Remember! Every small action reducing waste is an important contribution to our planet
4 R: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repair
Reduce
Means to reduce the quantity of things you use in the first place so that you have less to throw away.
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room
- Turn off the water tap while you are brushing your teeth
- Have a quick shower instead of a long bath
- Use a refill bottle and fill it with water or your favourite juice
- When go shopping, bring your own reusable shopping bags. You will reduce the use of plastic or paper bags. And plan shopping list to avoid impulsive purchases
- Try to buy items with no extra packaging. Fruit and veggies don't need to be wrapped in plastic
- Bring your snacks or lunch in a reusable container. Have a look here for inspiration
- Say NO to disposable plates and cutlery. If you need it, use a biodegradable one, or this made from sugar cane or this one from Singapore we very much like
- Say NO to straws or learn how to do your own here
- Is your birthday? Great time to handmade your goodie bags! Find super good ideas in our Pinterest board here and get inspired with eco-friendly parties guides
- Opt for a washable cloth napkin or handkerchief instead of paper tissues.
- Don't buy things you don't really need. Borrow, share or hire things that are only needed occasionally
- Choose things that are well made and will last. They may be more expensive but will last longer
- Use rechargeable batteries
- Opt for electronic mail and send invitations to parties or events by email or using online
services like Greenvelope, or Evite, or Greetings Island to name a few
These are just some of the small actions which will mean a lot for our environment.
Do you want to share your tip? Write to Cowee and we will add your reduce tip here!
Reuse
means use things again
- Reuse paper and save trees. As you know, Wolols keep inside the WoBox all kind of papers and things for their crafts. Card stock and cardboard boxes are great for crafting! Anything you think can be reused to create what you imagine, keep it!
- Give clothes you have grown out of and old toys.
Instead of sending them to the dump, donate them
to family, friends or thrift store.
- Decorate plastic or glass containers and reuse them for storing things. It will help to keep you organised or can be a perfect and original gift for family and friends. Find inspiration here
- Save money and help your environment buying things that are second hand
- Have you grown out of your old bike? Give it to a family member or a friend who would use it or alternatively sell it to someone who can make use of it.
Reuse yoghurt pots or the bottom part of plastic bottles as plant pots. Look at these great ideas!
From www.diythought.com
means using things that have already been used, to make new things
- Recycle at home separating food waste, garden waste, paper, cardboard, glass, plastic containers, bottles and tins and cans. Find information for Singapore here. About other countries, consult your local council to know what goes in which bin.
- Don't throw away old clothes, toys, books, CDs, videos, furniture... Instead, take them to a charity shop, sell them, organize a car boot sale. That way someone else can use them.
- Make compost saving the core, peels, and rinds from your snacks. Some ideas here and very nice kids project here
- Make your owns rags by cutting up old towels or clothes
- Buy recycled. It's only by buying things made from recycled materials that you will make it worthwhile to recycle things in the first place
Grab some great toys ideas
Repair
means fix it before just throwing away.
Upcycling, giving a new lease of life to a neglected item.
- Before throw it, ask yourself, Could it be made into something else?
- Could somebody use it for parts?
- Do I really need a new one?
- Can I give it to someone else to repair it? Too many items are thrown away simply because we don't know how to fix them, it's too expensive or has been designed to become obsolete.
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A good list of repairing services in Singapore
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Repair cafes began in Amsterdam 10 years ago and there are now over 1,700 worldwide. They are free community meeting places with tools and materials to help repair clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, etc. Visitors bring their broken items and, with the specialist volunteers, fix them. It is a Wow-Idea!
Broken pot? If it cannot be repaired, make a lovely fairy garden
The Wolols are like children. Their big eyes are widely open to the joy of learning new things, curious, inquires, actives, creatives, and imaginative. Always ready to have fun,
create and play! WOw Laughing Out Loud!