Simple ways to reduce waste
There are easy things we can all do to help cut down on waste:
- Buy only what you’ll eat to avoid food waste
- Choose loose produce and items with minimal packaging
- Reuse, repurpose or sell unwanted furniture and household items
Less waste means less to dispose of, saving money and resources.
Love food, hate waste
You can save up to £425 a year by shopping smart, cooking carefully and storing food properly. Visit the Love Food Hate Waste website for tips on reducing food waste.
Shop smart, waste less
Making thoughtful choices when shopping can significantly reduce waste:
- Buy local products to cut down on packaging and transport emissions.
- Choose items with a longer shelf life.
- Avoid buying cheap if it means replacing sooner.
- Plan meals and shop with a list to avoid buying things you don’t need.
- Avoid ‘buy one get one free’ offers on perishable items that may not get eaten.
- Bulk buy non-perishables to save money and packaging.
- Buy items with reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging.
- Always bring your reusable bags.
- And most importantly, ask yourself if you really need it.
Kernow Reuse Shops
Kernow Reuse Shops, located at some Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs), sell affordable pre-loved items such as:
- Home and garden accessories
- Small electricals
- Sports gear
- Books
The Reuse Shops are run by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK on behalf of Cornwall Council. You can donate items for the shops at any HWRC. Donated items will be sold at the reuse shops or given to charities. You can learn more about find your nearest Kernow Reuse Shop here: SUEZ Cornwall | Re-use
Reusable nappies
Disposable nappies make up 3.2% of Cornwall’s household waste. Switching to reusable cloth nappies is a more sustainable alternative to disposable nappies.
To learn more about using ‘real nappies’, visit the Go Real Facebook page.
Reducing junk mail
Sign up for the Mail Preference Service to stop up to 95% of junk mail. It’s free, just remember to renew it each year. You can find out more here: how to reduce junk mail fact sheet.
Cut back on your garden waste
You can find advice on how to reduce the amount of waste from your garden here: garden waste minimisation.
Compost at home
Composting is an affordable, natural process that converts your food and garden waste into nutrient rich fertiliser. It’s easy to make and can be used in your garden.
You can compost at home using a compost heap, a homemade system, or a standard compost bin.
Cornwall Council has teamed up with Get Composting to provide great value compost bins and accessories.