Whether it’s attending a workshop on how to compost in tiny spaces or popping in on your lunch break for a top up on natural cleaning products, Banish is Sydney’s new sustainable go-to hub. The store, recycling facility and education centre has opened at Central Station as part of ‘The Central Project’ where spaces in the former Adina Apartment Hotel lot have been reserved for ethical endeavours.
While being an eco warrior is a fulfilling lifestyle, it can also be a fussy one. Where am I meant to fit a compost bin in my shoebox apartment? Is shipping my bread tags and other little plastic bits around the world overturning the impact of recycling them? Lottie Dalziel, the captain of the Banish ship and 2023 NSW Young Australian of the Year, has devised solutions to all these problems, at Banish.
Aside from stocking a wonderful range of products to help you live more sustainably, she has conceived a physical form of the popular 'BRAD' recycling program – you can drop off items that are tricky to recycle at Banish and they’ll make sure that they’re processed properly on Australian turf. The best part is that the $10 you would usually pay elsewhere for shipping and processing is reimbursed as a voucher to spend at the Banish store. Win-win.
You can also volunteer to help sort the items that are dropped in to be recycled, before it's sent off to the appropriate places – register here to help out and become a part of the Banish community.
Another way to break into a community of open-minded, green-thumbed urban-goers is registering for one of Banish’s workshops. You can learn everything from making DIY beeswax wraps, pickling, and genius hacks for composting and recycling. You can check out the full range of Banish workshops and their dates here.
While you’re waiting for class to start, you can peruse the shelves of earthy-toned brushes, glass-bottled beauty serums and creams, pastel baby products and fairy garden-esque worm farms.
To learn more about Banish, or shop for sustainable stuff online, click here.