Waste Free February
The 'Waste-Free' Challenge
What does waste-free living actually mean? It means avoiding unnecessary waste and reducing the need for a rubbish bin (but don’t panic, we don’t expect you to lose the bin just yet!). There are huge positive environmental impacts to producing less waste:
- Fewer resources are used as raw materials - water, oil, energy, land, etc.
- Less waste will be sent to landfill and incineration
- It sends a message to businesses: we don’t want your waste
- Councils will spend less on landfill tax.
So what is the challenge?
We want YOU to reduce your waste; it is as simple as that! You can set your own challenge; we understand limiting your waste to absolutely nothing or a jam jar’s worth is not realistic for everyone but this challenge is a great opportunity to look at the rubbish you are producing and see what you can do to reduce it. Why not set yourself a goal to produce no more than one carrier bag’s worth of rubbish for the month, or one black sack?
If watching your waste for a whole month isn’t possible, try it for a day, or a week or two!
You don’t have to hide away and avoid the supermarket – you can use materials which can be re-used, recycled and composted, but anything that would usually end up in the bin must go in your February waste container (bag/sack/bottle/jam jar or match box!).
You will learn to get savvy with your shopping, recycling and everyday habits which can lead to some lasting changes. If you produce less waste during your Waste Free Feb challenge then you can honestly say you have had a positive impact on our planet.
Need help reducing your waste?
We have set up a Facebook Group where you can share tips and good finds, and it is also a place to ask for help – join the group here.
We’ve also created a map of local shops and businesses that offer waste-free shopping in Wiltshire.