101 ways to create less waste, how we can all make a difference and take action

The world is overflowing with waste but as individuals we all have the power to make a difference - one step at a time.

But what can we do? A little or a lot - the choice is really yours.

Helping make that choice a little easier is yet another self-help book. Titled; “Say no to waste:101 easy ways to create less waste” it’s being released in July.

In the pages of the pocket-sized paperback author Harriet Dyer offers tips that vary from the glaring obvious to those that require a bit of DIY investment.

A key - and perhaps most common-sense - tip is to replace your products with sustainable alternatives.

Bin that plastic make-up brush and toothbrush and use bamboo instead.

Swap out those plastic encased tampons and imperishable makeup wipes with bamboo-based or 100 per cent cotton alternatives.

In place of plastic bottles of soap, toothpaste and laundry detergent use herbal chewing sticks, solid blocks of soap and shampoo, baking soda to whiten your teeth, coconut oil as mouthwash and “Indian wash nuts” to wash your clothes.

Other options suggested in the little book require a little bit more ingenuity as one draws on nature for sustainable solutions.

Grow your own Aloe Vera plant - or buy one without the plastic pot of course - and use the plant leaves’ natural cooling gel for wounds and sunburns.

Make your own mascara - with a simple mix of charcoal, shea butter, clay, oil, a glass jar and a handful of old mascara wands.

In the kitchen it’s all about reusing - even those products that appear to be past their best-before date.

Don’t turn your nose up at those “ugly” fruit and vegetables. Show the supermarkets anything less than perfect is still wanted and buy the misshapen bruised items.

And when it comes to cooking don’t throw away the scraps either - keep the offcuts, even the bones, freeze and when ready boil them into a homemade stock.

Even socialising, hosting events including one’s own wedding could, in theory, be done with minimal environmental damage.

Make your own dress, your own decorations and use reusable or biodegradable cutlery and plates.

Author Harriet Dyer said the idea was to start small and build each tip into one’s lifestyle. “Successfully tackling our overproduction of waste comes down to the three main principles of recycling: reduce, reuse and recycle.”

A clear sustainable direction must be taken, claims a recent UN report. Here is our chance - cut out the waste.

Say No To waste: 101 Easy Ways to Create Less Waste, Harriet Dyer, Summersdale Publishers Ltd, published in paperback, on July 11