Welcome to the February edition of our Recycling Newsletter. Each month we will provide you with hints and tips on how to waste less, and recycle right.

Love your bin!

This Valentine's Day, show your love for the environment by ensuring your tokens of affection can be recycled! Valentine's cards and wrapping paper without glitter, flocking, or foil can all be placed in your home recycling bin after the big day, keeping the 'love' alive in a sustainable way. Remember, your efforts to recycle cans, tins, paper, cardboard, and plastic bottles throughout the year make a significant impact by conserving natural resources. Let’s appreciate our bins and the positive difference we can make by recycling the right items.

Make your own cards this Valentine’s Day!

Around 25 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent in the UK every year, equivalent to more than 8,000 trees. 

This year, why not show some love for your partner AND the planet by sending an e-card? Or why not go a step further and make your own Valentine's card. This is not only more sentimental and unique, but you can also be sustainable by using recycled paper... now that's a way to win someone's heart!

Ditch the flowers – gift potted plants

Giving flowers to those you love on Valentine’s Day is deemed to be romantic, but they only live for a few days to a week!

Perhaps it’s more romantic to gift those you love with something that will live on, such as a potted plant.

Why not take a trip your local garden centre, where there will be a variety of potted plants to choose from – or even try to grow your own!

Reducing waste can help us save money and protect the environment. Some ideas include:

• Buy only what you need.
• Maintain and repair items you already have.
• Buy reusable items.
• Buy better quality items if you can, they will last longer.
• Hire or borrow items you will only use once rather than buying your own.

There are lots of ways you can re-use more of your unwanted household items and find good quality, nearly new items.

• List items on trusted buy sell swap sites (like Freegle or Freecycle).
• Give away or swap with friends.
• Car boots and jumble sales.
• Go to charity/second hand shops.

People often forget to recycle items from other rooms in the house including the bathroom, bedroom, and the living room. 

• Rinse out empty food and drink containers before you recycle them.
• Squash plastic bottles and flatten cardboard boxes so you can fit more in your recycling bin.
• If it’s plastic and bottle-shaped, it can be recycled – don’t forget the shampoo, spray cleaner and bleach bottles from your bathroom.

Here are five top tips for reducing plastic waste:

1. Always keep a reusable shopping bag with you.
2. Carry a reusable water bottle / coffee cup.
3. Pack your lunch in a reusable container.
4. Say no to plastic straws and cutlery.
5. Slow down and dine in – reduce the amount of single use take-out containers you buy.

Drop off your plastic tubs!

Greene King's ‘Tub2Pub’ campaign - to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and recycle plastics – is continuing until 16 February 2025. Greene King’s pubs, restaurants, and hotels will accept your clean and empty:

• Confectionery tubs
• Biscuit tubs
• Cracker tubs

A collection point has also been set up at the Plaza (Civic Centre Road, Havant, PO9 2AX) until 13 February 2025. Feel free to pop in and drop off your plastic tubs!