| Every
year, we use more and create more waste. Recycling is still important,
but to really make a difference, we need to reduce waste and re-use
things. Do you want to cut back on the amount of waste you produce?
Not sure how?
Here are some top waste prevention tips:
1. Think about what’s in your rubbish -
Is any of it re-usable? Repairable? Do you really need to throw
it out?
2. Make a waste prevention plan - Take a look around your home
and at what you buy and use the checklists to make your own waste
prevention plan. If you start off with the small things, preventing
waste will soon become second nature.
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|
At
Home:
|
-
Avoid single-use disposable products - e.g. nappies, tissues,
facewipes, razors, polystyrene and plastic cups, plates
and cutlery, kitchen towels, serviettes, computer cartridges,
cameras
-
Buy refills of cleaning products and toiletries
- Avoid buying lots of cleaning products
- Return junk mail and remove your name from junk mail
lists www.mpsonline.org.uk
- Repair and mend items rather than throw them away
- Avoid battery powered toys or use rechargeable batteries
- Try washable menstrual products (check out Sanpro
section)
- Use a milk delivery service or organic box scheme with
refillable containers
|
| In
the Kitchen: |
-
Don’t make too much food and
keep your left-overs for the next day
-
Buy in bulk and store food in re-usable containers instead
of foil or clingfilm
- Make food at home instead of buying takeaways or fast
food to avoid packaging waste
-
If
you do buy takeaways, ask your local takeaway to use more
environmentally-friendly packaging
-
Use
towelling face washers or cotton/linen napkins instead of
paper ones
- Drink tap water and re-use water bottles.
|
| At
the Shops: |
-
Only buy what you need
– 2 for 1 offers sound great, but do you really want
or need more than one?
-
Take your own shopping bag (WEN
sells lovely re-usable cloth bags) and say NO to plastic
ones
- Shop locally - walk
,
cycle or use public transport
- Buy locally produced goods whenever possible (check
out our Food pages)
- Avoid over-packaged products and try to buy unpackaged
goods
Support
repair shops
-
Buy
experiences instead of things (e.g. trips to the theatre
or a massage)
-
Remove
excess packaging and leave it in the shop along with a word
of protest
- Buy products made from recycled materials
- Donate furniture, computers and white goods and clothes
to reuse projects and buy second-hand
|
| In
the Office: |
-
Print/photocopy
on both sides, proof read and spell check your work before
printing
-
Re-use envelopes by using sticky labels - buy packets
of recycled labels from WEN for £3.20
- Treat yourself to a refillable ink pen
- Consider
a wormery for all those office tea bags!
-
Buy
recycled paper
-
Recycle
your toner cartridges
-
Write
and put in place a green housekeeping policy
-
Encourage
your staff to cycle to work |
| In
the Garden: |
-
Ask your council to supply home composters or wormeries
or take a look at our waste Links
section to see how to get hold of one
-
Compost your kitchen and garden waste
|
| Campaigning:
|
-
Start up or join a local waste prevention or composting
group (see Waste Links)
-
Ask your local authority what they are doing about waste
prevention. (See WEN's
(30k pdf) 25
Ideas For Local Authorities)
- Contact other organisations with an interest in waste
prevention
- Distribute awareness-raising materials. WEN has a full
range of Resources for you
to use and adapt
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| |
| Quick
Fact: In Britain, we each generate an average of
522 kg of waste per year. That's the same as 10 bags of sugar
a week! |
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