Recycle Week: Re-use, Recycle and Save Money

Brambleberry

There are so many good ideas on this thread!

I've always recycled, but stopping stuff coming into my home in the first place is my starting point, and I definitely work on the principle of "if it ain't broke, don't replace it, and if it must be replaced, do it right " to reduce my consumption of stuff.

When I first set up home I was a bit more spendy, but I was young, much less savvy and starting from scratch with almost everything. I wanted nice things, and I bought them :eek: thankfully many are still going strong:
My (first) shower curtain is washed regularly with the candy-striped bath mat and both have lasted 15 years, the eyelets are still shiny and there are no holes or tears.
I'm still using a set of Lakeland trolley bags that are well over ten years old that have saved me using countless plastic bags.
My cotton dusters and cleaning cloths (from Lakeland or Ikea baby flannels) have been washed and used and are still good - the only dodgy one was used to catch solder during plumbing and has a hole burned through!

I try to reuse things wherever possible, in our workplace we need a lot of very small pots for portioning or holding bits of kit, so we keep all the lids from pritt-sticks and wash them out. Less plastic is wasted, fewer tubs need to be bought.
On the advice of a colleague, I switched to 100% reuseable pantyliners and a mooncup a couple of years ago, never looked back, can definitely recommend Kernow Kloth for their beautiful liners and towels!

The interesting thing now is seeing how long I can make things last, so I often think about the other R - "repair" - there are lots of guides and videos online to help and I have been able to fix several appliances and objects rather than replacing them.

Katiehound

Today I found a new use for an ironing board cover that was given to me.

It has been turned into a kennel coat to be given to a Romanian dog rescue. It has a cuddly pink blanket lining and old style (but new!) purple Rufflette tape ties.Very colourful but cosy.

The left over piece of cover will be turned sides to middle, then it will a more useful shape to make a kennel coat for a small dog!

Barny1979

Has anyone else signed up to the Walkers/crisp packet recycling programme or the Pringle tube recycling programme?

Lifeisforliving19

Just found this thread and have subscribed. Hope to find it useful and also to be able to offer some tips.

Lifeisforliving19

Barny1979 wrote: »

Has anyone else signed up to the Walkers/crisp packet recycling programme or the Pringle tube recycling programme?

not yet, but it was something I was going to look into.

Barny1979

https://www.terracycle.co.uk

Lifeisforliving19

Ok...talk to me about Eco eggs please. Been reading a lot of good reviews on them, both the washing ones and the tumble drier ones, but my only concern is what do you all use for fabric softener? I hate clothes feeling dry and horrid when they come out the wash, but I can see that normal fabric softener is not eco friendly or particularly good for us...although I do currently use Fairy as I feel that has not so many chemicals.
So for anybody currently using Eco egg. How does the washing feel if you don't use softener?

hummingbird15

This is a great thread
Things we do here:
- try not to buy things with excessive plastic to begin with, fresh fruit/veg loose for example. Before our new wheelie bins came where plastics can now be taken away we would take them to the tip for recycling instead of in the general waste.
- Recycle all plastics, card, glass, tins.
- Eco cycles on washing machines, dishwasher.
- reuse takeaway tubs and Tupperware for work/school lunches. Make the lunches up with what we have in the house, even if it's a bit odd! Aiming for zero waste.
- We have a thermos food pot for taking hot food to work which is amazing, keeps things piping for at least 5 hours
- my drinks bottle is a Tesco own brand one with a locking mechanism that is amazing and have never leaked. Carry that everywhere with me.
- husband's coffee cup is a Contigo cup which he swears by. Uses it every day and coffee is just as hot as when he poured it several hours previously.
- I rarely buy new clothes, I don't buy into the needing new outfits for whatever reason/occasion thing. If I get holes I repair (also repair the in laws stuff as they know I'm handy with the sewing machine!). I've got tops still going strong from 8-10 years ago.
- shoes I buy things that are purposefully more on the plain side so they are weather appropriate rather than matching a particular outfit. And usually Clarks or something of similar quality to last a very long time, examples - I have a pair of sandals with black straps, have lasted 3 years so far, get cleaned regularly so still look like new but I live in them in the summer.
- we used to eat meat every day, now we have at least three veggie meals a week to cut down meat consumption. Veggie burritos are awesome!
- where I can I make gifts, usually edible like chocolate truffles which always go down well instead of buying toiletries no one uses (I cant stand the excessive plastic that comes with a boots Christmas 3for2).
- at work we no longer provide straws, cups and bags are fully recyclable or compostable (and we get a report to prove that's actually been done). Old paperwork is shredded and recycled. Gift cards are reformatted and reused.
- walk as much as possible
-baby/kids items get passed along between our friendship group to help each other out. If there are things that aren't needed any longer they are donated to the local women's shelter. Took about 8 bags of clothes there last time.

I'm struggling to think of other things now but it's a start

Oh! My next thing to do is invest in period pants, I've heard modibodi are good but very open to recommendations if anyone has any - I've about three months til I need them

rawr_

What a great thread! Enjoying reading through so far on how to reduce plastic use. Me and my husband are vegan and have been for two years now - we see that as a big environmental impact that isn't talked about enough in the media.

Oh! My next thing to do is invest in period pants, I've heard modibodi are good but very open to recommendations if anyone has any - I've about three months til I need them

I happen to have just done loads of research into this as this was a big change I wanted to make. Modibodi are meant to be good and I guess you do get what you pay for - but I decided to try some cheaper ones first to see how I get on and then order some modibodi once I decided that's the way I wanted to go. I ordered mine from Cheeky Wipes which also sell the reusable pads and reusable nappies. Will let you know how I get on when they get here. I am also thinking of investing in some reusable pads for the heavier days (sorry tmi :rotfl: ) but haven't just yet.

Still reading through the thread but currently looking at Terracycle so thanks for posting about that, luckily have a collection point just up the road from me for a few things like cat food pouches which I always feel guilty about!

pippo

Advice please.

We never buy bottled water, but do buy fizzy drinks, like tonic, for the gin and ginger ale for the whisky! Also flavoured water for when not drinking the previously mentioned.

I've been toying with the idea of a soda stream, will definitely cut down on plastic bottles, just wondering about the downsides.
Pip