New Figs reveal surge in recycling

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New Figs reveal surge in recycling
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Downsizer Forum Index -> Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 10:59 am Post subject:

Indeed. The whole reduce part seems to be missing from the equation.

I asked a local councillor about composting a while ago, whether it's better to compost waste at home or put it into the Council bins. My opinion on this is simple, don't transport the waste and compost it on site, and we're all better off.

His answer was that they have to support home composting, that's their policy, but it's better for their figures if people use the green (compostables) bins, because then a greater proportion of collected waste is composted...

If I don't buy, say, jam, but I pick wild fruit and make jam (scavenging jars from friends and neighbours) then less glass gets made, less glass again gets recycled. I'm bad for the figures.

As long as we measure success of such schemes by mass of recycled material, reusing and reducing will be less appealing for our councils than recycling.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 11:01 am Post subject:
Probably a very accurate summation, Cab

Trev

Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 69
Location: Wokingham DC, Berkshire

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 12:26 pm Post subject:

Playing Devil's Advocate:

I think the councillor was trying to say that separating the compostable material (for council composting) from the household waste of those who would not normally compost said material, in conjunction with those who do normally compost their own compostable material, is preferable overall to just the latter section acting unilaterally. It was just unfortunate, & typically politician, that they referenced the approach against their performance targets.

Or, at least, that�s what I desperately hope! Somehow I have a very disturbing feeling that I�m wrong...

Andy B

Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 3920
Location: Brum

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 12:32 pm Post subject:
They have been set quotas for recycling, if they dont hit them we will be fined.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 12:45 pm Post subject:

I fear that Andy has hit the nail on the head.

We have had reams of info abyut recycling; what goes in which bin, where to take our plastic bottles to, who to contact in the council for advice, but nothing urging us to consume less, produce less waste, compost our own kitchen and garden waste, etc.

We do put waste into our composting bin; the woody stuff that wouldn't work well in our heap, stones from damsons used for winemaking, bones and fat waste wrapped up in newspaper, that kind of thing. And there's always something in recycling too. But I can't help thinking that greater energy and savings could be made by focussing on reducing and reusing also.

If I use a jam jar for storing jam in it, I'd rather use it again for storing dried mushrooms, pulses, seeds, nails... or even more jam, than smash it, melt it and turn it into another jar. Recycling targets don't address that.

Trev

Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 69
Location: Wokingham DC, Berkshire

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 12:54 pm Post subject:

To ignore the Reduce, Reuse point for the moment and address the disparate levels of recycling throughout the country:

My Inlaws live in the NorthEast and the list of items they can recycle is very restricted in comparison to ours and I feel that ours is very restricted anyway - particularly when it comes to plastics. The list of �dos�n�don�ts� for our plastics is confusing enough to then have manufactures add the complication of not indicating what the plastic is that they�ve marked with a recycle symbol or they�ve opted for the number system instead of the anagram system of identication.

Another problem for the NE seems to be the attitude to recycling - in the Inlaws cul-de-sac they and only one other house amongst twelve use the recycle facilities provided. Their next door but one neighbour parties almost every weekend and produces a small mountain of cans that he then throws into his neighbours normal bins (doesn�t use his own wheelie-bin at all).

A sad tale of something I feel is more widespread.

ele

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 814
Location: Derby

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 1:04 pm Post subject:

cab wrote:

We do put waste into our composting bin; the woody stuff that wouldn't work well in our heap, stones from damsons used for winemaking, bones and fat waste wrapped up in newspaper, that kind of thing. .

Are you sure that bones and fat are allowed?, we're not even permitted to put vegetable peelings in our brown (composter) bin because of the legislations. I find it great for woody stuff and conifer prunings though

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 1:07 pm Post subject:

ele wrote:

Yeah, I've checked what we can put in, and they're happy with pretty much anything along those lines. But there's a lot of variation between different local authorities.

ele

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 814
Location: Derby

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 3:15 pm Post subject:

cab wrote:

Yeah, I've checked what we can put in, and they're happy with pretty much anything along those lines. But there's a lot of variation between different local authorities.

That's great that they're not so red-tapey (is that a word ?

