Recycling

Let’s be honest. Recycling is not the answer in the long term. We need to be thinking more along the lines of a Circular Economy where we consider the whole lifecycle of the product from start to finish. We currently exist in a Linear Economy where things just get thrown away at the end of their lifecycle.

However, where, what and how to recycle are often asked questions. The main thing to remember when putting things in your recycling bin is that they should be clean, loose and dry.

General recycling

Check out MyWaste.ie for the definitive list and top tips.

Food Waste

Every household in Ireland is responsible for one ton of food waste per year. That’s the equivalent of €400-€1000 euro down the drain.

Think about creating less food waste – check out stopfoodwaste.ie for great tips on how to shop more efficiently, use all the bit of vegetables and how keep food fresher for longer.

Think about getting brown bins for your office, this is a great way to cut down on costs and minimising your carbon footprint. Food that breaks down in a composter does create co2 but that’s a lot less than the methane produced when it breaks down in landfill.

Composting

This is an easy way to make every last bit of food count and get a free resource in the process! Check out StopFoodWaste for an easy tutorial on how to get started. Check out our youtube videos with Diversion Green.

Clothes – the textile industry

Think before you send your clothes to the charity shop, it is estimated that only 10-30% of clothes sent to charity shops are actually sold. Most end up going back to the developing world where they came from and it is estimated that every minute a bin lorry of clothes is emptied into landfill or incinerated. Think about passing on your children’s clothes to friends and family or extending the life of old t-shirts by using them as cloths for cleaning.