Tips on how to minimise waste this festive season
JOBURG - Every year, thousands of tons of waste matter are generated through traditional festive season activities.
With water shortages wreaking havoc around the country and road travel increasing carbon emissions, it’s the perfect time to adjust the way we use our precious resources.
Mpact Recycling offers a few tips on how to do this. During the festive season, the pressure is on to purchase and wrap the perfect gift for everyone from great auntie Hilda to your pet rottweiler.
There are some really beautiful wrapping papers made from recycled paper, otherwise, get the kids to create collages from magazines, or to wrap using old newspapers, maps, comic books or even telephone directories.
Then, on Boxing Day, take all the paper and place it in your nearest community Ronnie bank where it will be collected for recycling.
Cooking enough ham, turkey, gammon and potato salad to feed three armies at Christmas time is an instinctive tradition ingrained in every South African. If you’re going to feed the five thousand, remember that local is lekker and has a lower carbon footprint than the exotic produce imported from across the globe.
If you have leftovers, freeze what you can, keep what you know will be consumed by the hordes, and give the rest to those who have nothing.
High temperatures and the lack of rainfall are placing considerable strain on Rand Water’s bulk water supply. But there are many ways that you can help reduce consumption, whether at home or away on holiday.
Only use water that you need. If you have taken leave and have time to do a little work around the house, you can make a big difference by converting to dual flush toilets, installing water-saving shower heads and flow restrictors, and repairing all leaking and dripping taps.
Adjust the water level of washing and dish washing machines to suit the load, take shorter showers – with a bucket to collect extra water to use in the garden or wash your car – and turn the tap off when you are brushing your teeth.
If you must water your garden, do so after 6pm at night and before 6am the next morning and avoid watering on windy days.
If you apply mulch to your garden it can also reduce water use by up to 70 percent. And remember, a broom can clean your driveway or sidewalk just as effectively as a hose.
Mpact Recycling collects around 450 000 tons of paper and close to 29 000 tons of plastic for recycling every year. The company collects from 200 000 homes around City of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and City of Tshwane.
Details: www.mpactrecycling.co.za
