Article - Come and join the CREW!

---

The CREW project is currently training 30-50 volunteers across Scotland to become "Waste Prevention Champions" this year. This exciting campaign is focused on the issue of waste prevention and is taking action to turn the tide on Scotland's growing waste mountain. It currently has funding from the INCREASE programme until March 2008.

Training includes topics such as SMART shopping, consumer rights and packaging, unwanted mail, creative reuse of materials, and the promotion of charity shops. The Champions have been receiving all the training, knowledge, tools and support they need to deliver fun and interactive waste prevention workshops and events within the community. Through these workshops and events the Champions are aiming to motivate and encourage householders to make behavioural changes in their lives that will reduce the amount of waste they produce.

Much more waste is now recycled or composted in Scotland, yet these activities are struggling to keep pace with the growth in waste produced from Scottish households. As most of us live in such a "throw away" society, household waste is still currently increasing by almost 2% every year, emphasising the need for prevention of waste rather than merely recycling.

All of us, no matter how environmentally aware or active we think we are, are still able to do more to further reduce our own waste. Have you ever bought a book you haven't read, a CD you haven't listened to or an item of clothing you've only worn once? How often have you not finished a meal in a restaurant or left drinks behind at the pub? We're all guilty of creating unnecessary waste in some shape or form! In fact, collectively, UK adults waste £80.6 billion in unused goods and services every single year – enough to pay the annual council tax for every household in Britain 4 times over!

Of course, the Government can still do more to aid consumers in reducing their waste. At the moment supermarkets have targets to cut their packaging by 25% by 2010, but much more could still be done. Retailers should be encouraged to provide shoppers with reusable cotton bags instead of plastic ones. They could also provide a refill service for bottled items such as shampoo and washing up liquid. Manufacturers could be taxed for wasteful packaging and should be providing smaller packs with fewer portions and resealable openings so that less food is wasted. The new SNP government manifesto pledged: "we must aspire to achieve a zero waste Scotland" so hopefully there will be some positive light at the end of the waste tunnel.

There are already several Waste Prevention Champions located in the Glasgow and Falkirk regions who are keen to link up with others in surrounding areas that are keen to become involved. If you would like to receive a free waste prevention workshop for your community or would like to attend the training to become a Waste Prevention Champion yourself then please get in touch. Go on, come and join the CREW and make a difference! Communities Reducing Excess Waste (CREW) is a new national project launched by Friends of the Earth Scotland in March Please contact Rosiaina Browning (0131 554 9977) www.foe-scotland.org.uk/crew

By Rosiaina Browning of Friends of the Earth Scotland