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SHAREWASTE INTERVIEWS FOOD IS FREE Inc..

10/30/2018

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We were thrilled to be interviewed by the wonderful crew who set up and run ShareWaste, an incredible website and app which connects those who want to compost but can't to those who allow neighbours to come to their homes to donate their scraps. Simple, clever and waste wise. Tome & Eli of ShareWaste we salute you!

You can read our interview with Eli from ShareWaste here : 

https://blog.sharewaste.com/foodisfree-will-change-both-you-and-your-community/
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FOOD IS FREE VOLS...THEIR STORY

9/2/2018

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Every so often we will introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers who we owe so much to. This is their story...

PRISCILLA


1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
I’m not sure but I think it’s been over 2 years now.
 
2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
The sense of community shared by everyone. How there’s always someone up for a chat during a Laneway shift. How much I’ve learned since I started gardening. And the fresh produce available! It is too hard to choose one!
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
My late grandmother that used to take me gardening with her. She loved her vegies and flowers.
 
4). What is your favourite food?
I am from Brazil so I would have to say a good BBQ and cheese bread (another Brazilian tradition).
 
5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
This was a very hard one. I think a pumpkin because I love them. So delicious!
 
6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
I have my husband here but the rest of my family is back in Brazil. We have one dog – Crunch, and chickens.
 
7). What do you do to relax?
I like planting from seed and nurturing my garden. Travelling is another big passion!
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
Does gardening count? I enjoy reading and I’ve recently started pottery.
 
9). What does community mean to you?
Community means knowing your neighbours and not being locked in your own little box. Hellos and good mornings when you walk the dog. Sharing and caring for one another.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
A more sustainable way of living. Less waste, more recycling!
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FOOD IS FREE VOLS - THEIR STORY....

8/22/2018

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Every so often we will introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers who we owe so much to. This is their story...

​
​HELEN :
1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
7 months or so
 
2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
My family live here, it's close to the Grampians, the sea, and Melbourne. It's a rather convenient place, and also easy to get around quickly. If only the winters were a little sunnier, the grey by September makes going north necessary to thaw.
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
People who achieve their goals in spite of difficulties. Nature, Australian bush.
 
4). What is your favourite food?
Chocolate, what else !
 
5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Jerusalem Artichoke (guffaw)
 
6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
Kids, cats, chaos. Coffee, cookups, crayons. Hopeful garden beds,  heaps of silverbeet, happiest husband if he gets strawberries before the possums. 
 
7). What do you do to relax?
Garden, sing loudly alongside Ella Fitzgerald
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
See above..
 
9). What does community mean to you?
Feeling connected to people in the street walking past even though you don't know each other yet. A sense of belonging.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
Cure mental illness.

Photo of Helen's son Lewis at one of our working bees with fellow vol Karen below....

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Food Is Free Inc. Cinema fundraiser 15 Aug 2018

7/26/2018

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Food Is Free Inc. is holding a cinema screening fundraiser of the amazing film Food Fighter, the story of Oz Harvest CEO & founder Ronni Kahn who is an inspiring eco warrior and waste crusader. Tickets won't be available on the door (pre-sales only), so hurry and get your ticket via https://fan-force.com/screenings/food-fighter-regent-cinemas-ballarat/

Come along and meet the Food Is Free Inc. crew! Speeches on the evening and a screening of the enlightening film will kick off at 7pm on Wed 15 August. A portion of the proceeds will go towards future food security and anti-food wastage projects we are developing to take place at our new Food Is Free Green Space (Western Oval). Please come and support us!

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FOOD IS FREE VOLS - THEIR STORY...

7/19/2018

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​Every so often we will introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers who we owe so much to. This is their story...


This week we feature the Polanske family who are our longest serving volunteers, and they do their Laneway shifts as a family. Ginelle who we start with, is the Mum of the family, who also just happens to be our amazing Food Is Free Inc. Chair!

Ginelle :

1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
Since 2015

​2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
Autumn & Spring walks around the beautiful neighbourhoods and our laneways

3). Who or what inspires you?
The way our community has taken on board the FIF ideas.

4). What is your favourite food?
Meredith’s Goat Cheese

5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Snow peas – delicate, hiding secrets and I love the purple ones!

6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
I live with my husband and 2 kids.

7). What do you do to relax?
Sleep

8). Do you have any hobbies?
Woodwork & photography.

