What waste prevention is all about and what CRNS members are doing to help

Waste prevention is about preventing waste from being created in the first place. There are two key areas of waste prevention in which many members of the CRNS work: organics and real nappies. Additionally, many members - Changeworks , the Comrie Development Trust and Aberdeen Forward, for example - offer education and advice services to help people and businesses reduce the amount of waste they create.

See the Organics page for more on food and green waste.

Real nappy networks across Scotland, most of whom are members of the CRNS, work to encourage the use of real nappies over disposables. They can provide real nappy starter packs, show parents the different materials and styles available and deliver the low-down on the benefits of using real nappies.

Real nappies have all sorts of advantages. They're a cheaper option overall than disposables, they save toxic waste from ending up in landfill (disposable nappies take 500 years to break down), they reduce greenhouse gases and other pressures on the environment, they look and feel great, and they even come in a special McNappy tartan.

Read our article Real nappies: how hard can they be? to read one mum's point of view.