Choose2Reuse - Reusing Resources to Reduce Your Waste
The Problem
We all produce too much waste. We recycle a great deal but more can be done to reduce the amount of waste we produce. If you can’t prevent waste, you can try to get the most out of it by reusing items or giving them to someone else that can reuse them. Reuse means using items as many times as possible, which helps to save resources.
There are a number of ways of reusing goods to reduce waste.
Donation/selling
If you donate or sell items you are disposing of to charity/ or Ebay or Free 2 Collect. The receiver doesn’t have to purchase a new item. They get more use out of your waste.Repair and Refurbish
You can prolong the life of any item by getting it refurbished, repaired. This means you can postpone disposal.Sharing
You can reduce waste by not purchasing items in the first place and instead rent or share either through sharing clubs (such as the library) or hire centres.Choose2Reuse Guide
You can obtain a guide by calling 0191 3835674.Top 10 Reuse Tips
1) Before purchasing something new think ‘do you really want something else in your house to dust’?2) De-clutter your house and donate to charity.
3) Get familiar with Ebay and Free 2 Collect.
4) When purchasing items, check Ebay and Free 2 Collect and charity outlets before purchasing new.
5) Join the library - you can get much more than books there! DVDs, CDs and computer games are widely available.
6) Order your milk from a milk man who still reuse glass bottles.
7) Donate household furniture to charity.
8) Doing DIY? Don’t forget to check salvage yards for cheap 2nd hand materials.
9) Doing DIY? You can rent good quality power tools from hire companies for a fraction of the price. And you wont clutter up your shed with an item you use once every 10 years!
10) Plastic bottles can be reused here are a few ideas sent in by County Durham residents and website users:
A great way to save on the amount of watering you do in the garden is to use plastic bottles as slow water release systems. Put small holes in the bottom of the bottle and bury vertically with the top of the bottle sticking above ground and fill.
You can cut the tops of the bottles to use as funnels. After a while you can have various sizes of funnels for different jobs. And they all stack inside each other.
Plant pots are so expensive! Any plastic bottle, cups, yogurt cups etc can be filled with a little soil and used to grow plants in. Make sure you puncture the base.
If you grow any seedlings, the bottles can be used as mini cloches by cutting off the bottom and placing over the plant, in the garden.
Fill a couple up with water and leave them in the freezer - great for using on picnics and trips to the beach as an ice pack.
As well as saving money, reusing plastic water bottles is a valuable way to recycle. After drinking all the water, simply fill the bottle up and place it in your refrigerator.
