Monday 24 June 2013
Public Services will be out and about all this week providing tips and ideas to help islanders reduce waste - and save money.
Today sees the launch of Waste Aware Week (24-29 June), and the Department has a number of events and promotions planned to highlight its "three Rs" message - reduce, reuse, recycle.
They include drop-in sessions at local supermarkets and the bring bank site at Waitrose in the Rohais, where members of the recycling team will be on hand to give advice and answer any queries.
There will also be a display of 'upcycled' and 'shabby chic' furniture at Beau Sejour, showing how old and unwanted household items can be given a new lease of life. A number of the exhibits were specially produced by local artists at the recent Arts Alive event, using pieces recovered from the Longue Hougue recycling facility.
The Department's Love Food Hate Waste campaign will be another major ingredient of the week. This promotes smart ways to plan, shop and cook that can help households reduce their food bills by as much as £50 a month.
This aims to tackle the 4,500 tonnes of food waste local households throw away every year, of which as much as half could easily have been eaten instead of going in the bin.
Public Services Minister Paul Luxon said the Department was highlighting lots of different ways to reduce waste, many of which could save islanders money:
"We have made fantastic strides in the island, in terms of reducing waste, and that is something the island can be rightly proud of. Ten years ago, more than 70,000 tonnes of waste was being dumped in Mont Cuet every year. In 2013, the total will be less than half that,"
"That success has been through encouraging islanders, and businesses, to reduce, reuse, and recycle more. That is still a really important message, and it's not all about bring banks. That is what we are trying to highlight this week, by showcasing some of the other aspects which can make a positive contribution but equally save islanders money."
Recycling Officer Tina Norman-Ross said anyone with a query about waste reduction or recycling in general could send these to the Department's Facebook page or twitter feed. They will also be posting some top tips and frequently asked questions on these sites throughout the week.
"Obviously we are happy if people want to contact us by phone or email, but if they do it through social media then the answers will then be there to share with other people who may have a similar query. We think it will be a great way to get the message out there."
Monday 24 June
11:00: LAUNCH: Reduce Reuse Recycle, High Street, St Peter Port - interview opportunity with Minister and Recycling Officer
Tuesday 25 June
15:30 - 16:30: Beau Sejour drop in, with Up-cycled furniture and more. Upcycling - the processing of used goods or waste material to produce something that is often better than the original.
Wednesday 26 June
12:30 - 14:00 Supermarket drop-ins at Waitrose/Rohais and Waitrose /Admiral Park
Thursday 27 June
12:30 - 14:00: Supermarket drop-ins at Co Op Grande Marche in St Martins and St Sampsons
Friday 28 June
9:30 - 14:00: Drop-in Fresh Food Friday, The Market
Saturday 29 June
10:00 - 12:30: Bring Bank Drop in Waitrose/Rohais
Contact Information
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