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Why compost?

Composting transforms your kitchen and garden waste into a valuable and nutrient-rich food for your garden. It’s easy to make and use and it’s cheap to do.

It’s good for the environment

Did you know that almost half of the food waste in the average rubbish bin could have been composted? You can do your bit to reduce waste by composting your food and garden waste at home. In just one year it can save the same amount of energy as using your kettle for a year, or your washing machine for three months!

Just because you’ve grown tired of your belongings, doesn’t mean you should throw them in the bin. In fact, the bin should your last resort. There are lots of options for giving your things a second life. You can:

We throw away huge amounts of food because we didn’t get round to eating it in time. Small changes, such as using left-over food to make new dishes, storing food correctly and using shopping lists to only buy what you really need, can make a huge difference, saving you money and time. Food waste is also a huge contributor to climate change, so making the most of it is a simple but powerful act you can make every day.

What can you do?

Not that long ago, repair was a way of life. Darning a hole in a sock or a tear in a shirt was the done thing; part of a mentality of ‘make do and mend’, of valuing possessions and making sure things lasted so they could be passed on. Instead of throwing away and replacing, repair your things.

Keep a tote bag handy

There are loads of little things you can do, that over time will massively reduce the amount of waste you produce. An easy one is to always keep a reusable shopping bag on you, so that when you pop into the shops, you won’t be caught empty handed (and you'll save yourself 10p). If you have a car, keep some in the boot, then you’ll be covered for your big shops too.

Take a look at our A-Z list of different items, to see if and how they can be recycled in Copeland.

Visit WRAP's website, or Another Way, for information and campaigns around recycling.

Find out how to recycle electricals - and why it's a great idea - here.

CUTTING BACK OF LARGE SYCAMORE TREE, OVERHANGING INTO PROPERTY OF 9 ST GEORGES ROAD, SITUATED WITHIN A CONSERVATION AREA