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Helpful Tips

Managing Waste
  • Mark your calendar. Different areas have different collection dates. To avoid missing your recycling slot click here to find out your collection day.
  • Follow the four ‘Rs’ to eliminate the amount of material that is needing to be recycled. Wherever possible Reduce, Reuse, Return or Recycle.
  • Bypass the need for any waste through reuse containers, bottles and boxes by shopping at your local refill shop.
  • Putting unrecyclable items in your recycling bin can contaminate the recyclable items in there, meaning they can’t be recycled. If in doubt, take it out. Check what you can and can’t recycle here.

Reducing Consumption
  • Think before you buy. Before making a purchase, consider whether the item or service is really needed. Wasting items purchased represents a waste of the energy time and resources that went into producing it. Make a list before shopping to ensure you only buy what you need.
  • Source local products and produce. Rather than using supermarkets for your food shop, buy fresh produce from local independent stores and farmers markets. Buying locally sourced products reduces the contribution to carbon mileage for food imports and also helps support smaller businesses.
  • Break up with single-use. Ditch unnecessary disposable items such as food produce wrapped in plastic packaging. Instead, opt for reusable alternatives such as reusable coffee cups or reusable and washable bags for unpackaged fruit and veg.
  • Make second hand your first choice of purchasing or borrow where you can. Rather than generating more waste by disregarding unwanted items, pass on items to others. Alternatively, upcycling and DIY is a great way to repurpose and reuse your old stuff into something new.

Transport
  • When possible, walk or ride a bike in order to avoid carbon emissions completely.
  • View the number of cycle routes we have I RCT through the following link. Make sure you’re cycling safely, for example by always wearing a helmet and using lights after dark or in poor weather conditions. For more cycle safety recommendations click here.
  • Consider switching to an electric or hybrid vehicle if you are replacing your car to reduce your carbon footprint. If this isn’t affordable, choose a more efficient diesel or petrol vehicles.
  • Use public transport to reach your end destination instead of the car. Information and advice relating to public transport can be found on the RCT website.
  • If active travel and public transport are not viable options when travelling with friends/colleagues to a mutual destination, then consider carpooling options. By carpooling you could save money, decrease congestion and improve air quality.

Energy Saving
  • Switch-it-off. Turn the lights off when you don’t need them and turn off devices from the source when finished.
  • Get a SMART meter to help you understand and manage your energy consumption and costs.
  • Cook smart as much as possible. The most sustainable way of cooking is using a stove-top or a microwave.
  • When drying clothes, if the weather permits, dry your clothes using a clothing line or airer rather than a tumble drier.
  • Don’t put hot items in the fridge and clean out your fridge more often. The more items there are in the fridge and the warmer those items are then the more energy your fridge consumes trying keep those items cool. Your fridge is one of the biggest consumers of energy in your home.

Stop Littering
  • Don’t litter. Always place your litter in a nearby litter bin. If there is no litter bin around, then you must take the litter home with you and dispose of it correctly.
  • Help reduce litter by joining your local voluntary litter-picking group. See how you can get involved here.
  • Don’t leave litter by the side of an overfilling litter bin. This litter can be damaging to wildlife and the wind can easily pick up discarded litter that has not been placed securely in a bin, spreading it across the area.

Food & Water:

 
  • Try going vegan or vegetarian one day a week, or just try and reduce your meat and dairy intake as these food groups produce the most carbon emissions.
  • Use a reusable water bottle when you are at home and on the move. Plastic production leads to a lot of carbon emissions so you’ll be lowering both your water and carbon footprint.
  • If you have space in your garden, grow your own fruit, vegetables and herbs at your property.