🌱 There’s always something to learn
- Do you live in the EU? You could take part in reducing waste alongside 29+ other countries in November 2026!
- However, as this is still a while away- there’s still plenty to absorb here as we look at the key themes of European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) 2025.
- And if you don’t live in the EU? You can still learn something!
🌱 So, What is the European Week for Waste Reduction?
- The EWWR is a campaign driven by local and regional authorities, focusing on waste prevention and raising awareness in Europe.
- Citizens, schools, businesses and NGOs all come together to create activities aimed at waste reduction, with 2024 seeing 12,724 actions in support of this cause.
- Why not mull over the three points below…
🌱 3 Better ways to recycle
- Reduce Consumption
The best way to reduce waste is before the purchase has been made. Think, do you really need that item? Is there an alternative which comes with less packaging or more recyclable properties?
- Reuse
- Is the item you’re discarding really fit for disposal? Does it have another life in it, but in a different form?
- I recall a grandparent reminiscing how clothing used to have a longer lifecycle than it does today.
- For example, a smart top might transition to pyjamas once it’s gained some wear, to a gardening shirt once it’s holey, only to end as a repurposed rag for cleaning. Only then, would this shirt find itself being disposed of.
- Try and apply this lens to your next item of disposal- is there another purpose to be served?
- Recycling
- We all know we should recycle, but do you know if you’re doing it properly?
- Your local council will often give advice on what they will take (think back to the moments when you’re debating if that pizza box is too greasy for recycling or not…)
- My friend only recently learnt that the cellophane packaging around vegetables can even be recycled in supermarkets- see, there’s always more to be done!