9). What does community mean to you?
Working with others on a common cause that brings us into the same circle to share interests and friendships.

10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
Stop throwing things away that create unnecessary waste and damage to our sea creatures.

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Ella : 

1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
Since Mid 2015 when I was just baby.

2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
Going to the milk bar on Pleasant Street for ice-cream
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
Grandma & Grandpa – they take me to the local parks & playgrounds and Food Is Free.

4). What is your favourite food?
Pizza

5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Tomato (although I know it’s a fruit!)
 
6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
I live with Mum & Dad and my brother Lucas
 
7). What do you do to relax?
Pop on my dressing gown and lie on the couch.
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
Playing with my dolls.
 
9). What does community mean to you?
Being a part of the Laneway with Lou.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
​Put all my rubbish in the bin.
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Lucas : 

1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
​Since 2015 when I was at kindergarten – Fidelity Kinder next to the FIF Green Space.
 
2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
Going to a great local school – Urquhart Park Primary School
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
Brendon Goddard (I do like football!)
 
4). What is your favourite food?
Pizza
 
5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Cucumber (might be a fruit!)
 
6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
I live with Mum and Dad and my sister Ella.
 
7). What do you do to relax?
​Watch football games.
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
Football & Lego.
 
9). What does community mean to you?
Getting together with people and meeting new people.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
Try to make sure everyone is nice to each other.

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July 05th, 2018

7/5/2018

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Every so often we will introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers who we owe so much to. This is their story...

​Karen


1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
 About 6 months
 
2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
 Country lifestyle with city convenience and all the people I have met through sustainable living
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
Peter Cundall, Costa Georgiadis, David Attenborough, David Homgren, and most of the permies I know ….
 
4). What is your favourite food?
Roast lamb & roast veg
 
5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Potato
 
6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
1 person, 1 dog, 4 hens
 
7). What do you do to relax?
Read, garden (veg and insectary plants), drink red wine, visit/dine with friends, go to the movies
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
Yes, I knit, crochet and make quilts. I love attending classes to learn new things and I “collect” techniques such as felting, dyeing and so on that I can incorporate into these activities. Having said that, I dream about it more than I do it. My “mojo” has been conspicuous by its absence of late.

9). What does community mean to you?
Community for me is people who share similar values and have similar goals with regard to sustainability and voluntary simplicity, people who are happy to share their knowledge and skills for a better world, people who make me laugh and know how to enjoy the simple pleasures, people who care about others.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be?
Open the eyes of all the climate change deniers and make them ACT to mitigate the problems, especially the politicians and business leaders who driven chiefly by $ for themselves and not the “greater good”. 
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FOOD IS FREE VOLS...

6/17/2018

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Every so often we will introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers who we owe so much to. This is their story...

Jane 


 1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
Just over a year
 
2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
 It’s a nice change from living in Melbourne. Its slow and quiet .But I really love Food is Free. I am so lucky to of met a handful of wonderful people that are involved with FIF that I can now call my friends. It can be very lonely moving to a new town. You have welcomed me and made me feel so at home. Thank you.
 
3). Who or what inspires you?
 My kids inspire me. Nature inspires me. Daggy I know.

4). What is your favourite food?
 A BBQ with a really nice salad. Pad Thai a close second.

5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
Shrek said it best. “Onions have layers”. That’s me. On the outside I’m quite shy. Once you get to know me I will peel back the layers. I have no filter so am quite blunt which can offend many people. But deep inside I’m very loyal and kind. I have a big heart. My best and worst quality.

6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
Hectic!!!!!!!! Hubby and three kids. All on the spectrum. Kids not the hubby. So it can get quite crazy here most of the time. No one really has it together at the same time which makes things interesting. We have a Jack Russell called Molly Dog,  a cat called Maggie,  a budgie called Rigby, 3 silkies called Rhonda, Patsy and Bindi, and two green tree frogs called Rango and Tango. Its busy but I love them all and would have it no other way.
 
7). What do you do to relax?
At night I watch TV. Usually shows that I can just zone out while watching.
 
8). Do you have any hobbies?
Ceramics is my main hobby but since moving to Ballarat I’m still waiting for my studio to be built. Its been way too long so I do a bit of sewing to keep my hands busy.
 
9). What does community mean to you?
I don’t really know. I guess  the sense of belonging. A place that supports the people who live there.
 
