Greenways : Dundee'S Zero Waste Hub

What kind of relationship do you have with your reusables?!
In the UK, we are still using over 7 million disposable coffee cups every day. Every day.
Lots of people still don't realise that, due to their lining, coffee cups that appear to be made of paper can't be #recycled (Most don't end up in recycling bins anyway.) And even if they could be, #singleuse anything doesn't make sense due to the resources needed to extract, grow, process, transport, recycle and remanufacture ...the materials.
You probably already own a reusable cup. Here's how I roll. Mine lives in my handbag. I even keep a smaller pot inside for other things I might want (and cos it fits satisfyingly well!) I wash it when I get home. And if I forget it - here's the biggie - I don't get a takeaway coffee! In a new cafe, I'll check they use real cups before I order and won't take a single-use cup, even if it's 'eco'.
I've also bought other things and carried them home in my cup. Low waste is all about being creative and flexible!
So, how do you roll with your #reusables?
#zerowasteliving #reusablecup #plasticfreejuly #insidemyhandbag #zerowastedundee #refillrevolution #greenwaysdundee
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Sounds amazing! Definitely a business model for us to aspire to.
Any pub owners in Dundee up for taking some of these ideas on board?!
#smallbusiness #dundee #dundeesmallbusiness #dundeebar #vegandundee #zerowastedundee

You're half-way through Plastic Free July!
Have you made any changes? What actions have you found simple to take and what has been more challenging?
One of the first swaps many people make is to switch from plastic toothbrushes to bamboo. Currently, as far as we are aware, no toothbrushes on the market are entirely natural. All have some synthetic material in the bristles, so you just pull those out when you're done with the toothbrush and put them in your landfill bin. T...he bamboo handle can be composted or reused for whatever cunning use you can put it to.
And another cool thing about bamboo brushes is that you can personalise them. You know, when you're sitting on the dining table in your inside-out vest, having just polished off some chocolate...
#plasticfreejuly #sustainability #bamboo #compostable #lifewithkids #zerowasteliving #zerowastedundee #greenwaysdundee
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Dundee's first community fridge opens tomorrow on Perth Road, thanks to the hard work of the Gate Church Carbon Saving Project. It's gorgeous!
#lovefoodhatewaste #communityfridge #dundeewestend #zerowastedundee #bestbeforenotuseby #greenwaysdundee

