Reduce your festive footprint!

In Gloucestershire over the festive period, it’s estimated we generate about 29,000 tonnes of waste or a staggering 10% of the years total rubbish during the holiday period.  The average family will throw out an EXTRA five sacks of waste!

However, it is possible to reduce your festive footprint, by generating less waste and managing the waste you do have so it doesn't all go to landfill. To reduce your festive footprint, see the top tips below:

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle at Christmas

- Reduce the amount of packaging you buy! It is important to know that not all packaging can be recycled e.g. plastic food trays, cellophane etc.

- Visit your nearest household recycling centre in your district: Cheltenham, Cotswold, Forest of Dean, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury

- Use gift boxes or bags, which can be reused next year.

- Use a traditional stocking instead of wrapping paper.

- Why not reuse last years cards to make tags for presents this year?

- Buy rechargeable batteries and a charger for those electronic gifts instead of single use batteries.

- Compost uncooked vegetable peelings, egg boxes etc. for a full list see here.   

- Not got a composter? What a great present idea!! See here for more information.

- Turkey curry! –Leftovers are great for quick meals and traditional favourites from bubble and squeak to a warmed roll with a slice of ham and mustard. Click here for some ideas.

- Get the kids washing up instead of single use disposable plates and cutlery.

- Recycle your Christmas tree, click here for more details.

- Recycle your Christmas cards and cardboard packaging in the cardboard banks in your district: Cheltenham, Cotswold, Forest of Dean, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury

- Use children's Christmas drawings from school as wrapping paper – grandparents will love it!
 
- And most importantly – close the loop and buy recycled gifts see here! 

Please note: Anyone taking tree cuttings to the HRCs – ie. Branches – they must be less than 1 metre in length.  You may have to cut them down to size before you transport them to a site. This is because the compacting equipment that the green waste goes into often struggles with pieces longer than this.