Havering Friends of the Earth

Reduce, Re-use, Recycle

by Ian Pirie; first published 17-Dec-2021

HFoE Roller Banner - John Robinson

We are lucky to have so many green spaces and parks in Havering. It is well known that spending time in green spaces or among trees is good for our mental wellbeing. But we mustn't take our natural environment for granted, and there are many things we can do to improve it. In our contribution to these columns we would like to show some simple things that we can all do to make for a cleaner, greener environment.

Havering Friends of the Earth have campaigned on a number of issues over the years, including: protecting bees and pollinators, reducing pesticides, improving air quality, cutting down on waste, protecting green spaces, and of course preventing global warming and climate change. We hope to cover all these topics and more in future columns. But what can you do? I imagine that you have heard of the three Rs to protect the environment: Reduce, Re-use, Recycle. I expect you are concerned about plastic pollution too, so let's start with that.

We believe that the most important of the three Rs is 'Reduce' - that is, to cut down on the amount we consume. This is especially true with plastic. The more plastic we consume, the more gets thrown away, the more litter there is on the streets... and then the plastic ends up in the rivers or the sea, not only making an unsightly mess but, as we have all seen on the television, killing wildlife and devastating habitats! Also, plastic is made by the petro-chemical industry, which is, along with coal, the biggest contributor to climate change. We need to leave oil in the ground and stop using it to make fuels and plastic!

What about Re-using and Recycling? Well, the creative among us can find ways to re-use plastic bottles as containers, or to make bird feeders or even sculptures! But 'Recycle' comes last: it takes more energy, and the more energy we use the more we contribute to global warming and pollution. Industry wants us to recycle, but reducing is best!

Havering FoE has adopted two more Rs: Refuse and Repair. More on these later!