Recycling is not our get out of jail free card…

We are drowning in a problem of our own making and it’s time to wake up and smell the garbage! Recycling is ok but it’s a bandaid solution for a gaping wound. Sorry folks, but we really can’t recycle our way out of this mess, we need to stop for a moment and rethink rubbish. Every time we buy something we create trash. Even our recycling is trash. It’s landfill waiting to happen so let’s remember our options...

 

Make: make stuff from scratch, make something new from something old, or simply make do, whatever you choose, making is always an option. 😊

Grow: grow some edible plants. Start with herbs, work your way up from there. Growing your own food is rewarding, fun and super-delicious. You don’t need a lot of space and you can plant in anything that will hold dirt, so why wait? Start growing some food today! 🌱

Share: if you don’t need something all the time, why not borrow or share it? Sharing tools, clothes, even transport can save a lot of money which means we can buy better quality versions of the things we really need. 🤝

Repair: avoid the trap of ‘its cheaper to buy a new one’. It may seem cheaper but in the long run it’s not. The hidden costs lie in the manufacturing process and in after-life disposal. Invest in quality items and repair them when needed to prevent waste. 🔧

Say no: refuse disposable, single use items. Refuse the unnecessary, the trivial, the things we buy just to throw away (hello, bin liners!) Vote with your dollar, spend it with companies that care about the planet and say no to those who don’t. 🚫

Ask why? by thinking more carefully about why you’re buying something you may realise you don’t actually need it. Take a breath, ask why, and be a conscious consumer. 🛍

Avoid packaging: buying in bulk or from package free stores makes it easier to avoid packaging or at least reduce it. Buying bulk goods and whole foods has the added bonus of being a much healthier way of eating so you’ll feel the benefits and so will the planet. 🌏

 

Do: Doing something is better than doing nothing. Do what you can, even if it’s something small, every little bit counts. 🙌