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Rubbish

Lets start with a fact. Every year the UK produces 280 million tonnes of waste - thats about the
same as 700,000 fully loaded airliners. We throw away unwanted food, glass bottles, plastic
bottles, cans, wrappers, paper and cardboard. Can you think of anything else?
Many of these things are made up of natural resources such as trees, coal, oil and aluminium and
one
day
some
of
these
resources
will
be
used
up
completely.
Over the last ten years the whole of the UK has come together to do more about this. 40% of all
household waste is now recycled compared to just 11% in 2000. Do you recycle at home and at
school? Why recycle? Well, this takes us back to the topic of energy. Recycling glass, paper,
cardboard and plastic should save the energy it would take to make new paper, glass bottles and
plastic
containers
According to RecycleNow, recycling in the UK saves more than 18 million tonnes of carbon
dioxide a year equivalent to taking 5 million cars off the road. Recycling isnt a new thing
either. During World War II, the British people recycled everything they could to help. Toys
were made with scraps of fabric and metal pots and pans were melted down to be reused. So, is
all our rubbish really rubbish?
Detectives - Weve seen some great projects where schools have collected all of their waste and
weighed it every week - the results over 1 school year can be shocking! Why not see how much
your school, class or family chucks out and try and set targets to reduce the waste.
How
to
help:
Thinking more about what we waste helps to protect the environment by saving energy, reducing
pollution, cutting costs and preserving our natural resources.

Sort it out! Not all of our recycling is taken by helpful dustmen. Unwanted or leftover
food such as tea bags and potato peelings can be added straight to a compost heap.
Plenty of minibeasts will be on-hand there to help! Little insects help break down food
and plant matter and make it into scrumptious soil that plants, trees and other animals
love. Many local councils now include compostable waste in their recycling collections.

Recycle Bank Some councils dont collect plastics or cardboard but there is always
somewhere nearby with big recycling banks where you can take them.

Save trees Save trees by recycling your own paper. Paper with a clean side can be made
into notepads with a simple staple or a hole to tie a piece of string. These are great for
doodles and notes. If you are buying paper, buy recycled paper.

Fashion Statement Give any unwanted clothes to charity shops or to a Salvation Army
recycling bank. A lot of our unwanted clothes go to the homeless to keep them warm or
alternatively, the clothes are sent to developing countries. Theres always someone who
will want that knitted jumper!

Would you like a bag? If you can carry your shopping home without a bag then carry it
home. If you cant why not take a bag you already have with you. Re-using bags is the
cool way to shop!

Packaging Packaging is a big problem for the environment because once the product is
open you dont need it and its thrown out or, if its lucky, recycled. So avoid buying
products that have a lot of paper and plastic around them.

Shout out - Tell Friends of the Earth what products or companies you think highlight the
problem of our trashed planet. To let them know what you think click here.

Rainforests ( Deforestation )
Rainforests are valuable habitats. About half of all the species of animals and plants in the world
live in rainforests and thousands of rainforest plants contain substances that can be used in
medicines. The tribal people of the forests have great knowledge of them. Rainforests are also
important because the huge number of plants and trees there provide us with oxygen through a
process called photosynthesis and help to regulate the world's climate and atmosphere. This is
why
they
are
often
referred
to
as
the
lungs
of
the
earth.
Yet despite their value, an area of rainforest the size of Britain is destroyed every year, and this is
called deforestation. One and a half acres are cleared every second, an area about the size of a
football pitch. Rainforests now only cover 6% of the world as we cut down the trees for materials
such as paper and wood and use the land for farming and crops.
Sometimes they're burnt down to make space to grow soya which is an animal feed and to grow
palm oil. Palm oil is a bio-fuel used as an alternative to petrol and diesel, as well as being in 33%
of products in your local supermarket! Everyone can do their bit to help reduce the need for
deforestation, just follow our tips below.
We have lots of resources on rainforests. Check out these factsheets for more information
-Rainforests, Rainforest Animals, Rainforest Tribes and download our free fact-filled and fun
magazine for free - Conservation Education
You

can

also

download

our

cool

online

magazine

on Rainforests for

free.

How to help:

Good wood Tropical hardwoods such as teak and mahogany are grown in rainforests
and take hundreds of years to grow so avoid any products made with these woods. It is
better have products made with pine, beech, ash or oak. These trees dont come from the
rainforest and can be more easily replaced as they grow a lot faster.

Flowers Orchids are popular in florists, but many come from the rainforest. The UK
imports millions of flowers every year and despite checks some orchids may have been
taken from the wild. Check that any orchids have been grown in Britain or the EU before
buying.

Protected Pet? Some parrots and macaws are unfortunately still being imported into the
country to be sold as pets. If you want a parrot as a pet, make sure it has been hatched in
Britain.

Save trees Save trees by recycling your own paper. Paper with a clean side can be made
into notepads with a simple staple or you can punch a hole to tie sheets of paper together
with a piece of string. These are great for doodles and notes. If you are buying paper,
buy recycled paper, whether it is writing paper or toilet paper!

