A guide to greening a social space, Stop Talking Rubbish!, is to be published by the Women's Environmental Network on Friday 22 February. A launch event takes place at The Spitz Gallery, 109 Commercial Street, Old Spitalfields Market, London E1, from 4pm to 6pm.

Stop Talking Rubbish! is aimed at town centre and market managers, local authority and other public service decision makers, festival organisers, tenants associations, community groups, schools and anyone with an interest in public spaces. It is based on WEN's experience in and around Old Spitalfields Market, working with traders and managers to prevent waste. The market is renowned for its organic produce, hand-made crafts and recycled goods. WEN - and many of the traders - wanted its use of energy and resources to live up to its green reputation.

"By calling things rubbish and binning them without thought, we ignore the value they contain and the use they may still provide," writes report author, Sophie Unwin.

The attractive and accessible booklet tells the story of a three-year project, funded by the Bridge House Estates Trust, and highlights what worked, what didn't and the lessons learnt. Traders now separate their rubbish at source; nine tonnes of cardboard was collected in the first year; 12 tonnes of vegetable waste a year was taken to the local city farm to feed the animals and make compost; and low energy lighting cut electricity bills and replacement costs.

"If you want to stop the mess and waste in your school, community centre, shopping centre or local market, Stop Talking Rubbish! will help you do it," said Ann Link, WEN's Co-ordinator. Stop Talking Rubbish! is available, price £4 plus 75p p&p from WEN, PO Box 30626, London E1 1TZ.

ENDS
Contact: Liz Sutton, Press Officer, t: 020 7481 9004, f: 020 7481 9144, e: info@wen.org.uk
Notes to editors
1. Come to the launch to collect your review copy, see a display of waste-preventing ideas and talk to people involved in the project. Refreshments provided. Please contact Liz Sutton to let her know if you can attend, or to order a review copy.
2. Britain produces 400m tonnes of waste a year, most of which goes to landfill or controversial incinerators. The Government has set targets to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste to landfill to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle and compost at least 25% of household waste by 2005.
3. WEN is a registered charity and national membership organisation which campaigns on environmental and health issues from a women's perspective. Waste prevention is one of its key campaign areas; it initiated the Waste Minimisation Act 1998 which gave local authorities powers to promote waste prevention.