Detailed Info - Reduce Reuse Recycle

Over 60% of what is thrown away by most people should not be in the bin at all...it can be recycled.
Waste is a problem that we CAN do something about by finding time for the 3R's in our everyday lives.
‘Reduce’ entails cutting down the amount you use in the first place so that you have less to throw away or recycle.
’Reuse’ means just that. Reusing items again and again instead of throwing them out.
’Recycle’ means using things that have already used in order to make new things.

Practical ways to reduce and reuse your ‘rubbish’ every day:

Reduce
Think before you buy - try and buy products with less of this packaging.

Buy milk from the milkman. Each glass milk bottle can be used up to 20 times.

Use low energy light bulbs and rechargeable batteries.

If you really need to print out work make sure that you print on both sides of the paper or use the unprinted side for scrap.

Try not to pick up a plastic bag every time you buy something from the shop.

Try to avoid individually packed biscuits or sweets.

Reuse

Go to the shops with a reusable shopping bag instead of taking plastic bags from every shop.

Use envelopes again but putting a sticker over the previous address – remember you will need to put new stamps on it!

Always use both sides of a piece of paper before you recycle it.

Reuse old paper that can not be written on any more to make papier mache models or even your own recycled paper

Use plastic margarine and yoghurt pots for paint and glue or for growing seeds.

Use refillable pens instead of disposable ones.

Hold a bring and buy sale to raise money for your school (or for another good cause) to which people can bring old clothes, toys or books for someone else to buy and reuse.

Encourage the school to use rechargeable batteries and refillable print cartridges.

Recycle

Find out about how it is easiest for you to recycle as much as possible from home and keep up the good work.




Use aluminium foil for wrapping sandwiches and cakes rather than cling film. Foil can be recycled when you’ve finished with it.

Try to eat more fruit and veg, not only are they better for you but you can turn the leftovers into compost at home or school!

Why recycle?



Recycling saves energy - it takes less energy to make new products from recycled items than to make them from raw materials; and it creates less pollution and greenhouse gases.

Recycling helps to save the environment. The more that we can reduce, reuse and recycle the less we have to use the world's natural resources. This saves oil, trees and minerals. Less mining and quarrying will help preserve the landscape and cause less damage to plant and animal life.

Recycling creates jobs. Incinerating 10,000 tonnes of waste creates 1 job, land filling the same amount of waste creates 6 jobs, but recycling the same 10,000 tonnes creates 36 jobs.

If we recycle more we will need less landfill space, saving valuable space in our countryside.

How do we recycle?
Recycling is EASY, as easy as putting your rubbish out! 95% of homes in Cornwall have a fortnightly kerbside collection where you can put out recyclables for collections. For those that don’t have a kerbside collection yet there are hundreds of bring banks situated at many supermarkets, car parks and public places making it easy and convenient to recycle when you shop. There are also 13 household recycling centres around the county.