Easter is a great opportunity to put some simple steps in place so that we can reduce waste and protect the environment, we have come up with some great ways to reduce our carbon footprint, while enjoying the celebrations.
Easter egg foil
The foil wrapped around most easter eggs CAN be recycled – Simply scrunch the foil into a loose ball along with any other bits of used foil (including from smaller eggs) and pop it into your normal recycling bin for collection. If it springs back open when you try to scrunch it, this means it’s laminated and should go in your general rubbish bin.
Easter egg packaging
Easter eggs with less packaging are much better for the planet and luckily there is much more around these days. Most of the packaging can be popped in your green bin – cardboard boxes and possibly some plastic trays (flatten them to save space!).
Flowers
Once your flowers have past their best you can pop them in with your garden waste or if you have a home compost, they can go on there. If you are feeling creative, you can dry them and use them around your home.
Plastic Wrapping / Wrapping Paper
If your Easter treats have come in cellophane wrapping this is not accepted in your green bin. For any wrapping paper, as long as it’s not foil or covered in glitter, and passes the ‘scrunch test’, it can be recycled in your green bin.
Food waste
Each year in the UK, approximately 6.6 million tonnes of food go to waste from our homes over the twelve months. So, if you are planning a sumptuous Easter feast do not forget about your freezer! Utilising your freezer acts like a pause button, giving you more time to eat it and saving it from the bin. Not only does it lock in freshness and preserve quality and flavour, but it’s also perfectly safe providing it’s defrosted correctly. Your food won’t deteriorate in the freezer, and most bacteria can’t grow in it, so it’s a great way to buy yourself extra time and save delicious food for later!
You can find more great tips on the www.lovefoodhatewaste.com website.