Getting involved with waste prevention

Not sure where to start?

Find out how you can get involved in Waste Prevention

Start your waste reduction journey

We all want to do our bit to reduce our waste but starting out on your waste reduction journey alone can be a bit daunting.

Working together within your community is a great way of making a difference as well as meeting new people and learning new skills.

Whether it’s repairing furniture, volunteering at swap events, helping out with promotions or passing on hints and tips to local groups on reducing waste, there are lots of options near you for getting involved.

compost

Waste Prevention Community Champions

Would you like to meet new people, learn new skills and help prevent waste in your local community?

If so, why not join our group of Waste Prevention Community Champions?

Hampshire County Council’s network of Waste Prevention Community Champions are a fantastic group of volunteers who help residents reduce their food and household waste and save money by passing on hints and tips within their local community.

As a Community Champion you will receive full training and access to online and practical resources to help get you started. We also provide dedicated support and regular updates and communications.

Hear why Champion Barbara enjoys the role and what it means to her:

How to apply

For more information email [email protected]. Or complete the application form and email it to [email protected].

girl composting

community champions

boy champion

Use our A-Z directory to find a Waste Prevention or Reuse group near you

If you know of any groups not included in the A-Z directory, please let us know at: [email protected]

 

Resources for community groups

If you’re thinking about starting a waste prevention project but don’t know where to begin, we’ve pulled together some useful links to help you get started.

repair cafe

Repair Cafés

Repair Cafés are a growing global movement where people bring their broken household items along for volunteers to repair. People usually make a small up-front donation whether or not the item is successfully repaired and sit with the volunteer while the repair is being attempted to learn repair skills.

Guidance on setting up and running a Repair Café from Repair Café International

‘How To’ Guide from Manchester Repair Cafe

Repair Cafes in Hampshire

reuse nappies

Reusable Nappies Libraries

Reusable Nappy Libraries offer a range of kits, support and advice for parents wishing to trial reusable nappies. The kits are often loaned out to parents for a small fee for a number of months and then returned to the library. There is often an accompanying element of support and advice with the kits, either in the form on leaflets/online advice or meet ups with other parents also using reusable nappies.

UK Nappy Network

Guidance on setting up and running a Reusable Nappy Library from Real Nappies for London

composting waste

Community Composting

Community Composting is usually defined as a scheme whereby communities come together to compost their suitable household and garden waste and produce compost for an area.

Advice on Community Composting from Norfolk Council

Guidance on setting up Community Composting projects from Carry on Composting

Community Composting in Brighton and Hove

libraries

Library of Things

A Library of Things is a collection of household and/or garden items available to loan either free of charge or for a fee to people who require the item for a short period of time.

Guidance on setting up a library of things

Reuse Network

Reuse Network supports charities across the UK to help them alleviate poverty, reduce waste, and tackle climate change

swap event

Swap Events

Swap Events are community events where people bring clothes, baby equipment or other small household items to swap.

Swap it online!

 

Community Fridges

Community Fridges are publicly available fridges which store unwanted fresh food from the local area, so it can be passed onto those who can make use of it.

Hubbub Community Fridge Network

Guide to setting up a Community Fridge

Planning a project?

If you're planning a project, contact us at [email protected] or on social media. For further ideas or advice.

Play Top Chomps!

No one likes to see food go to waste, yet we all throw food away sometimes. Have you ever thought about everything that goes into growing the food we eat? Every time we throw away food, these resources go to waste too. Play our game of Top Chomps to learn more about the resources used in food production, then take action to reduce your family’s food waste.

How to play

Select the category on your card which you think will beat the computer’s card. To win, the figure has to be lower than the computer’s!

Round number

Round 1 of 7

Scoreboard

Player score: 0

Computer score: 0

Player one card
Player two card

Beef

beef

Did you know?

Cheese

cheese

Did you know?

Pork

Pork

Did you know?

Chicken

Chicken

Did you know?

Eggs

eggs

Did you know?

Milk

milk

Did you know?

Rice

rice

Did you know?

Potatoes

potatoes

Did you know?

Bread

bread

Did you know?

Tomatoes

tomatoes

Did you know?

Bananas

bananass

Did you know?

Apples

apple

Did you know?

