Less waste please
Ireland′s landfill sites are at a critical stage, reported the Independent on 7 October 2008. To meet the quota set by the EU Landfill Directive in 2010, we as a nation must have reduced the amount we throw into landfill or face hefty penalties fees. You may think that you are doing your bit by recycling paper, glass and plastic bottles. But think again, as the type of waste that is of concern is organic / biodegradable waste. So much is being thrown away unnecessarily.
Food waste: vegetable peelings, fruit peel, leftovers, ground coffee, tea, etc.
Garden waste: grass clippings, fallen leaves, old turf, flower heads, planting, shrubs, branches, soil etc.
Wood waste: old timber floor boards, picture/mirror frames, furniture, shelves etc.
Paper waste: newspapers, cardboard, magazines, envelopes, tissue boxes, breakfast cereal boxes, individual tea bag sachets, junk mail etc.
Textile waste: clothes, bags, sacks – any that are natural and will biodegrade, not conventional plastic bags.
Your task over the next few months is to cut down the organic / biodegradable waste that you put in the black bins. If you have a garden, make a home composter to create rich soil for your plants. Recycle more paper waste than you do already, and find inventive ways to recycle and reuse wood or textiles. The only way the government can stop the amount people throw away is to increase the cost of bin tags/bills. Save money & the help the environment, smiles all round.
Related posts:
- What to do with all our waste paper?
- An upside to the downturn
- Christmas Paper Mayhem
- Less recycling please!
- Love food, hate waste, and make Cornucopia’s Sweet Potato, Coconut Milk and Coriander Soup
- Redesign for reuse
[...] The Benefits of Using Less Waste [...]