Illustration of a hillside with people walking and cycling beside a pond

 

In the UK, we chuck away 220 million tonnes of waste every year − about the weight of 30 million fully grown male African elephants. Quite a herd! 

A lot of it shouldn’t go into waste at all. With a bit of effort and imagination, we could do something that's better for the environment.

Four ways to reduce your household waste:

recycle − you don't want it but someone else might!

repair − you can extend the life of a lot of the big-ticket items in your home by getting them repaired

reuse − it’s amazing what you can do with things you originally bought for another purpose

compost − allow your vegetable waste to rot in a pile in your garden with plenty of air, moisture and warmth

Recycling

Hart District Council has a list of things you can and can’t recycle on its website.

But that’s more a last resort than a solution to waste. If you’re putting loads of stuff into your blue bin, ask whether you buy too many products that come in unnecessary packaging.

Recycling could mean taking unwanted clothes and furniture to a charity shop.

And your recycling isn’t limited to the blue bin and charity shops. There are several recycling centres in Hart that will take your unwanted stuff. Things like clothes, shoes, electrical items, batteries and foil.

Some top tips:

  1. buy less – be honest, you don’t need ten pairs of jeans!
  2. buy second hand – you’ll find some great bargains and extend their useful life. Explore your local charity shops and second-hand sales
  3. donate – take old clothes to a charity shop or clothes bank
  4. rent or borrow – there’s a lot to choose from, even wedding dresses! Some local businesses and groups offer free clothes swap services

Repair

You can extend the life of a lot of the big-ticket items in your home by getting them repaired. Look for local repair cafes or take a course in sewing, electricals or woodwork. There are lots of free or low-cost courses on offer from libraries, colleges and other local organisations. Have a look on our events page for some ideas.

Check out our case study on local repair cafes.

Reuse

Can you use plastic food containers for storage? Old chest of drawers to store tools in your shed? Old car tyres for planters?

There are loads of ideas on the internet, like these ones from the Family Handyman or from Martin Lewis’ Money Savings Expert website

Compost

Put your household vegetable waste on a compost heap and, after a few months, you’ll have a nutrient-rich mulch to dig into your flower beds.

Think of all the carbon you'll save by not transporting your vegetable waste to landfill. 

If you want to try home composting, Hampshire County Council has teamed up with Getcomposting.com to offer discounts on home compost bins. Visit www.getcomposting.com or call 0844 571 4444.