Deals Colony

12/12/2025

Strengthening My Circular Economy Work with EcoBiz – Carbon ♻️

A few weeks ago, I shared my new project idea with Paul Martins, Chief Economic Development Officer at City of Moreton Bay. He mentioned the EcoBiz program — and with support from EcoBiz coach Andrew Chamberlin, that conversation gave me the clarity to take the next step in my zero-waste circular innovation work.

I’ve now completed the EcoBiz – Carbon pathway (still a few steps to go), and it’s been a genuinely eye-opening experience. Reading real stories from Queensland businesses saving money, reducing emissions, and repurposing resources reminded me why I started Deals Colony as a small passion project — beginning with acquiring a closing brand, Salta Imports.

My goal was simple: build a sustainable, flexible model that fits around real life… repurposing rather than reinventing the wheel. Over time, that grew into acquiring multiple ethical brands and helping people develop passion-led ideas through zero-waste, circular, community-driven innovation.

This certification strengthens the 10-year pilot I’ve been developing — especially understanding how local businesses are taking real action on carbon and waste:

• Circular economy pilots
• Waste reduction at home, at work & across communities
• Measurable ESG outcomes
• Flexible, passion-led pathways for people & organisations

If your business wants to cut costs, reduce waste, or explore circular ideas but has no time to figure it out — let’s connect. I’d love to co-design practical, waste-reducing solutions that create value for people, planet and profit.

Together, we can build a Queensland — and beyond — where nothing goes to waste.

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School holiday side note:
At Happy Hobby Hour Junior, we’ve been experimenting with biodegradable packaging, circular gift designs, and simple direct-to-soil composting. Today we spotted a tiny pumpkin plant from one of our compost experiments — now growing inside a palm-frond planter we shaped ourselves.

Another small but powerful circular design: from food waste → garden waste → new life. 🎃♻️

Loving these zero-waste, bin-free pilots that turn ideas into measurable case studies.

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👉 Quick question: What’s one small eco-friendly habit you’ve tried (or want to try) that fits around your busy life?
No pressure — just curious what works for real people.

06/12/2025

Building a Circular, Zero-Waste Future — One Small Action at a Time..

Over the next two years at Deals Colony, we’re focusing on something simple but powerful:
designing everyday zero-waste actions that anyone can start… and every organisation can scale.

From homes to offices to neighbourhood groups, we’re building sustainable ESG-aligned pilots that reduce waste, spark awareness, and strengthen Queensland’s circular economy.

And what inspires me the most?
The people. The small stories. The passion-led solutions.

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🏡 Household Level — Food Scraps → Climate Action

We’ve been helping families turn food scraps into soil health, compost routines, and tiny weekly habits that cut methane emissions.
Small shifts. Real climate impact.

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🏢 Office Level — Zero-Waste ESG Team Building

We recently designed a circular-design activity using palm fronds and biodegradable kits (in partnership with Happy Hobby Hour Junior).
20 IT professionals participated
100% positive feedback.
And real conversations about Scope 3 and sustainable routines at work.

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🤝 Community Level — Repurposing Everyday Items

This one touched my heart.
Sharing inspiring stories is part of our work — and recently, I met a beautiful lady who had given a second life to something most people throw away.

She had offcuts of tinted window film, and instead of letting them go to landfill, she turned them into circular gifts for raffle packing.
Hands-on. Easy. Powerful.

These moments help us collect real data, understand real challenges, and co-design real solutions with real changemakers.

This is what a circular community looks like.
Not perfect — just creative, intentional, and willing to try.

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🌏 Our Mission (2025–2027)

• Reduce waste at household, office & community levels
• Create measurable ESG & SDG-aligned impact
• Build flexible income pathways
• Empower youth & priority communities
• Support an Olympic-ready zero-waste model for Brisbane 2032
• Strengthen Queensland’s circular economy through people-powered innovation

⸻

If your organisation is exploring
👉 ESG or CSR impact
👉 waste reduction
👉 sustainable circular pilots
👉 or community engagement…

I’d love to collaborate.

Let’s build a Queensland where nothing goes to waste — and everything creates value.

03/12/2025

Today, on Disability Day, I want to celebrate the incredible skills and creativity of people with all abilities who play an important role in our circular community at Deals Colony.

