Sustainability

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Re-cycling and Waste Management

Recycle Now is the national recycling campaign for England, supported and funded by Government, managed by WRAP and used locally by over 90% of English authorities

A-Z What can you do with

Find out if it can be recycled: aerosols, bicycles, building rubble, car batteries, carpet, CDs, Christmas decorations, clothes, engine oil, paper, printer cartridges, spectacles, stamps and video tapes.

Find out about how your paper, glass bottles, plastic bottles, cans, electrical, cartons, food waste and garden waste are recycled at the collection services and the recycling centre.

Recycling symbols explained

Packaging labels and recycling symbols are now appearing on lots of everyday items, and help us to identify how different types of packaging can be recycled. It’s good to know what can and what can’t be recycled so that we can segregate this as required.

Reuse networks

There are many reuse networks so your waste can be reused by someone else:

• Charity shops – charity shops will accept nearly anything from clothes to furniture.
• Freecycle and Freegle - internet-based, not for profit organisation dedicated to reducing landfill by "gifting" reusable items rather than sending them to landfill.
• Ebay – make money by selling your unwanted items on line.
• Community RePaint - your paint can be reused on community projects

Find information on your local recycling centre

Food and Water usage

How can I save water? 5 ideas to reducing water use

Swap to a water efficient shower

For you: Switch to an aerated showerhead. Without even noticing you will save on hot water and your heating bill. Find out how much it costs to run your shower.

For the planet: An aerated showerhead uses up to 75% less water than a regular showerhead.

Don't linger in the shower

For you: Cutting a minute off your shower time every time, you could save about 3,300 litres of water a year and enough energy to make 16 cups of tea every day for a year.

For the planet: Heating water is responsible for 5% of your household’s carbon footprint. Using hot water wisely is a cost effective way to cut your impact.

Don't flush money down the drain

For you: If your water is metered, a dual-flush toilet could cut your water bill by 15%. Put a brick, a bottle filled with sand, or a Hippo / Bog-Hog bag into your toilet cistern. This reduces the amount of water you flush down the toilet.

For the planet: Toilet flushing is 30% of your daily water use. That water is processed before it gets to you, which creates carbon emissions. Using less water to flush your loo means less carbon.

Collect free rainwater

For you: Enough rainwater falls on your roof in a year to fill three tanker lorries. Store some in your garden with a water butt and water your plants and wash your car for free.

For the planet: Processing water to drinking quality takes up 2-3% of all the UK’s electricity consumption, emitting carbon. Using rainwater where you can will help reduce our carbon emissions.

Choose A or A+ appliances

For you: Choose A or A+ rated washing machines and dishwashers and only pay for heating the exact amount of water you use. Only run your washing machine/dishwasher when full. An efficient dishwasher can use as little as 10% of the water needed to wash up in the sink.

For the planet: Fully loaded A or A+ appliances use less energy and water than lower-rated ones. This helps cut carbon emissions and save water too.

‘Best before’ vs ‘Use By’ dates

The best before date, sometimes shown as BBE (best before end), is about quality and not safety. The food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best. Its flavour and texture might not be as good. Best before dates appear on a wide range of foods including:

• frozen foods
• dried foods
• tinned foods

A use-by date on food is about safety. This is the most important date to remember. Foods can be eaten until the use-by date but not after. You will see use-by dates on food that goes off quickly, such as meat products or ready-to-eat salads.

Get into the habit of checking what you already have in the fridge and freezer before you go shopping. Look out for foods that are approaching their use-by date and other fresh foods that can go off over time and try to use them up first. This includes:

• fruit and vegetables
• meat and fish
• cheese, milk or other dairy products

Reducing Food waste

The production of food has its own carbon footprint, this is the greenhouse gas emissions produced by growing, rearing, farming, processing, transporting, storing, cooking and disposing of the food you eat.

The ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ campaign is to provide everyone with helpful and practical hints and tips on how to enjoy the food we buy, and cut down on the amount of good food thrown away.

Here are some ideas we thought we’d share:

Stop before you shop

• Check what is in your cupboard or freezer, not forgetting the back of the fridge, before you shop for more.
• Make a list and shop with meals in mind. This will mean that you do not buy food unnecessarily and save you time and money.
• Be careful of special offers and multi-buys especially on fresh goods – make sure you will use them.

Use it or lose it

Keep an eye on perishables you have and plan to eat meals with in their ‘use by’ date. View our advice about food date stamps.

Love your leftovers

Meals made from leftovers can be delicious and timesaving – whether its dinner from the night before or food left in the fridge or cupboard. Do your own ‘Ready Steady Cook’ and see what meals you can make. Try using an on-line recipe database to give you some inspiration. When cooking for a family – take a few minutes to measure food out – perhaps into a favourite cup – so you get the right portion per person.

No more soggy surprises

• Keeping your fridge between 1-5 degrees centigrade helps you get the best of your food.
• Milk and other food items kept in the fridge can perish quickly when not stored at the right temperature
• Make good use of the fridge and freezer to keep food better – for example, most ripe fruit can be kept in the fridge to make it last longer.

Consider your options

Chilled and fresh food has become more popular over recent years – however sometimes it may be worth purchasing frozen or ambient food to increase shelf life at home. This is particularly useful if your meal times are more unplanned due to work or family schedules.

Remember, that often fresh and chilled produce can be frozen at home if it is not going to be used in time.

