Earth Works tips
Constructive ideas for living with less waste
- Collect all liquid waste in your kitchen as well as your food scraps: your compost 'soup' will then provide some of the water necessary for the composting process; the rain can provide the rest, so take the cover off your compost bin while it's raining.
- Remember homemade iceblocks? Be creative with juices and fruits and milk.
- Much household waste begins at the shop. There has been a lot of promotion about 'taking your own bag to the shopping centre'. Now it's time to ask yourself, "What's in the bag?". Become a conscious consumer and only buy what you need.
- Repair! Repair! Repair!…and reuse.
- Clean out your cupboards and gather all those things still in working condition that you no longer want or need. Take them to your local environment centre for their street stalls, or take them to a local charity.
- Tea bags and coffee grains at work? Collect them in a sealable plastic container and take them home to your compost heap. Share this resource (and the responsibility for collecting it) with your work colleagues.
- Replace plastic/foil-wrapped sweets with fruit: it's healthier and the only waste can go into the compost.
- Do you have space for chickens? Grow eggs in your backyard from food scraps!
- Time yourself in the shower. Then beat the clock and get the time down as far and as often as possible. This may be difficult all the time, but being conscious of the time will give you choices that will save water and energy and money.
- Save coloured paper or children's drawings throughout the year: use it for wrapping presents.
- Give your compost a read: put food-soiled newspapers into the compost.
Back to top
Page last updated: 27 February 2011
