The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA ) is urging households in Westmeath to stay green this Christmas by recycling their wrapping and packaging, and composting their leftovers.
On average, every resident in Westmeath generated 729kg of municipal waste in 2008. Christmas time produces more waste than any other time of the year, and this waste can be diverted from landfills if people remember to reduce, reuse and recycle.
The EPA has devised a number of tips to help Westmeath households contribute to a greener Christmas:
· Give an ‘experience’ voucher, eg for a meal, concert, show or holiday, rather than ‘stuff’ that the recipient may not want.
· Recycle your wrapping paper – after you’ve unwrapped presents, save the paper for next year. If you need to buy new wrapping paper, check that it’s made out of recycled paper and complete the recycle loop.
· SNUB! Say No to Unwanted Bags! Bring your own shopping bags.
· Organise your household bins – a green bin (for cardboard, biscuit tins, tetra pack cartons, food cans and drink cans ), a compost bin (for biodegradable waste ), and a general waste bin.
· Buy rechargeable batteries and a recharger unit. If you are buying presents that require batteries, make sure you buy rechargeable batteries to go with them. Recycle old batteries for free at your local retailer or recycling centre.
· Prevent food waste by purchasing the amounts you will need, and not preparing excessive amounts. Manage the ‘use by’ dates of food in storage. Use leftovers to prepare sandwiches or other snacks.
· Compost your Christmas leftovers. Raw fruit and vegetables, shredded paper, soft card, and chopped up Christmas plants are just some of the items that can be added to a compost bin.
· Don’t throw away your cards - recycle them. Better still, buy recycled cards. Alternatively, you can send an e-card and produce no paper at all!
· Put leftovers into reusable containers with lids instead of using non-recyclable aluminium foil or plastic film.
· When shopping for Christmas dinner, avoid products with lots of packaging. Buy loose vegetables instead of packaged. Buy drinks in large containers - there is less waste and it saves you money.
· Choose decorations that can be reused.
· Recycle your Christmas tree - trees can be shredded and shavings used for landscaping. Bring your Christmas tree to your local recycling centre. Alternatively, buy a tree that can be planted in the garden after the Christmas period.
· Give any unwanted presents to your local charity shop - someone will want them and it takes pressure off the environment if you don’t throw them away.
Check out www.raceagainstwaste.ie for a list of bring banks and recycling centres.
