Reduce, Reuse, Recycle or REFUSE? Which one?

South Australia is actually well ahead of other states in Oz when it comes to recycling. Did you know Queensland STILL have single use plastic bags in the supermarkets?!? And we were the first state to bring in the 5c bottle recycling (now 10c), which means that 80% of recyclable beverage containers are actually recycled! That’s pretty good!

We try our best at home to recycle and reuse as much as possible BUT we could definitely be better and I still sometimes get stuck wondering which bin something goes in. Below are some tips on when to reduce, when to reuse and when to recycle.

Swim Nappies – REUSE! I wish I’d thought about this before but swim nappies (that are clean with no pee or poo obviously) can actually be dried out and reused. They’re so bloody expensive this can save you a fortune.

Aluminium Foil – RECYCLE! Yep that’s right it’s fine to go in the recycling bin as long as you remember to roll it up in a ball first.

Sandwich Bags – REUSE! Not hard at all to just wash out a sandwich bag, dry it out and reuse it again tomorrow. OR try the beeswax wraps, you can buy these at many markets around Adelaide, or you can have a go at making them yourself.

Old baby bottles – REUSE and DONATE them to the local Op Shop or Women’s Shelter. Otherwise if they’re in good condition you can make a few bucks on eBAY or Gumtree and sell them.

Soft Plastics – REDCYCLE….No not a typo. Redcycle your soft plastics at your local Woolies or Coles in their designated REDcycle bins and they’ll turn your soft plastics into fitness circuits, outdoor furniture, bollards, signage and more. Soft plastics include things like plastic bags, chip packets, bubble wrap, bread bags, Australia Post satchels and LOTS more.

Click here for more info including a map of Redcycle bin locations in South Oz.

Wipes – REDUCE In case you didn’t know it already, wipes are DEFINITELY not flushable (not even the ones that say they are) and not recyclable. So even though we LOVE them because well they clean everything from poo, to stains to sticky hands and everything in between……..they’re not good for the environment.

But if you have to use them, we love the Thankyou range of wipes because they’re made from 98% natural ingredients, hypoallergenic not tested on animals and their products support social community initiatives.

Make up wipes– REUSE. Make your own makeup wipes at home (to find out how, click HERE). I’ve been making these at home and they’re AMAZING. Not only are they way better for the environment, but they are heaps better for the skin too. Not to mention a money saver!

New toys and extra clothes- REFUSE! Try cutting down the amount you buy for your kids, whether it’s toys or clothes. Reducing the amount we buy will obviously limit the amount of waste we have in the end too. Another positive is that it will cut down the clothing arguments in the morning as there are far fewer choices for the kids to argue over! Try buying toys that are long lasting rather than easily breakable or discarded quickly. Puzzles, books, Lego, Active Play equipment, toy cars… there are loads of things kids enjoy for more than a few months. Plus, there are lots of different crafts and creations to be made from old cardboard boxes or empty toilet rolls.

Old clothes– REPURPOSE

If you get stuck and you’re not sure if something is safe for the recycle bin, check out the recycleright.sa.gov.au website and use their handy Recycle Right tool. Or check out this really cute way to repurpose old t-shirts into reusable tote bags. And it doesn’t require any sewing!