Kildare's only zero waste shop hosting workshops to help reduce plastic use
Kildare’s zero waste shop refillz has been hosting workshops all over Kildare to help households reduce or eliminate plastic use.
Kildare zero waste shop refillz is helping residents take practical steps towards reducing plastic waste through a series of free workshops taking place in libraries across the county.
refillz, is owned by husband and wife duo Sinéad and Martin, which has stores in Naas and Portarlington has been hosting workshops throughout July in partnership with Kildare Libraries, showing people how small everyday changes can significantly reduce plastic consumption.
Three workshops have already taken place in Celbridge, Kildare Town and Naas, with the remaining sessions scheduled for Athy library Thursday evening and Leixlip library next Tuesday evening.
The workshops guide attendees through simple swaps that help reduce single use plastics, from switching to reusable coffee cups and water bottles to buying clothes second hand, upcycling old items and shopping package free.
Owner Sinéad said the aim is to show people that living more sustainably doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated.
“We’re showing people how they can start their plastic-free journey and reduce the amount of stuff their consuming,” she said.
As part of the sessions, attendees are also shown how to make their own household products, including laundry liquid and all purpose cleaning spray.
“We’re just showing how simple it is and that it’s very cheap, so you’re not spending a lot of money on buying these products,” she said.
The workshops also introduce people to the concept of shopping in bulk, allowing customers to refill their own containers instead of purchasing products in single use plastic packaging.
At refillz, customers can bring reusable containers to purchase whole foods, cleaning supplies and other eco-friendly products without generating additional waste.
Sinead said one of the most best aspects of the workshops has been adapting each session to suit those attending.
While some participants are only beginning to start their waste reduction journey, others are well along their sustainability journey.
“Some people have already started their journey, so we just have an open discussion and tailor it to what they’re interested in. Others are only starting off and want to know what the first thing they can do is.”
One of the simplest recommendations she gives is switching to a reusable coffee cup.
“If you have two cups of coffee a day, that’s over 700 cups that you’re throwing into landfill every year,” Sinead said.
She also highlighted the circular economy used in the shop’s refill system, where larger containers are returned to suppliers, cleaned, refilled and sent back for reuse.
“We say to people, swap out your washing up liquid because when you refill your bottle with us, the container we refill from goes back to the supplier, they refill it and send it back to us. It’s the full circular economy in action.”
Sinead believes more people are becoming interested in reducing waste, particularly during the summer months when visitors discover the shop while exploring Naas.
“We’re seeing more people come in asking what it’s all about and a lot of those people become customers throughout the year,” she said.
Sinead and John both hope the workshops encourage people to realise that even small changes can make a big difference.
“People often think, ‘it’s only me,’ but it’s the power of many. If every person made one little change over time, it accumulates and makes a huge difference.”
Going forward, Sinead would like to see greater support for reusable coffee cup schemes across Ireland, allowing customers to borrow and return cups at participating cafes nationwide.
“I think there’d be a huge impact if that could be rolled out by the government,” she said.
The final two workshops in the series will take place tonight, Thursday 16 July, and next Tuesday, 21 July in Leixlip library, offering more people the opportunity to pick up practical tips on reducing plastic waste and living more sustainably.
You can learn more about refillz here.