Storage Solutions

You can also influence the shelf life of your cupboard storage,

• Store root vegetables in a dark place away from other fruit and vegetables.
• Store cereals, flour, rice, pasta and other dry goods in airtight containers.
• Close packets and bags with airtight bag clips. There are many ingenious products available to protect the quality of your food.

Start composting at home

Home compost your peelings and cores, this is a great way to prevent unavoidable food waste such as peelings, cores and teabags ending up in landfill and can do wonders for the garden

 Minimise single-use plastics

Carry a reusable bottle

In the UK we use over 35 million plastic bottles every day! Carrying a reusable bottle is a great way to cut your plastic use and save money too! There’s even the refill app that tells you where you can refill your bottle for free!

Say no to plastic straws

Plastic straws are bad news for our oceans. Next time you order a drink, think about whether you need a straw – and if you don’t, just say no! You can also ask your local pub to stop adding straws to drinks as standard and offer paper straws to those who want one – more info here.

Take a reusable coffee cup

2.5 billion coffee cups are thrown away every year in the UK – and less than 1 in 400 are recycled. Carry a reusable cup with you – some cafes even offer a small discount if you use your own cup (and if they don’t ask them why not!)

Avoid excessive food packaging

Whether it’s making different choices in the supermarket or choosing a different place to shop, we can all try and cut down the plastic we buy. And as an added bonus, loose fruit and veg is often cheaper than pre-packaged alternatives!

Say no to disposable cutlery

We’ve all been there – caught out in a cafe or at a train station when we’ve bought a salad or a yogurt but the only cutlery on offer is plastic! Whilst it’s hard to plan for every opportunity, consider carrying a spoon or fork (or spork!) in your bag or keeping cutlery in your desk at work.

Get your milk delivered

Although the early morning sound of a milk float is not as common as it used to be, there are still lots of places in the UK where you can get milk delivered in glass bottles – which are then collected and reused. You can find your nearest milk round here

Carry a shopping bag

Since the plastic bag charge was introduced in England, there’s been a massive 85% drop in their use. Many of us are used to carrying an extra bag with us – if you still find it hard to remember, try a foldaway one that you can carry in your normal day bag.

Making just a few small changes can have a big impact on the amount of plastic we use on a day-to-day basis.

Energy consumption

Green Energy providers

Before you switch energy provider or tariff, it’s a good idea to look at all the different types of tariffs available. Each gives you different options, so it’s important to choose one that best suits your needs.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/get-a-better-energy-deal/choosing-energy-tariff/

You can choose a ‘green tariff’ if you want your energy to come from renewable supplies like wind or solar. These tariffs are usually more expensive but reduce your carbon footprint. Many of the price comparison website will inform you which of the tariffs are linked to green energy.

If you’re on a green tariff, your supplier has to tell you:

• how much of each kind of renewable energy they generate
• if they contribute money to environmental schemes on your behalf

Energy efficient appliances

Energy efficiency labels can help you choose household appliances which cost less to run and have less impact on the environment. They help you compare the efficiency of different makes and models, enabling you to make the right choice for your lifestyle and budget.

With the energy label recognised by 85% of consumers, manufacturers are keen to see their products in the highest available category when compared to competitors. For example, roughly two-thirds of refrigerators and washing machines sold in 2006 were labelled as class A, whereas well over 90% of those sold in 2017 were higher than class A, namely A+, A++ or A+++. 

In addition to information about the product’s energy consumption, the labels can also provide specific data about other relevant features of usage e.g. the product’s noise emissions or water consumption.

Home energy efficiency

There are many simple yet effective ways to insulate your home, which can significantly reduce heat loss while lowering your heating bills.

Visit the Energy Saving Trust for further information on the following

• Roof and Loft
• Cavity Wall
• Tanks, Pipes and Radiators
• Floor
• Solid Wall
• Draught Proofing
• Damp and Condensation

 Clean/Active Travel

Walking and cycling to work

Travelling to work on foot or by bike is a practical and healthy alternative to using the car.

Step to it! - for journeys of less than two miles, walking is a quick, easy and cheap way to get to work and it’s also a great way to build exercise in to your daily routine.

Every minute you walk adds between 1½ and 2 minutes to your life - a return rate of almost 2:1.

Top tips for increasing your steps within a working day

• If you don’t walk regularly, start gradually, and try walking just one day a week.
• Walk one stop further to catch the bus or get off a stop earlier.
• Park further away from work.
• Improve your social and work life and take a 10-minute lunchtime walk to boost your productivity.

Did you know that people in cars suffer three times as much pollution as pedestrians?

Bike it!

Cycling is a great way to keep fit; it’s fun to do and gives you the flexibility to time your journey to work, putting you in control.

By cycling to and from work - or to the train station - you can by-pass traffic jams and arrive alert for the day ahead, as well as saving on fuel and parking costs.

5 reasons for walking and cycling to work

1. Increases energy levels and boosts brainpower making you mentally sharper.
2. Helps to control weight by reducing body fat and pumping up metabolism.
3. Reduces the risk of heart disease, strokes, some cancers and diabetes.
4. Boosts ‘happy’ hormones, improving mood and reducing stress.
5. Cuts traffic congestion and pollution.

Walking for 30 minutes a day could mean you burn off up to 130 calories, the equivalent of a doughnut or a small glass of wine.