Garden gold: how to give common household waste new life as back yard essentials
From egg cartons to hard rubbish, everyday consumables can be repurposed into valuable gardening resources
by Connie Cao, Fri 10 Apr 2026
Excerpt: "Teresa Day, masterclass coordinator at #SustainableGardeningAustralia, says we need to stop using the word 'waste' and start using the word 'material'. She suggests reframing the idea of waste and considering: 'What am I going to do with this material, what can it be used for next?'
"The benefits of #repurposing or #rehoming materials extends further than just reducing landfill. Longtime gardener Olwyn Smiley runs a #permaculture garden consultation business and has found plenty of gems both kerbside and in local #BuyNothing groups.
"As Day’s late grandmother used to say, 'waste isn’t waste until you waste it'. There are numerous ways to turn common household waste into valuable resources for the garden."
Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/11/household-waste-new-life
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/J1L0u
#SolarPunkSunday #ZeroWaste #Reuse #Gardening #Upcycling #ReuseRestoreRepair