Reducing Waste Over Christmas  

Christmas is a time when we throw away even more then usual, and as it’s also a busy time it can be easy to temporarily abandon waste prevention and recycling.

Each year in the UK, 500 tonnes of old Christmas tree lights and enough wrapping paper to reach the moon are thrown away. There are still many things we can all do to keep waste down to a minimum, so why not consider some of the following;

• Use gift bags that can be re-used next year instead of wrapping paper.
• Make some homemade natural decorations using holly, fir cones, coloured leaves and anything else you can find, not forgetting to put them in the compost bin when you’re done.
• Send an e-card and save money, paper, card and transportation.
• Buy big with treats. Fizzy drinks and sweets are best bought in large packets meaning less packaging rather than lots of smaller individually wrapped containers.
• Make the most of your food by visiting www.lovefoodhatewaste.com which offers portion calculators, leftover recipe suggestions and storage tips. The average British family wastes around £50 a month on buying food that ends up uneaten and in the bin – don’t let it go to waste.
• Take those couple of extra moments to rinse out your tin cans and glass bottles and jars and put them into the green recycling box. Don’t forget all paper and card can go into the black recycling box. Residents can have up to three of each colour recycling box free of charge, just call the Environment Unit on 01895 837333 to order more.
• Take unwanted electrical items including Christmas lights, books and toys to the your local Household Waste Recycling Centre at Langley, Burnham or Beaconsfield. 

South Bucks District Councillor Bill Lidgate, Portfolio Holder for the Environment, says “Christmas is an exciting time of year but we shouldn't’ ignore all the extra waste it can produce. South Bucks residents already take an active role in recycling at home but we could all do more to try and prevent rubbish in the first place, trying just one or two of these tips can reduce your rubbish and in some cases save you money.”

For more ideas on how to reduce waste including eco-friendly wrapping ideas, home-made decorations and Christmas e-cards visit www.recyclenow.com.

Changes to Collection Dates: Christmas and New Year
Remember your collection day will change over Christmas and New Year; the revised collection dates are as follows: 

Normal Collection Day	Revised Collection Day
Monday 26th December	< Saturday 24th December
Tuesday 27th December	> Wednesday 28th December
Wednesday 28th December	> Thursday 29th December
Thursday 29th December	> Friday 30th December
Friday 30th December	> Saturday 31st December
Monday 2nd January	> Tuesday 3rd January
Tuesday 3rd January	> Wednesday 4th January
Wednesday 4th January	> Thursday 5th January
Thursday 5th January	> Friday 6th January
Friday 6th January	> Saturday 7th January

Residents can also stay informed on changes to collection dates and other useful information by signing up for email alerts. Just email environment@southbucks.gov.uk with “email alerts” in the subject line and we will include you in future updates.