Apparently it is possible through recycling, repurposing, buying food products in bulk or in recyclable packaging, composting, etc. But it is NOT going to be possible for me as I have dog waste to get rid of daily and I'm not going to be digging a hole deep enough for a dustbin with the bottom cut out to be sunk into the ground as a compostable toilet or carry it through the house to flush down the toilet. I also have a cat and a litter tray, the next time I need new litter I will purchase the brand that can go in the compost bin (obviously the cat waste can't be disposed of in this manner)
It is rare for me to have any food waste, especially since entering lock down as I've been concerned about the number of trips I make to the supermarkets so I meal plan for each day and I've been worried the refuse collection may have stopped at the beginning and didn't want items in the bin that may not be collected and the smell etc.
Despite keeping magazines for crafting, decoupage, making elephants and giraffes out of milk bottles and toilet rolls, repurposing tin cans as flower planters, using cardboard to make decorations for the windows and newspapers for papier mache chickens and using up old paint from the shed, I find I still manage to throw away half a bin bag each week of rubbish for the landfill (including the dog poo).
I have make up remover cloths rather than using cotton wool, I haven't found an alternative for removing nail varnish or cotton wool buds, but like the straws, I no longer use plastic ones.
I use my own shopping bags, have cloth bags for buying loose produce in the supermarket, the sticky price labels can't be recycled though.
I have a compost bin in the garden for flowers, uncooked food waste and paper towels and a green waste bin collected fortnightly by the local council along with the recycling bin.
So how did I get on?
Well it was a big fail for me this week as I sent carpets from 4 bedrooms, stairs and landing, a bath side and end panel and roofing felt to landfill. I did save some carpet to use in the sheds and some roofing felt. I also had to throw away Bob's football and the contents of two vacuum cleaners. this can go in the compost bin normally but contained carpet and paint flake waste.
So apart from the above, repurposing, composting and recycling, this is all I threw in the black sack this week. The contents fitted into an ice cream tub, in a week, not a jam jar in a month. But I'm carrying on with it from now on and I'll update you and let you know how I do.
My list of what was in the tub.
With the click and collect and online deliveries the amount of plastic waste I have has increased with plastic bags used for fruit and veg and carrier bags to put the shopping in, sometimes only one item per bag.
How much stuff do you throw away each week? Do you recycle as much as you can? Repurpose/reuse? Compost? Any tips you'd like to share with me?
