Waste Not Want Not - 11 Tips To Help You Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling are such important habits to adopt. Reducing the amount of materials we buy & use, recycling our waste in the correct way and even reusing & upcycling products that can be used again, perhaps in a completely different way! Being green isn't time consuming, it's a way of life. It's involving these new habits in your everyday life, making a difference to the world we live in. It helps the environment & even saves you money. So I'm sharing today 11 tips to help you reduce, reuse & recycle by making more environmentally friendly choices.


Donate
Donate your unwanted (good condition) items to charity. A lot of people just tend to donate their clothes to charity, but honestly there's so much more we could be donating! Furniture, books, even childrens toys!

Stop Paper Billing
One of the best things I did recently was switch up all my bills, and change them to to electronic bills! Less paper wastage, much more efficient and it means that there's more room for exciting post!

Recycle
First tip is to make sure you have all of the available types of recycle bins from your council, and found out exactly what goes in each bin. Recycle everything you can, from bottles, cardboard, glass, tins. Plus make sure you use a food bin for your food waste, and a garden bin for your garden waste. 

Feed Others
If you love your food, it's important to not waste any. Whether it means you make a larger batch to be able to store some in reusable tubs to eat later, or even giving it to others who need it. Donate unopened dried goods and cans to your local food bank (they often have collection points in supermarkets) OR you could download Olio. An app that allows you to give your leftovers to others nearby you in need. Definitely recommend downloading it.

Cut Down Electricity Use
Cut down the electricity you use by turning off electrics when not in use, use energy saving light bulbs, only use the washing machine when its full, and at this time of year, make sure you dry your clothes outside as opposed to using the tumble drier!

Reduce Materials
Buy products with less and unnecessary packaging, perhaps buy loose fruit and veggies instead. Bulk buy items if possible, and use reusable plastic containers instead of clingfilm or sandwich bags!

Repair
Instead of throwing something away, think to yourself - can it be fixed and reused? Repair Cafe's are fantastic places to help you repair your items. They are free meeting places that provide the tools, skills and knowledge to help you fix your broken things! Definitely worth checking to see if there's one near you!

Use Less Water
Take quick showers instead of baths, only use the washing machine when it's full. Turn taps off when you are brushing your teeth or washing your hands. Collect the rainwater to water your plants! There are so many ways to use less water!

Give Away
Another option to get rid of some of your good quality items would be to give them away to others in need. Check out sites such as Freecycle, Freegle & even your local Buy/Sell/Swap pages on facebook. These sites have been a god send to me in the past!

Use Reusables
Avoid buying disposable items such as paper cups and plastics. Not only will these items just go to landfill, but it also means you'll have to spend more money buying them again next time! Invest in a decent water bottle or use fabric lunchboxes even! (You can get some adorable printed ones!)

Upcycle
If you cant face throwing something away, why not find out if you could revamp the item, upcycle it or change it into something completely different! Pop onto Pinterest for some inspiration, or visit this site for upcycling furniture!


Do you reduce, reuse & recycle?

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