We have probably all heard the phrase ‘reduce reuse recycle’ when reading or talking about recycling. Our landfill sites are filling up and our exploitation of natural resources is already causing problems around the world, so making sure that we ‘reduce reuse recycle’ is one way that we can lessen our impact on the environment.
More and more of us are thinking about recycling, but perhaps the idea of ‘reduce reuse recycle’ doesn’t always come to mind. Reducing the waste materials we generate, reusing what we can, and, as a last resort, recycling as much as possible should all go hand in hand as we try to send less rubbish to landfill sites.
So let’s think about ‘reduce reuse recycle’ and easy ways to do this.
REDUCE
- Try to avoid buying products with lots of packaging and use reusable shopping bags rather than free carrier bags.
- Buy items such as washing liquid in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging required. Some products are even refillable.
- Use rechargeable batteries and refillable ink cartridges
- Try not to use disposable items, for example throw away plates and cups or sandwich bags. Instead use a plastic lunch box and non-breakable crockery which can be used again and again.
- Don’t waste paper by printing unnecessarily. When you do need to print make sure it is double sided on recycled paper.
REUSE
- Can that item of clothing or piece of furniture, for example, be repaired rather than thrown away?
- Use scrap paper and used envelopes for making notes or children’s drawings.
- Some food packaging can be washed and reused rather than thrown away.
RECYCLE
- Try and recycle as much as possible rather than sending it to landfill. Check out the links below or the recycling section of our sitemap for ways to recycle many everyday items.
- Compost food waste and items such as egg boxes, either via kerbside collections or in your own garden.
