Reducing waste and reusing or repairing items can help save money and reduce your impact on the environment.
Reduce, reuse and repair
Reduce
Reduce your food waste
4.5 million tonnes of food are wasted from UK homes every year. Visit the Love Food Hate Waste website for tips on reducing food waste.
Avoid ‘single use’
Be ready and plan ahead to avoid using things only once. For example, bring a reusable bag when you go shopping or a travel mug when you meet friends at a café. There are many other options instead of plastic bags, coffee cups, water bottles, straws, face masks, razors, single-use batteries, paper towels, cling film, wet wipes, and more.
Stop ‘junk mail’
Reduce the amount of unsolicited post through your letterbox to help save trees. You can:
- register with the free Mailing Preference Service
- put a ‘no free newspaper or circulars’ notice on your front door
Go paperless
If you still get paper bills and bank statements, go paperless instead. Some companies offer discounts to customers that opt for paperless billing.
Avoid packaging
Some items are available to buy without any packaging. From fruit and veg to toiletries like shampoo and conditioner, look or ask for package-free alternatives. Some shops in Portsmouth sell package-free groceries as well as container re-fills.
Reuse
Embrace ‘pre-loved’ items
Save the planet’s resources, stretch your budget, and support local businesses and charities by giving ‘pre-loved’ items a new home.
You can find pre-loved items in charity shops, vintage shops, car boot sales, online marketplaces, and freecycling pages (where items are given away).
Clothing
Reduce your impact on the planet by repairing clothes, passing them on when no longer needed, or buying second hand.
Furniture
You can find local second hand (or upcycled) furniture. Many charities accept donations in good condition, and offer free collections:
Consider washable nappies
Get a 15% discount on new washable nappies and accessories on the Hampshire’s Smart Living website.
Modern washable nappies are are easier to use, more efficient, and better for the planet and your wallet than disposable ones.
Reusable period and incontinence products
You can get a minimum discount of 15% on reusable period products on the Hampshire’s Smart Living website.
Re-use parcel packaging
You can:
- build up your packaging stash by keeping boxes and stuffing from online orders
- check out packaging donation and swap groups on social media
- ask retailers for their discarded packaging if you need large boxes
Repair
Make your things last longer instead of buying new ones. If you can’t fix your things yourself, see if the Repair Café can help. They have a hub inside the Cascades shopping centre and also have pop-up events in Portsmouth.
Southsea Sustainable Textiles is a group of volunteers who offer free sessions to teach people how to fix, change, and redesign their curtains, clothes, towels, hats, bags, and more. Email southsea.sustex@gmail.com for more information.