Dark chocolate

dark chocolate

Did you know?

Most of the world's cocoa beans are grown in West Africa.
*includes all sweets and chocolate.

Coffee

coffee

Did you know?

Guide to terms

Greenhouse gases = this is the equivalent number of kilograms of carbon dioxide produced to make one kilogram of this food type. Greenhouse gases contribute to climate change which has negative impacts on our environment.

Land use = the number of square metres of land needed to grow or produce one kilogram of this food type. Land is a precious, finite resource that we need to look after. The more land is used for growing our food, the less is available for trees and natural habitat.

Water use = how many litres of water are used to make one kilogram of this food type. Water is another precious, finite resource that we share with the whole world. The more water that we use in food production, the less we have available for drinking, washing and cooking.

Tonnes wasted = this is the amount of this product that the UK throws away each year that could have been avoided: meaning we threw it away because we bought, cooked or served too much, didn’t store it correctly or didn’t use it in time.

Cost = this is how many millions of pounds UK families like yours spend buying this food each year, only for it to be thrown away uneaten.

Education resources for schools

The topic of waste prevention offers diverse learning opportunities, ranging from minibeasts to climate change; from product design to growing and preparing food.

We have put together a selection of existing waste prevention education resources to support learning in schools. Let us know if you have any suggestions to add.

teacher

Primary age resources

Taste It, Don't Waste It: Education resources on the topic of food waste

Key Stage 2 lesson plans designed to fit into a half term from WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme).

Food and Agricultural Organisation (UN): Do Good, Save Food

Teaching guides for different ages, including two core lessons and follow-up activities aimed at reducing food waste.

WWF Plant to Plate

A waste-focused look at the how we grow, cook and prepare our food. Includes composting and packaging.

 
RHS Earth Matters

Guides and activities for four hands-on sessions looking at soil, the compost lifecycle and worms.

 
Suez STEM Education Resources

Presentations and activities which encourage pupils to think about the value of materials and to consider waste prevention and reuse ahead of recycling.

 
Ellen MacArthur Foundation: How we make stuff

Downloadable activities exploring how products are currently made and asking whether there could be a better way.

 

The Rubbish Monster Thing, Simon Chadwick, 2018

A rhyming story about the actions we can all take to reduce our waste. This book was supported by the Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund.

Yucky Worms, Vivian French, 2015

A closer look at worms and the important role they play in creating compost and aerating the soil.

Zero Waste Kids, Kathryn Kellogg, 2020

30 achievable child-friendly challenges to reduce waste.

Compost stew: an A to Z recipe for the Earth, Mary McKenna Siddals and Ashley Wolff, 2010

A rhyming picture book introducing children to composting.

I can reduce waste, Martha E.H. Rustad, 2020

30 achievable child-friendly challenges to reduce waste.

 
secondary school

Secondary age resources

Love Food Hate Waste: Powerpoint for assemblies and food waste diary

The presentation can be personalised with your own school information. The diary allows pupils to track their food waste before taking action to reduce it.

Food and Agricultural Organisation (UN) Do Good, Save Food

Teaching guides for different ages, including two core lessons and follow-up activities aimed at reducing food waste.

 
Suez STEM Education Resources

Presentations and activities which encourage pupils to think about the value of materials and to consider waste prevention and reuse ahead of recycling.

 
Ellen MacArthur Foundation: How we make stuff

Downloadable activities exploring how products are currently made and asking whether there could be a better way.

 

Six weeks to zero waste: a simple plan for life, Kate Arnell, 2020

A six week challenge for older pupils and adults.

The True Cost of Technology: How to Shop to Change the World, Mary Colson, 2014

A closer look behind the resources that are needed to build the technology we use every day.

A Teen Guide to Eco Fashion, Liz Gogerly, 2013

This book covers sourcing eco-friendly fashion as well as reuse, repair, recycling and maintaining the life of our clothes.

This Book is Not Rubbish: 50 Ways to Ditch Plastic, Reduce Rubbish and Save the World! Isabel Thomas and Alex Paterson, 2018

50 tips to reduce waste and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

My zero-waste kitchen, Kate Turner, Ruth O’Rourke-Jones and Will Heap, 2017

As well as recipes, this includes tips for shopping, meal planning and storing food.