Zero Waste Week

Hello! In case you didn’t now, this week is Zero Waste Week – the idea is that we think more about how much waste we really produce, and this years theme is ‘re-use’. I love this as it’s beneficial to the environment and also your pocket – so it’s really just common sense!

My top tips for re-use:

1. Canvas bags – this is one of the simplest things to do, and it stops the constant use of plastic bags. Plastic bags are so bad for the environment, and they take over 450 years to decompose – every time I go to a supermarket I think of that fact and it really is horrendous. I don’t want to contribute to that, so I always carry a few in my car.
2. Travel mug – this one depends on your lifestyle; I’m not a coffee drinker so this wasn’t a huge issue for me, but I did get a travel mug as I love a good hot chocolate as it gets colder. Instead of using the cardboard/plastic cups and throwing it away, I bring a fab glass one and wash it out between uses.
3. Water bottle – this is a huge thing for me. Having a reusable water bottle saves all those plastic bottles being thrown away AND it makes me want to drink more. I’m so much more hydrated now and I know how much I drink in a day (at least 2 litres).
4. Buy second hand – this is probably the biggest money saving tip for reuse! I’m getting better at this as I’ve been using more websites like Vinted, StreetBank and Ebay. And of course there’s the classic charity shops!
5. Donate – of course this works both ways. So I’ve recently had a big declutter and donated most of it to charity shops, and there’s also a centre for Syrian Refugees so I took some there too. It’s such a good feeling to know that what may be clutter to you, is perfect for someone else!

This theme also reminded me of the fantastic ‘story of stuff’ – it’s a few years old now, but still so relevant:

Please leave your tips on re-use down below – I’d love to hear them!