Get Wasted for Lent

Scottish communities are giving up rubbish for lent in an effort to reduce Scotland’s waste mountain.

As part of a new 2010 challenge volunteers across Scotland are pledging to ‘slim their bins’ and reduce their home waste by at least 25%.

The ‘Home Waste Challenge 2010’, part of Friends of the Earth Scotland’s (FoES) national waste prevention campaign, has already attracted over 30 households to participate. Each one is monitoring their rubbish bin over a week and taking easy steps to help them use less of the world’s resources.

Rosiaina Browning, FoES’ Waste Prevention Co-ordinator, said: “Lent is the ideal time for people to start the Home Waste Challenge. Giving up waste is an original idea to try and is something fun and creative the whole family can take part in.

“Just by simply reducing food waste the average household can save up to £430 per year whilst helping protect our environment against climate change.”

Friends of the Earth Office staff are also practising what they preach and have all started the “Home Waste Challenge” in their own households by taking simple actions such as stopping junk mail and using a compost bin.

The Home Waste Challenge will continue throughout 2010 with more and more Scottish households signing up to participate. People are invited to take part at www.reducewaste.org.uk

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact: Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland T: 0131 243 2719

Notes to editors

1. Waste Facts: Each year Scottish households throw away a staggering 566,000 tonnes of food, worth over £1b. That’s an average of £430 per household (www.wasteawarelovefood.org.uk) Even with increased recycling rates, the total amount of waste in Scotland is still rising by 1% a year, enough to fill Murrayfield Rugby stadium every day

2. CREW (Communities Reducing Excess Waste) is Friends of the Earth Scotland’s waste prevention project which aims to reduce waste at source. It is available for small businesses, households and communities across Scotland. www.reducewaste.org.uk

3. Friends of the Earth Scotland is the country’s leading independent environmental campaigning organisation, and is the only organisation in Scotland that is working for environmental justice, campaigning for the planet and its people. www.foe-scotland.org.uk