Asparagus tips madam? We do composting tips too...

 

Market trader Julie Lightly at Queens Market in Newham, east London

Photo credit: Geoff Caddick/PA

Interesting research from WRAP reveals that over forty percent of us believe that because food is biodegradable, it is harmless when it gets thrown out and sent to landfill and are not aware that it can produce methane, a powerful global warming gas which damages the environment.  Of course the same waste composted at home produces no methane and provides free fertiliser and soil improver for our gardens.

In a drive to raise awareness, market traders across the country are to back a campaign to get Britain composting, thanks to a partnership between Recycle Now and the National Market Traders’ Federation that launched this week at Queen’s Market in Newham.  From today, traders will be offering green tips to their customers along with their purchases, to encourage them to compost household waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings, instead of throwing it away.  The  "Ask me about composting" programme will then roll out across the UK over the next few months.

Julie Lightly, a fruit and vegetable market trader at Queen’s Market said:

“It’s great that we are now talking to our customers about composting. At Queen’s Market we already talk to customers about other green issues such as recycling, so this is a natural progression. I am sure customers will really warm to the advice we will be giving as many are already very interested in helping to do their bit for the environment. We hope to turn our market into the greenest in the country and show other markets and their traders how simple it is to offer our customers a little bit extra.”

Well I for one will be keeping a close eye on when the initiative reaches Bury St Edmunds and will catch up with my favourite fruit and veg stall - pictured below - nearer the time,  

If you haven't been to our local market,  I'd recommend it, especially as it was listed in The Guardian's 10 of the best markets in England.  It really does come highly recommended.

 

In the meantime anyone wishing to find out more about composting and how to get started should visit www.recyclenow.com/compost or call their infoline on 0845 600 0323.

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Avoiding rubbish at the sales...

(Photo Credit: Flickr's DavidDMuir)

... and using the sales to avoid rubbish!

So the winter discount season is officially in full swing, with high street stores and online sites already reporting bumper sales activity.

But what's good for the till might not be so great for the bins. With every sale comes a whole sackful of potential rubbish - and I'm not criticising the quality of the goods purchased, it's the consequences of the sales that concern me. When the UK is out shopping, the bins naturally get fuller, whether it's on the high-street or when we return home with all our brand new goods.

Take a look at a typical shopping scenario, and you'll see what I mean.

Unless you walk to the shops, your first encounter with potential rubbish is on public transport or at the car park with paper-based tickets being issued. And that's just the start of the paper trail. By the time the tills are ringing louder than Jingle Bells, you've also got a till receipt, a credit-card receipt, perhaps some tissue wrapping to protect your purchase and if you're in a designer shop you'll have a posh paper bag to top it all off. And we haven't even started on the the tags that hang off clothes or the other products that are protected by packaging, batteries that come with gadgets or even dealing with the obsolete goods that your new purchases have replaced, those pre-loved items that are now your history.

Every purchase is followed by a natural waste trail, but the good news is that hitting the sales doesn't mean stuff has to end up in landfill, especially if you look out for waste-traps and avoid whatever rubbish you can, such as polystyrene and anything else that you can't recycle locally. The trick is to be prepared in a way that allows you to grab some bargains without spoiling your fun!

Here's my guide to making the most of the sales with a Rubbish Diet twist.


1. Take an old bag shopping, even when you're buying clothes!

But before you ask, I don't mean me... cos at the moment I feel all shopped out and I'm far too cosy sat at home, thank you very much!

It's a reusable bag you need, or indeed several, so you can Say No to Unwanted Bags (SNUB) when the till assistant automatically starts shoving the stuff into their free carrier bags.

Remember, reusable bags aren't just for supermarkets! They're for other types of shopping too!

