The Clutha District Council waste management team is touring the region this month to help locals find ways they can reduce their plastic footprint and live more sustainably.
Team leader Scott Martin said the sessions, held at local libraries, would contain facts, figures and practical steps people could take to become plastic-free.
"Promoting a plastic-free philosophy to Clutha residents is a way to encourage protection of local ecosystems, reduces pollution in waterways and land and helps conserve natural resources.
"The sessions are about providing advice on finding alternatives and solutions to plastic packaging, chatting through confusion around recycling and identifying what contamination is and how it prevents items from being recycled correctly.
"People often assume that our recycling ends up in the ‘same hole’ as rubbish. That is not the case. It’s sorted by RecycleSouth."
Events at Owaka and Balclutha had been well received, and interested residents could still attend further events in Lawrence, Tapanui and Milton.
"Becoming plastic-free aligns with broader environmental goals to combat climate change and preserve the planet for future generations. For Clutha, it means fostering a cleaner, healthier community and setting an example for sustainable living."
Consumers had the power to make a difference by buying products that were plastic-free, Mr Martin said.
"By choosing products with minimal or no plastic packaging — like loose fruit and vegetables instead of pre-wrapped options — we can reduce demand for unnecessary plastics at the source.
"Small actions, such as refusing excess packaging, can lead to systemic change. Just as New Zealand successfully phased out plastic bags and made reusable shopping bags normal, our consistent choices can shift industry standards."
Sessions were interactive and attendees were encouraged to share their own ideas and experiences on recycling topics.
The waste team ran several educational programmes and community engagement activities year-round, including the Second-Hand Sunday event in October, and repair workshops.
Plastic-Free July events can be found on July 20 at Lawrence Library at 10am and Tapanui Library at 12.45pm and on July 27 at Milton Library at 10am.
