GREEN TEAM MANUAL
Welcome A big thank you to each of you for volunteering at Oxfam Trailwalker. As part of our efforts to make Oxfam Trailwalker a sustainable event we place a large focus on waste management. As you can imagine an event of this size generates a huge amount of waste. We ask all participants, support crews, volunteers and staff to assist us with reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill and increase the sustainability of the event. We appreciate everyone s contribution in helping us reach our goals and are well aware that we can t do it without you. In 2010 we achieved amazing improvements in our recycling results, mostly due to the outstanding work of the Green Team volunteers. They were very successful in reducing the amount of contamination in the recycling bins which resulted in more recyclables going to recycling than ever before. Introduction This diagram shows the waste minimization hierarchy. In this hierarchy, the most effective approaches to managing waste are at the top. Reduce means using less in the first place Reuse means using the same item more than once in its original form, or finding alternative uses for items no longer needed for their original use. Recycle means reprocessing used products into either the same product or a different one. Recycling can also include composting, a form of reprocessing organic waste materials into a product (compost) that can be used in a variety of ways. We intend to implement a waste management plan throughout the course of Oxfam Trailwalker that reflects these principles. We will also monitor our performance and review the waste management plan at the end of the event. Green Team Manual Page 2
Checkpoint Operations Support volunteers Checkpoint Operations Support volunteers inform walkers and their support crews about recycling at the event, assist walkers with managing their waste correctly and contribute to making Oxfam Trailwalker a more environmentally sustainable event. Volunteers should report to the Checkpoint Coordinator or Assistant Checkpoint Coordinator if there are any questions. If the Checkpoint Coordinator cannot answer your question, you can call the Logistics Coordinator at the Event Control Centre. Once again a huge thank you and we hope you will have fun being part of the buzz of such a big event. Key GREEN tasks of a Checkpoint Operations Support volunteer Manage the designated waste station and encourage support crews and participants to use the bins and place waste in the correct bin. This may involve helping someone to sort their rubbish. We will provide you with gloves, apron, bucket and hand sanitizer. Answer any questions about the correct disposal of waste. Remove recyclables from the general waste bin and dispose of correctly. Inform those placing food containers in the recycling bins that they need to be rinsed and free from food scraps. This includes the containers for catered volunteer meals. If any food scraps are put into the recycling bin the bin will be regarded as contaminated by the waste contractors and will go to landfill. Ensure that no plastic bags or cling wrap are put into the recycling bins. Ensure waste management related signage and information is prominent and clear. Don t use bin liners in any of the wheelie bins. The provided bin liners must only be used in the First Aid and Body Tune bins. Rotate wheelie bins as necessary. When a bin is ¾ full, get assistance from the other volunteers if necessary (i.e. Assistant Checkpoint Coordinator or Checkpoint Support) to remove the bin from the waste station to a back of house location, always leaving one volunteer at the waste station at all times. Seal compost bins correctly. When the bin is full, seal the lid and put it at the back of your waste station. Please call the Logistics Coordinator at the Event Control Centre and tell them what time it became full. (That way we ll know whether we need an extra bin next year.) These compost bins will be taken back to the Event Control Centre with the other Checkpoint equipment. They will not be collected with the other waste bins. The truck drivers should have straps/ropes to secure these bins in the trucks. Ring or radio the Logistics co-ordinator at the Event Control Centre if all the bins provided become close to full. Bring your own coffee cup, water bottle and cutlery to the event, and remind other volunteers to use their own or label one cup and use that throughout their shift. Green Team Manual Page 3
Checklist Below is a checklist of things for Checkpoint Operations Support volunteers to do during their shift. Shift Task Tick Opening Opening Opening Closing Set up bins at the checkpoint Fold/assemble bin caps and attach any signs to bin caps and compost bin Fill up a bucket of water to use as rinsing if needed Rotate the wheelie bins as necessary. Keep the full bins back of house so that support crews and participants don t have access to them (see site plan). Ensure that the wash station is neat and in good order Collect any cups that have been left by support crews and ensure they are washed Ensure that the checkpoint and bins are clean and tidy at all times Encourage the correct use of bins among other volunteers, participants and support crews Retrieve incorrectly placed items from recycling and compost bins Monitor power/gas usage. Ensure light towers are turned on at dusk and turned off at dawn. That heaters are not on during the day, gas bottles generally only last 8 hours and there is one allocated for each night of use. Create a cardboard collection location in or near the waste station so that all cardboard is in one location and not taking up space in the bins. We need to ensure that the cardboard is all flatten and tried together with string at the closing of the checkpoint. Start the clean up while the event is still happening. Ask other volunteers to help you if they are not busy. Ensure that no rubbish is left in bags next to the bins! Ensure that support crews take their rubbish home with them if skips are nearing capacity Move all full (and any empty) recycling and rubbish bins to one area - ensure there is easy access for the contractors to collect them Green Team Manual Page 4
