Refuse – Reduce – Reuse – Recycle
Do we need to question our consumerism?
Natural resources are finite.
What effect are our buying habits having on the environment?
Did you know, the average person in the UK throws out 400kg of waste each year – 7 times their body weight!).
Only 45% of UK waste is currently able to be recycled.
Think…’Do I really need to buy this?’
Can I learn a new skill to mend or re purpose something that’s broken?
Classes are available for learning how to sew e.g. at the Tubbs Hall, Trinity Centre, Winnall Unit 12, or look at mending items e.g. The Worthys Community Shed, or Badger Farm Repair Café.
Can I buy second-hand, vintage, pre-loved items?
You’ll be supporting a worthwhile cause if buying from charity shops, or look at ‘I need a whisk Winchester’ Facebook group to give/take unwanted items.
Is the product I’m buying good quality and long lasting?
Spending more initially can reduce your cost in the long term!
Can I avoid buying disposable items?
Consider investing in a reusable cup for your takeaway coffee, or reusable wipes for baby. Take reusable bags shopping. Replace plastic containers in the kitchen/bathroom with other products e.g. solid bars or refills.
How will I recycle the item/packaging?
Manufacturers sometimes have free post return envelopes you can request for their packaging e.g. Merchant Gourmet, Gillette, printer inks. Look carefully at their packets.
Your council green bins are only able to take: plastic bottles, clean & dry card & paper, tin cans and aerosols – nothing else!
A new recycling facility is being built in the next few years which will allow more packaging and waste to be recycled e.g. tubs.
Food is a top waste contributor in the UK!
Plan your meals and be creative with leftovers – know your use by dates and freeze food to extend its life. The BBC Good Food website has lots of tasty recipes for using up leftovers see the ‘Leftovers Recipes’ collection.
Set up simple systems in your home to make it easy to recycle. Where do you need a paper and card recycling bin? What about a compost bucket?
Search online for getcomposting.com/collections to see the offers available for Hampshire Council residents on compost bins etc.
Other items for recycling include:
Tetrapaks (drinks cartons) – collection bin at Worthy Lane Cattle Market car park or South Wonston playground.
Clothing banks – collection bins at Springvale Stores, Cattle Market car park etc. Note the Salvation Army bins (e.g. Durngate car park) take textiles/rags.
Aluminium foil and drinks (only) cans– green bin at Church and Chapel in aid of Hants Air Ambulance.
Blister Medicine Packs – Boots Chemist, Winchester (earns Boots points), Superdrug, Andover and Basingstoke.
Searching for ways to dispose of other waste?
This Hampshire website can help you decide and links
to local recycling points:
hants.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling/whattodowithwaste
‘…because the earth is the Lord’s…’
Brought to you by St Mary’s Eco-Hub