Cut Down on Waste
Throwing something away wastes all the materials and energy it took to make it. And when waste is burnt or buried it poisons the air and the earth.
So USE LESS, RE-USE, REFILL, PASS ON, SHARE and MEND
Shop & eat carefully
Cut packaging
Buy refills for your washing up liquid, laundry detergent and hand soap bottles to avoid throwing away plastic, and buy unpackaged foods, including oats, muesli and pasta from:
TopUp Truck, the amazing electric milk float which delivers to your street
Mother Earth - there are three branches in Islington
Fiveboys: Highbury Park N5 1QJ
Arsenal Food and Wine: 68B Blackstock Road N4 2DW
Planet Organic: 64 Essex Rd N1 8LR
Get a nice pint in
Have milk delivered in reusable glass bottles. There are a few companies that offer this service. We really like Moreton Dairy
Donate surplus food
via Olio, an app that connects neighbours with each other and with local outlets so extra food can be shared rather than thrown away.
Avoid food waste
By only buying and cooking as much food as you need. Plan meals and make shopping lists.
Love food of all shapes & sizes
Oddbox deliver a good value box of surplus fruit and veg that has been rescued directly from farms for not being “supermarket-suitable”
TooGoodToGo and karma.life are platforms where shops sell surplus produce at reduced prices.
Make your voice heard
Complain to Customer Services when shops and online orders use unnecessary packaging, and do the same with your favourite takeaway.
Save space & reduce waste
Donate clothes, books, toys and household items…
…to charity shops to extend the life of things you no longer need. There are loads of options locally but here’s a few you could try:
Oxfam 198 Holloway Road N7 2HB
Marie Curie, 18 Highbury Corner N5 0FH
Mind, 77 Upper Street N1 1DB
Crisis, 211 Upper Street N1 1RL
Re-use unwanted items
Bright Sparks Re-Use Project is a not-for-profit social enterprise promoting re-use, recycling and waste minimisation. They take small items like kettles and toasters and items of furniture and will arrange collections for larger things.
Islington Council Reuse and Recycling Centre takes furniture, toys, sports equipment, clothes and household items.
Freecycle is a localised grassroots movement for giving and getting stuff for free in your neighbourhood – and keeping it out of landfill. This link will take you to the Highbury page
You can also donate furniture to people in crisis via the Re-Use Network.
Extend the life of your electronics
Phones and computers include valuable metals such as lithium, gold and titanium, which can be recovered and reused, and dangerous toxins such as lead, mercury and arsenic.
Consider selling, recycling, repairing or donating via one of these sites:
Weee Charity - offers free recycling of computers and electrical equipment
Music Magpie - will buy your tech including computers, phones & consoles
Envirofone - specialise in phones which they buy from you and recycle
Or take them to the electrical section at Islington Re-use and Recycling Centre
Seven Tips
Look for the long term
Buy items that last longer such as rechargeable batteries, non-disposable razors, re-usable cosmetic pads and re-usable menstrual products.
Rethink nappies
Don’t use disposable nappies. They go to landfill and contribute to our carbon emissions. Instead try Real Nappies for London, a washing service for reusable nappies, or Beaming Baby and Bamaboo who sell biodegradable nappies that are kinder to the planet.
You’ve got mail (that you probably don’t want)
Register with the Mailing Preference Service to stop receiving junk mail and unsolicited advertising.
Borrow, don’t buy
Why buy when you can borrow? From carpet cleaners to ice-cream makers, save money and waste by renting from your local branch of Library of Things.
Do DIY right
Donate leftover paint to a local charity at communityrepaint.org.uk and borrow, share or hire tools rather than buying them. Tools for Self Reliance will send your old tools to Africa.
Don’t use wet wipes
Have you ever seen a Fatberg? Click the link and then commit to never use a wet wipe again! Seriously - just don’t.
Give experiences, not things
Next time you’re getting someone a present, consider giving them an experience — tickets to a show, a membership or a subscription — instead of a thing. Most of us have got enough stuff.
Learn More
And aim for zero waste.
Lovefoodhatewaste.com has excellent information on food waste and how to avoid it
Consult the north London councils’ joint website wiseuptowaste.org for information on all aspects of waste avoidance and recycling
Check out the Reduce Waste section on the recyclenow.com website
