Reuse

Many things we throw away could be reused by someone else.

Reusing products is even better than recycling because the item does not need to be reprocessed before it can be used by someone else. Reusing items such as electrical and furniture extends their life and prevents resources going to landfill. It also supports charity shops and reuse organisations by providing valuable items for them to resell.

• Reuse bags as many times as possible, or why not try a canvas or cotton bag instead? If you need to use plastic carrier bags, why not reuse them again or use them as bin liners?
• Take your old clothes (if in good condition) to a charity shop, if they are in poor condition take them to a recycling bank.
• Buy and sell second hand items at car boot sales or jumble sales. Why not organise ‘swap shops’ or exchange things for free?
• Buy or make labels to reuse envelopes and reuse paper for rough notes or shopping lists!