Challenge yourself to reduce landfill

The new year will be a great opportunity to start.

Meanwhile have yourself prepped for how this can be achieved. Boycott unnecessary packaging or start off by reducing your waste to recycling, try making more homemade goods.

 

Top tips from a Barlick family of four who reduced their landfill waste to the size of one brick per week:

• compost, compost, compost! Veg, fruit, kitchen roll, paper, egg boxes, toilet roll tubes, egg shells, dead flower bouquets – it all disappears into the compost bin
• buy loose leaf or plastic-free tea bags so that it can be composted
• use a milkman
• eat less, better meat from a local butcher – it comes in far less packaging (or take your own box to fill)
• refuse polystyrene boxes from local takeaways
• take tetra pak-style cartons (juice cartons, ice cream tubs, cardboard drinks cups) to the recycling centre
• batteries can be recycled at the co-op, in schools or recycling centre
• light bulbs and any electrical items and wires can be recycled at the recycling centre
• recycle soft plastic at the co-op
• ask for flowers to be wrapped in paper at the florist
• use a refill shop to eliminate packaging altogether
• replace your washing up sponge with a washable cloth alternative
• use cloth wipes instead of disposable ones – great for makeup removal, cleaning
• try cloth sanitary pads and cups – everyone we know who uses them would never go back to disposables
• if you have a baby, use washable nappies and wipes. When we did, it made a massive difference to their skin health. Cloth wipes are so much better than those thin, slippery ones in packets.