Easter 2024

For the many families that celebrate Easter and for those who don’t we wish you all the best over the coming days. Easter is usually a time when families come together and enjoy good food, mark the end of Lent or simply make the most of a day or two off work with some gardening or rest.

One of the key message this Easter is “Reduce Packaging Waste” Choose Easter Eggs with little packaging or better still, consider alternative Easter gifts with less or repurposed packaging.

One simple alternative are homemade Easter bunny biscuits, you can test out. They would be valued gift for family and friends. Here is an easy Ballymaloe recipe you can try at home. Enjoy!

The Occasion

Inevitably lots of food, drinks and snacks are bought some of which go to waste. Ireland produces over one million tonnes of food waste yearly, with approx. one-third collected from households. That is a lot of money wasted, and waste created.

The Irish EPA say Irish households threw away an estimated 218,000 tonnes of food (29% of the total) in 2021. This includes food waste collected in kerbside collections, brought to civic amenity sites and disposed of in home composters. Food waste costs the average Irish household about €60 per month or €700 per year. That’s an annual national cost of €1.29 billion. Would you burn €60.00 every month?

While it’s important that we all eat well and stay healthy we can also take some steps to help reduce waste and save money starting with the introduction of mindfulness into our shopping!

The Steps

1: Think

As much as you can, think about what you buy this Easter. Consider reuse, repurposing or make your own food and gifts. Start with easter baskets full of chocolate-filled hot cross buns and mini homemade bunny biscuits .

2: Reduce

When buying Easter food, try to reduce the amount of packaging. You’re paying a premium for fancy packaging and cardboard boxes for the chocolate eggs.

Plans your Easter Sunday meal in advance, get portion sizes right and make use of the leftovers on Easter Monday. This can all reduce waste and save you money.

3: Reuse

Look for products and packaging made from recycled paper and cardboard. Buy second-hand from charity op shops. Going for reusable alternatives over disposable single-use products can greatly reduce your waste footprint. (Real glass over paper cups).

4: Repurpose

Repurpose leftover boxes, containers or fruit punnets into kids’ art supplies or handy containers to hold pens or pencils. Get the family involved.

5: Recycle

Despite our best efforts, most of us will still end up with waste which should be separated and recycled safely. Holidays may be a great time to sit back and unwind, but recycling rules don’t change over a long weekend. Do your best and others will follow!

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning not-for-profit social enterprise providing a collection and drop-off service for all types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Recycle IT provide drop off and collection services to thousands of homes and businesses across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of laptops, computers, cookers, cables, monitors, microwaves and TVs.

Recycle IT services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT is supported by Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities in the Eastern-Midlands Waste Management Region.

Visit our website for further details.