Resolve to have a greener New Year
Many people this New Year may be resolving to reduce their waistline, however Warwickshire County Council is urging people to think about another kind of waste.
The message is going out this New Year that it’s never been simpler to recycle and help reduce the thousands of tonnes of waste going to landfill each year in the county.
Everything from shoes and clothes, to cardboards, plastics and foil can now be collected along with glass bottles and newspapers by kerbside collections offered by district and borough councils across the county or at a host of recycling centres.
Warwickshire is currently recycling about 30 per cent of household waste, but over the next couple of years the county aims to drive this figure up to 45 per cent.
Another way to cut down on waste going to landfill is to get composting.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “Many people are astonished at just how much can be composted, good things you can compost include vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags, plant prunings and grass cuttings, while cardboard egg boxes, scrunched up paper and fallen leaves can also be added and even egg shells provide useful minerals.”
Warwickshire residents can take advantage of the special offer to try out a home composter by calling 0845 073 2001 for a discounted composter. They can also use the county’s free Home Woodchipping service to reuse prunings as mulch. Bookings of this service can be made by telephone on 01926 738827, between 9.30am and 12.30 noon, by calling 01926 738827 to book your appointment.
Cllr Heatley added: “The county disposes of 314,000 tonnes of household waste every year, with most of this still going to landfill. With ever increasing cost to dispose of our waste, it will be cheaper to recycle than landfill, so by recycling we will be saving the Council Tax payers of this county money.
“Your local recycling schemes could not be so easy. So give it a go, make it your New Year’s resolution, it’s not as hard as you think, and will help to keep our county greener.”
For more information on recycling and greener living visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wastewise