Austinmer’s Moore Street General Café is redefining local sustainability by implementing solar power and cutting waste with compostable packaging to build a greener community.
Located just a minute from Austinmer station, Moore Street General Café is demonstrating how café businesses can reshape sustainability in the Illawarra.
By tackling challenges such as milk packaging and the use of plastics, owner Katie Canosa is trying to incorporate eco-conscious practices into every aspect of the cafe’s operations.
Canosa said local sourcing is central to her approach.
“They’re called I’m Not Paper… all compostable. That was really important to me. Sourcing local food, local bread, local greens, and we’ve got solar,” she explained.
But the change hasn’t been easy. Packaging waste and navigating the demand for alternative milk continues to create challenges.
“Alternative milk packaging is definitely not recyclable… a huge chunk of waste… I’m looking to get rid of that,” Canosa said.
Despite this, the cafe composts all food scraps and coffee grounds and is planning further solar installations.
Conosa highlights that her approach is not about branding but about values.
“I don’t want to promote myself as a green sustainable café because that is just not realistic… we try and do our best,” she said.
For Canosa, sustainability is a non-negotiable; “I would close the doors if we weren’t doing those things.”
