Recycle for Essex

Tips for rubbish free week

Plan meals ahead and make a shopping list to avoid coming home without the things we need
Buy ingredients for making meals from scratch; this will avoid pre packaged ready meals
Use reusable bags instead of plastic carrier bags
Buy concentrated products to save on packaging and cut down on vehicle movement
Buy produce that isn’t wrapped in lots of packaging, pick loose fruit and veg, many fruits have their own protective skin such as bananas, shop locally from farmers markets as you will definitely come home with less packaging.
If you can’t avoid packaging try and buy things in packaging that you know can be recycled locally either through your doorstep collection or at the recycling centres.
Where possivle buy produce that isn’t wrapped in lots of packaging, pick loose fruit and vegetables, many fruits and vegetables have their own protective skin such as bananas.

Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones, they will save you money
Read your newspaper online instead of buying one each morning
Use both sides of the paper, reuse old envelopes for shopping lists or put a label over the address and use it again
Take any unwanted items to the charity shop such as good quality clothes, shoes, books, CDs and bric-a-brac
Post items on online exchange sites, such as giveortake.org or freecycle.org or ebay.co.uk or donate them to reuse schemes see ecorrn.org.uk for a directory.

Use leftover food and turn it into something tasty, for recipes visit lovefoodhatewaste.com
Avoid disposable napkins, cutlery and crockery at all costs!
Use a cloth instead of kitchen roll, if you do use kitchen roll remember you can compost it!
Recycle all your rubbish – recycle your paper, card, bottles, jars and cans using your doorstep collection or by taking it to your nearest Recycling Centre – for more information visit recycleforessex.co.uk
Drink tap water instead of bottled water
Use ice cream containers to store food so it lasts for longer
Collect your fruit and vegetable peeling, tea bags, coffee grounds and egg shell and compost them in your compost bin
Compost all your food waste with a Bokashi Kitchen Composter.

Send minutes and memos electronically
Only print emails if necessary
Set your computer to double sided printing as default
Use scrap paper for phone message and to do lists
Recycle your toner cartridges – there are a number of charities and organisations that will collect these – see essex.gov.uk/atoz
Use reusable mugs and glasses for drinks, avoid disposable vending cups.

Use cloth nappies instead of disposables, they could save you a fortune and no pins are required. Click here for more information
Use washable flannels and face cloths instead of disposable ones; it will save you money as well
Recycle or reuse your soap dispencers, shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath bottles.

Compost all your fruit and veg peelings with a home compost bin. Visit recyclenow.com/compost to find out more. To order a bin at a substantially reduced price, go to www.essex.getcomposting.com
Turn old yoghurt pots and egg boxes into seed
Use old plastic bottles as mini greenhouses
Use old CDs as bird scarers.

There are so many things we can do to significantly reduce the amount of rubbish we produce, some of them can’t be done within a week but are still relatively easy and you will soon reap the benefits!
Grow your own vegetables, a sure way to avoid all packaging! Visit rhs.org.uk to find out how
For those feeling adventurous keep a couple of chickens and have package free, fresh eggs every morning! You can rescue battery hens and give them a free lease of life visit the Battery Hen Welfare Trust bhwt.org.uk for more information
For presents buy waste free gifts such as vouchers or experience days out.
Hold a garage sale or swap day with your friends; it’s a great way of getting rid of all your old stuff and a great opportunity to bag a bargain!
Stamp out junk mail by registering with the Mailing Preference Service, Royal Mail opt out service and put a ‘no junk mail’ sticker on your letterbox, click here to find out how
If you are only going to need something once like a chainsaw or drill than hire or borrow it instead of buying a new one
Repair items such as damaged clothes and broken appliances.