Tips for minimising your waste

As a nation we waste so much.  Everyday millions of things that could be reused or recycled end up being thrown away.  This is why we are keen to promote reducing waste and helping our residents to waste less, from choosing products with less packaging and to reusing and recycling more of your waste.

Here are some tips to help you create less waste:

• Take unwanted items to a charity shop, use textile and shoe collection recycling banks or sell them.
• Consider buying a home composter and compost your food and garden waste at home.  We’ve teamed up with www.getcomposting.com to offer good value home compost bins.
• Consider buying loose fruit and vegetables rather than plastic packaged options.
• Pack your lunch in reusable containers.
• Remember to take your reusable bags when shopping and reuse any fruit and veg plastic bags.
• Ditch plastic straws – use paper ones as an alternative, just drink from the glass or invest in a reusable straw.
• Use a reusable water bottle.
• Use a reusable coffee cup.
• Consider using cloths rather than disposable wipes.
• Choose glass over plastic packaging if the choice is given as glass can be recycled endlessly.
• Consider switching to real nappies rather than disposable ones.
• Consider using rechargeable batteries.
• Use an electric razor or a razor with replaceable blades instead of a disposable one.
• Look for products in recycled packaging or packaging that is easily recycled.

Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for some great ideas on reducing your food waste which may also save you money.