)

I think Derby may be responsible for the huge recycling surge in the East Midlands as it's brought in comprehensive kerb side collections in the last year. Before, I don't think many people bothered with recycling at all, but now my suburb is awash with diligent recycling. Changing the black bin collections to once a fortnight probably gave people a little bit ot a kick in the right direction

I do agree about the reduce and reuse bit getting a little forgotten along the way though, I wish for example more people got door stop milk as plastic milk cartons seem to be a large proportion of the plastic waste.

tawny owl

Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 563
Location: Hampshire

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 3:38 pm Post subject:

I was very impressed with the numbers of people queuing (very patiently!) to buy cheap compost bins at the New Forest DC sale on Saturday. There were 4 huge lorries of bins, and when we arrived (the sale was on from 10 till 3) there were at least 200 people in the queue. The 330-litre bins with base and door were �3 each (restricted to 3 per household), with kitchen bins at �2 for a 7-litre and �3 for a 10-litre, plus a free bottle of Biotal or box of Garotta per household. Excellent value - shame they couldn't have got the water companies to subsidise butts as well.

culpepper

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 638
Location: Kent

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 05 6:58 pm Post subject:

we are in the south east and found that when we were on holiday in cumbria,they recycled more than us.They had a green garden waste bin,ordinary bin ,paper,bottles and cans boxes.
We have paper,glass and the ordinary rubbish collected and they will collect garden waste but only if we buy the green bags from the town hall at �1.50 for 5. There are numerous recyling banks beside supermarkets here but You have to remember to take your recyclables when you go.I dont know of anywhere here that will take plastic or cardboard.

Trev

Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 69
Location: Wokingham DC, Berkshire

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 05 8:59 am Post subject:

[quote]There are numerous recyling banks beside supermarkets here but You have to remember to take your recyclables when you go.[/quote]

I've taken to carrying around bags of various "recyclables" (sp?) in the boot of the car for whenever we happen to visit a place that does have a bin for such'n'such. We're using the draws of an old freezer in a frame I constucted as our recycle sorting thingy for foil, glass & plastic bags along with the local authorities buckets for paper and certain plastics & cans. Once one of these is full I bag it and bung it in the boot of the car. The trick is then remembering its there when we're out'n'about.

The differences between what various local authorities will handle & how is a right pain. We're only just starting to address this issue in this country - nice for the local authorities to pat themselves on the back for getting this far - but we've a very long way to go.

[quote]Are you sure that bones and fat are allowed?, [/quote]

I've been thinking about collecting the fat, like my grandparents used to (mmmmm beef drippin' on toast), and keeping the birds happy with a "fat ball" since I'm not allowed to eat it anymore...

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 05 1:20 pm Post subject:

Trev wrote:

I've been thinking about collecting the fat, like my grandparents used to (mmmmm beef drippin' on toast), and keeping the birds happy with a "fat ball" since I'm not allowed to eat it anymore...

We do that in the Winter. If you find a technique that allows the fat ball to stay in one piece for more than half an hour, please share it. I find that my home-made ones disintigrate very quickly, fall on the ground and then the starlings and jackdaws swoop down and scoff the lot.

ele

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 814
Location: Derby

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 05 1:31 pm Post subject:

Judith wrote:

Trev wrote:

I've been thinking about collecting the fat, like my grandparents used to (mmmmm beef drippin' on toast), and keeping the birds happy with a "fat ball" since I'm not allowed to eat it anymore...

I've never saved my fat from roasts for the birds cos I'm worried it might be too salty for them, is that right? or am I worrying unnecessarily? I wouldn't want my sparrows to get dehydration or hypertension

Trev

Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 69
Location: Wokingham DC, Berkshire

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 05 1:39 pm Post subject:

[quote]If you find a technique that allows the fat ball to stay in one piece for more than half an hour[/quote]

I thought I saw someone stuffing one in a hairnet or stocking... and I remember the old primary school festooned with upside down half coconut shells.

[quote]I've never saved my fat from roasts for the birds cos I'm worried it might be too salty for them[/quote]

Hadn't thought of that one... hummmmmmmmmmm.......

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