Category: Waste reduction

Easter signals the end of Lent, a period of 40 days marked by fasting and self-discipline, and the arrival of the most important festival in the Christian calendar.

An estimated 44.5 million people in the UK will celebrate Easter this year, representing four in five Brits.

According to recent statistics, 77% of the population plans to spend money on Easter celebrations in 2024, with an anticipated average spend of £53 per person. Shopping lists typically include Easter cards, chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, succulent roast lamb, and spring-themed house decorations.

Unfortunately, spending often leads to waste, and it’s crucial to acknowledge the environmental footprint left by Easter traditions.

Get egg-cited for spring and join us as we explore some key aspects of the holiday and how to mitigate their environmental impact for a more sustainable Easter.

Continue reading Four ways to enjoy a sustainable Easter

Mother’s Day is an annual celebration of the remarkable women in our lives — particularly our mothers. It’s a time when children (young and old) joyfully seek ways to express gratitude for their mother’s unconditional love and care.

Sunday 10^th March, 2024 is a time to acknowledge and appreciate all maternal figures. This includes stepmothers, mothers-in-law, adoptive mothers, foster mothers, those who take on motherly roles, and fathers who fulfil the role of two parents.

Traditionally, gifts range from fragrant bouquets to delicately crafted jewellery, delicious chocolates, comforting candles, and heartwarming mugs. These gifts can be lovely to give and receive, but they typically produce lots of packaging waste.

The desire to lavish our mothers with extravagant presents may be strong, but the most meaningful gifts are often thoughtfully chosen and reflect a genuine understanding of their interests.

If your mum is mindful of her environmental impact, you can gift her something sustainable she’ll cherish.

To help you select the perfect gift for your mother, we’ve curated a list of six eco-friendly Mother’s Day gifts.

Continue reading Six eco-friendly Mother’s Day gift ideas

The Lunar New Year is a cherished celebration embraced by communities and cultures spanning East and Southeast Asia. This celebration resonates deeply worldwide, where diaspora communities keep the traditions alive.

Today, we’re delving into the vibrant tapestry of Chinese New Year celebrated in the UK.

Also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year customs centre around new beginnings. From spring cleaning to feasting with family, adorning homes with luminous lanterns, and exchanging promising red envelopes, its customs embody luck and prosperity in the coming year.

As we revel in these rich and colourful traditions, it’s worth pondering their ecological footprint. Can we honour the heritage while treading a more sustainable path?

Let’s explore green ways to paint the town red for a more sustainable Chinese New Year.

Continue reading Five steps towards a more sustainable Chinese New Year

Thinking of ways to make our fruit and vegetables last longer and reduce food waste often leaves us in a pickle. Whether it’s cafés or restaurants over-buying stock or the green-fingered among us enjoying riches from their fruit and vegetable patch, preserving fresh produce is important.

Pickling vegetables is a delicious, wholesome, and sustainable way to bring new life to your veggies. Let’s dig a little deeper and discover more about this food preservation method so you can enjoy out-of-season produce all year round.

Continue reading How to pickle vegetables

Halloween is a much-loved celebration that has long served as a symbolic bridge between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Nowadays, this October festivity is synonymous with trick-or-treaters, elaborate costumes, spirited gatherings, and the tradition of pumpkin picking and carving.

However, Halloween has a skeleton in its closet. The chilling truth is this eerie celebration generates significant waste, with pumpkin carving being a major contributor.

Pumpkins are typically picked, intricately carved, proudly displayed, and then discarded — before ending up in a landfill as pumpkin pollution.

This year alone, a spine-tingling 22.2 million pumpkins are projected to meet this grim fate. Sticking the knife in further, this equates to a staggering £32.6 million in wasted resources and thousands of tonnes of perfectly edible pumpkin flesh.

Let’s dive deep into our cauldron of ideas and shed some light on how to make environmentally responsible choices this Halloween.

We’ll explore methods to select and decorate your pumpkin and explain how to avoid contributing to the ghoulish waste statistics this October.

Continue reading Pumpkin waste: the real Halloween horror story

Schools play a vital role in promoting responsible practices within local communities, yet many produce a shocking amount of waste.

Every primary school pupil in the UK produces an estimated 45kg of waste per academic year, while secondary school pupils generate 22kg.

Notably, 70% of the waste in school bins comprises food waste, paper, and card materials.

Despite the potential for recycling, just 20% of the food, paper, and card waste in schools is currently being recycled.

Let’s hit the books and explore how your school can reduce paper waste and increase recycling to boost its eco credentials and academic budget long-term.

Continue reading Seven ways schools can reduce paper waste

Food waste is a growing concern for the hospitality and food service industry in the UK. Every year, these sectors discard a staggering 1.1 million tonnes of food, amounting to a value of £3.2 billion.

Not only does this waste have a detrimental effect on businesses, but it also poses a significant threat to the environment.

Food waste accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting its undeniable environmental impact.

While some establishments are actively working to minimise waste to safeguard their finances and the planet, a new trend is emerging in the UK: zero-waste restaurants.

Since the UK’s first zero-waste restaurant opened in Brighton in 2014, these innovative dining establishments have steadily gained popularity.

Let’s work up an appetite as we discover what zero-waste means, how a zero-waste restaurant operates, and where you can experience one.

Continue reading A beginner’s guide to zero-waste restaurants

Environmental sustainability is a pressing concern, and businesses across most industries are actively seeking ways to reduce waste and minimise their ecological footprint.

The retail sector must play a significant role in adopting sustainable practices due to its large-scale operations and consumption rate.

Retail waste can encompass everything from unsold products to packaging materials, and waste causes and streams vary significantly between businesses.

With increasing consumer awareness and demand for eco-friendly practices, implementing waste reduction strategies in retail has become more critical than ever.

Let’s look at eight practical methods for retailers to reduce waste and promote sustainability, starting with the logical step of a waste audit.

Continue reading Eight ways to reduce waste in the retail sector

School food waste is a significant issue that has plagued the UK’s educational institutions for decades.

If you’re wondering, ‘how much food do schools waste per year?’, you’re in for a shock.

55,408 tonnes of food waste is generated annually by primary schools in England and 24,974 tonnes by secondary schools. That’s a total food waste weight of 80,382 tonnes across England’s schools annually — meaning urgent action must be taken.

Let’s address the reasons behind school food waste before outlining solutions.

Continue reading How to reduce food waste in UK schools

With Halloween just around the corner, autumn festivities are in full swing.

Nothing says autumn like creamy hot chocolate, pumpkin spice lattes, and fallen orange leaves — except maybe a visit to the pumpkin patch. Wrapped up warm and wandering through a muddy field to find your perfect pumpkin really sets the autumn mood.

Here are some great places to go pumpkin picking in Yorkshire that you can visit and find your perfect pick.

Continue reading Where to pick your own pumpkins in Yorkshire