Zero Waste

Well, I think I achieved about an 80% reduction in waste – I did not reach my goal, but this is just the beginning.

The festive period, of course, was the source of many additional waste – but even so, I still managed to only have half bag of household (non-recycling) waste , and half-full recycling boxes for the last collection of the year – and of course, much of this was from gifts and packaging which I was not in control of. I am quite proud of myself! I honestly think that if I had set this goal earlier, without the festive period, that I would have achieved the 85%!

I am trying my utmost to reduce my waste by 85% before the end of the year. It is not that I never recycled (I always have done!), or that I was particularly wasteful, but that there is more that I can do.

What is in place

• Avoidance of ANY purchases with plastic packaging (yes, this causes funny looks in Tesco when I have veg loose in a bag for life, but what is the point in putting them in plastic for a 5 min journey, when I already have a canvas carrying implement?!)
• Up-cycling of anything possible: for a friends kids to make stuff with (the cardboard rolls in the middle of wrapping paper are, e.g. excellent swords!)
• Re-use of boxes and envelopes.
• Slow integration of alternative products with waste reduction and environmental friendliness as core motivations for choice.