Why is it important to reduce, reuse and recycle?

There are only so much of the resources needed to make glass, metal, plastic and paper in the world. If they run out, we won't be able to get any more.

By reducing and reusing, fewer new materials will be needed AND recycling uses less energy than making things from scratch.
As well as saving resources and energy reducing, reusing and recycling can reduce pollution, that’s when poisonous or other harmful things are put into the environment.

There are really easy ways that we can all do our bit to try to make sure we reduce, reuse and recycle...

How can we make less waste?

Reduce it!

What can we do to reduce our waste?

We can buy less. How many times have you bought clothes you only wore once or a CD you only listened to a couple of times? Before you buy something make sure you really like it and want it.

Re-use it!

• Take old stuff that you don't need to charity shops – while you’re there have a look for cool clothes for yourself
• Did you know you as well as books you can borrow CDs and DVDs from libraries?
• Don't keep getting plastic bags from shops, reuse the ones you have or better still, get a bag of your own -there are some cool ones out there
• Organise a swap shop day at your school or youth club where you bring items you don't want anymore and pick up some things you do for free
• Get rechargeable batteries for everything you use - you can share them with everybody else in your family and all save money.

Recycle it!

If you’ve got something you can't reuse, sell or give to a good home, this is when you will need to recycle it....

• Hull has what's called kerbside recycling - where most houses have a box for newspapers and magazines, plastic / metal / glass bottles and containers and old clothes - make sure everybody in your house knows what can and can’t be put in it and is using it. Find out what you can go in your black box to be recycled : http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/portal/page?_pageid=221,75192&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
• Put a recycling container next to your bin to remind you to recycle
• Do you have a composter? If you have even a small garden it's worth getting one to put old bits of vegetable and garden waste in. This can then be put back on the garden so you don't have to waste money on buying compost from the garden centre
• Find out what your school is doing to recycle.

Find out more about how we can all try and tackle the climate change problem and make less waste by checking out

http://www.recyclezone.org.uk/

Find out about exciting projects in your area that are trying to tackle the climate change problem by checking out:

http://www.climatechallenge.gov.uk/whats_being_done/project_region.aspx?region=9

Have a look at the Red Cross website for ideas of how to make less waste.