The Glebe Society joined the War on Waste, and focussed on reducing the use of disposable coffee cups in Glebe. Glebe has a great coffee culture, but unfortunately disposable coffee cups are a blight; they cannot be recycled, and if they are thrown in the recycling bin they contaminate the load, which must all be thrown away.

Several articles about plastic pollution, and disposable coffee cups in particular, were published in the Bulletin. The Society then put its money where its mouth is, so to speak, and produced a Glebe Society reusable coffee cup, in two sizes, four colours, and emblazoned with the attractive Glebe Society logo. For sale at just $5 each, they are a bargain, it is hoped they will reduce the use of disposable coffee cups in our area. If you would like to purchase a cup, we will be making them available again soon; alternatively email me at environment@glebesociety.org.au.

The Glebe Society welcomes the decision by Harris Farm and Woolworths at Broadway to no longer supply free plastic bags. We would like to see shopkeepers along Glebe Point Rd following that example. It should be pointed out that several businesses are actively pursuing plans to reduce waste, including Galluzzo’s, whose environmental practices were profiled in the July Bulletin.

The environment subcommittee shares an interest in the waterfront environment with the Bays and Foreshores Committee. It was particularly concerned about the proposal for Blackwattle Bay Marina (BBM), trading as All Occasion Cruises, which was located on Bridge Rd, to move to 5 Bank St Pyrmont, an open access area under the Anzac Bridge used by Dragon Boats and an assortment of small craft. BBM was obliged to move because the Fishmarket will be relocated to the Bridge Rd site. Sydney Heritage Fleet had put in plans to build a public museum with a wharf for 11 boats at 5 Bank St. It had planned to operate under standard office hours, with occasional boat movements. The Fleet then accepted an offer to move to Darling Harbour. Their plan for 5 Bank St was then ‘modified’ to accommodate BBM with 22 boats and 7am to 1am operating hours. The local community rallied and objected strongly, with support from the Glebe Society.

BBM was given a June 30, 2018 deadline, and at the time of writing (July 13, 2018) five BBM boats are moored in the rather confusingly named Blackwattle Bay Marine Operatives at 37 Bank St (it appears the other 17 boats did not belong to BBM, but were leasing moorings with BBM). Pyrmont activists are quietly hopeful that their campaign will result in BBM’s boats remaining at 37 Bank St, and the site at 5-11 Bank St will remain open to the public and small boat users.

Former site of the Blackwattle Bay Marina. (image: Asa Wahlquist)

I also attended meetings of the Bays Precinct Reference Group, which Lesley Lynch will cover, and the Community Liaison Group for the Sydney Superyacht Marina. This Group reviews objections from the local community. The most extraordinary incident was when an explosive device, designed to throw a rope from a superyacht to another vessel in the case of breakdown at sea, was detonated. The rope was propelled across Rozelle Bay and landed on the roof of 501 Glebe Point Rd. No one was harmed in the incident, but several career trajectories were altered.

Preparations are underway for the 50th anniversary of the Glebe Society, with plans for a brief environmental history, and if the logistics can be managed, an environmental walk will be added to the Glebe Society’s list of Glebe Walks.