STREAT NEWS
Crepe Expectations: Serving up Sustainability
“In my point of view, my perspective, it really works. It didn’t change much to my workflow.”
Meet Sebastian, the man behind Kiki’s Crepes at the Queen Victoria Market. As one of the vendors at the market, he was quick to uptake the STREAT-led Reuse Pilot. He says that the pilot might actually make his work easier. Compared to his previous paper plates, the sturdy reusable plates give his product a more premium feel. They also allow for easier carrying around the market, a hard surface to cut the crepes on and the feeling that he is a part of change.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The pilot has given him a real insight into the work that continues to be required to make a project like this permanent.
He says there needs to be “lots of education, [we] need to guide people. That is the main challenge to really make them use the system you put in place.” In saying this, he speaks to the larger issue at hand: that recycling is simply not the norm here.
“I think sometimes [Australia is] 10-15 years behind France” his birthplace, when it comes to recycling.
But the market is individual in its position as one of the most visited tourist destinations in Melbourne. Some 10 million annual domestic and international tourists visit the market often don’t think of the environmental impact of their food consumption here, creating a unique challenge. How to do you educate and communicate to people of all backgrounds, from all over the world, the mission and importance of reducing or eliminating single use items?
This pilot seeks to delve into these questions, and our vendors are some of the best resources we have in understanding the market.
Sebastian estimates that “97% people [are] coming [to the market] just once” meaning they underestimate the scale of this pilot. But for vendors like him, it’s game-changing.
Since its launch 19 days ago, over 10,000 single-use items have been prevented from entering landfill. A number to celebrate, but it’s just the beginning.
The Reuse Pilot is a part of the new Queen Victoria Market Circular Economy Precinct. Led by STREAT in collaboration with B-Alternative and supported by the City of Melbourne.