Case studies
Work with State agencies, venues and international partners, and what each means for councils.
Events
A State agency responsible for environment, waste, resource recovery and the circular economy, with a major Queensland council
The challenge
Event waste was rarely measured. Waste advice given at permit stage was forgotten by event day, and organisers couldn’t find local sustainable suppliers.
What we did
Waste snapshot audits, 2,700 survey responses from organisers and attendees, a living-lab test event, 14 recommendations and an event sustainability guide.
What we found
The biggest levers sat with councils, container recovery, suppliers and funders, not the organisers being asked to change. Organics made up 512g of every kilogram of event general waste.
What it means for councils
Asking organisers to do better isn’t enough. Council conditions, bins, processing and supplier access decide what’s possible on the day.
Places
State venues across metropolitan and regional Queensland
The challenge
Waste, water and energy data was inconsistent across venues and regional contractors, with 100+ initiatives run by one person alongside their role.
What we did
Common metrics, work with waste contractors in each region to standardise data, and Ideas to Impact mapping to prioritise initiatives by likely impact.
What we found
Comparable, recurring data for Board reporting, and a prioritised set of initiatives with the biggest likely impact.
What it means for councils
One data standard across contractors and sites is what makes results comparable, and trials provable.
Places and people
Discussion paper for an international destination authority, 2025
The challenge
Persistent littering and graffiti in parklands and nature reserves, with resources going to clean-up.
What we did
Applied the three-layer method to resident and visitor behaviour, paired international evidence with innovation options, and set a roadmap.
What we found
A pathway from clean-up to prevention, with each intervention matched to the behaviour driving the problem.
What it means for councils
The same shift applies to council beaches, reserves and event sites.
Illustrative scenario
Visitors don’t know which bin takes what. Bins sit away from where people eat and fill fast on peak days. Visitors feel little connection to a place they’re passing through.
Priority Levers: move and pair bins where people eat, add prompts at the point of purchase, partner with nearby accommodation and food outlets, and adjust peak-day servicing. Then measure litter and contamination against the baseline.
Illustrative only. It does not describe a specific council or client.