turning cans and bottles into books.
• Nicole Riley, All Events Marketing and Festivals (RECYLE Over 18 years old - individual or group or business) for establishing a recycling system, including a paid staff position, to reduce the waste generated at the monthly Magpie Upstyle Markets at Lawson Public School.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS:

• Belinda Coates (AVOID Over 18 years old - individual or group or business) for her decades of avoiding soft plastics.
• Thumbs Up Renovations (REUSE Over 18 years old - individual or group or business) for rehoming usable second-hand kitchens and building materials by carefully dismantling them and giving them away.
• Cheryl Griswold (RECYLE Over 18 years old - individual or group or business) for the many creative and effective sustainability and waste initiatives she has introduced at Lawson Public School.