From Frustrated to Curious: How FOGO Changed the Way I Think About Waste

If you had told me a year ago that I'd be writing about waste, composting and sustainability, I probably would have laughed.

Like many people, I was frustrated when FOGO was introduced.

It felt like another bin to manage, more rules to remember and another change that complicated everyday life. Everywhere I looked there seemed to be different advice. One website said one thing, another said something else, and I found myself asking, "What actually belongs in my bin?"

At first, I was looking for answers simply because I wanted to get it right.

But somewhere along the way, something changed.

Instead of asking, "Why are they making us do this?" I started asking, "What happens to our waste after it leaves our homes?"

That one question sent me down a rabbit hole.

I learnt about food waste, composting, landfill, recycling systems and just how many resources we throw away every day.

I realised that composting isn't a new idea at all. Long before regular household bin collections existed, people returned food scraps and garden waste back to the soil. It was simply part of life.

Somewhere along the way, we've become a society built around convenience. If something breaks, we often replace it. If something is used once, we throw it away. Our bins quietly take it all away, and we rarely think about what happens next.

The more I learnt, the more I realised that our planet has finite resources.

That doesn't mean we all have to live perfectly or completely eliminate waste.

I certainly don't.

I'm still learning every single day.

I'm still asking questions.

I'm still discovering that some items, like foil-lined cardboard, aren't as straightforward to recycle as I first thought.

I'm still trying different swaps around my own home, whether it's using beeswax wraps instead of cling wrap or looking into solid shampoo and conditioner bars to reduce plastic bottles.

And that's okay.

Because sustainability isn't about perfection.

It's about curiosity.

It's about asking questions instead of making assumptions.

It's about making one small change, then another, and another after that.

It's about recognising that while one household might not change the world on its own, thousands of households making small changes absolutely can make a difference.

Looking back, I'm actually grateful for the frustration I felt when FOGO was introduced.

Without it, I probably wouldn't have started asking questions.

I wouldn't have created Eco Haven Co.

I wouldn't have met so many people who simply wanted clearer information and practical solutions.

Most importantly, I wouldn't have experienced the mindset shift that's happened over the past few months.

Today, I don't see sustainability as something reserved for environmental experts.

I see it as ordinary people making better choices where they can.

Some days that might mean using a reusable coffee cup.

Other days it might mean remembering to put vegetable scraps into the FOGO bin.

Sometimes it's simply choosing to repair something instead of replacing it.

None of us will get it right all the time.

I know I won't.

But if we stay curious, keep learning and continue supporting one another, I truly believe those small changes can create something much bigger.

That, to me, is what sustainability is really about.