Top tips at home

Cut down on unwanted junk mail by putting a 'no junk mail' sticker on your door. 

To reduce the amount of unwanted direct (addressed) mail,  register with the Mailing Preference Service online or by calling 0845 703 4599. You can also opt out of recieving unaddressed mail from Royal Mail by calling 08457 740740 or email your address to optout@royalmail.com. Another useful website is www.controlyourpost.co.uk. Remember that any junk mail you do still receive can be recycled.

Buy a 'bag for life' from your local supermarket or use a cloth bag for shopping to help cut down on the 323 carrier bags we all bring home every year.

Buy unwrapped goods rather than heavily packaged where possible, such as loose fruit and vegetables. Freshness and shelf life are often the same.

Reduce the amount of food waste that is thrown away. Visit the WRAP 'Love Food, Hate Waste' campaign website for more information.   

Reuse ice cream tubs, jam jars or other containers as sandwich boxes or food containers, rather than cling film or tinfoil.

Try to avoid using products that require batteries if you can use the main electricity supply instead. Or, purchase rechargeable batteries.

Household and car batteries can be disposed of safely at the civic amenity site in Smugglers Way, SW18. 

Battery recycling

Household batteries - D, C, AA, AAA, 9V and button cell can be deposited for recycling at all libraries in the borough (except West Hill) and at:

• Main reception at Wandsworth town hall
• Millennium Arena, Battersea Park
• Tooting Leisure Centre, Greaves Place
• Putney Leisure Centre, Dryburgh Road
• Wandle Recreation Centre, Mapleton Crescent
• Balham Leisure Centre, Elmfield Road  

Please note that rechargeable batteries are not accepted   

Use energy efficient light bulbs, which not only to save resources and money, but last ten times longer than standard bulbs, so you throw fewer of them away. Find out more at www.saveenergy.co.uk.

Almost everything has a use - for example, mobile phones and printer and toner cartridges can be recycled to raise money for charity. Look at the OXFAM or Scope websites for details. You can even recycle your old pair of glasses by visiting www.vao.org.uk. Send your used stamps to the Royal National Institute of the Blind.

Unwanted or old bikes can be taken to the youth offending team bike recycling project every Thursday between 5 - 8pm at the Training Centre, Alma Road, SW18 (close to Wandsworth Town station). The bikes are refurbished and given to victims of crime. Phone Paul Howard 020 8871 5571 or email phoward@wandsworth.gov.uk 

Check out the following websites that offer free exchanges of unwanted items:

www.gumtree.com
www.freecycle.org.uk
www.dontdumpthat.com
www.vskips.org

Top tips at work

Use both sides of paper for printing and old paper for notes.
Re-use envelopes where possible.

Avoid using disposable cups, bring in a glass or mug to work instead. Disposable cups can be recycled see www.save-a-cup.co.uk for more details.

Set up a recycling scheme for paper and other materials, see our commercial waste pages for more information.

Buy recycled! A range of high quality products are available at competitive prices. See www.recycledproducts.org.uk.

Nappies
Did you know the average baby uses about 5,400 nappies over two years? Why not try modern, re-usable nappies; they now come with liners and velcro fastenings. There are also local nappy laundry services that collect used nappies and deliver clean ones. For more advice call the Nappy Line: 0845 8500606 (Mondays and Wednesdays 9am – 12noon) or visit The Real Nappy Campaign. More useful information about using real nappies and other ways to reduce waste from the Womens Environment Network.

For buying and selling good quality nearly new baby items please see:  www.nappyvalley.co.uk

Charity shops
Charity shops will accept unwanted re-usable items such as clothes, books, CDs, records, shoes, games and bric-a-brac.

Furniture and electrical goods
Most charity shops will accept unwanted items of furniture in good condition.  Furniture with soft fittings will only be acceptable if it has a fire safety label.    

The British Heart Foundation Furniture and Electrical Store offer a free collection service.  Phone (020) 8871 0677 or click here for more details.   

Furniture Aid South Thames supply affordable second hand furniture and white goods to vulnerable members of the community and will collect donations for free.  Phone (020) 7793 7787. A similar scheme is the Hounslow Furniture Recycling Project. Call (020) 8814 2225.

The British Heart Foundation and the Salvation Army generally do accept working electrical goods as they are able to test them for safety before resale. 

Help the Aged run a number of recycling programmes including schemes for glasses, stamps and foreign currency.

Buy recycled!
Look out for products and buy them where you can – this is the final step in the recycling process. You can easily buy everyday items such as recycled printer paper (guaranteed printer-friendly), toilet paper, kitchen roll and bin bags, as well as more unusual items such as drinking glasses or fleece clothing made from plastic bottles. Visit www.recyclenow.com to look at the range of recycled products available.

For more information on recycling at home and living a greener lifestyle visit: www.directgov.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/

For more information on greening your business phone (020) 8871 8462 or visit southlondon.biz.