In Herefordshire around 62% of items thrown into the general rubbish bin could have been reused, recycled or composted. Check the contents of an average Herefordshire black bin.
Reducing this waste, at home or at work, can go a long way to helping reduce our impact on the environment.
There are lots of ways to make a real difference from thinking differently about what you buy, to using reusable items and home composting. Some simple swaps are likely to help you save money too.
We can make the biggest impact on our waste reduction, if we don't create it in the first place.
Quick tips to reduce household waste
- Know your fridge - check what needs using before it goes out of date
- Create meal plans for a week to include items which need eating soonest - Visit Love Food Hate Waste for ideas on how to store food correctly so it lasts longer or search for recipes to help you meal plan and use your left overs
- Make and stick to a shopping list when you shop
- Try buying loose vegetables and fruit
- Look out for shops which let you refill bottles, tub, jars to avoid single use plastic bags
- Buy better quality products that are going to last
If you have something you don't need - could it be used by someone else? From spare windfall apples, food you can't use before it goes out of date, to clothing, furniture or household items.
Where it's not possible to reduce what you use, the next option is to see if items are suitable for reuse.