Eliminate Single Use

Single use items may be used for only minutes, but the impact on our environment can last thousands of years.

Recycling plays an important role in managing our waste, however just nine percent of plastics ever made have been recycled. The vast majority of disposable, single-use items – straws, cutlery, shopping bags, coffee cups, takeaway packaging, individual wrappers – end up in landfill or contaminating recycling streams. We need to refocus on reduction and avoidance.

Members of the CitySwitch, Better Buildings Partnership and Sustainable Destination Partnership, are working to reduce single use items in their businesses and buildings. The pledge is voluntary, we’ll be demonstrating that Sydney businesses are committed to addressing the problem and working together to find solutions. We will be sharing resources and tips as well as celebrating success stories as this gains momentum.

TAKE THE PLEDE

We've also developed a number of factsheets and video case studies to help eliminate single use plastics from your office.

Key elements

Know your waste streams

This factsheet helps you to match your choice of single use items with the waste streams available to your customers.

Eliminate sinlge use plastic cultery

This factsheet provides alternatives to single use plastic cultery.

Eliminate single use hospitality consumables

This factsheet provides you ways to eliminate single use hospitality and event consumables.

Eliminate single use plastic bags

This factsheet provides all the alternatives to help eliminate plastic bags.

Eliminate single use plastic cups

This factsheet will help eliminate single use plastic cups from your office.

Eliminate single use plastic straws

This factsheet will give you all the resuable and recoverable alternatives to sinlge use plastic straws.

Eliminate single use takeaway coffee cups

This factsheet can give you the alternative options so that you can eliminate single use coffee cups from your business.

Eliminate single use takeaway containers

This factsheet can give you the alternative options so that you can eliminate single use takeaway containers from your business.

Search resources

Join CitySwitch
today. Contact your local
Program Manager
for ongoing support

CitySwitch Signatory of the Year and New Signatory Awards - category judging criteria

Delivering outcomes as demonstrated by an improved or maintained current NABERS Energy rating and achieved energy savings* (up to 28 points)
Implementing one or more energy saving initiatives (up to 10 points)
Demonstrating leadership by undertaking innovative, creative or progressive office energy efficiency activities (up to 10 points)
Engagement of staff/ customers/suppliers and/or stakeholders to educate and create market transformation (up to 10 points)
Participation in CitySwitch local program activities (up to 10 points).

Note, new Signatories submitting for New Signatory of the Year Award need only complete an indicative rating – all other submissions must be accredited.

CitySwitch Partnership of the Year Award - category judging criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Submitted projects should:

Involve more than one registered company
Demonstrate that they are innovative and over and above “business as usual”
Demonstrate that they catalyse “market transformation” and or “address a market barrier”
Deliver a reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions within the built environment

Judging Criteria

Delivering outcomes as demonstrated by an improved or maintained current NABERS Energy rating and achieved energy savings* (up to 14 points)
Implementing one or more energy saving initiatives (up to 10 points)
Demonstrating leadership by undertaking innovative, creative or progressive office energy efficiency activities (up to 17 points)
Engagement of staff/ customers/suppliers and/or stakeholders to educate and create market transformation (up to 17 points)
Participation in CitySwitch local program activities (up to 10 points)
The submitting entity MUST be a CitySwitch Signatory

Note, Signatories submitting for the Partnership of the Year Award may submit an accredited NABERS tenancy, whole building or base building rating.

Eliminate Single Use