Southwark Council, in partnership with Veolia, is challenging residents to reduce their household rubbish to just One Bag a Week in order to increase recycling in the borough and help tackle the climate emergency. The campaign follows the success of last year's pilot campaign which saw an 8% reduction in rubbish and 12% increase in recycling collected from targeted estates.
Why bother?
Reducing how much rubbish we produce is one of the simplest ways to help tackle the climate emergency and it can also help save money.
On average, around 60% of what we throw away in Southwark can be recycled, and 20% of that is food waste. By making small changes such as planning meals and freezing leftovers, the average family in Southwark could save up to £40-£60 a month! It also costs the council six times less to process recycling than it does rubbish. This is money saved that can be spent on improving other vital services such as schools and parks.
Where to start?
Try making small changes to your daily routine:
- Carry a reusable bag and buy loose fruit and vegetables when you’re out shopping.
- Use a reusable coffee cup when you’re on-the-go to save money at most coffee shops!
- Donate items of clothing to a charity shop or make some money by selling them online instead. There are a host of websites and apps like Freecycle, Ebay, Olio, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace to give your old things a second life.
- Finally, don’t forget that many of the everyday items in your house are recyclable. Simply empty and rinse your items before putting them in your recycling bin or bag. If you have any small electricals or batteries, don’t put them in your household bins, recycle them correctly by bringing them to the Southwark Reuse and Recycling Centre at 43 Devon Street, SE15 1AL.
Are you up for the challenge?
For more information on how to reduce your waste to just one bag a week, check out more handy hints and tips by visiting southwark.gov.uk/one-bag-a-week. The best way to check if something is recyclable is to visit the Southwark Council website. If you live in a block of flats and need more recycling bins, or want some textile or small electrical bins installed, contact your Managing Agent or Resident Support Officer.
Krysia - resident of Southwark for over 20 years who took part in the challenge last year:
It’s a simple message and a really tangible, measurable goal. I was fully behind the campaign last year so I’m glad it’s going again this year. I try to be careful when I’m choosing fruit and veg, if there’s loose things I’ll pick that over packaged things and I do a lot of batch cooking now which is really good because it saves money but also it’s making sure there’s not a lot of food that’s going into the bin at the end of the week. I always freeze a few portions so you have your very own ready meals at home which is really good!
Matthew Crane, Southwark Regional Manager said:
This campaign is all about showing Southwark residents that small changes in how they manage their recycling at home can make a big difference. At Veolia we understand that reducing your waste not only reduces pollution, but has the added benefit of keeping your community cleaner and healthier which is a priority for us in achieving our goal of ecological transformation.