Recycling Today For a Better Tomorrow
In the UK the average person throws away 400 kg of waste each year – that’s the weight of a polar bear! This goes to landfill. As the rubbish decomposes, it produces harmful gases, such as methane, that raise the temperature of the planet, contributing to climate change.
One thing we can all do is to recycle as much as possible and reduce how much we throw away. Even if you have never recycled before, it’s not too late. And you can get your children and grandchildren involved too – after all, they will inherit the planet. Recycling is something we can all do, no matter how old or young we are!
This website is a handy guide to what can be recycled, and gives advice on what to do with trickier items, such as medicines, batteries and mobile phones. You can type in your postcode to find out which items your council recycles.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Some Things For You to Try
- Think before you throw something out. Could you send it to a charity shop? Give it to a friend? Could you reuse it for something else? Here are 25 things you can do with an empty glass jar! And if you love glitter but dislike the fact that it’s non-recyclable, then why not try out this eco-friendly glitter?
- Avoid single-use plastics. Instead of buying a bottle of water, use a reusable bottle
- Many shops offer refill schemes where you bring along your own jar/container to refill instead of using plastic packaging.
- Go paperless: ask for utility bills and bank statements to be emailed to you.
- Use reusable items where you can, such as face masks, rechargeable batteries and food containers instead of cling film.
- Join your local Freegle or Freecycle groups to pass on items you no longer want to someone who will use them.
How Can You Get Your Children or Grandchildren Involved?
Here are some fun ideas you might like to try:
- Get your children to help you with recycling! They can sort items into categories. This way they will feel more involved and they will learn about what can be recycled. (Remember to watch out for any items that may be sharp, such as cans with sharp edges.)
- Grow your own food! Growing cress from seed is good to start with, as results are so quick.
- You could also try growing cherry tomatoes, strawberries or peas.
- Buy products that have less packaging.
- Go litter picking in your local area. It’s a chance to get out in the fresh air, make the area look cleaner, and feel happy, knowing that you have done a good thing! Remember to wear sturdy gloves when litter picking, and be careful by roads. You might like to buy a children’s litter picker to use.
- Find out if your local council is running any community recycling projects that children can get involved in.
Get Crafty
Rainy day? Kids bored? Why not get crafty – using items from your recycling box? There are loads of things you can make with an empty cereal packet and some sticky-back tape!
The BBC has some resources to help you teach your children about recycling in an age-appropriate way.
A whole New Wardrobe
In the UK over 300,000 tonnes of unwanted clothing is thrown away every year. Did you know this? What a waste!
Instead of throwing clothes away, it’s worth thinking about donating them to a charity shop or passing them on to friends with younger children. This helps in two ways: it keeps clothes out of landfill and it means that your friend will have a brand-new wardrobe – for free.
If you belong to a sports club, you can usually pass on – or sell – outgrown sports kit and footwear there. Many schools are happy to receive donations of uniform too.
The cost of fast fashion
Did you know that it takes 10,000 litres of water to make a pair of jeans? But there is an alternative: buying previously loved clothes. There are lots of online second-hand clothing marketplaces to choose from. Or why not visit a local car boot sale? Treat yourself to a bargain, knowing that you’re helping the planet at the same time.
ActNow
ActNow is ‘the United Nations campaign for individual action on climate change and sustainability’. Its website suggest things we can all do to help the planet, and it has an app you can download to help you do this. It also has a page aimed at children featuring eight climate superheroes and including fun downloadable activities for children.
If we all change our habits and make better choices, together we can create a more sustainable world for our children and grandchildren. Let’s act now.