Bringing design thinking to the waste conversation

Heidi has spent her whole life in the northern Gold Coast and Logan area and brings a fresh, forward-thinking perspective to the Community Reference Group.

With a background in design across private and public projects, she's used to thinking about how the built environment shapes the communities around it.

Heidi nominated because she wanted to be part of shaping a project that will have a real and lasting impact on the area she's always called home - bringing local knowledge to the table and making sure the surrounding community remains at the heart of every decision.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Heidi Wood, I'm 30 and I've lived in the northern Gold Coast and Logan area my whole life – the last four years in Beenleigh. I have a background in design with experience across private and public building projects of various scales.

What made you nominate to be a member of the Community Reference Group?

The ARRC is a future-thinking and major project for the northern Gold Coast area. I wanted to be part of a group of like-minded community members who can provide local knowledge and feedback to help direct the project for success while making sure the impact on the surrounding community is considered.

Do you think Australians think much about where their rubbish goes once the bins are emptied?

While there is some education about what happens to our waste and recycling, it's easy to bring the bin in each week and not give it a second thought. It may feel like there is a never-ending hole in the ground for our waste but learning how soon we will run out of landfill areas really highlighted the importance of finding alternate solutions.

What's the biggest opportunity ARRC will provide the Gold Coast?

The ARRC has the opportunity to address a critical landfill capacity challenge by diverting waste from landfill and creating valuable resources and energy. It also presents an opportunity to attract talent, research and industry through the innovation park. This creates a great opportunity for the Gold Coast to manage waste more effectively while also developing sustainable technologies for the future.

Has being on the CRG changed anything at home?

Being a member of the CRG has definitely expanded my understanding of what happens after the bin is collected from the kerb. It has made me more mindful of small actions – putting the wrong things in my green bin, for example, can impact the efficiency of processing garden waste, which in turn can be costly.