You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ before, but did you know there are actually three more – ‘rethink, refuse, and repair’? These are called the 6 R’s of sustainability and are essential if you want to live in a way that is better for the planet.
Everything we produce and consume has an impact on the environment in some way. Making careful decisions about what we buy can have a huge impact. Cutting consumption and waste is the best way to help the environment. A few key changes you could make are
If we reuse items, we avoid disposing of them and save money too. For example, you can:
A great way to reuse is to buy items second-hand. Congleton has a number of excellent second-hand and charity shops for clothes, toys, books, furniture, and much more.
You also second-hand shop online at Freecycle or on Facebook (see Congleton Buy and Sell Group) and, of course EBay.
Reusing items may mean repairing them instead of replacing them. Congleton has a monthly Repair Café at the Masoinc Hall, where you can bring stuff and have experts repair it. The Repair Café is on the last Saturday of the month.
You can get a variety of things fixed such as electricals (including PAT Testing), clothes, bikes, mechanical goods and more. Learn more about the Congleton Repair Café on Facebook.
This is another great idea. How fast do children grow out of clothes? Bring along very good-quality clothes and swap them for what you need—aimed at ages 0-6. Held at Venues across Cheshire and Staffordshire.
The group have expanded into women’s events (and hopes to grow further in the future) – bring a bag and fill it with pre-loved women’s clothes, shoes and accessories. Choose pre-loved clothing to help the environment and your purse!
If you really cannot reuse or reduce, please recycle wherever possible. Watch the video to check out many of the things you can recycle at home:
Cheshire East operates kerbside recycling for residents of Congleton. The silver recycling bin can take most products that can be recycled, including paper, foil, card, cans, cartons, food trays, aerosols (without lids), and plastic bottles. All items must be loose, clean and free from food or oils.
More details of what goes in each bin and further ideas on recycling using 3rd party services can be found on the Cheshire East Website.
Plants, flowers, tree branches, clippings and all food waste, including tea bags, go in your green or brown garden bin.
Even better, why not start home composting and reusing your waste in your own garden? Compost is an inexpensive, natural fertiliser, transforming your kitchen and garden waste into a valuable and nutrient-rich food for your garden. It’s easy to make and use.
Garden Waste
If you want Cheshire East to collect your garden waste, you need to have a garden waste subscription. This is an annual service running from January to December.
‘Do I really need that?’ This is the question you should ask yourself whenever you buy something new.
Every item you buy means resources being used, greenhouse gases being produced, and leftover waste.
By asking yourself if what you’re buying is necessary, you’ll likely end up buying less.
This not only helps the planet but your wallet too!
For example, we can
Similar to rethinking your purchases, refusing to buy items because they aren’t needed or because they will harm the environment can also help you live more sustainably. It helps to better understand your consumption habits and their environmental impact.
Take the well-known example of plastic straws. We all know they can harm sea life, and as a result, many people have stopped using them. By knowing the impact, you’re more likely to refuse things that are harmful and put yourself in a better position to make smarter, everyday choices.
If something is broken, you should first consider repairing it instead of replacing it with a new product.
Extending the lifecycle of your things is one of the best ways we can choose to live more sustainably.
This will also help you save money, as buying something entirely new can be expensive, while getting it repaired is free or only costs a small fee.
Why not pay a visit to Congleton’s Repair Café mentioned above?
