Looped Festival, a Circular Economy Event in Sydney.

ByMylene

By Anna Jane Linke and Mylene Turban

November 2020

Australia’s first-ever circular economy festival, Looped Festival, hit the
shores of Little Bay, Sydney at the Prince Henry Centre, on Sunday, 29th November 2020.
Clare Press, founder of The Wardrobe Crisis, hosted the festival and facilitated robust discussions on using the circular economy to shift our take, make, discard lifestyle to a regenerative one. OzHarvest chef, Mark Hamilton, led an inspiring zero-waste cooking workshop showing attendees how to use discarded leftovers to cook delicious meals.

“We can all be part of the shift towards a circular economy, it’s not just down to brands and governments. It’s about how you take care of your stuff, you can share it, care more about it, you can repair it and just generally extend it’s life and then you’re really participating in the
change” says Clare Press, founder of The Wardrobe Crisis.

The circular economy is about designing products with their disposal in mind, keeping products in use for longer, and regenerating the systems we depend on to make these products.
Basically, keeping all products in a closed-looped system where nothing is wasted.

Looped Festival successfully connected over 209 Sydney-siders with 11 growing circular brands who shared their knowledge and passion for the circular economy and a cleaner planet. Circular brands included Huskee Cup, Sustainable Salons, Farm Wall and Ekoluv just to name a few.
These brands are not only reshaping the way we shop for plastic, textile and organic products, but what happens to them at their end of life.

Participants were also treated to live waste workshops hosted by OzHarvest, Parva Little Things and Pocket City Farms.

“At OzHarvest we always say if you haven’t got it what else can you substitute in? It’s all about trying to educate people to that way of thinking. With Looped Festival it’s not just about food, it’s about everything, from clothing to plastics. Anything that is teaching people to reuse things and
not put them into the ground to pollute the planet is a good thing. I think the festival has opened peoples eyes to what they can do and hopefully they’ll go home with that message and put it into practice.” Says Mark Hamilton, chef at OzHarvest.

The Festival kept attendees on their toes with live music and slam poetry, a Trash’d Art exhibition by Plastic Free Beaches, a micro-recycling factory demonstration by Defy Design, a fully stocked thrift shop and free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

Looped was hosted by Seaside Scavenge, a Sydney based not-for-profit organisation, typically known for their fun, inspiring community clean ups and unique concept of turning litter into currency around the nation. The event was supported by Federal Member for Kingsford Smith, the Hon. Matt Thistlethwaite and by Randwick City Council.

“If we are to truly transition to a circular economy, we need everyone along for the journey. Looped Festival embodies fun and positive approach which breaks down the traditional stereotypes to invite everyone and anyone to become responsible consumers and be part of the circular solution!” says Anna Jane Linke, founder of Seaside Scavenge.

Overcoming the impacts of COVID-19 to hold a large event in 2020, Looped Festival was the first of its kind in Australia, but it won’t be the last. The Seaside Scavenge team have their sights set on Looped Festival 2021.

To find out more about Looped festival visit – https://www.seasidescavenge.org/about-looped

ABOUT SEASIDE SCAVENGE

Since 2015 Seaside Scavenge has been on a mission to empower unaware communities and businesses to reimagine rubbish as a resource through hosting fun and unique programs that ultimately cleanup the ocean.

Website: https://www.seasidescavenge.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seasidescavenge/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seasidescavenge/
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/18097894
Looped Event Link: https://www.seasidescavenge.org/about-looped

Responsible Runners Lead, Behind the Scene Assistant, Monday Garden Volunteer

I joined Transition Bondi in November 2019. I started volunteering in the kitchen to prepare the dinner for the monthly film and feast. I quickly wanted to be more involved in the behind the scene activities and connect with the members of the steering group. I progressively dived into the administrative and operational details of the group to define and maintain a simple communication process (drive, minutes, deadline) and assist new volunteers with our tools. I also have been part of the film and speaker selection team, the seed library project at the garden and I am now leading the local Responsible Runners group (event organisation and reporting). I also go to the community garden every Monday morning. Aside from this, I am a French passionate, energetic and dedicated engineer who works in renewable energy and water treatment.

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