As part of our “Make in Australia” approach, we ran a pilot using surplus materials to create meaningful community projects. We collaborated with people with disabilities on gifting ideas, circular creations, and hands-on repurposing work — and since then, I’ve hired their services multiple times.

Every single time, the results were no less, but more…
• More heart
• More creativity
• More value
• More impact

This work is good for people, planet, and profit — showing that inclusive collaboration truly strengthens our circular economy.

We’ve learned that everyone can play a role in reducing waste, repurposing surplus, and building a future where creativity becomes part of the supply chain.

If you work in this space or want to collaborate on our Circular Gifts Initiative or the Zero Waste Hub we’re designing, I’d love to connect.

To learn more about how we turn surplus into community value, here’s a special story we shared:

Thank you to every person of all abilities who continues to inspire us.
Your work matters. Your ideas matter. Your impact matters. 💙♻️

Discover how Deals Colony turned packaging waste into reusable gift packs that support local jobs & sustainability. A real-world circular economy project in action!

03/12/2025

Another Zero-Waste Package Shipped! ♻️

Today we packed and sent another eBay order using 100% repurposed, zero-waste packaging to NSW via Express Post — proudly created in collaboration with Happy Hobby Hour Junior

We’re experimenting and learning every day, using only what we already have — cardboard, leftover paper, and repurposed materials — to keep gifts safe while adding our creative touch 🤪🤪
This small action supports SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production and teaches our young changemakers how repurposing can protect our planet.

Through HHHJ, we share digital content that teaches students circular economy skills, creative reuse, and hands-on waste reduction. Your support helps us grow our Zero-Waste Hub, where surplus materials turn into meaningful impact for people and the planet.

♻️ Reuse Tip: Enjoy your item— then reuse the box, paper, or packaging for your next circular gift.
We’re not perfect, but we’re improving, tracking our waste reduction, and taking action one person, one project at a time.

If our work inspires you, a 5-star review helps us grow organically and support more passion-led pathways in our community. 💛

Thank you for supporting circular gifting!
— Deals Colony ♻️

02/12/2025

So happy for the opportunity to add my contribution toward sustainability, ESG, and reducing waste. 💚

This week, I designed a Christmas-themed team-building project in collaboration with Happy Hobby Hour Junior that helped a corporate team explore legacy systems, adaptability, collaboration, and modern workplace challenges — all through a simple hands-on exercise using palm fronds, water, and baubles.

Yes… biodegradable team building!
We repurposed garden waste into something meaningful and creative.

This activity is part of my ongoing work in building a Zero-Waste & Circular Innovation approach — connecting changemakers and developing community-led impact models aligned with global sustainability goals (and future Olympic-scale circular systems).

I’m starting small, experimenting, and learning what inspires teams. And this one really clicked.

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Why this mattered

Legacy systems often feel rigid and brittle.
But with the right conditions, they can be reshaped — just like the palm fronds:

Wet → Bend → Shape → Create → Share → Exchange

Through this, the team explored:

✅ Collaboration — designing and experimenting together
✅ Adaptability — seeing how something brittle becomes flexible
✅ Diverse strengths — every design was unique
✅ Connection — swapping creations and ending with a positive festive moment

We also introduced Circular Gifting — a mindful alternative to buying new gifts.
Instead of purchasing items, participants reuse and repurpose small objects to reduce landfill and create personal appreciation moments. (Aligned with the SDGs.)

This sits inside our ESG Innovation Kit, helping organisations create impact without adding waste, extra purchasing, or financial burden.

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💚 Loved this? Want to try it with your team?

If your organisation is exploring fresh end-of-year or Christmas team-building ideas, ESG-aligned activities, or circular innovation programs…
We’d love to share our step‑by‑step toolkit to help you create your impact project.
It helps you run mindful sessions that are:
•Fun
•Low-waste
•Good for people and planet
•Easy to adopt
•Data-ready for your ESG/CSR reporting

Together, we can build a workplace culture that reduces waste at scale, strengthens team spirit, and celebrates diverse strengths.

01/12/2025

Learning, collaborating, and growing as one.

Welcome to our December School Holidays Project! 🌱🎄Another year is ending, and we’re excited to continue our journey in zero-waste gifting and circular des...

