Sandwell Council is marking Global Recycling Day (Friday 18 March) by encouraging people to have a rethink about the waste they throw away during their daily life.

  There are many planet-friendly changes you could make to reduce the amount of waste thrown away. Tips include:

1. Ditch single-use plastics and switch to reusable water bottles or coffee cups – Many shops now offer free water bottle refills and discounts for bringing in your reusable cups

2. Sell or donate items you no longer need – Decluttering is a great way to separate what you no longer use. Why not have a go selling your unwanted items or donate items to local charities near you

3. Repurpose old clothing into reusable cloths – Disposable cleaning wipes are often made from plastic microfibres which take more than 100 years to break down in the environment, causing harm to wildlife and blocking sewers. Repurposing old clothing into cloths can be a cheaper and sustainable swap in the long run

4. Switch toxic cleaning products to kinder, DIY alternatives – Toxic chemicals contained in these products cause damage to our environment and ourselves if ingested. Swapping to DIY non-toxic cleaning products (white vinegar, lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda are great swaps) can be much safer and cleaner alternatives

5. Separate food waste from recycling – Almost 6%-8% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced if we stopped wasting food. Food waste sent to landfill releases methane – a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide. Meal planning is a great way to buy only the ingredients you need, and growing herbs and vegetables is great idea to save money and eat home-grown produce

6. Challenge yourself to buy less – Overall, buying less in general and loving what you own is one of the easiest ways to manage what you consume. If you are in need a of a new purchase, check out websites like Freecycle and Facebook Marketplace, as well as shops and companies that sell 2nd hand/refurbished goods and clothes, many of which are in great condition and in need of a new home!

Councillor Ahmad Bostan, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for the environment said:

“We only have one planet. We all share it and we all share the responsibility to care for it. Every action, however small, that each of us can do will help to add up to make a huge difference.”