Buy Recycled or Smart Shop!

• Choose goods made with recycled materials. Items such as recycled tissues, refuse sacks, stationary, kitchen roll are widely available at supermarkets. They are also available in The Natural Collection 0870 331 3335 www.naturalcollection.com This will help encourage markets for waste materials and thus cut down on the environmental costs of extracting raw materials and manufacturing
• Look out for the Remarkable range of stationary, available in some supermarkets. This is made out of recycled paper. Plastic vending cups are also used to make pencils and rulers
• Patagonia manufactures fleeces that are made from recycled plastic bottles. You can find more details about this on www.patagonia.com/enviro/pcr.shtml
• Eco produces compost from all the green waste collected in the Dorset area. This compost is on sale in many local garden centres 01202 593601
   www.eco-composting.co.uk
• www.recycledproducts.org.uk/ provides a comprehensive database of products made from recycled materials.
  

• Sounds obvious but only buy as much as you need
• Avoid using and buying disposable items
• Support your local charity shops, they are full of bargains
• You can buy furniture at very reasonable prices at The British Heart Foundation Furniture and Electrical Store, 470 Wimborne Road, Winton 01202 521673
• Auctioneers and antique shops provide an excellent source of second hand goods. (It is possible to get very cheap furniture at auctions.)
• Millions of disposable nappies are thrown out in the UK every day and, on average, people will spend £1,000 on disposable nappies for one child. Lots of parents are now opting to use modern cotton nappies to wash at home or via a laundry service. Washable nappies work out much cheaper, especially if there is more than one child in the family. There is a lining in the nappy that you just flush down the toilet and people report that, once they get in the routine, washable nappies are really not much more work. For information or advice about real nappies, or to arrange a talk for a parents group, call Louise Rowland of Lollipop on 01202 548261 www.teamlollipop.co.uk You can also contact The Real Nappy Association 0208 299 4519 www.realnappy.com as well as The Womens Environmental Network 020 7481 9004 www.wen.org.uk
• Buy energy efficient light bulbs from supermarkets, DIY stores and electrical shops. They last for around 10 years so they will also save you money. Ring the Dorset Energy Advice Centre for more advice on how to save energy 0800 512012
• Invest in a jug filter or a plumbed-in filter rather than buying bottled water
• If you are involved with a pre-school group, nursery, school, scout or guide group or similar, you may be interested in subscribing to The Dorset Scrapstore in Puddletown, near Dorchester. The annual membership fee is very reasonable and entitles your group to unlimited visits, to collect from their huge ranges of fabrics, wood, plastics, paper etc. 01305 849444
• Avoid using cling film and aluminium foil to store food. Put it in re usable boxes with lids or re-use margarine and other containers
• Second hand baby clothes and equipment,  are widely available at National Childbirth Trust sales, and through specialist shops such as Baby Bits, Boscombe 01202 399680
• Personal computers - Reconditioned or second hand models will save you money and are available from dealers such as D & C TVs 01202 318708
• Computer cartridges:
  Several companies sell re-manufactured cartridges at approximately half the cost of a new cartridge. You can also get your cartridges refilled, again at half the cost. Cartridge World has stores in Central Bournemouth, Winton and Parkstone 01202 385 222, www.cartridgeworld.org Staples will also take your empty cartridges and sell re-manufactured ones at reduced prices 01202 298 503.  Alternatively contact Action Aid on 0117 3042390, www.actionaidrecycling.org.uk
  It is now possible to refill laser cartridges yourself. It can be as easy as taking the plug out and pouring the toner in. You may need a starter kit to begin with. Contact Refill Toner on 0121 693 2644 www.refilltoner.com
• Office furniture, Second hand or reconditioned furniture and equipment is widely available. See Yellow Pages under Office Furniture.
• Avoid batteries wherever possible. If you use a lot of batteries, consider rechargeable ones that last for several years. They are widely available through usual battery retailers. Watches dont need batteries to work. You can buy new or second hand wind up watches, solar powered watches or Kinetic watches (that work by using the energy generated from your hand movements.) Wind-up radios and torches are also available. Contact The Natural Collection 0870 331 33 33 www.naturalcollection.com
• Reduce the environmental impact associated with cleaning products by reducing the different types you use and substituting some less harmful cleaners e.g. vinegar and scrunched up newspaper for cleaning windows or baking powder and water for removing mould and mildew. (More examples like these can be found in  The Green Home Handbook, produced by Friends of the Earth 020 7490 1555.)
• Reduce your use of washing detergent:
  Use a laundry ball. You can use it instead of detergent; it lasts over 1,000 washes and is now refillable. Available from Eco Products www.ecozone.co.uk
  You can also order an aqua ball from Code Wash, available on freephone 0800 026 0220 http://www.aquaball.com/ (A dishwasher ball is also available.)
• Most jewellers and music shops sell second hand items.
• DIY  several demolition companies stock second hand building materials, architectural salvage and associated items, including fireplaces and doors. Companies are listed in the Yellow Pages, usually under Demolition or Salvage and Reclamation
• Buy second-hand car spares  e.g. Trents in Parkstone 01202 744194 www.trents.co.uk
  or see Yellow Pages under Car and Commercial Vehicle Dismantlers
  Car tyres  buy long life tyres; extend wear through regularly maintenance and by checking tyre pressures regularly.
  

Together we can Reduce, Reuse and Recycle