MADSSITE.

Maddison Rutter-MalleyEST—2025

Cumberland Council.


Sorting Waste, Shaping Habits—Designing for Environmental Awareness in the Cumberland Council community.
 2017
Australia








CONTEXT

Formed in May 2016, Cumberland Council serves a diverse population of over 219,000 residents in Western Sydney, 25km from the CBD. As part of a broader initiative to improve community services and infrastructure, the council was looking to launch a campaign to encourage residents to rethink their waste habits.

Handle Branding was tasked with delivering design solutions and marketing collateral to support this behavioural change campaign across the community.
CHALLENGE
    Effective waste management depends not only on infrastructure but also on widespread community participation—especially from younger generations. The challenge was to create engaging, educational experiences that could:

      • Communicate complex waste management principles simply

      • Encourage sustainable behaviour from a young age

      • Reach a culturally diverse population in an accessible and playful way

    The goal was to spark long-term change through education, not just enforcement.

    SOLUTION

    “Put Waste in the Right Place.”

    To engage children and families, the team developed a suite of play-based educational tools centred around three bespoke mascots—Bindi, Oola, and Fitzy—each representing one of the core waste streams. These characters featured throughout learning materials and became recognisable figures in the campaign.

    A key activation was the ‘Education Wall’, a hands-on experience designed to help children physically sort items and “put waste in the right place.” This tactile, interactive installation turned environmental learning into a fun, memorable activity.

    IMPACT

      The campaign brought waste awareness into homes via the classroom, empowering children to become active participants in sustainable living. The mascots created a friendly, consistent language around waste sorting, while interactive activations like the Education Wall made learning tangible and enjoyable.

      By educating children through play, the campaign helped lay the foundation for long-term community-wide behaviour change, reinforcing Cumberland Council’s commitment to smarter waste solutions and environmental stewardship.

      CREDITS
      Intern
      i. Maddison Rutter-Malley: Concept & Ideation, Design & Design assistant, Art assistant

      Comissioned By
      Cumberland Council

      Created By
      Handle Branding


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