Zero Waste Week with Newark and Sherwood District Council

The week-long environmental campaign raises awareness about the importance of reducing waste, focusing on responsible consumption and adopting more sustainable habits; even small changes can make a big difference when everyone does their bit.

Ensuring you recycle waste is a simple but extremely effective way to be more sustainable. Some top tips for recycling are:

• rinse any food residue off your items before recycling them
• don’t put recyclable items in plastic bags
• try to keep your bathroom general waste separated from your recyclable bathroom waste so it is easier when you take the bins out.

The District Council’s Garden Recycling Service is another great way to recycle efficiently and conveniently! If you are getting some gardening in before the colder days set in, make sure to only use your brown bin to dispose of:

• grass cuttings
• hedge trimmings
• leaves
• small branches and twigs (up to 10cm in diameter)
• plants and weeds
• cut flowers

Find out more: https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/gardenrecycling/

One of the biggest culprits for producing waste is food – on average one third of all food is binned* -but there are some very simple, cost-efficient ways to combat it!

• Organise your fridge/freezer every once in a while, especially before a big food shop
• If you live with friends, why not share an evening meal together rather than all cooking separately?
• Make a shopping list before you head out to the supermarket- then you won’t be so tempted to add extra items to your trolley.
• Plan weekly food shops; if you reduce your visits to the shop, you might reduce the temptation to buy extra each time.
• Make the most of your leftovers! Get creative in the kitchen and see if you can whip up something delicious using what you have left in the fridge at the end of the week.
• Check out your local refill shop. Newark Eco Refill shop offers a broad range of shopping essentials, but without the plastic. Weigh and pay for what you need only.
• Set up your own compost at home – put your kitchen and garden waste to good use in the compost and turn it into nutrient rich food that helps your plants and flowers thrive: https://www.recyclenow.com/how-to-recycle/home-composting

If you’re often on the go and find it difficult to limit the amount of waste you produce as you’re out and about, you could try:

• Bringing a reusable water bottle or reusable coffee cup out with you.
• If you have leftovers, pop them in Tupperware instead of buying lunch out - this not only reduces your waste but saves some money too!
• Remember to pack reusable shopping bags before you head out to the shops. If you have a car, try to leave one in the boot so you are never caught off guard.

As we are moving into the autumnal season this might be the time you have a bit of a wardrobe clear out or swap the summer clothes out for the winter ones.

• Repurpose old clothes if you can – cut old and worn t-shirts up into cleaning cloths,
• Getting rid of clothes you don’t want but they still have some wear in them? Donate to charity shops or sell them online!

Councillor Emma Oldham, Portfolio Holder for Biodiversity and Environmental Services at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “We can all play our part in our effort to create a greener district and I encourage everyone to challenge themselves this week to see how you can reduce your waste. With our gardening recycling service and support on our website, alongside many charities, second hand and refill shops across the district, it is easier than ever to reduce your waste.”

“This week is also a good opportunity to remind everyone that contamination to our recycling is something that can have a huge impact on our efforts to create a greener district. Just one or two containers covered in food, or a stray plastic bag in your silver bin, can mean an entire lorry load ending up in landfill, instead of being recycled. If in doubt, leave it out!

“Small changes have a big impact. Making sustainable choices also saves us money and makes us feel good too.”

Find out more: https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/reducereuseandrecycle/

**https://www.ifco.com/stopping-food-waste-and-food-loss-with-ifco/