15 Easy Ways To Reduce, Reuse, Recycle At Home
National Recycling Week is recognised in Australia from 8-14 November. This is an initiative by Planet Ark to improve our recycling habits and knowledge.
This week is a great time to begin or build on what you already do to care for our environment. We need to stop making excuses, become interested and be proactive. You will find that it is actually not that difficult to be more sustainable and make choices that are more environmentally friendly.
So where can you begin?
Reduce
find a street library to gift your books once you have read them
gift clothes that no longer fit you to family or friends or drop off at a Salvation Army
invest in a couple of beeswax wraps rather than using cling wrap. If you do prefer cling wrap, try using the brand Sugar Wrap as it is recyclable and compostable
invest in a couple of cotton bags that you can place vegetables in rather than grabbing the plastic bags at the shops
if you do buy a product made of plastic, try to choose one made with recycled plastic
consider growing own fruit and veg even if its in a small planter on the windowsill, its a start
Reuse
make your own banana juice – to water your indoor plants with
glass jars make good vases
once your candles have burnt low. Tip out the last of the wax when it is hot and wipe clean. This makes for a good pencil tin or flower pot
remember to take your shopping bags with you when you do your next grocery shop. Say no to stores that want to give you a bag and provide your own
buy one of those metal straws and pack that in your bag for when you go out for a drink
Recycle
collect your soft plastic bags to take back to the shops
Big W have started an initiative called ‘Toys for Joy’, drop any plastic metal, plush or electronic toys off in store
Resparkle will take your milk bottle lids, with codes 2 and 4, simply post your collection and they will also send you a $10 credit to their store
where you can recycle items…
x-rays - post them to Siltech in Victoria or CMA Ecocycle Australia
cans, bottles and glass - Return and Earn sites
CDs, VHS and DVDs - Libraries
ink toner cartridges - Officeworks
computers and accessories - Officeworks
batteries - Officeworks, ALDI, Bunnings, Battery World
glasses - Specsavers stores or Lions Clubs
mobile phones - Officeworks
pens and markers - Officeworks
data storage - Officeworks
soft plastics - Woolworths, Coles, ALDI
coffee pods - search woolworths.com.au/coffepods and follow the instructions to print a reply paid post label
sheets and towels - Sheridan stores
There are a few companies doing their bit for the environment. This includes;
Recycle It Clothing in Sydney
Clothing Cleanup - they pick up your unwanted clothes within Sydney
Upparel - An Australian company doing its best for sustainability. They will pick up your box of clothing and old socks - you can purchase a compostable satchel, pack up to ten pairs of socks in and return them to be recycled
Manrags - recycle clothing
B-cycle – organise battery recycling - make sure to put sticky tape on the battery heads before recycling
ShareWaste App - a great app to find those in your neighbourhood that hosts or you can donate your compost to
And there are some great books which offer environmentally friendly ideas. I suggest;
Waste Not Every Day by Erin Rhoads
Care by Brooke McAlary
The Edible Balcony by Indira Naidoo
Love People, use Things by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus
Project 333 by Courtney Carver
You can find more ideas for reducing your waste here on my Pinterest board.
Also find a blog post I wrote last year here on Reducing Your Impact On The Environment In The Classroom or this one with additional Ways We Can Reduce Our Impact On The Environment.
What do you do with your old or unused goods? Are you a good recycler? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.
