Top tips

Try buying goods with less packaging

Please think about what you buy and where you buy it as it affects the amount of rubbish that you have to throw away.

For example local greengrocers will usually sell their produce in brown paper bags which are easily compostable and recyclable. Compare this to the polystyrene and plastic wrapping that many supermarkets put on their fruit and veg!

The power to make manufacturers change the amount of packaging does not lie with us. Companies will only respond to feedback from you, the customer.

Please contact manufacturers and retailers to let them know if you think their products are over packaged

In 2006, Britain's Environment Minister recommended to the public that over-packaged products should be unwrapped in supermarkets and the packaging left at the checkout. This practice has been common in Germany for some time.

You can also contact Trading Standards if you think a product is over packaged.

Buy less disposable items

Disposable items are designed to be used once or twice and then thrown away; this is not very green at all! It makes sense that if we use less disposable items, we will throw away less. Try to buy items with a longer life, for example real nappies instead of disposable ones, or rechargeable batteries instead of single use ones. If you are buying something like a DVD player, consider whether it could be repaired if it breaks. Consider having home deliveries of milk in glass bottles.

Repair items whenever possible

There are lots of different companies which can repair items - from shoes to televisions. Look in a local business directory like Yellow Pages or Thompson Local to find a company that can repair your broken goods.

Buy recycled products

If you buy recycled goods, you will be supporting a growing culture of waste reduction, and helping to establish markets for recycled products. Consider that the paper in the recycled pad you bought might well have ended up in landfill had it had not been recovered and recycled. The bigger the market for recycled goods, the more you will be able to recycle, and the cheaper these services will become.

Bag for life

Use a cotton re-usable shopping bag or a bag for life, rather than using plastic bags. Most supermarkets and department stores sell re-useable bags and bags for life.

Reduce your food waste

We are encouraging you to reduce the amount of food you throw away. Have a look at the Love Food Hate Waste campaign for further details and handy tips on how reduce your food waste and save money on your shopping bills.

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