Matching Mismatched Containers to Reduce Waste and Promote Reuse
Project Pair Up is a prime example of how a simple initiative can engage the community in reducing plastic waste and fostering a culture of reuse. Amelia Trompf, a local community member and environmental advocate, started Project Pair Up to help mismatched containers—often found at the back of pantries, cupboards, and drawers—find their matching pair so they can be reused again.
How Project Pair Up Works
It almost seems inevitable that containers and their lids will become separated. Rather than discarding these items, Amelia saw an opportunity to gather all the mismatched containers, rematch them and fostering a culture of reuse.
Over a year ago, Project Pair Up set up their first stall at the Alphington Farmers Market, where market-goers could drop off their mismatched container lids and containers. These are then sorted, cleaned, and volunteers search for pairs to match up so they can be reused. Mismatched containers and lids can also be dropped off at other locations like local libraries and community centres.
The paired sets are made available for free to anyone in need of storage solutions or seeking an alternative to single-use packaging. At the farmers’ market, market-goers often use them for smaller fruits and vegetables like strawberries and Brussels sprouts, or for hot food like Mike’s Mussels paella to take away.
Community and Environmental Impact
The environmental benefits of Project Pair Up are multifaceted. It directly reduces the amount of plastic waste through the matching and reuse of containers and lids, and decreases demand for new plastic products, which translates to fewer resources being used for plastic production.
Last year, 1,014 containers were matched up and given away, with the help of the community and volunteers!
Project Pair Up, alongside other sustainable initiatives like Wash Against Waste at Alphington Farmers Market, has boosted awareness of reuse among stallholders and market-goers, and fostered a culture of sustainability within the Alphington market community.
Many of the regular stallholders, like Mike’s Mussels and Planet Cocoa, have jumped on board, using their social media to share their zero waste, reusable options—offering to pack their produce, products, or hot food into shoppers’ containers to reduce the need for single-use packaging.
Next time you’re heading to the market, bring your reusables! And if you’re doing a spring clean of your cupboard, hold onto your unmatched containers—and bring them along to the market. You can even donate some time and help find pairs!