Recycling
Here are just five ways recycling can help our planet:
1. Recycling helps minimize pollution. One way we can minimize pollution is through recycling
and reusing garbage. When people burn garbage, this can harm the ozone layer and produce
harmful gases which can lead to respiratory diseases like cough and asthma, among others. When
garbage is thrown in the ocean, it could kill and affect our marine resources and coral reefs. Thats
why every time we reduce waste, reuse, and recycle our garbage- from used plastic bottles,
disposable cups and utensils, paper, and other plastic products, we get to save the earth and even
millions of lives from the harmful effects of pollution.
2. Recycling helps preserve our natural resources. Can you imagine how many trees are cut
every day to provide us with all our paper and wood? Well, if we recycle paper products like
newspapers and books, we can save more trees on earth. As such, recycling products is extremely
important so that we can help preserve our natural resources- from trees to minerals to marine
resources. If we continue to waste our resources, the time might come that they will all be used
up and we will end up with nothing.
3. Recycling gives green jobs. Did you know that recycling also provides green jobs to millions
of people? When communities invest in efforts to recycle garbage and other waste materials,
people are given the chance to work and earn money. From collecting garbage, segregating,
transporting, to recycling them into useable products, people are given the opportunity to help
save the environment and at the same time earn money for a living. People opening up junk shops
for instance also engage in a worthwhile endeavour.
4. Recycling helps create awareness. Another benefit of recycling is the ripple effect it has on
the people. When a school for instance ventures into recycling, this can be adopted by the
community, and later on by a bigger organization, or the entire state itself. Through recycling,

people become aware of its importance and the word gets spread everywhere. This way, people
can work together to help save the environment.
5. Recycling saves expenses and resources. Finally, recycling can help save on our expenses and
resources. It helps reduce the amount of materials that are wasted or thrown in landfills such as
paper, plastic, glass, and aluminium. This also enables companies to rely less on raw materials,
which requires more energy for manufacturing a new product. For instance, recycling plastic
material requires less energy than having it produced from raw materials. This is more costeffective and environment-friendly because carbon emissions are lessened and energy use is
greatly reduced.
6. Recycling saves energy. The manufacture of new products from virgin materials the
amount of energy needed is much higher than using recycled materials. The energy and resources
that are expended in the transportation of virgin materials is also saved.
Additionally the effort, energy, and resources needed to protect and clean up the environment in
the extraction and production of these virgin materials are also dispensed with.
There are many companies out there that help reduce the problem of wasted resources by offering
options (like ink cartridges) that make sense.
Instead of creating just ink cartridges that are used up quickly, they also manufacture energysaving and money-saving replacement kits. When consumers seek out companies that have
established green practices, like Carrot Ink, the consumer wins by not only helping the
environment but also by saving money.
7. Recycling saves the space that is used for waste disposal. A major portion of the landfill
space in use today is filled up with materials that could otherwise have been recycled. With
landfill space at a premium today any reduction in the waste that needs to be discarded and will
occupy space in these landfills benefits the environment. Hazardous waste that disposed of in
landfills can leak toxic or corrosive chemicals into the environment.

Reduce
Reduce mean finding way to decrease or lessen the amount of trash we throw away. You can help
reduce the amount of waste in your home by taking simple steps such as do not buy more than
necessarily or on impulse. Buy what is necessary and in sufficient quantity but not in excess for
the family use. People reduce by purchasing items that are durable and last a long time. By
purchasing long lasting products with very little packaging, you will decrease the amount of
waste entering a landfill.
Other ways of reducing waste include:
- Buy products that do not require a lot of energy and resources to manufacture. Look for
products that contain environmentally friendly packaging.
- Reduce car use by riding your bicycle, carpooling with friends, walking, or taking the bus.
- Composting is a great way to dispose of kitchen waste. It is healthy for the soil and less waste

will go into the landfill.


- Turn off lights that you are not using and use energy efficient light bulbs.
- Turn off the taps when brushing your teeth. This also helps you save your money.
Avoid disposable or use once only items but use the more durable goods, ex. plates, glasses,
cutlery, napkins, towels, handkerchiefs, and, cloth diapers, instead of the disposal types. Use
rechargeable batteries. Reducing will help with conservation efforts and decrease landfill waste
and energy use. Reducing results in less pollution and a cleaner environment. It also helps
conserve natural resources.

Reuse
Reuse mean finding way to use things over and over again instead that throwing them away. You
can reduce waste by reusing products. Reusing methods include repairing damaged items,
donating items to a worthy cause, or finding another way to use them.
Some reusing tips include:
- Use cloth grocery bags instead of plastic bags. They can be used
- Use reusable lunch bags.
- Metal cans and plastic containers can be used for storing items.
- Donate old clothes, furniture, and toys to a charity.
- Use silverware and dishes instead of plastic utensils and plates.
- Store food in reusable plastic containers.

repeatedly.

Another way to reuse is to hire a junk removal service. Except for hazardous materials, junk
removal companies will come and remove just about any type of waste. This includes furniture,
appliances, electronics, and construction refuse. Many junk removal businesses donate items to
charities, repair items, and recycle.

Recycle
Recycling means taking something old and turning it into something new. This process involves
making new products out of old products. This means potential landfill waste becomes a new
product. You can protect the environment by buying products that contain recycled materials.
Many of the things we use every day are recycled.
Recycled products include: paper towels, toilet paper, paper bags, beverage bottles and cans, milk
cartons, and much more.
Most products have the recycle label on the package. Many towns and cities have recycling
programs. Some places even have mandatory recycling programs. Junk removal companies are
actively involved in reusing and recycling. These companies are very aware of the publics

concern for the environment so they make reusing and recycling a big part of their business.
Make sure you ask a junk removing company how much they recycle. You will feel good
knowing that not all of the junk you are getting rid of will end up in a land fill.
Reducing, reusing, and recycling helps lessen our impact on the environment and benefits the
community. With the help of environmentally conscious companies such as junk removal
companies, we are decreasing the amount of waste going into landfills. By participating in the 3R
program, you will feel good knowing that you are doing your part to leave a healthier planet for
your children.

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