The Beaufoix Project

The Beaufoix Project....I like the sound of that. It could be the title for a movie. All that's now needed is a plot.

Anyway while I ponder that, our more down-to-earth Beaufoix Project to slim the Beaufoix bin is now underway. Having kindly submitted her initial audit to me at the weekend, Jo has been waiting with baited breath, while I have been busy with my investigations.

You may now have the picture in your head of Miss Marple with magnifying glass poking about the wheelie bins or hiding in the bushes on “bin lorry watch”.

Although very tempted by this approach, I thought it was easier to ask Jo to delve into her rubbish in more detail and reveal much more about what her household throws away. But how cruel of me, especially as it’s such a personal thing to ask of someone, to list in real detail the stuff that goes into their bin.

I am just relieved that she was up for it, especially as my main concern is the amount of packaging that is thrown away in her landfill bin, including things like pre-prepared sauce pots. Ooooh, I've got my eye on them as a candidate for the chop!

Jo estimates plastic packaging to be about 15% of the family’s waste, which is matched by things like wipes, kitchen towels and sponges etc. Other contents include: old food and peelings (10%); tetra pak cartons (10%) and chocolate and snack wrappers (10%).

Until her youngest daughter is fully potty-trained, there is still the issue of night-time disposable nappies.

So, thanks to Jo’s efforts, I think I’ve now got a grip on her rubbish and having checked out a few things with Mansfield District Council, it’s time to present the Beaufoix household with the diet plan for that big overflowing green bin.

It’s going to be tough though because the recycling facilities offered in her area are not as comprehensive as those in my neck of the woods. This is going to be a key issue, but is one that can be resolved with time.

But the great news for Jo and the good people of Mansfield is that yoghurt pots and margarine tubs were added to the recyclables list in April, so people can now stop chucking them in landfill and pop them in the blue bin instead. That's already a few things ticked off Jo's list, hooray!

Anyway, I’m sending Jo her diet plan to consider over the weekend and will publish the details some time next week.

I hope you enjoy the weekend. I'm now off to my first wedding in years (not mine, I hasten to add)...so...see you next week.

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