Many of the things we currently throw away could be re-used again and again with just a little thought and imagination

·         Instead of throwing away your favourite magazine after you have read it, why not pass it on to a friend or pass them on to the doctor, dentist or local hospitals for their waiting room areas cut it up and use it to make a collage or for other art projects.

     

·         Or why not try origami - the Japanese art of paper folding - to make a mobile or decoration for your room?

·         You can cut up last year's Christmas cards to make gift tags to use this year.

     

·         Newspapers are excellent for polishing your windows after you have washed them.

·         If you have a Blue Bin at your house, please don't forget to put your waste paper into it for recycling. Please take care only to put in the types of paper which are on the list sent out with your Blue Bin.

·         If you do not have a Blue Bin, please don't forget to take your waste paper to your nearest Civic Amenity Site or Bring Centre.

·         Real Nappies are available as a substitute for disposalble nappies and could save you money too. www.wen.org.uk

·         Pass on unwanted items for re-use. For example, unwanted toys can be passed on to childrens wards in hospitals or to community groups. Larger items such as furniture may be useful to someone else even if you no longer want it. Why not check out www.freecycle.org

     

·         Plastic bottles can be re-used time after time by refilling. Some shops such as The Body Shop will refill bottles with the same products for a cheaper price than buying new ones.

·         Each household uses 3 to 4 glass bottles and jars every week. Glass jars such as jam jars and coffee jars can be cleaned and re-used as storage jars.

·         If you are a gardener, large plastic bottles can be used in the garden to protect young plants and provide water reservoirs for older plants.

·         Household batteries: buy rechargeable batteries and use mains power where possible.

     

·         Send unwanted but still good quality clothes to charity shops and cut old clothes up to use as dusters.

     

·         Keep old plastic bags to take with you on your next shopping trip, or you could use them as bin bags.

·         Stick a label over old envelopes and use them again.