Over the next few weeks I'll be writing about ways to reduce waste at home, based on the 5 R's - Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Respect. These are not meant to be hard and fast rules because it's hard to get it right all the time but hopefully you will find practical tips and ideas to use and it's good to remember that every little bit helps.
Tip #1 Reduce paper waste by saying no to paper towels and serviettes (which also come wrapped in plastic or cellophane).
What you can do instead:
- Buy a set of cloth napkins or make your own from old tea towels or linen.
- Keep some cloth rags in the kitchen for cleaning up spills.
- Buy a couple of microfibre cloths - these are even better than paper towels for streak free cleaning of stainless steel bench tops, windows, mirrors and other household surfaces and also reduce the need for detergents or cleaning products.
Pro-tip: A dab of olive oil on a soft cloth will give your stainless steel bench top a beautiful shine.
If you have any tips and ideas related to this one we'd love to hear them, just leave your comments below.