Closing Closing Closing Closing Count bins and ensure they are all accounted for (details of how many you should have are outlined on the next page Remove all bin caps, carefully unfold them so they flatten and wipe them over with supplied cloth. Ensure they are returned to the Event Control Centre with the rest of the Oxfam equipment on the Oxfam Trailwalker Truck. Collect any cardboard and flatten it. Ensure it is tied together in a bundle and left beside the recycling bins for the contractors to collect Secure the lid on the compost bins and put with equipment to be returned to the Event Control Centre Green Team Manual Page 5
Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne Waste Station plan To achieve our goals we will create one waste station at each checkpoint, consisting of a general waste bin, a recycling bin (for paper, cardboard, glass, cans and plastic), and a smaller round compost bin. Our strategy is to locate the waste station as close as possible to where waste will be generated so that people don t have too far to go to the bins and don t leave rubbish on tables or the ground, generally near the food and beverage area. While in use the bins must be in front of the waste station, so that you can watch what is going in. When a bin is ¾ full it is the Checkpoint Operations Support volunteers responsibility to remove it from the waste station and replace it with an empty bin. Keep all empty wheelie bins in an area back of house that participants and support crews cannot access them easily (so we do not end up with contaminated bins). Bins Various councils and contractors support the event by providing general waste and recycling bins required at all sites. This includes the drop-off and pick-up of bins and disposal of waste and recycling. No bins are to be lined with garbage bags. Bin Caps Bin Caps will be in use at all checkpoints. Bin caps increase the visibility of the bins to participants and make waste segregation easier. They also minimise contamination in the bins. Two types of bin caps will be provided, RED to identify general rubbish bins and YELLOW to identify recycling bins. Bin caps will be delivered with the Oxfam stores when the site is stocked. Please wipe these caps down when the checkpoint closes. Bin Cap for General Waste Bin Green Team Manual Page 6
Compost Signs To make waste segregation easier for the participants, a laminated compost sign needs to be put on the front of the compost bin. The lid of the compost bin should be left off, and the Checkpoint Operations Support volunteers must watch this bin like hawks! We can t let non-compostables go in here as the waste is going to local veggie patches and to be used during composting workshops. Wash Stations To reduce the amount of waste produced in the form of paper cups Oxfam Trailwalker has removed them from the event. All teams are asked to bring their own cups to the event and wash them at the provided wash stations. These are tables with wash basins and sponges. It is important to ensure that this area is neat and tidy in order for this process to remain efficient. Cardboard Collection Cardboard can be collected separately to the bins. Create a cardboard collection location in or near the waste station so that all cardboard is in one location and not taking up space in the bins. We need to ensure that the cardboard is all flatten and tried together with string at the closing of the Checkpoint. Back of House Waste We actively encourage stallholders to reduce their waste by disposing of their rubbish responsibly. To help them achieve this please ensure each stallholder / vendor has a general waste and recycling bin allocated to them. Ensure that these bins are located back of house and not accessible by participants and support crews. Battery Recycling Each station will also include a battery recycling box. All used batteries that no longer work must be placed in these boxes, not in the general waste. At the end of the event, seal the box and clearly label used batteries. This box will go back to the Event Control Centre on the truck with the compost bin and other Oxfam equipment. Green Team Manual Page 7
What we provide you with Shelter either as part of the food & beverage marquee or inside hard structure. Bins are to be displayed at the front of the waste station and you can sit or stand behind the bins, under the shelter. Apron to be worn during your shift to protect your clothes (unfortunately this is not to keep) Gloves Hand Sanitizer gel Buckets for rinsing containers (Fill with warm water from urn so you don t get cold hands) Tables for wash stations Washing up tubs for cleaning cups Sponges for cleaning cups General waste wheelie bins Recycling wheelie bins 1 or 2 compost bins (75L green bins) Cloth to wipe down table/bench/bin caps Chairs Green Team Manual A whole lot of love and respect from the Operations Coordinator at Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne! Thanks for helping us achieve a green event! Green Team Manual Page 8
RECYCLE IT! The following items should go in the recycling bins: Paper cups, including GU cups Carmen s muesli bar wrappers Milk and Juice Containers Plastic Codes 1 to 6 Glass Paper and Cardboard Foil containers Aluminium and Steel Cans Remember the Recycling bins must not contain food scraps. Please empty / scrape all food from recyclables! BIN IT! The following items should go in the general waste bins: Medical waste (bandaids, bandages, strapping) Oxfam chocolate wrappers, lolly wrappers, chip packets Waxed Cardboard & paper Plastic Bags Cling Wrap Aluminium Foil Paper with food remains Polystyrene GU Gels Cable ties Drink straws If you aren t sure, BIN IT. COMPOST IT! The following items should go in the compost bins: Fruit and vegetable scraps Tea bags and coffee grounds & filters Egg and dairy products Table scraps & plate scraping Wooden cutlery, including stirrers for tea and coffee Bread, dough, pasta grains, rice All paper bowls and plates Tissues, paper towel and serviettes Composting is the best way to treat organic waste! Green Team Manual Page 9