Reducing the amount of rubbish you produce at home (i.e. avoiding or preventing waste in the first place) is both the most environmentally friendly and also the most cost-effective option.
By thinking differently about what you buy, how you can re-use items yourself or donate to others to reuse and how to make composting at home work for you – there are lots of ways to make a real difference.
Find out more below.
+ Reduce Single Use
Single-use products are items that are used just once before being thrown away. But lots of resources and energy are used to make them, and some take thousands of years to break down. This all comes at a cost to wildlife and our planet.
Find out more about single-use products and the problems they cause.
What’s Happening Already?
- Refill Revolution – Over 500 places offer Refills in Norfolk for water, hot drinks, food or shopping.
- Carrier Bag Charges
- Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Plastic Drink Stirrers Ban
- Single-use plastics ban: plates, bowls, trays, containers, cutlery & balloon sticks
- COMING JUNE 2025 Single-use vape ban
What can I do?
Swap single-use products for reusable items at home, work or school and save money and the planet at the same time.
Check out our easy swaps here.
+ Clothes and Textiles
Whether you have a forgotten about top, a pair of trousers that no longer fit or an old favourite that’s seen better days, Click here for ideas to help you to breathe new life into old threads.
+ Food Waste
With around 7 million tonnes of food and drink being thrown away in UK households per year, families are not only wasting food that could potentially have been eaten but also wasting money too.
Check out our easy to start tips:
- Before you shop – think about how you could reduce the amount of rubbish you create. For example, you could buy things loose or with less packaging. There is a huge range of second-hand shops and outlets in Norfolk as well as a growing network of repair and refurbishment individuals and community groups.
- Reduce packaging – making a choice to buy products with less packaging can reduce your rubbish by as much as a third and save money.
- Reusable bags – take a canvas, cotton or reusable plastic bag with you to the shops to avoid having to buy a disposable one.
+ Stop Unwanted Mail
Follow our 4 easy steps to stop junk mail.
Step 1 – Go Digital
Going digital can help avoid identity theft by stopping paper bills and statements being delivered to the wrong address. Most companies offer online banking, billing or accounts. Look into banking smartphone apps or online shopping tools to help you with your daily planning and reduce clutter in your home.
Step 2 – Stop addressed mail
Registering with the Mail Preference Service (MPS) can remove your name from up to 95% of direct mailing lists.
Click on this link to do this. A new tab will open in your browser, taking you to mpsonline.org.uk. Alternatively, you can call 020 7291 3310.*
*Please note, the service could take up to four months to become fully effective. Registering with MPS will not stop mail sent from overseas, unaddressed mail or mail addressed to “The Occupier”.
Step 3 – Stop unaddressed mail with Royal Mail
You can tell Royal Mail to stop to delivering junk mail to your address. Download this form from Royal Mail, fill it in and send it to the address on the form.
If you can’t print this form, contact Royal Mail and they will send you a copy of it. You can email, phone or write to them:
0345 266 0858
Freepost ROYAL MAIL CUSTOMER SERVICES
It takes six weeks to take effect and you will need to renew your request every two years.
Step 4 – Opt out of mailing lists
Whenever you fill out a form, either online or in writing, look out for the opt-our box and tick or un-tick it as necessary. This will stop your address being passed on.
+ Composting
Composting is a fantastic way of recycling lots of your organic waste into a nutrient rich food for the garden. We have pointers to help you get started, information about buying a bin and troubleshooting tips to help you to make great quality compost.
Did you know we also have a group of who are experts in providing support to help people to get the best from their bin?
So whether you’re interested in home composting, setting up a community composting scheme or finding out more about Norfolk’s garden waste collection schemes we have all the information you’ll need.
