Editors' picks
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Live Better Challenge Community Project award – winners announced
In September, we profiled 17 wonderful community projects. You voted for your favourite. Here are the winners …
This month's challenge: get involved
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Eight reasons people don't get involved
The biggest difficulties involved in joining a local group are usually in our own heads but it's possible to overcome them, writes John-Paul Flintoff
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The carbon-cutting transport scheme helping the Black Isle go green
Maxine Perella visits a group in the Scottish Highlands helping locals make better transport choices by lift-sharing, buses and pedal-power
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Not 'superchef': welcome to the UK's first zero-waste restaurant
Silo in Brighton mills its own flour for bread, brews its own booze and recycles all food waste. The chef tells Andrew Wasley why it dares to be different
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The allotment that helps abused and neglected children thrive
A team of unemployed teenagers transformed an abandoned allotment into a oasis with chickens, courgettes and hedgehogs for children in care
How to mend
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How to mend ... a compact camera with a stuck lens
Among the most common digital camera problems, a jammed retractable is not insurmountable if you follow these tips, says Philip Le Riche
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How to mend ... a cracked iPhone screen
A broken screen doesn't have to mean splashing out for an expensive repair, as fixing it yourself is easier than you think
Highlights
My visit to the abattoir: crossing the line between life and meat
After setting up a pig-based restaurant, Allegra McEvedy went to the slaughterhouse that would process her meat. What was it like?
The modern bathroom is a wasteful, unhealthy design
Piped water may be the greatest convenience ever known, but Lloyd Alter argues that our sewage systems and bathrooms are a disaster
Kate Humble: we don't value food because it's not expensive enough
The Springwatch presenter on food waste, keeping sheep, not having children and her mission with aquaponics
Also on Live Better
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Pay as you throw away? Five ways to cut off waste at the source
21 May 2014: Financial incentives, water fountains, food redistribution and reused furniture can reduce rubbish and recycling woes
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Have you managed to make your house greener? - poll
12 May 2014: PollMany of us have good intentions, but have you managed to save energy or cut down on waste at home in the last year?
More community projects
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The repair cafe teaching mending skills to locals
When Niall Griffiths took a broken speaker to Llandrindod repair cafe, the solution sounded embarrassingly obvious
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The beekeeping group creating a buzz in London
With its 30 hives, BeeUrban is training urban apiarists and helping honeybees recover from conservation problems -
Why a Leeds clothes swap beats London fashion week
Leeds Community Clothing Exchange brings fantastic fashion bargains and cuts down on waste via vibrant social events
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How hops are the newest trend in community growing
Palace Pint collectively grows hops to brew its own beer. Erica Buist gets a handle on the sticky harvest
Food inspiration
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16 recipe ideas for leftover peanut butter
Unsure about sticky spread or strange combinations? From cookies to curries, our Dinner Doctor will make your mouth water -
28 recipe ideas for leftover beetroot
It's colourful and full of health benefits – so don't be bashful with beetroot, try it in delicious dishes from fritters to hummus
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21 recipe ideas for leftover roast chicken
From Asian-infused salads to the humble British pie, the adaptable meat lends itself to a huge array of interesting recipes -
19 recipe ideas for leftover onions
Unused onions sprouting or going off? Don't cry - our Dinner Doctor's many solutions include bakes and a delicious gravy
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18 recipes for leftover mint
Don't let those sprigs go soggy or dry up. Mint can freshen up many ingredients from broad beans to a courgette and feta salad
Latest video
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How to combat food waste in a 'food desert'
Brixton People's Kitchen has created a network of volunteer collectors and cooks to divert food about to be discarded and then make it into healthy dishes
About this site
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Welcome to Live Better
For seven months we're challenging ourselves and you to live better, by swapping ideas and tips about saving water, wasting less food, recycling, getting out and about, and more.
This month's challenge: get involved with your community. Want to take the challenge? Just click on the big pink button below to sign up, and you'll automatically be entered into our competition to win three pairs of tickets to the Observer Ideas festival at The Barbican in London on October 12th 2014.
Live Better is funded by Unilever but all content is editorially independent, except pieces labelled "advertisement feature". Find out more here.
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Top tips for saving water in the shower
Showering can use up as much water as taking a bath – so how can you make your shower energy efficient?
Get outdoors!
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Why I love … climbing
From mountains to one's inner psyche, Sophie Radcliffe explores how the ups and downs of climbing have fascinating parallels with real life -
Why I love ... insects
Entomologist and TV presenter George McGavin argues that insects are 'the most successful multi-cellular life form on the planet'
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Why I love ... wild camping
Heading out into the wilderness helps wild camping fan Adrian Kowal leave his everyday stresses behind and ponder the bigger questions
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Why I love ... parkour
Reducing risk and avoiding fear makes society less capable; with parkour we can reclaim our natural agility and instincts, explains Dan Edwardes -
Why I love ... skateboarding
Exciting first set of wheels to seeing bland urban spaces from a whole new perspective, Kevin Eason extols the virtues of the board
Interactive
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Are you fit for the future? – interactive
How advanced are you in your understanding of green issues? Are you an eco-geek or the village idiot? Find out if you're fit for the future