Change your habits in 7 days: European Waste Reduction Week (2022)

živi-zeleno-smanjenje-otpada

According to available data, an average of 454 kg of waste is produced per capita yearly in the Republic of Croatia. These numbers reach over 500 kg of waste at the EU level. We should pay attention to these numbers, which is why the European Waste Reduction Week (EWWR) is held annually throughout the European Union. This year it is celebrated from November 19 to 27, and the central theme is circular and sustainable textiles. The textile sector dramatically impacts the environment and society at every stage: from production through distribution, use and after-use (collection, sorting, recycling and recovery), so we want to encourage actions to stimulate the circularity of textiles.

While the environment is under pressure in all fields, we can make a difference by making small changes in our lifestyle habits! We provide simple advice on how to reduce the generation of waste and the negative impact on the environment.

1. Exchange things you no longer use

Do you have that one drawer in your home full of various things unnecessarily taking up space, waiting for better times, but subconsciously you know that you will never use them? Put them in a bag and bring them to the following Swap Fair organized by Sunce on December 6 at Klub Zona. There you will exchange them for something you need. The holiday season is approaching, so it can also be the perfect place to find gifts for your loved ones absolutely for free.

Also, this year for the first time, the Swap Fair will be organized in Dubrovnik on December 2 as part of the Plastic Smart City Dubrovnik project, which aims to reduce plastic pollution of the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas and contributes to the Action Plan to reduce plastic pollution.

If you have not heard about the Swap Fair, find more information at the link.

swap-fair-sunce

2. Repair damaged items and revive their old shine

What do you do with things when they get damaged? Do you throw them away, recycle or repair them? In the sea of easily accessible and replaceable items, those that, with a bit of attention, can become reusable end up in the trash. Such habits are disastrous for the environment and our budget.

Find where you can repair your items in Split here.

In the comments, let us know where you can repair items in your city.

3. Cook as if the trash bin doesn’t exist

During meal preparation, certain parts of used vegetables are thrown away, but they can be put to great use. The next time you cook, store all the tops, stems, skin (if you use organically grown vegetables), seeds, hard parts, outer leaves, and other vegetable remains in an airtight container and put them in the freezer. Once enough has been collected, rinse, simmer in a pan for an hour and strain. You can immediately use cooked vegetables as a base or freeze them in small vegetable cubes.

Find more tips for cooking with less waste here.

In Sunce, we adopted zero waste principles in the kitchen and at the ŠKMER Culinary Academy workshop as part of the project Raising awareness of the role of Composting. Find waste-free cooking workshops in your city and help your household budget and the environment.

cooking-no-waste
Pexels @ Jenvit Keiwalinsarid

4. Replace single-use plastic products with longer-lasting alternatives

Single-use plastic and its disposal still represent one of the significant challenges of waste management. Plastic is still used in almost all aspects of human life today, increasing the amount of plastic waste in the environment. Unlike products made of reusable plastic, which retains its quality even after many uses, single-use plastic loses its value and becomes waste shortly after use. Straws, razors, packaged food wrappers, plastic cups and cutlery are just some of the products used for a few minutes and remain in the environment for years.

Find alternatives to disposable plastic products at the link.

5. Propose the Green Office service to the employer

Be environmentally responsible at work too. Employed people spend much of their time at work, which is exactly why we created the Green Office educational service at Sunce. This environmentally responsible service is intended for associations, companies, small and large entrepreneurs, trades, various institutions, and their managers and employees for whom green business is imperative. The lessons learned are applicable not only in the office but also at home, and most of them are simple changes that can be easily applied by anyone and in any environment.

Send an article about this Sunce service to colleagues or bosses and make a change for the better together.

6. Watch out for the use of single-use plastic at the picnic on weekends

For most people, the weekend is a time to relax from the work week and a time to take a break. We decide to stay in nature, by the lake or the sea, and have various types of picnics in those places. Leave nothing behind but your footprints, take nothing but good memories.

As part of the big environmental campaign of the Večernji list  Rezolucija Zemlja, we cleaned Galeb beach in Omiš. As a result, we collected almost half a kilogram of cigarette butts on 200 meters of the beach. The problem with cigarettes is filters containing toxic substances that pollute the sea and have a harmful effect on marine animals and nature in general. Reusable and disposable ashtrays are the solution. The next time you decide to stay in nature, bring a reusable ashtray or, if you don’t have one, a disposable ashtray, collect your cigarettes and take a step to reduce environmental pollution.

Find more tips on how to avoid single-use plastic at the link.

7. Call the Green Phone

And finally, introduce the habit of active participation in protecting the environment and nature. If you come across improperly disposed waste or polluted water, air, or soil pollution during your stay in nature, don’t hesitate to address Green Phone. Green Phone is a free service where you can report an environmental problem, and our legal team will help you with complete discretion.

Find out how to report problems and actively participate in environmental protection here.

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