The Waste Management & Recycling Blog – Page 12 – – Doing our bit for the environment

How to create a capsule wardrobe

Most of us are guilty of a wardrobe full of clothes we never wear — whether that’s because they’re no longer the right size, they’re out of fashion, or they were an impulse buy we’ve never worn.

This wardrobe-stuffing has been encouraged by fast fashion, which has enabled people to buy endless items of clothing without breaking the bank or giving each purchase much thought.

With so many clothes to choose from, many of us struggle to decide what to wear each day — and a surprising number of us end up reaching for the same pieces daily, to avoid the decision.

This situation could be avoided with the implementation of a capsule wardrobe.

With such busy lives and many of us wishing to move over to more sustainable ways of living, a capsule wardrobe could make life simpler and eco-friendlier for everyone.

How recycling in Rome leads to free travel

If you’re reading this blog post, you must be as intrigued as we were when we found out about this innovative recycling scheme in Rome.

We have recently been working on boosting recycling rates in Leeds city centre alongside Hubbub and many other organisations as part of a scheme called Leeds By Example.

This has been such a success that it is now being rolled out in other areas of the country.

An important aspect of Leeds By Example was the variety of bins installed around the city. They were varied to see which became the most popular and therefore encouraged the most recycling.

It transpired that people were most drawn to those that offered rewards, such as money-off coupons. In Italy, they are working on a similar tactic.

How to enjoy a greener Bonfire Night

Bonfire Night is an annual British commemoration observed on 5 November to celebrate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605.

Due to Guy Fawkes and his accomplices planning to blow up King James I of England and the House of Lords, fire has always been involved in celebrations regarding the failed plot.

Effigies of Guy Fawkes are often placed on these bonfires to burn. In modern times, fireworks are also synonymous with 5 November.

Unfortunately, it has come to light in recent times that Bonfire Night can have a detrimental effect on the environment.

This is down to the materials being burned and the chemicals in the fireworks, all of which create air pollution which can be problematic to humans, animals and the earth.

So, what can we do about this? We outline some ideas below.

How to plan a sustainable Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner and with it comes all manner of traditions — from fancy dress parties to trick or treating, and everything in-between.

Unfortunately, these traditions are often fairly wasteful — however, it’s surprisingly simple to make them less so.

Below, we take a look at how you can make your Halloween celebrations more sustainable this year, and for future years too.

How to recycle summer’s pool inflatables

Sunny summer days are synonymous with splashing around in a cooling swimming pool and hanging out at the beach.

So, what do we take with us for these excursions? Towels, swimming costumes, sun lotion, and inflatables, of course.

This blog post takes a look at the recycling of inflatables.

Why is plastic bad for the planet?

Hundreds of news articles have been written over the past few years about the rise of plastic waste and with it, plastic litter.

While there’s no denying that plastic is everywhere nowadays, there is some confusion as to why plastic is so bad for our planet.

After all, it’s still mass-produced, and people are still regularly bringing it into their homes.

Plastic is everywhere you look in the home — whether it’s the handwash container and shampoo bottle in the bathroom, the toys in the lounge, or the utensils and food storage boxes in the kitchen.

There’s a difference between single-use plastic and plastic products that are created to be reused. However, there are risks associated with both.

This blog post takes a look at why plastic is such a problem for the environment.

Three things that aren’t recycled kerbside in Leeds

In Leeds, the local council provides an excellent household recycling service and accepted items include paper, cardboard, cans, tins, and plastics 1, 2, 4 and 5.

However, several items in particular confuse a lot of householders. Can they be recycled or not?

We all live busy lives, and this can mean we don’t always check the numbers on plastic against the list provided by the local authority.

Some people may not stop to think about what to do with an item if it can’t be recycled kerbside, either.

This results in items ending up in the recycling bin when they shouldn’t, and items being sent to landfill when they could have been recycled.

Below are three things that can’t be recycled kerbside in Leeds.

Continue reading Three things that aren’t recycled kerbside in Leeds

Zero Waste Week giveaway

Thank you to everyone who entered. The competition is now closed and the winners are listed on the Rafflecopter widget below.

It is Zero Waste Week and, as usual, we have a giveaway in place to help you reduce your waste and live a more sustainable life.

Seeing as we now offer paper cup recycling as one of our services, this year our prizes are reusable coffee cups.

Using a reusable cup saves paper cup waste, is far more sustainable, and usually results in a discount for you when you visit your local coffee shop!

The benefits are numerous.

What is glass?

We are all very familiar with glass — it is a common material that is used to make a plethora of items inside and outside of our homes.

In fact, most of us probably take it for granted!

Have you ever stopped and wondered how glass is made and how it is recycled? This blog post takes a look at all things glass.

Everything you need to know about nuclear waste

If you watched Chernobyl recently, then you may have had your first insight into the world of nuclear energy.

If you didn’t see Chernobyl, then it was an HBO mini-series based on the true story of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The accident took place on 26 April 1986, and you can watch the eye-opening trailer for the show below.

So, what is nuclear energy, how is nuclear waste produced, and how do we, as humans, safely deal with the waste?

Read on to learn more on this fascinating subject.