A group of enthusiastic dieters have joined Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s new initiative, Waste Watchers Eight Week Rubbish Diet, starting on Monday.

The aim of the diet is to reduce the amount of rubbish each household throws away over the coming weeks, culminating in the ultimate challenge – a Zero Waste Week. The diet was initially developed as a New Year resolution by Karen Cannard, an ordinary housewife with an extraordinary idea: living as close to a zero waste lifestyle as possible.

Her New Year resolution to follow a rubbish diet has become the vanguard for recycling, reusing and smart shopping.

Not only did she achieve the goal of zero waste, she saved herself £2,500 in the process. That equates to £100 a month demonstrating that shedding pounds of rubbish, households can save the £s in their pocket.

Now, with the assistance of Emma Croft, waste minimisation officer for communities at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, 15 households across Wiltshire are endeavouring to follow in Karen’s footsteps.

Ms Croft said: “I’m thrilled that so many households have volunteered to try our Waste Watchers initiative. Over the coming weeks, I will be helping households to cut down what they buy, use and ultimately throw away with some simple and practical ideas.

"Households will also ‘Waste Watch’ their rubbish throughout the diet to work out what and how much they are throwing away to enable them to set targets and monitor their success."

The project, funded by Wiltshire Council, includes a variety of households, from families with young children, families with teenagers, a retired couple and even a single man.

They are all up for this remarkable challenge; to show Wiltshire that living a low waste lifestyle is not only achievable, it can save money and save our landscapes by sending less waste to landfill.

There is still time to sign up for the diet if you would like to take part, just get in touch with Ms Croft at the Wildlife Trust. Anyone who wants to follow Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Waste Watchers can do so by catching up with the Waste Watchers blog at www.wiltshirewildlife.org/get-involved/Waste_Watchers_Blog or following the Wilts Waste Watchers Twitter account @SlimBinsWilts.