Get composting and reduce your carbon footprint
Warwickshire residents are being encouraged to get composting this Christmas in a bid to divert organic waste from landfill and reduce global warming.
Generally more than 30 per cent of household waste can be composted. By diverting organic matter away from the waste stream the production of methane gas and leachate formulation in landfill sites is avoided, thus reducing global warming.
As well as diverting waste away from landfill, what is seen as rubbish by many can be transformed into a valuable resource. Making your own compost creates a free source of soil conditioner and nutrients for the garden, with very little effort.
Not only is composting good for the environment it is good for the pocket too. If 50,000 households in Warwickshire compost, approximately 7,500 tonnes of waste could be diverted from landfill, thus avoiding disposal costs of £294,000 per annum and it’s particularly important to get composting with all the extra waste produced at Christmas.
With recent research revealing that as a nation we waste a whopping £80.6 billion on unused goods and services every year, why not treat friends and family to a compost bin this Christmas and join the fight to reduce waste.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Chair of the Waste Partnership and Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “Buying too much food and then wasting it especially at Christmas, either by having portions that are too big or by having food that goes out of date, not only hits you in the pocket because of wastage, but costs you a second time in landfill tax – composting these leftovers makes sense.”
And it’s not just sprout, carrot, potato peelings and teabags that can go in to your compost bin this Christmas, you can even add urine which is an excellent compost activator! It is also important to add drier organic materials such as shredded paper, cardboard packaging from around your gifts, sawdust and even holly twigs to get a really good quality compost.
Warwickshire County Council and Recycle Now are continuing to offer bargain compost bins at reduced prices. 220 litre bins can be purchased for just £8 or the larger 330 litre bins for just £10 including free delivery. Order online by visiting http://www.recyclenow.com/compost or call 0845 077 0757 quoting reference HCA1.
For more information on WRAP’s love food hate waste campaign visit http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com