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.