People across Bath and North East Somerset are being challenged
to go for a week without throwing anything away.
Bath & North East Somerset Council has declared October 23 –
29 Zero Waste Week and is challenging residents to see if it is
possible to produce no black bag rubbish for seven days.
That means you only use things that you can reuse, recycle or
compost, and avoid using anything that you would normally throw
away, either by choosing an alternative or by avoiding it
altogether.
In 2001, Bath & North East Somerset Council became the first
local authority in the UK to adopt a Zero Waste pledge. Its
long-term vision is to eliminate waste altogether, rather than
simply manage it.
Pioneered in New Zealand, Zero Waste is a radical but simple
approach to waste. It means that nothing gets thrown away in the
dustbin - so we only use things we can reuse, recycle or
compost. As well as reducing the damage that we do to our
environment, we could also help save ourselves money.
Sarah Raban, Waste Campaigns Officer for Bath & North East
Somerset Council, explained that if you make enough changes, it is
possible to produce absolutely no waste – but the aim of this
challenge is to see how close you can get.
Circumstances are different for everyone and even if you don’t
quite manage to achieve Zero Waste, you’ll find you can have a
dramatic effect on the amount you throw away.
Zero Waste Week is designed to be fun – but it has a serious
message, too. By really thinking about what we buy, eat and drink
for a week, and trying to only use things that can be reused,
recycled or composted, it is possible to substantially reduce the
amount of rubbish produced which is good for the environment.
The Council is producing an information pack for people wishing
to take part. To get your copy, please contact us at councilconnect@bathnes.gov.uk
or by phone on 01225 39 40 41. We will send you a guidance
sheet and report form to keep a record of what you do during the
week - then all you have to do is take part.
