CABI Blog

SnaffleUp  is an online
resource that gives people with unwanted but useful household items an oppo
rtunity
to donate them to other people instead of throwing them away. I joined this
online resource and thought I’
d share the contents of their latest newsletter
here, including some very useful tips on being green and doing our bit to
conserve resources – see them copied below: well worth a read and taking on board!!!

In the words of Chris Toynbee who runs the
online resource ‘it's common knowledge that we need to reduce the amount of
stuff we send to landfill, but have you thought about reducing your recycling
too? Whether you have to squash packaging into your recycling bin or you're
concerned about the recycling economy, there are loads of things you can do.
Try these for size and you could save some money too!’

  1. Get Composting: The perfect compost needs browns as well as
    greens. Plain cardboard and paper can be torn up or scrunched and added to
    your garden compost bin or wormery. Even printed items, using vegetable
    inks can be composted too.

  2. Get Growing: With Spring around the corner (I know hard to believe with all the snow!!!), it's time to start planning your garden. Use yogurt pots, egg cartons and toilet roll tubes to grow seedlings, or use a paper potter. Plastic bottles can be used as cloches.

  3. Hang Loose: Ditch those plastic punnets in favour of loose fruit and veg. If you need to weigh Onya bagsmall fruits, try the reusable, washable weigh-in bags from Onya. They're also great for drying fresh herbs picked from the garden.

  4. Forget the paper: Read newspapers online, share magazines with friends and only use the printer in an emergency. Even then try printing double-sided. For every tonne you save, 17 trees will remain upstanding.

  5. Make your own: Avoid packaging by making a few simple things at home. From soups, cakes, puddings and even yogurt, there are lots of simple recipes that take no time at all.

  6. Get naked in the bathroom: Try Lush for solid shampoos and deodorants and swap liquid soap for some fabulous scented soap bars. That'll be a few less bottles to recycle and you'll feel fresh as a daisy too.

  7. Grab a refill: Don't recycle your washing-up liquid bottle, refill it with Ecover instead. It's much more environmentally friendly to reuse than to recycle. Buy a five-litre container from health food shops, farmshops or online stores, Some companies even offer a refill service and you can find your local stockist here. When grocery shopping, try using your own containers. And if you're in London make a visit to Unpackaged.

  8. Use a cloth: Not just any old cloth but an Ecloth. Just dab with water and use on windows, mirrors, worktops, floors and even furniture for a really good clean without the need for any detergents or their plastic bottles.

  9. Get some balls: Eco Balls are a great way of saving money on laundry detergents. A pack, wNewecoball-pr5hich includes a refill, can be used 1000 times, the equivalent of around 50 boxes of washing powder.

  10. Grab some sunshine: If you're fed up with buying and recycling your batteries, try a solar powered recharger. The FreeLoader battery recharger
    from Nigel's Eco Store can be
    connected to the Solar FreeLoader and if rainy
    days are a problem, the good news is it also plugs into your computer's
    USB.

With a few simple steps adapted to suit your
lifestyle, your recycling bin should be looking slimmer in no time at all. And
you never know, your rubbish bin might just see some benefits too.

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