Saving the environment together
Reverse Garbage is a creative reuse centre making a difference in the world by reducing waste and creating change in the way we look at resources.
Our Mission
Every time a product is thrown away, all the materials and energy that went into its initial production go to waste. Their value is wiped out. Forever.
At Reverse Garbage, our role is to save materials from going to waste in landfill and to renew their value by making them available for reuse by families, students, artists and community groups.
It’s one of the most effective ways we can reduce our impact on the natural environment. And it allows us to be more thrifty, more independent, more creative and more responsible in how we live our lives.
How we do it
Every year, we accept donations from businesses and individuals of around 35,000 cubic metres of items that would otherwise end up in landfill. That’s around 100 football fields’ worth of industrial off-cuts, over-runs, art and craft materials, stage props, knick-knacks, furniture and other odds and ends.
- We make those materials available to the public at low cost through our Marrickville warehouse and our online shop.
- We hold workshops that give community members the skills and inspiration they need to make the most of the resources they find at Reverse Garbage.
- We manage a program of educational workshops suitable for little kids and school across a range of ages, abilities and needs.
And we proudly provide support to other community, creative and educational groups in the form of donated materials, service-in-kind, mutual benefit projects and small financial sponsorships.
A registered Not-for-profit
Since 1975, Reverse Garbage has been protecting the planet from needless waste and enriching the community with a can-do creative spirit. The funds we raise in our shop help offset the cost of teaching creative reuse to kids, adults and community groups.
Your support, through membership, volunteering and donations, makes a big difference.
Make a donation
Become a volunteer
Lend us a hand!
No matter what your experience or skill level, there’s a role for you at Reverse Garbage. We regularly need help with:
- stocking and organising the warehouse
- helping customers in the warehouse, including sales
- supporting our educators prepare and run kids’ workshops
- supporting our educators and artists at community events and workshops
- administrative tasks such as answering questions and taking bookings over the phone
- photography and video of stock, people and events.
In short, we’d love to have your help! Register below, email or call 02 9569 3132.
We can organise team-building volunteering days for your workplace, too. Read more about our corporate volunteers program.
