For many of us, "tackling climate change" feels like another impossible item on a never-ending to-do list. However, three Melbourne mums including Tan Allaway recently proved that you don’t need a specialized degree or endless free time to make a massive impact. You just need a few like-minded friends and a starting point.
When the three mums decided to address the waste at the Fitzroy North Primary School (FNPS) fete, they weren’t starting from scratch. 2025 Fete Sustainability Coordinator, Tan highlights "We are very lucky to be surrounded by schools that are further along the journey than we are, and I was able to speak to parents at those schools to learn from them," she explains. This spirit of collaboration turned a daunting "festival-sized" event - attracting up to 5,000 people - into a masterclass in sustainability.
The Impact by the Numbers
In their first year, the team achieved results that would make any council proud:
- 1,700 litres of landfill reduction (roughly 1.5 school skips!).
- 2,000 litres less yellow bin recycling.
- 19kg of food waste diverted to local compost.
- 7.2kg of single-use plastic sent for specialized recycling.
- $121 cost benefit to the school by using the Container Deposit Scheme.
The significant shift for this year's fete was rethinking the approach to waste. Rather than just putting lots of landfill and recycling bins around the site, they condensed to just three locations, called "Waste Sorting Stations". They introduced more collection streams such as 'reusables' and 'green waste', and created a new visual narrative and signage to get visitors to stop and really think about what they were throwing away, and where it should go. They also made a shift to reusables, replacing 192 plastic water bottles with a free water station and serving over 600 drinks in reusable cups purchased through a City of Yarra grant
"Tackle One Area and Things Will Snowball"
Beyond the data, the real victory was the shift in school culture. By appointing a sustainability "point person" to the fete committee, and involving a dedicated school teacher and the "Green Machine" - a team of Grade 5 students - sustainability became a natural part of the conversation.
"This achievement happened off the back of three mums deciding to take action," Tan reflects. To ensure the knowledge lasted, she turned her experience into a blueprint for others. "I learned so much from this project and wrote up a case study for the school council. I’m hoping by sharing this case study that others feel empowered to do the same."
Your Turn in 2026
Tan’s advice for parents who feel the "climate mental load" is simple: start small. The first year is about building the systems; once those are in place, the change becomes permanent.
As we settle into the 2026 school year, Tan’s story is a powerful reminder: you don’t have to do everything, but you can do something. If three mums can change the footprint of a 5,000-person event, imagine what you could spark at your next school P&C meeting.
Ready to lead the change at your school? > Click here to read Tan’s full Case Study and share with your school.
We also recommend the Climate Friendly School Swaps Guide created by the Northern Sydney Parents for Climate chapter in 2025.