Blue Mountains Food Co-op

Justin Morrissey is the weekend warrior behind Toolo, Katoomba’s tool library. He took time out to talk tools with the Co-op.

Co-op: Briefly, what is Toolo and how long has it been operating?

Justin: Toolo, is the Blue Mountains Tool Library, an artist run, not-for-profit, volunteer managed group that coordinates a resource hub of shared things for members to borrow.

Co-op: What prompted you to start a tool library?

Justin: I’d seen many similar successful projects overseas that weren’t supported by government, just run by people for people, and it seemed to just make sense to have one in the Blue Mountains.

Co-op: Who are your members and how can people join?

Justin: Members pay a small fee of about less than $2 per week, to borrow items from the library, they can join online or in person at the library, sign a form, present some ID, and then they can borrow to their hearts content.

Co-op: What projects has Toolo initiated since its inception?

Justin: We’ve had all manner of activities, like casting and modelling workshops, digital making and 3D printing demonstrations, an artist in residence program, and the Katoomba Falls Kiosk pop up art space for 9 months. Pretty good going for a library just turning two years old in July.

Co-op: What are your plans for the future of Toolo?

Justin: Toolo needs to have about 300 members to maintain viability, to pay the rent, insurance, and test and tag electrical equipment. Once we have 300 members we are a viable entity that can remain sustainable for future generations.

We plan to continue to educate the wider community about sustainability in the creative industries about innovation and entrepreneurship for creatives. The tool library offers an incredible shift in economies and we hope we can encourage people to join so that we may also be able to employ staff locally to run the programs and become tool librarians.

Click here to join Toolo online or pop into the library at 8 Froma Lane, Katoomba.

Opening hours: 3 – 6pm Thursdays and 9am -1 pm Saturdays.

Repair Cafe for Katoomba

Blue Mountains Food Co-op is joining forces with Toolo to start a Repair Cafe – a monthly pop up where the local community can learn how to fix, mend, restore and reuse broken and worse for wear household items. There are currently 1,500 Repair Cafes worldwide  keeping tonnes of ‘hard rubbish’ out of landfill and ensuring valuable skills are passed on.

If you have repair skills you would like to share please contact the Co-op or Toolo at hello@bmfoodcoop.org.au or toolo.blue@gmail.com

Image: Flickr (Bo Eide)

Want to really reduce your plastic use?

Prompted by our focus on Plastic Free July this year, Co-op Research Group member Craig Linn has prepared two in-depth papers on plastic to help you understand the environmental and health risks posed by plastic, and how you can reduce the plastic in your life.

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ABC TV’s recent Four Corners program ‘Trashed’ revealed that vast amounts of the glass collected for recycling in Australia is actually being stockpiled in warehouses or going into landfill.

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Our focus on Plastic Free July this year was a great success: prompting much discussion about the environmental damage caused by ever-increasing quantities of plastic waste, and the ways that we can all reduce plastic use, by being conscious of it and beginning to change our habits.

Shirley Lewis aka ‘The Bag Lady’ draws the Great BYO Bags and Containers Challenge winner.

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Trish Doyle MP officially launched Boomerangs Blue Mountains at the Co-op on Saturday 2nd September. Boomerang Bags are now available at the shop to borrow and bring back, and Co-op members can earn volunteer points for sewing bags until the end of September. (more…)

St Canice’s Primary School in Katoomba has started its own war on waste this year. Stage 3 students Marley Harrison, Bodhi Miller, Sam Kennedy and Leo Curry tell the story of their Save Our Seas project.

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Boomerang Bags Blue Mountains have got off to a flying start with working/sewing bees in Katoomba, Springwood and Hazelbrook over the last month. This fabulous community initiative aims to reduce plastic bag use by creating a stock of fabric bags that can be borrowed and returned to bag stations across the Blue Mountains.

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Did you know that our green waste is trucked out west of the mountains to be processed?

We asked Blue Mountains City Council (BMCC) to explain the process and rationale for our green waste processing, and Co-op member and internationally renowned permaculture guru Rowe Morrow to share her thoughts about the approach and its long term impact.

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New Australian made, cruelty- and aluminium-free deodorants!

Fair trade brush ware and Elephant dung paper goods.

Co-op tea towels

We have two tea towel designs, great gifts for lovers of the Co-op!

 

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By MAEVE DUNNET

I’ve always been passionate about recycling: it feels awful to throw away so much stuff. When I was little we had a tip in the back paddock where all the tins and bottles went (there was no plastic then). All the fruit and veggie scraps went to the compost heap for the veggie garden.

I’ve always dreamed of living in a place where everything was used or found a new life as something else: a place where rubbish was not rubbish – like weeds in permaculture, just plants out of place. Of course I put my recycling out but it’s awful that there’s so much plastic that can’t be recycled.

At the Co-op so many things come in plastic, which in turn is collected by our friendly garbage truck and sent to the tip: garbage bins full of it every week.

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