Got some time this weekend? Take a look at Dundee City Council's draft Sustainable Energy & Climate Action Plan (SECAP) which is out for consultation until 6th August. It's surprisingly readable, image-heavy and we are learning lots from it!
Here is a screenshot of what Dundee's climate is projected to be like over the next 80 years. This is why we need to act now, whether we are large organisations or individuals.
Share the paper with your friends and community groups. ... Ask them to give feedback so that there is strong public input in the final Plan.
www.dundeecity.gov.uk/…/draft-sustainab le-energy-and-climat…
#climateaction #dundeecitycouncil #communities #globalwarming #climatechange #climateresiliance #renewableenergy #reduce #reuse #recycle #zerowastedundee #greenwaysdundee
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We're home!
After 18 months living in New Zealand, we flew home yesterday. Or was it two days ago? Very confused right now!
A little plastic-free July action you can take if you're travelling is to go armed with a set of reusable cups: one for hot drinks, one for cold and a bottle for water. It's not much but, over 24 hours of flight time, our family avoided 11plastic-lined disposable coffee cups, about 20 plastic juice/water cups and put 12 of those daft little water tu...bs with foil lids back for reuse. Small actions add up.
Expect a post on carbon offsets soon!
#plasticfreejuly #homecoming #airtravel #livelightly #zerowastedundee #travelwithkids #greenwaysdundee #jetlag
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Did you know that over 120 million people signed up for the #plasticfreejuly challenge last year? So if you think that your small changes won't make a difference, try thinking of all those people like you, making millions of small changes.
Here's a quickie for Day 3. If you use teabags, check if your current brand has plastic in them. For those of you in the UK, here is a recent list of plastic-free brands.
Switching to loose tea is another option. In Dundee, we're luck...y enough to have the wonderful J. A. Braithwaite Ltd on Castle Street offering a huge selection. And, sometime in the not-too-distant future, you can help us create a selection of loose teas for you to refill into your own containers.
Mine's a builder's...
#refillrevolution #plasticfreejuly #singleusesucks #plasticfreeliving #teabag #tealeaves #zerowaste #socialenterprise #zerowastedundee #greenwaysdundee #cuppa
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First personal challenge for Plastic Free July!
If you're just starting out on your journey to reducing waste, take a look at the resources section of the Marine Conservation Society website for some simple ideas, like switching to bar soap or taking produce bags to the supermarket.
And if you're further along the path, you might be considering hitting some tougher challenges. For me, it's this. Ever since I cut out dairy products, I've missed the single cream in my morning... coffee. I've tried soooo many homemade alternatives but nothing comes close.
This brand of coconut milk is what I currently use. Unlike canned coconut milk which separates, it is always a thick creamy liquid (suspicious? maybe...) but it comes in tetra-paks. I buy the 1 litre size to minimise packaging but still feel The Guilt of Single-Use!
For years, the UK's recyclable cartons were sent to Sweden for processing. Now there's a dedicated plant in Yorkshire. However, the layers of paper, plastic and aluminium are not truly recycled (into a product of equal value) but are instead downgraded into lesser resources, only suitable for limited use. As far as I know, virgin aluminium and plastic are used in the manufacture of new cartons.
So I'll not be buying any more of this milk and will be looking for a replacement. Feel free to hit me up with suggestions. And share your personal challenges for cutting down on single-use, plastic or otherwise!
#plasticfreejuly #plasticfree #saynotosingleuse #sustainability #singleusesucks #zerowasteliving #marineconservationsociety #dundee #socialenterprise #zerowastedundee #goplasticfree #greenwaysdundee
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You know what's coming, right?
Plastic Free July is just round the corner. Can you step up and target something else next month?
We'll be coming at you with some ideas but, until then, here's a pretty infographic to brighten up your screen. And yes, it's from an NZ website, but we're getting nostalgic about this place we've not even left yet! It's an inspiring reminder that people on the other side of the world are with you in this mission. Plus, Scottish statistics are ...hardly ever expressed in terms of snorkelling equipment!
#plasticfreejuly #plasticfreescotland #singleusesucks #notosingleuse #reusenotoneuse #climatechange #zerowaste #zerowastedundee #greenwaysdundee #socialenterprise
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We follow this guy on Instagram because of his creative upcycling shenanigans. Then he goes and does this.
Max McMurdo came up with the idea of using discarded plastic bottles in cardboard crates as the insulating material for school partition walls in Africa. He may even have ignited a new income stream for those who find themselves living beside these dumps.
His 5-minute video tells the full story of BOTL BLOX. Making a useful product out of what would otherwise be waste... materials is the way forward in this time of resource crisis. Reestore by Max McMurdo, we salute you!
#circulareconomy #reuse #recycling #upcycling #singleuseplastic #design #ecobricks #plasticbottles #oceanplastic #cheerstoyou #dundee #zerowastedundee
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Hurrah! You can now refill your own containers with dried foods in Dundee!
Along with their existing range of pre-packed foods, local breads and other fresh produce, HeartSpace Wholefoods has rebranded, moved round the corner to Commercial Street, added a cafe and installed a wall of bulk dispensers. These guys have been busy!
Already stopped by? Let us know how you got on with weighing and filling. Can you tell we're a bit excited?!
... #birchwoodemporium #refillrevolution #dundee #zerowastedundee #smallbusiness #shoplocal #singleusesucks#
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Ever thought about the impact of buying a new book? Use an e-reader? Take a quick look at what we found out when we fell down our most recent internet rabbit hole...
#carbonfootprint #ereader #consciousconsumer #zerowastedundee #buyless #dundee #greenwaysdundee

Makes you a wee bit proud.
#dundee #creativedundee #smallbusiness #shoplocal #zerowastedundee #spexpistols #bestplacestolive #regeneration #greenwaysdundee

Buying new clothes and confused about what fabrics to look for?
Here's a quick guide to some of the most sustainable fabrics. Water usage, pesticides, production processes and even some hi-tech fabrics we've never heard of!
#sustainability #consciousfashion #ethicalfashion #ethicalshopping #consciousconsumer #goodonyou #ecotextiles #zerowastedundee #greenwaysdundee

Loving the positive responses coming from the refill shop owners we're in touch with in light of this news!
While we won't be affected in Dundee, other supermarkets may well follow on if Waitrose's trial is successful. Morrison's already held a pilot scheme a few months ago.
Some people will always shop in supermarkets. Others will always avoid them. It takes all sorts to hit the issue of single-use packaging hard.
... #repost The Refillery, Edinburgh
#refillrevolution #byo #reusenotoneuse #zerowastedundee #singleusesucks #greenwaysdundee #therefillery
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We saw this cup share scheme in action on our latest travels. A small town saved over 16,000 disposable coffee cups from landfill in the first year alone. 💚
Would something like this work in Dundee? What do you think?
• click through for more info • 👀
... #refillrevolution #dundeezerowaste #cupcycling #reusenotoneuse #greenwaysdundee #lowwaste #smallbusiness #dundeecafe
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Just one of the many reasons we want to open a refill market. No single-use plastics. No single-use packaging. No single-use anything (are we dreaming?)!
Share if you agree that reducing what we get and reusing what we have is the way forward.
#reuse #refillrevolution #singleusesucks #dundee #climatechange #greenwaysdundee #zerowaste #lowimpact #zerowastedundee #smallbusiness #socialenterprise #peopleandplanet #circulareconomy

This is pretty scary stuff and something I feel really passionate about. We can all do loads to cause change (our kids can probably tell us what to do!) Please read, share and then take action. xx