Sign up for Zero Waste Week 2014

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Zero Waste Week 2014 takes place 1-7th September and anyone can join in.

From householders to organisations to local authorities; the week is open to everyone and the aim is to get us all rethinking and reducing our landfill waste.

Each year has its own theme and challenge which you can pledge to do by signing up to our mailing list.

The week began in 2008 with 100 participants and last year we had 1700 people taking part.

Read some of the feedback from last year:

Sarah wrote:

I pledged to use washable nappies and compost all I could. I have also reduced the amount of packaging on bought things. We have filled half a black bag, normally we would fill one bag or just over. Zero Waste Week helped me back into good habits that I had slipped.

Iris wrote:

Having the week was a great focus. It made you stop and think before every action. For example really looking in the fridge to see what to use up rather than throw out. Sorting stuff properly for bins and seeing if there was anything that you didn’t already recycle which could – with effort – be recycled.

Cathy wrote:

It was an awesome event! I gave away some “trash” on Freecycle. I also preserved herbs from my garden rather than eventually tossing them in the compost bin. I’ve accumulated about 25% less trash. I saw that, in almost all cases, trash really isn’t trash but is someone else’s treasure, compost, etc.

Fiona wrote:

Thanks to Rachelle for a fabulous laughter filled week ..and the inspiration to clear and shift and move on ….I shifted three sheds ..all recycled ..

Peace wrote:

I had several instances of thinking, “It’s Zero Waste Week, how do I do this better?” and finding answers that improved both my conservation and my ability to recycle leftovers I might not have otherwise. I hope the little, everyday changes add up to a cumulative gain all around until you motivate me again next year to up my game.

Lisa wrote:

We ended up with just one small pile of unrecyclable stuff instead of the usual 2 or 3 carrier bags that go in the big bin. I didn’t know the council (Bristol) took away all those different types of plastic! Its been really good for us to cut down on what goes in the bin, and fun thinking of different ways to use the unrecyclable stuff.

Christine wrote:

we used this week more to reenergise our zero waste habits. We have set up an organised system for packups with an emphasis on home cooking and avoiding all those sandwich meat and crisp packets. By watching how we buy stuff we are not only putting out less landfill but less recycling.

Sophie wrote:

It has made me think a lot about the way I do things. And how far I have yet to go. My daughter learned to use the sewing machine and made us two veg bags from an old torn sheet – which I used today! More bags to be made today, and some napkins to replace paper ones (from a different old sheet).

Wayne wrote:

I cheated and went to someone else’s house for lunch but did explain the event. Also found out that the average household’s carbon footprint for unrecycled plastic waste is equivalent to running a small petrol car. Thank you for getting me started on simple ways to reduce my waste – you should be very proud about this successful event 🙂

 Arlette wrote:

I’ve gone back to baking my own bread again rather than buying from the supermarket this week. I’m making a batch of flapjacks later today for their packed lunches instead of buying individually wrapped snack bars, and I’m going into town in the week to find tiny reusable tupperware containers to pack the individual bits of their lunches into instead of using plastic bags.

Inspired to join in?

It’s easy, just sign up to our mailing list. You’ll get a monthly newsletter from me and later in the year I’ll announce the theme for Zero Waste Week 2014.

During Zero Waste Week itself, you’ll get daily motivational emails helping to keep you accountable and on track!

Ready to sign up? Sign up now!

Not sure yet? Zero Waste Week has become so popular it now has it’s own website where you can read more. Take me there!