Blue Mountains Council's Waste and Sustainability team hosted dozens of residents at a recent free declutter workshop at the Hub in Springwood on June 1.
It was to help celebrate the launch of this year's Waste to Art sculpture - a powerful owl's nest - made at a series of workshops by members of the community during the April school holidays.
The aim of the day was to show the community simple steps to reduce landfill.
The sculpture is made from waste fabrics, to highlight that Australians are buying 27 kilograms of new clothes annually and more than 20 kilograms ends up in Blue Mountains residents' garbage bins each year.
"It was a lot of fun turning waste material into art," said artist Carolyn Dance from Branching Out Designs, Hazelbrook. She said more than 100 people attended the workshops, weaving the powerful owl's nest.
"We mostly weave with natural fibres so this was a real challenge [to use discarded textiles, soft plastics and package strapping]," she said.
The powerful owl is a threatened species in the Mountains, and their hollows can take more than 100 years to form.
Waste to Art encourages the community to rethink their waste and promote a low waste lifestyle.
A council spokesperson said by taking action to reduce, reuse and repair over buying new, it saves resources like water and energy that go into manufacturing new items. Collective efforts can make a difference and also help species like the powerful owl found across the Mountains in old growth forests.
The workshop, held on the same day as the artwork was revealed, gave tips for decluttering a household and what to do with excess items such as soft plastics (supermarkets collect them).
It is the tenth year council has run the Waste to Art initiative. Visitors to the art project were encouraged to make pledges towards a low waste lifestyle.
Mrs Dance said the owl's nest is on show at the Hub but will travel to the Oberon Regional Art Exhibition and is expected to be seen at the Cultural Centre later in the year.
