Last week we reported on how there really is no option but to recycle rather than landfill waste. This week we bring you news of an entire week devoted to cutting out rubbish.

Back in January First News reader Verona Strauss told us how her family managed to throw so few things away they filled only one bin bag in a whole year. Now, her mum, Rae, has launched a whole week devoted to throwing nothing, or as little as possible, away.

National Zero Waste Week runs from 6 to 12 September and this year it’s all about cutting down on the amount of food that ends up in the bin. According to WRAP’s Household Food and Drink Waste in the UK report, Brits throw away 8.3 million tonnes of food and drink every year. That works out as £50 worth of food a month for each family. Just think what else that £50 could be spent on!

How you can join in:

Help the adult who makes your meals think up clever ways to use leftovers or food that’s lost its freshness. Check out

www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for tonnes of ideas, such as blitzing fruit with milk to make a smoothie.

Put veggie peelings in a compost bin.

Find out if your local council runs a food waste collection where old food is turned into compost.

Try to eat everything on your plate so that there’s none left to put in the bin!

To find out more about National Zero Waste Week go to www. myzerowaste.com/zero-waste-week