Here are some tips for changes you can make to make your carbon footprint smaller.

• Rather than take unwanted items to the tip, they can often be reused. Good quality items can be taken to charity shops (check in advance that they are accepting donations, as Covid restrictions mean some are limited in what they can accept at the moment, and you may need to make an appointment) or you can advertise items for free on websites such as Freecycle, or through Facebook recycling or kindness groups.
• Win on Waste groups are able to recycle more items than are accepted through kerbside recycling, and raise money for good causes at the same time. Items collected include, but are not limited to, milk bottle tops, crisp and biscuit packets, broken or empty pens, soap pumps, toothpaste tubes and even old bras.
• While restrictions around hospitality are still in place, the amount of takeaway coffee cups used has increased. Taking a reusable cup will help protect the environment, and you’ll find some cafés also offer a discount if you do. Taking your own water bottle when you go out will reduce single-use plastics, and most hospitality venues will also refill it for free too.
• Food waste should go in your brown compost bins for kerbside removal, but if you are a keen gardener, using a compost bin will enable you to make the most of your food waste to make your garden spectacular.
• Reduce your electricity usage by turning off and unplugging appliances that are not in use.