Spotlight : Kathleen Hannah
This month, we are shining the spotlight on one of our Program Managers, Kathleen Hannah. Kathleen is dedicated, passionate and motivated. I am constantly inspired by her high quality work and her positive impact on the community.
Kathleen has been with OzGREEN for 3 years and wears many hats! She is the Program Manager for Resilient Communities, MyHive, CampMe and Rethink Waste - four of our newer programs that all work towards our mission of creating sustainable communities.
Kathleen is an inspiring woman to say the least! She is very passionate about reducing waste on this planet. We loved getting to know more about the woman behind the work - we hope you do too.
What is your role at OzGREEN?
I am one of the Program Managers at OzGREEN working across a range of projects focussing on youth opportunity, wellbeing and building sustainable communities. Working in this incredibly flexible role, for a very supportive organisation and being super passionate about waste has seen me design one of OzGREEN’s newest Programs : Rethink Waste. With ACTION at the heart, this program is delivered at events, supporting event managers to rethink their waste management systems, to role model effective waste streams and to educate event patrons about recycling, composting and items destined for landfill.
Rethink Waste has successfully diverted hundreds of litres of waste from landfill, instead recycling and composting these items keeping them in the loop. Thousands of simple, yet highly effective interactions with patrons at event bins stations have clarified and cleared up confusion around waste items. And let’s face it - there is a lot of conflicting information out there… who doesn’t need help when it comes to which bin to use!
Empowered with this knowledge, the people attending these events are then able to implement waste changes within their homes and workplaces creating a ripple effect of change, ultimately leading to less landfill generated and a greater awareness of finite resources. What’s not to love about that!
What do you love most about your role?
ACTION - supporting people to make change - the big and the small. I love that this is my job!
The Rethink Waste community is growing but we can do more - reach more people, divert more from landfill, inspire more change… but we can only do it with the help of our incredible volunteers. Working with Rethink is an amazing opportunity to reach an audience that often doesn’t engage in environmental education - everyone needs to go to the bin, right? It is a great way to develop confidence and communication skills and is suited to all ages. If you or someone you know is passionate about waste, wants to join a growing movement, or be part of positive change, I encourage you to get in touch. We are supporting the Made with Love Markets Coffs Harbour this Sunday, 3rd March, will be at the Dream on Festival Yarrawarra on Sunday, 21st April and at the Bellingen Show on the 4th and 5th May and are looking for volunteers to support these events. Register on our rethink page or on our events page.
What are you working on in terms of your personal sustainability at the moment, or what’s something you are proud of from your sustainability journey?
The past couple of years I have been developing a garden with a friend. It's a huge plot, with so much potential. We grow loads of delicious, fresh produce which inspires all sorts of tasty meals. But with all the growth comes the weeds…. sometimes the plot can feel overwhelming, especially in summer. Experiencing feelings of overwhelm while doing an activity that I love has been challenging for me. I have had to learn to step back, focus on small achievable steps, while working towards a much bigger goal.
The garden also represents a different type of sustainability - personal sustainability. The connection to nature, the joy of watching seedlings grow, the quiet, the mountain views and the time to dream. The relationship and connection I experience, working and chatting alongside a dear friend, sustains me and helps balance the more intense times of the week. By taking time to pursue activities that are important to me both mentally and environmentally I am able to be more present, productive and effective in other activities I do at home and at OzGREEN.
