Wiltshire has some of the most wildlife-rich places in the UK and the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust needs your help to make sure it stays that way.

We are calling on Wiltshire’s residents to take up the Waste Free Feb challenge, which last year saw over 400 people save around eight tonnes of rubbish from going in their bins. The aim of the challenge, now in its third year, is to produce as little rubbish as possible and reduce, reuse, recycle and compost more.

People taking part are encouraged to set their own timeframe and goal, with some choosing to throw away no more than one carrier bag’s worth of waste per week and others aiming to throw away less than a black bag’s worth over the whole of February. Some enthusiastic participants are aiming to fill no more than a jam jar for the month!

However much they reduce, people taking part in the challenge are encouraged to share photos, videos, and stories about their efforts to encourage others to reduce their waste during February and beyond.

The average Wiltshire household currently produces almost half a tonne of waste a year, not including what is thrown away when people are out and about. Producing less waste - including resources such as water, oil, energy, and land being used as raw materials, waste sent to landfill and incineration - and ensuring local councils are able to spend more on public services instead of paying as much landfill tax (currently £91 per tonne) has a hugely positive environmental impact.

Speaking of the challenge, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s sustainability officer Jessica Thimbleby said: “Waste Free Feb is a great opportunity to take a look at the waste you produce and take simple steps to reduce it – and have a bit of fun at the same time!

“There are lots of ways of keeping rubbish out of the bin, from buying in bulk (to reduce packaging waste) to making leftover food into tomorrow’s lunch.

“Over the past twelve months some great refill shops have opened throughout Wiltshire and online. You can take your own containers into these shops and refill on essentials like pasta, cereals, herbs and spices, household cleaners and much more. We’ve developed a map to show where you can shop waste-free in Wiltshire and a handy guide with lots of tips for reducing your waste.

“However long you set yourself as a target to do Waste Free Feb and however much you reduce by, we can all play an important role in reducing the amount of waste that we produce as a society, which in turn helps to support wildlife and tackle the climate emergency.

“We’re looking forward to seeing the creative ways that Wiltshire’s residents can keep as much as possible out of the bin – the challenge starts now!”

You can sign up for the Waste Free Feb challenge and find out more about how to reduce your waste at wiltshirewildlife.org/waste-free-february.

Contact:

Jessica Thimbleby

Sustainability Officer

T: 01380 736077 or 07824 639634 │ E: jessicat@wiltshirewildlife.org

or:

Chris Noyce

Communications Manager

T: 01380 736093 │ E: chrisn@wiltshirewildlife.org

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s vision is to create a sustainable future for wildlife and people. We are unique in the county in combining the management of 40 nature reserves and working with local communities to promote sustainable living. The Trust is supported by 20,000 members and over 2,000 volunteers. For more information about the Trust please visit www.wiltshirewildlife.org.