‘Think before you buy’ by Liz Parkes

In the fast moving society we live in, it's all too easy to give little thought to the consequences of actions we take as consumers. We are increasingly eating on the hoof, generating more waste from food and drink cartons in ever growing quantities.

Buying on a whim inevitably means we throw away a lot of food at home. This is not only a waste of resources but a waste of money. By only buying what you need and storing food in re-sealable containers rather than using cling film or foil will help to reduce waste. Also consider using leftovers to prepare another meal like chicken scraps from the carcass to make soup.

Liz Parkes is Head of Waste at the Environment Agency.

What is needed is a change in our attitude towards waste generation and that starts with changing our behaviour as consumers. We are guilty of living in a throw-away society – how many of us pick up a newspaper on our journey home and leave it on the train or bus instead of recycling it. The same can be said for food and drink packaging – take-away coffees and sandwich wrappings all generate waste which can be difficult to recycle when there are little facilities available on the street.

Clamour 

There appears to be a general clamour for us to have the very latest electronic gadget whether it be a mobile phone or MP3 player. Do we really need the very latest in flat screen technology or a brand new computer? Surely it would be better to settle for an upgrade and reduce our environmental footprint?

Whilst I wouldn't be without my mobile phone, I have very little electronic equipment. Now I'm not advocating that everyone should be like me (surely one of the few that enjoys a TV-free existence) but ask yourself “do I need to have a TV in every room of the house?”

Most things we possess can be given a second life. If you're in the middle of a home or garden makeover ask whether someone can make use of the items that you've just grown tired of.

Old clothes are another example and I don't just mean the clothes collected by charities for use in the third world but clothes that charity shops sell in the high street. More people regularly go to charity shops not just because they want to support a worthy cause but because they can get high quality designer garments at very reasonable prices.

We can all do our bit to change attitudes, reduce waste and improve our environment and you might just save some money along the way.