28/11/2025

A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to connect with so many incredible locals at a community catch-up hosted by Nikki Boyd MP and her amazing team. Their ongoing efforts to support our community — from coffee catch-ups, local updates, social media connections, and genuine in-person conversations — truly make a difference. 💛

While chatting with people doing amazing things, one simple idea really stayed with me…

👉 A local sustainability-focused pub shared how they replaced single-use colourful wristbands with reusable entry stamps.

Sounds tiny, right? But here’s what happened:
• It reduced waste instantly
• Customers LOVED it and made it fun
• They even turned the stamp designs into small merch people now buy
• A win for the environment and for the business

These are the kind of micro-innovations that inspire Deals Colony on our journey to help communities and businesses move toward circular solutions — cutting waste, reducing carbon footprints, and creating new value without adding financial pressure.

And that’s what I love most about community gatherings:
We learn.
We connect.
We share ideas.
And we walk away feeling like we can all do a little something.

Because sustainability doesn’t always start with big systems — sometimes it starts with a stamp instead of a wristband.😃 ♻️

Huge thanks again to Nikki, her team, and all the wonderful people I spoke to that day. Your stories fuel my work and remind me why community-led ESG innovation matters. 💛

And of course, a sweet shoutout to Torrisi's Delights for the delicious food and warm customer service! 🙌

💬 If you’ve seen a small sustainability idea that inspired you — share it in the comments!
Let’s show how tiny actions lead to massive impact when a community learns together.

26/11/2025

🌏 COP30, Brisbane 2032 & Your Business: A New Era of Circular, Net-Positive Growth Starts Now!

Most businesses want to be sustainable…
But they also need to be profitable, future-ready, and aligned with global expectations around emissions, waste, and wellbeing.

At Deals Colony, we’re building a circular economy solution that turns waste, surplus, unused skills, old inventory, and under-valued resources into commercial, creative and community impact.

If you have surplus, waste, samples, returns, unused equipment, packaging, textiles, papers, plastics, or even old marketing materials — you don’t have “waste.”
You have untapped opportunity.

🔥 And with COP30 + Brisbane Olympic & Paralympic Games 2032 approaching, the world is watching how Australia leads.

This is your chance to:
✔️Reduce emissions and landfill
✔️Build sustainable revenue pathways
✔️Strengthen your ESG, CSR & procurement readiness
✔️Participate in pre-2032 value chains
✔️Turn materials into products, projects, jobs, and community wellbeing

We work with changmakers, youth, businesses, community groups, and creators to:
🔹 Repurpose
🔹 Redesign
🔹 Regenerate value
— from materials, skills, and ideas that would otherwise be lost.

Because NO resource, story, or skill should go to waste.
Not at COP30.
Not on the road to 2032.
Not in Queensland.
Not in your organisation.

• What We’re Building (and how you can join):
A network of 2,000 partners to innovate and co-create circular products, flexible micro-jobs, wellbeing programs, sustainable merch, circular gifting, and regenerative business models that benefit BOTH planet and profit.

• WE INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE
Email us:
👉 What is ONE thing you want to supply or create for the Olympic Games?
👉 And what is ONE barrier stopping you from getting there?

Let’s solve it together — one partnership, one waste stream, one innovation sprint at a time.

📍 Moreton Bay, Queensland
📧 [email protected]

Together, we can turn surplus, waste, and underused assets into shared prosperity — one person, one project, one organisation at a time.

25/11/2025

If your business has experienced disruptions or damage from recent severe weather, help is available. Our team is ready to provide guidance, connect you with resources, and help you navigate recovery options.

Available Support Includes:
- Small Business Financial Counselling Service – free, confidential advice for managing financial challenges
- Business Wellness Coaches – practical strategies and wellbeing support for business owners and teams

Prepare Your Business for Ongoing Severe Weather:
- Sign up for alerts through MoretonAlert
- Download Council’s Disaster-Proof Your Business Guide
- Access resources via the Small Business Disaster Hub
- Check weather updates through the Bureau of Meteorology App
- Know your flood and bushfire risks
- Locate sandbag locations and evacuation centres through the Disaster Dashboard
- Visit Get Ready Queensland for disaster preparedness tips

📌 More information and resources: Prepare your business for natural disasters - City of Moreton Bay

If you or your members need support, please reach out to us directly. Your business recovery and safety are our priority.

