Recycle Awareness Week in Kent

This two-minute read takes a look at
Recycle Awareness Week and what we can do this week and beyond.

Recycle Now has
been running Recycle Awareness Week
annually, with 2021 being its 18th year. The emphasis is on
celebrating how many of us are recycling and ensuring we all continue to do so.

As the Zero-Waste Chef blogger Anne-Marie
Bonneau said: “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We
need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”

Here are some ways you can work on
waste.

Plastic packaging waste

Plastic packaging is important to
protect food wastage through the economic journey. However, it is also the
largest contributor to worldwide plastic waste.

Top tips:

•
Use
reusable beeswax food wrap instead of cling film.

•
Use
reusable bags when shopping, even in the supermarket for collecting loose fruit
and veg.

•
Buy in
bulk or use hard soap and hard shampoos.

Reduce food waste

In the UK, a shocking three quarters of
all food waste could have been eaten. Buying only what you need, when you need
it, is the best place to start with this. Cutting your food waste at home can
save you in the region of £500 a year.

Top tips:

•
Store food
correctly. Stored properly, food will last longer so that gives you more time
to use it up.

•
Preserve
food. This might mean pickling, fermenting, or simply using your freezer
better.

•
Use your
leftovers. Leftovers aren’t just for Christmas! Use a glass container to keep
them stored in the fridge and visible so you remember to use them up in time.

Clothing and textiles

The fast fashion industry has shaped
society into a linear one where we ‘make, use, dispose’. £140 million of
clothing ends up in UK landfill every year. It is thought that four out of five
people have unworn clothes at home that simply need altering to fit.

Top tips:

•
Learn how
to alter/repair your clothes so you can make the most of them.

•
Arrange
clothes swap parties with friends to give your wardrobe a new lease of life and
declutter.

•
Use
charity shops to give away items you no longer want and to purchase new-to-you
pieces.

What are your favourite ways to
recycle, reuse, and reduce? Let us know by emailing us at warren@cwbproperty.co.uk.