Welcome to March's Sustainable Halls article

Welcome to March's Sustainable Halls article!

Before we get into our sustainable cooking theme, don't forget that the next Halls Recycling Audit is coming up on Tuesday 17th March!

♻️ Recycling Audit coming up 

It’s March, which means it’s time for our second recycling audit of the year! In our first audit of the year, our auditors left you a feedback card with some tips on how you can improve your score this time. If you still need some pointers, check out the most important things to remember:

- Put the effort in, it makes a big difference!

Last term's audits showed that residents are conscious and wanting to make a difference, however there's always room for improvement. Our top tip for this audit is to remind yourself of what goes in each bin as sorting waste correctly makes a huge difference for the environment!

- If in doubt, read your poster!

Your kitchen should have a poster on the wall which explains how each of your bins work and what can be put in them. Make sure you read this if you’re ever unsure of where a piece of waste should go. If you don’t have a poster, speak to your hall’s reception team or check out our recycling tips article here.

- Get your flatmates on board!

We're all in this together! While it can be frustrating to feel like you’re the only one in your flat making effort, be sure not to nag your flatmates! Don’t make a big deal out of mistakes but instead gently correct them when you get the chance. Make sure to offer them help if they’re ever unsure of where something should go, too!

🍽️ Sustainable Cooking Tips

On 28th February, we celebrated Global Scouse Day with our Sustainable Halls Activity Packs. Our helpers delivered over 60 packs with ingredients to make veggie scouse and we asked residents to share their top sustainability tips.

Hear how your fellow residents keep things sustainable in the kitchen with their top cooking tips below:

🌏 Support local shops and cafes that give back to the community. You can often pick up really good deals e.g. Squash in Toxteth who grow their produce on-site. They also have a 'soup for change' scheme which you can support so that someone in need can have a hot meal! Other favourites of ours include Marmaris on London Road, Coffi on Pilgrim Street and Matta's on Bold Street!

🌏Use Re-fill shops instead of buying new items all the time! This prevents more plastic from going to landfill and you can get higher quality food items (such as organic, free range and local produce) that are often a bit cheaper as well! Our favourite is Refill on Windsor Street

🌏 Buy reduced fruit and veg at the end of the day or use the 'Too-good-to-go' app to save food waste! You can easily turn the fruits and veggies into your own smoothies and juices which then have no additives and can be frozen for later! 

🌏 Use reusable containers to store any leftovers to save food going to waste

🌏If we have food or ingredients that we don't have a use for, tell your flatmates and share them out to reduce food waste

🌏Try to be energy efficient by not leaving the oven or hobs on longer than needed

🌏Make meal plans to avoid overbuying and risking food waste

🌏Look out for foods with recyclable packaging

🌏Freeze your leftovers for a later date! Save them for busy exam season coming up to not only save on food waste but also time during exams

For their efforts, our winners in Dover Court were rewarded with a mouth-watering sustainable food hamper! Melville Grove runners up have earned a sustainable kitchen pack!

Well done to everyone who entered, we hope you enjoyed your Scouse 👏