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There are lots of ways that you can reduce the amount of waste you produce each day...
Say No to packaging where possible
When you buy an item, you are paying for the packaging as well as the product. You can reduce your waste by buying less packaging. For example, buy fruit and vegetables loose.
Choose products with recyclable packaging, such as cardboard egg boxes that can be recycled rather than plastic ones.You can also buy in bulk. Purchase a large bottle of drink instead of lots of small bottles and you have instantly reduced the amount of waste you produce.
Plastic bags
The UK gets through a phenomenal number of plastic bags, estimated at well over 500 billion annually, almost 1 million plastic bags a minute.
You can easily reduce the amount of plastic bags you use by getting re-usable shopping bags. Be prepared for impulse shopping trips by carrying a reusable bag on you the whole time. Check out |Onya for a range of bags that fold down into a tiny package. If you do get plastic bags from the supermarket, reuse them as bin liners at home, or reuse them at the supermarket next time. Visit the '|we are what we do' website for more information on the 'plastic ain't my bag' campaign.
Junk mail
Reduce paper waste by cancelling unwanted mail. Register with the |Mailing Preference Service (0845 703 4599) to stop personally addressed junk mail. You can also unsubscribe to many national mailing lists by contacting Royal Mail.
Compost
Over 20% of the contents of the average home's bin is biodegradable. When this is buries at landfill sites it rots anaerobically due to the lack of available oxygen. This process releases large amounts of methane, a very harmful gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting is a brilliant way to divert your kitchen and garden waste from landfill, and if you can compost at home you will be able to enjoy the benefits of the compost in your own garden. |Find out more about composting at home. If you haven't got the time or space to compost at home, let us do it for you with our |garden waste collection service.
Avoid disposables
Avoid items that are used once and then thrown away. Disposable razors, toothbrushes, cameras, plastic cutlery cups and plates can all be avoided as a way of reducing the waste you produce.
Buy only what you need
Reduce unnecessary waste by avoiding those pointless purchases. Items that rarely get used can be borrowed or shared with others. Writing a shopping list and planning ahead before you go to the supermarket will help you to reduce unecessary purchases that may end up going to waste.
Waste free Lunches
You can reduce or eliminate packaging waste from any lunches you make by putting food items in reusable plastic containers and putting your drink in a refillable flask rather than cartons or cans. With this type of lunch, food items can be bought in larger quantities. The packaging can be left at home for reuse or recycling. Waste-free lunches are not only a wise environmental choice, but they are less expensive as well.
You can also |reuse your waste.
Recycle
Recycling diverts waste from landfill and allows your waste to be transformed into something new. It is easy to get into the recycling habit, and you can make it even easier by placing recycling bins next to your general refuse bins in your kitchen, study and bathroom.
|What can I recycle in my blue-topped bin?