Swap single-use items for ones that are more durable. As the world rapidly approaches 8 billion people, trying to squeeze 1.3 billion tonnes of annual waste (projected to soar to 4 billion tonnes by 2100) into overflowing landfills is no easy task. In fact a lot of our waste ends up in our environment where it can impact on wildlife and take thousands and thousands of years to break down.
Many supermarkets sell loose goods (fruit and veg) etc. so you can take your own bags and containers. Zero waste shops are becoming more popular - visit them when you can. Take your own containers and fill from bulk containers - items like cereals, herbs and spices, nuts, oils, vinegars, dried fruit, pasta.
Confused about the recycling labelling on food packaging? The on-pack recycling label (or OPRL) - Look out for the labels that appear on all sorts of packaging - from soft drink cans, to bread bags and plastic toiletry bottles. They will tell you whether the packaging is likely to be collected for recycling or if you can take it to your local recycling centre.
Join this Facebook group (approx 4k members) to find out local collection points and dates for lots of recyclable products that raise money for a variety of charities.