"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
It saves far more time and money to prevent and reduce your waste in the first place rather than to dispose of it once it has been produced. Remember, it even costs money and uses large amounts of energy to recycle your waste. Put another way, it would be more sustainable to give priority to a reduction in waste being generated, than an increase in recycling.
Reducing the amount of waste going into your bin needn't be too difficult. First, have a good look at the types of rubbish that goes in your bin and then have a think about how that waste could be eliminated.
To help, we have provided some information below on some common wastes that can be reduced. If you only have time to look at one item then please have a read of 'packaging'.
Re-use carrier bags or buy a reusable bag; strong re-usable ones are available at many supermarket checkouts. Some shops or supermarkets offer carrier bag recycling points. If you can easily carry the item you have just bought home then refuse the carrier bag.
It is better for the environment if the plastic bottle waste was not generated in the the first place. The traditional milkman can deliver milk to your home in a glass bottle, which is then reused.
Try this finder to find a milk-man near you:
http://www.findmeamilkman.net/
A very effective way to stop junk mail and faxes is to register with the organisation's Mailing Preference Service and the Facsimile Preference Service. The service is free and it greatly reduces the amount of junk mail. It is easy to register on-line. See the link to their website on the right-hand side of this page.
To stop receiving future copies of the Yellow Pages directory, contact Yellow Pages on 0800 671 444 and ask them to remove your address from their distribution list.
Call 150 from a BT landline, from non BT lines or mobiles please use 0800 800 150 or go to www.bt.com
Newcastle based community organisation Ban-Waste has produced a comprehensive waste directory to help residents find ways to reuse a variety of wastes found around the home.
Click on the following link to be redirected to the directory.
www.banwaste.org.uk/directory.php
Most of the items we buy are packaged in one way or another. It could be the plastic bottle that contains our milk or the cardboard box and plastic wrapper that protects your cereal. Good packaging design protects the product during transportation and, in the case of food, prolongs its life.
The key to reducing packaging waste is to identify and avoid products that contain excessive packaging. For example, fruit and vegetables in most supermarkets can be bought loose or heavily packaged on a plastic tray and wrapped in plastic film. Buying loose not only reduces your packaging waste but in some cases is cheaper.
Growing your own vegetables in the garden can be very satisfying and there won't be any packaging from supermarkets, plus it could save you money. Many varieties of vegetables can be grown in small gardens or allotments. To find out about your nearest allotment call the Allotments Officer, Mike Cranston on 0191 211 6217 or visit the Parks and Countryside Allotments web page.
Other tips for reducing packaging are:
If you use large amounts of some items, buy in larger packs. Buying bulk usually saves money over the long-run.
Remember refills are available for things like liquid softeners, washing powders and some beauty products.
Retreaded tyres are manufactured to high standards using highly sophisticated machinery. All retreads have been manufactured to the requirements of a British Standard (the BS au 144 series) and ECE Regulations. Did you know every airline uses retreaded tyres and in fact over 90% of all aircraft tyres are retreads.
Buying retreaded tyres is environmentally friendly as every retread bought means one less new tyre manufactured, thereby minimising the number of new tyres produced annually, extending the life of the original product and saving substantially on resources such as oil.
For further information visit the Retread Manufacturers Association at www.retreaders.org.uk
Many people like to buy bottled spring or mineral water. The end result being lots of empty plastic bottle waste.
Tap water quality is regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate - more than 350,000 tests are done every year to ensure that excellent tap water quality is maintained. In the north east we are fortunate to have among the best quality tap water in the country which is excellent value for money - you can drink around 50 glasses of water for a penny.
For further information visit Northumbrian Water's website at www.nwl.co.uk
If you have been buying your water in plastic bottles but would like to try and reduce plastic bottle wastage, consider using a water filter for your tap water.
Page last updated: 16 August, 2011