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20/11/2025

♻️💡 Did you know?
In October this year, Microsoft officially stopped providing software updates for Windows 10.
This means thousands of perfectly functional devices are now considered “incompatible” with Windows 11 — and many are at risk of ending up in landfill if people choose to upgrade by buying new PCs.

But the good news?
This is exactly where ESG and circular innovation come to life.

I love sharing initiatives that turn a sustainability challenge into a community opportunity — and C4L is doing exactly that.

Instead of discarding a device that still works, you can donate your Windows 10 computer to C4L, where it will be safely transformed into a secure Chrome OS Flex device. These refurbished devices are then placed into the hands of:
* students,
* veterans,
* seniors, and
* community members who need affordable access to technology.

Chrome OS Flex is lightweight, secure, energy-efficient — and extends the life of hardware that would otherwise become e-waste.

This simple action supports all three pillars of ESG:

🌱 Environmental (E): reducing e-waste, extending product life cycles, and lowering the carbon footprint of new device manufacturing.
🤝 Social (S): improving digital inclusion for people who need reliable, affordable technology.
✔️ Governance (G): encouraging responsible tech use and ethical resource management within communities.

C4L also provides affordable Chrome OS Flex Desktop Kits and Laptops for eligible customers — ensuring no one is left behind in the digital world.

If you’re upgrading your computer soon, consider giving your old device a second life. Small actions like this create net-positive outcomes for people AND the planet.

💡Did you know that in October this year Microsoft officially stopped providing software updates to the Windows 10 operating system? This means that there are likely to be countless devices which Microsoft has deemed incompatible with Windows 11 that are destined for the scrap heap if users choose to upgrade by buying a new PC. Fortunately, C4L can help. One of our goals is to reduce e-waste, therefore if you have a perfectly good Windows 10 device that you don’t want to simply throw away, you can give your device a new life by donating it to C4L where we can transform it into a Chrome OS Flex device that will find a new home with a student, a veteran, or a disadvantaged member of the community. Chrome OS Flex is a simple, lightweight operating system with built-in security. C4L offers affordable Chrome OS Flex Desktops Kit or Laptops for ALL eligible customers in need of an affordable device.

18/11/2025

Wow — what a fantastic evening last week at the City of Moreton Bay End-of-Year Economic Stakeholders Thank You Event!

It was such an honour to represent the Pine Rivers Chamber of Commerce alongside Keith Hilsdon and fellow chamber leaders. Events like these always remind me how many incredible people are working quietly and consistently to make a positive impact across our region.

One of my favourite highlights was seeing how Hip Hops Brewers created a truly unique welcome for Mayor Goji Fujita and the delegation from Sanyo-Onoda, celebrating 33 years of friendship and collaboration with the City of Moreton Bay.

Their locally developed beverages and meaningful artwork were such a beautiful example of how a hospitality business can:
• operate sustainably,
• honour cultural exchange,
• support local creators, and
• choose pathways that move us toward net-zero and beyond.

For me personally, the whole evening felt net-positive.

I had so many energising conversations about the new circular products and ESG services I’m developing through Deals Colony, and it reinforced why I do this work — to help businesses design solutions that reduce unsustainable practices and increase real social and environmental benefits.

What I love about gatherings like this is how naturally they show ESG in action:

• Environmental (E): spotlighting businesses choosing low-impact, sustainable operations.
• Social (S): building stronger community ties, cultural connections, and supportive business networks.
• Governance (G): encouraging transparent conversations, collaborative ideas, and responsible growth.

It was also so lovely to see familiar faces and meet inspiring new ones. Thank you Christine Wilson ACEcD, Vikki, and Annie Lawrence — your energy, leadership and thoughtfulness always create the best spaces for meaningful conversations.

And Cath Tonks, I absolutely loved chatting about the work I’m doing and about our Thriving Olympiard project for kids. I’ll be sharing more information very soon!

Thank you to everyone for the warmth, the chats, and the inspiration. I’m excited to explore opportunities where we can collaborate to build businesses that aren’t just sustainable or net-zero… but proudly net-positive.