 Keep up the good work after collection changes
It's been exactly one month since we changed how we collect waste from most households, and we're still pleased with the results we're seeing.
It'll be a few more weeks before we can confirm the figures, but early indications are that you're recycling more of the things you throw away.
We're seeing a lot more food waste being correctly disposed of, instead of being thrown in with the rubbish, which is better for the environment.
By using your food waste bin, which we're still collecting weekly, you can prevent or reduce unpleasant smells in your new wheeled rubbish bin.
It also looks like you're throwing away less waste overall, whether that's rubbish or recycling, and that's another encouraging sign.
While recycling plays an important part in reducing our environmental impact, it's even more effective to create less waste in the first place.
Residents' praise for waste collection crew
We've recently had more than a dozen messages from residents in the Earley area to thank their crew.
One tells us: "They are an absolute treasure - polite, helpful, considerate and great in what they do... I've seen them go out of their way to help everyone and do their best to accommodate the morning school run. Just a top quality team."
We appreciate everyone who took the time to get in touch - and we'd also like to thank our partners at Veolia, who've worked hard to support these changes and help us work towards a greener future.
If you haven't already, please make sure to number your new wheeled bin so you know which one's yours on collection day. If you've got the time and fancy getting creative, you could even decorate it a bit more colourfully!
 Waste less food to save money and help the planet
We're glad that more people are using food waste bins, as this has always been one of our biggest targets for increasing recycling.
When you recycle your food waste, it's rotted down to generate energy from the gases while the solid waste makes a fertiliser for farmers' fields.
This is much better than throwing it away, which allows those gases to escape into the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.
However, please make sure you're only recycling food waste when necessary - for example, vegetable peelings, tea bags or meat and fish bones.
If you waste food because you've cooked too much, or let your excess food go out of date, this wastes your money and increases the environmental impact.
Consider the following advice from Fareshare:
- Check what you’ve already got before you shop
- Always check the use-by dates of food when you buy it
- Plan your meals, and how you'll use leftovers, for the week ahead
- Check your fridge is cool enough, especially for dairy produce
- Make good use of your freezer, including for batch cooking
If you're able, you could also try home composting your food waste to use in your garden. This takes time, but can be hugely beneficial to your plants.
 Reducing and reusing other kinds of waste
You can also reduce how much waste you're creating in the first place by following these tips from the Recycle Now campaign, which includes doing all you can to avoid unnecessary single-use packaging.
There's also some advice on reusing goods and items that still have some life left in them - especially used clothes, as textile manufacturing has a particularly damaging effect on the environment.
If you're putting out less waste in the first place, you'll have more space in your green recycling bags - or in your wheeled rubbish bin for the small number of items that belong there.
Don't forget that 70 per cent of everything you throw away can be recycled!
There are some exciting annoucements in the pipeline from re3, our joint waste management partnership with Reading and Bracknell Forest councils. Keep an eye on the next edition (25 September) for more.
 Tweet smell of success for café's bird box scheme
The Repair Cafe at Lambs Lane Primary School in Spencers Wood offers free workshops for up to 30 children, aged nine to 13, to build bird boxes.
The wood is cut by local volunteers and given to children to assemble before they take it home to benefit local wildlife.
They've now built more than 300 of these, which shows a creative way to reduce waste by reusing scrap materials.
The repair café's teams were also offering the chance to make bug hotels and other attractions for wildlife at last month's Swallowfield Show.
A share of the proceeds went to the show's chosen charities, while the rest will help the café continue to offer the free bird box sessions.
The sessions are also supported by Kingdom Rooms and Dandara.
Repair café sessions coming up near you
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