Reuse
Reuse is using something again, instead of throwing it away. We should do this because it is good for the environment as it saves resources and reduces the amount we send to landfill. Reusing is better than recycling, because recycling uses energy to turn something back into a useful product, reusing doesn’t.
In Africa people have been making shoes from old car tyres for years. Car tyres make great shoes because they are flexible and last a long time. But what can you do to reuse either at home or at school?
Reuse at home
Reducing is the best way to deal with your waste. However, the next stage is to Reuse items you do buy.
- Swap your books, games and toys with your friends. They may love to have something that you don’t like anymore. Remember to ask a parent or teacher first, as not all toys are suitable for everyone.
- Old clothes, toys and all sorts of other items can be given to friends and family, a charity shop, or sold at a car boot sale or on e-bay.
- Take out books, cd’s and computer games from the library. They cost less money to hire, than to buy them so it saves you money, and when you have finished with them, someone else can have them.
- Reuse your jam jars as pen-pots or for storing small things, like beads or screws.
Use rechargeable batteries to avoid battery waste. - Remind your adults at home to take a reusable bag when you go shopping.
- Use old t-shirts that cannot be worn again as rags for cleaning, unusable jeans can be made into patches to cover holes in trousers.
- Mobile phones can be donated to charities like the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
- Old CDs can be used to scare birds away from a vegetable patch.
- When you and your friends have finished with magazines / comics, ask your local doctors and dentists if they would like them for their waiting rooms.
- Open presents carefully without ripping the wrapping paper so that you can reuse it for another present.
- Reuse old envelopes by sticking a label over the previous address
Reuse on-line - Websites like eBay, Amazon, Freecycle or Freegle are great ways of reusing practically anything!
Can you think of anything else that you can reuse?
Reusing at school
- Encourage teachers to have scrap paper trays in each classroom, office, copier room and IT suite. You can then use this paper for wet play times, drawings and workings out.
- Don’t use a new page every time you start a new piece of work – draw a line underneath where you have got up to and continue on the same page
- If you have a packed lunch, take it to school in a reusable lunch box /bag
- Use a refillable bottle for your drink each day
- Why not set up a ‘bring and buy’ event in your school, where people bring in unwanted stuff (toys / games, school uniform, clothing etc) for you to sell or swap. Any money you make could be given to charity or go towards school funds
- Encourage teachers to use mugs and glasses in the staff room instead of disposable (single use) plastic vending cups.
- Collect used printer cartridges as some organisations clean them and refill them with ink so they can be used again.
- Do you like being creative and making art and craft items? Then ask your teacher to become a member of one of the three Scrapstores (teachers resources) in Devon. You can get a wonderful variety of scrappy items at very good prices.