10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity, what would it be? 
​Save the great barrier reef. After living on the reef many years ago and seeing how beautiful how colouful it was to how much it has changed now. Its really sad to see. Its heartbreaking. All those beautiful sea creatures losing their home.
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Food is free vols - their story...

6/6/2018

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Every so often we will introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers who we owe so much to. This is their story...

​Kelly.....

1). How long have you been volunteering with Food Is Free Inc?
I’ve been volunteering with FIF since May 2016.

2). What is your favourite thing about Ballarat?
Ballarat has a way of surprising you. It’s full of creative people and there are
always interesting and progressive initiatives popping up.

3). Who or what inspires you?
My parents, my partner and friends are constantly inspiring me. And the FIF
Laneway keeps me inspired in a range of ways, including my own
gardening/growing, sharing, cooking, and improving my waste management.

4). What is your favourite food?
I love all the food! But my favourite cuisine is Japanese.

5). If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
I’d be a pumpkin for sure!

6). Do you have family, and/or pets? Describe your household.
I live in Soldiers Hill with my rabbit, Olaf (who is my personal composter). My
partner Bren is a carer for his mum and is here when he can.

7). What do you do to relax?
I garden and tend to my ever-growing indoor plant collection while listening to
podcasts. I have a serious podcast and indoor plant addiction!

8). Do you have any hobbies?
I have a range of hobbies. Gardening, gardening/indoor plant blogging
(www.botanikel.wordpress.com), photography, and I have a small business
making planter pots called Brutanik.

9). What does community mean to you?
It’s people coming together from a range of backgrounds, pooling resources to
establish something sustainable.

10). If you could change one thing in the world to help the planet/humanity,
what would it be?

If we could all be more mindful of what we take (time, footprint, money,
products, fast fashion/food) and what we give. (reusing/recycling, growing,
sharing, kindness, money, time). Balancing, evaluating and taking control of the
way we live, and the impact we have on others could make epic changes.

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HAppy World EnvIronment Day!

6/4/2018

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​Here are just a few ideas to inspire you on World Environment Day. Got some suggestions? Please add your own in the comments section, we'd love to hear from you.

  • Where possible use all of the veggie eg stems of broccoli are great in a soup
 
  • BYO reusable cups to cafes
 
  • Invest in a water tank
 
  • Choose food that’s travelled less food miles. Eat seasonally
 
  • Refuse plastic bags at shops/supermarket : take your own cloth bags
 
  • Raise seedlings in toilet roll holders instead of plastic pots
 
  • Use jars to store food instead of plastic
 
  • Grow flowers that bring beneficial insects and bees into your garden
 
  • Refuse straws at your local pub/café/restaurant etc
 
  • Buy bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic
 
  • Collect your water when boiling veggies and use on your garden
 
  • Pick up litter if you see it and bin it
 
  • Purchase some reusable beeswax wraps instead of using cling wrap
 
  • Put another jumper on instead of turning the heater on
 
  • If you hold an event (eg birthday party etc) make it a Waste Free event
 
  • Consider your choices when purchasing fashion : go for more sustainable choices.
 
  • Start at compost or worm farm : if you can’t, take your veg scraps etc to a local waste depot (search on www.sharewaste.com or take to your local community garden)
 
  • Don’t fill your kettle to the very top : only enough water as you need
 
  • Shred your paper and compost it. Or use it for note-taking instead of buying notepads (recycled envelopes with a staple or bulldog clip make terrific note pads!)
 
  • Contact the Government with your environmental views. Write letters to the editor in your local newspaper. Write emails to the producers (food, fashion, other goods) and tell them you don’t like their heavy packaging and use of plastic).
 
  • Shop at op shops
 
  • Visit a repair shop instead of throwing out

  • Buy ugly fruit at the supermarkets
 
  • Purchase goods in bulk with your own containers at Wholefood Collectives etc
 
  • Ditch the car and use PT, walk or a bike
 
  • Start your own community group with an environmental bent
 
  • Volunteer with an environmental action group……
 
  • OR start your own Food Is Free site!
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food is free Interview with trevor chappell on ABc radio broadcast nationally on 23 May 2018

5/23/2018

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food_is_free.mp3
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​If you love the work we're doing and want to help us grow

so that we can help others, please consider volunteering via
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​volunteer@foodisfree.com.au or donating via link below.

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  • Home
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  • In the Media
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  • Contact Us