Cut down on festive waste

Dec 17 2009 by Kathryn Quayle, Chester Chronicle

Over the Christmas period we all indulge in festive fun. We eat, drink and spend more. And as we are often busy having such a good time celebrating with friends and family, it is easy to forget about recycling our waste.

About 30% more rubbish is produced over the festive season and glass, cans, Christmas trees, cards, wrapping paper and plastic can be found in dustbins across Cheshire West and Chester – all of which can be recycled.

Having a green Christmas doesn’t mean being a Scrooge, it just needs a little thought and planning.

Everyone knows how stressful this time of year can be but there are ways that you can have a great time this Christmas while remembering to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Keep your recycling bin next to the main bin so you can take out the rubbish and recycle at the same time – making life much easier and removing the effort of sorting through waste at a later date. Simply rinse out your used jars of cranberry sauce and pop them straight into the recycling.

Another good way to keep on top of the recycling is to get your children involved. It is a good educational activity and will make them feel like they have an important role to play in the Christmas preparations.

When you go to do your big Christmas shop at the supermarket, make sure you remember to take all of your recycling with you. If you have recycling boxes at home, this will make it even easier to transport to the supermarket.

If you are having a party or people staying over, supply containers for guests to put their empty bottles and cans in. Let them know where they are and encourage them to use them.