a small step in the right direction

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a small step in the right direction

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Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 1:38 pm Post subject: a small step in the right direction
I actually remembered today, to take a basket and a cotton shopping bag out with me to town. As a result I was able to refuse 5 plastic bags!! Only a small step, but.... so what can you do?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28239
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 1:46 pm Post subject: Re: a small step in the right direction

Fiddlesticks Julie wrote:

I actually remembered today, to take a basket and a cotton shopping bag out with me to town. As a result I was able to refuse 5 plastic bags!!

Only a small step, but....

so what can you do?

I am still pretty bad on this one, we used to resuse so many of the bags we felt justified, now we are not reusing as mnay and have picked up bad habits.

jema

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 2:00 pm Post subject:
It's about the only thing that I think I'm really good about. Still accept a few for dog-walking purposes though.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 2:27 pm Post subject:

If you leave a shopping bag in the car, its more availabe when you want it. Especially if you tend to pop in on the way back from places like I do. When I unpack it, it goes straight by the front door, to go abck out to the car next time I got, otherwise I forget!

This week I have made breadcrumbs from stale bread (and frozen them) and started saving all my plastic trays, pots and loo rolls for planting. I've also taken a good look at what we use plastic bags from in the fridge (mostly cheese and ham) and desginated and labelled plastci containers for them. I had to buy some of them (some are reused) and one for the bread, but it's one step closer to being a plastic bag fee zone!

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 6:57 pm Post subject:

We try to re-use as much as possible, this includes saving & using as many jiffy bags & other envelopes as possible. Any paper not recyled (like old envelopes & personal papers) is shredded & used as pig bedding. All steel & aluminium cans are saved up & go to the scrap yard.

This week I split my welly (they don't make them like they used to

) which was only 6 months old- one puncture repair kit later

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 7:01 pm Post subject:
I am naughty and keep forgetting my shopping bag

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 10:52 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

This week I split my welly (they don't make them like they used to

) which was only 6 months old- one puncture repair kit later

Duck tape?

I made my wellies in to welly clogs, as now I have sheepskin boots I never wear them. Usefull for popping out to the worm bin or the woodshed, etc etc

It's amazing what you can do with duck tape. I insulated the worm bin with bubble wrap and duck tape, and them made a handle for the lid out of it!

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Feb 07, 05 11:01 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

Rob R wrote:

This week I split my welly (they don't make them like they used to

) which was only 6 months old- one puncture repair kit later

Duck tape?

I thought about that, but I used a proper inner tube patch- the slit was 1 1/2" long, so far it hasn't leaked

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 05 6:11 am Post subject:

Our horse has had foot abcesses before - when they have been drained and need dressing we have used duck tape to keep the dressings in place and give him additional padding to enable him to put his foot down and get a bit of exercise. Mind you, we have gone through loads of the stuff!!!!

Lundy is away this week and yesterday my wheelbarrow went lame - am useless at puncture repairs so will have to wait till he is home on Friday. Typical!

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 05 10:33 pm Post subject:

reducing tip of the week (out of reduce, reuse, recylce) is to only use two sheets of loo paper at a time. - a how much do you need, and b, you can always use some more, but you can't put excess back (ugh!)

It makes a real difference to how much you buy, but does mean that I am running short of pea and sweet pea pots (use loo roll tubes!) and may have to invest in some rootrainers! I'll have to start saving them earlier next year!

snowball
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 6246
Location: swindon

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 05 11:56 pm Post subject:
Excuse my ignorance, but how do you use loo rolls for plantinting? Is it like the bio-degradable pots you can get?

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 05 4:28 am Post subject:
Just fill the tubes with potting meadium, and plant the seed. The whole lot gets transplanted and does not disturb the roots as much. Very sucessful with runner beans too.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 05 9:47 am Post subject:

As alison said - I use them for peas and sweet peas, as they have a long tap root that needs repotting after about 3 hours if you plant them in normal pots. For everything else I have a newspaper potter - its a bit small for big seeds like beans and courgettes, so I'm saving up creme fraiche pots for those. They are clear (if you buy yeo valley) and so you can see the roots. its like being 5 again , but I love it!

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