Looking after the environment
It is important to recycle as much of your waste as you can. Using recycled materials to make new products uses less energy and means that we do not need to extract more raw materials from the earth. It also means that less rubbish is created, so the amount being put into landfill is reduced.
You can learn more about recycling and its benefits at www.recyclenow.com. At this website you can also find out what you can recycle at home and in the local area if you live in England. This information is available for Wales at www.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk, for Scotland at www.recycleforscotland.com and for Northern Ireland from your local authority.
A good way to support your local community is to shop for products locally where you can. This will help businesses and farmers in your area and in Britain. It will also reduce your carbon footprint, because the products you buy will not have had to travel as far.
Walking and using public transport to get around when you can is also a good way to protect the environment. It means that you create less pollution than when you use a car.
This section explains simple ways to look after the environment. Recycling as much waste as possible matters because using recycled materials to make new products uses less energy and means we do not need to extract more raw materials from the earth. It also creates less rubbish, so less goes into landfill. You can learn more about recycling and its benefits at www.recyclenow.com, which also gives information for England about what can be recycled at home and locally. Information for Wales is at www.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk, for Scotland at www.recycleforscotland.com, and for Northern Ireland from your local authority. Another way to support your community and the environment is to shop locally where you can. This helps businesses and farmers in your area and in Britain, and it reduces your carbon footprint because the products you buy have not had to travel as far. Walking and using public transport when you can also protects the environment, because you create less pollution than when you use a car.
The handbook text is reproduced under the terms printed in Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents, 3rd edition: © Crown copyright 2013. It is reproduced accurately, the title is given, and this site does not use the Home Office crest or imitate the official edition. We are not an official publication. The reproduced text is the 3rd edition (2013). Later official impressions changed some references from the Queen to King Charles III and renamed some institutions. Where something looks dated, check the current official handbook on GOV.UK.
Practice questions
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What is one environmental benefit of making new products from recycled materials?
Recycling uses less energy and lowers the need to extract raw materials.Where can someone living in England find information about what can be recycled at home and locally?
England residents can find recycling information at recyclenow.com.How does shopping for products locally help the environment?
Local products travel less far, reducing the carbon footprint.Why is walking or using public transport better for the environment than using a car?
Walking and public transport create less pollution than car use.