For many people, a carrier bag lasts just the journey home before it gets binned or recycled, including paper bags, which should not necessarily be seen in a better light than a plastic one . Even if a shop is offering disposable bags made from recycled materials, it is still better to decline and use your own shopping bags instead. As BBC Radio Suffolk's Rob Dunger highlighted on Monday, there is a certain feel-good factor to avoiding the ubiquitous bag and I can't help but agree. I've even turned down bags in Harrods, feeling quite peachy as a result.

So if you haven't already got a smart bag or a rucksack to pop your shopping in, perhaps that should be your first treat in the sales. Most chain stores sell their own at little cost, but there's a wider range available on the internet. The most practical are those that are rain repellent and can also fold up into your handbag. Check out www.ecohandy.com, Onya Bags as well as the totally self-contained Trolley-Dolly, which is perfect for supermarket shopping too.

For more bulky goods, jute ones are best thanks to their hard-wearing properties. I particularly love the colourful bags from the British Red Cross as well as the ReSACKel bags made from oriental rice bags, which can be bought from MyZeroWaste.

Once you've made sure you're all kitted up, you can decline as many bags as you like and carry your shopping home with pride. Besides I predict that as fashion becomes more homogeneous, the best way to let your individuality shine will be through the bags that you carry!


2. ReThink your bargains!

Of course one sure way to cut down on rubbish is to prevent it in the first place and rethink whether you actually need that bargain. Buying something that you've had your eye on for a while is one thing, but it's the impulse purchases that you need to be wary of. We all love a bargain and it is so easy to fall in love with an item when you're hit by the adrenalin rush that invariably comes with sales shopping, especially when discounts show 75% off and you're on a time limit. But what happens when you get it home? Often the magic wears off.

So before you part with your hard-earned cash, ask yourself if you'll still be in love with that item in one month's time or even six month's time and whether you are really saving money in the sales. If you have the slightest doubt, turn around and leave the object of your affections on the shelf because there's no such thing as a bargain if you don't really want or need it and all you're buying is a piece of future junk. It sounds harsh, but your bank balance as well as your rubbish bin will be better for it.

If you really have some spare cash to splash around this Christmas, and are serious about making lifestyle savings, then rethink the bargain and consider buying practical yet fun things that will help you slim your waste and keep a bulge in your wallet when the holiday season is over.

You might want to try some of these for size:

Travel Mugs are perfect if you're a commuter. Just froth up a coffee before you leave the house in the morning and you'll have a latte-to-go. With the amount you'll save on take-away drinks, you'll soon claw back your investment, saving at least £40 a month if a daily visit to a coffee shop is a regular habit. If you need to grab a hot drink when you're around town, the great news is that companies such as Starbucks offer a 25p discount when you hand over a reusable mug. Travel mugs can be picked up at most supermarkets, coffee chains or department stores, but if you'd like some inspiration, check out the Brugomug and help make disposable coffee cups history.

Water Bottles have the same impact too, saving money on bottled water that comes in plastic bottles which are often difficult to recycle when out-and-about. If you've got kids, who are always thirsty on days out, a refillable water bottle will soon reduce your rubbish footprint and save tonnes of cash. So pick one up while you're sale-shopping and start using it straight away. As designs are constantly changing, you should be able to bag a bargain.

Rechargeable batteries may seem an expensive option when you consider cheap "two-for-one" offers on disposable batteries, but take some time to think about the amount of money you're throwing away each time you bung those batteries in the bin. Single-use batteries soon become the more expensive option, especially if they're used to power computer game controllers. My favourite rechargeable batteries need no extra kit, as you can plug them straight into your computer's USB. See www.USBCell.com for details. Alternatively, there are currently great bargains to be had on docking stations that charge-up handsets, such as those used for the Nintendo Wii. From prices currently under £7, you really can't go wrong. However, if you you've received a lot of free alkaline batteries with gifts, try the Alkaline Battery Recharger, which claims to recharge single-use batteries up to 10-20 times.

Christmas fabrics have become a popular alternative to wrapping paper and expensive gift bags, so make a point of visiting fabric shops or market stalls to look for end-of-season bargains. Switching to material for wrapping up your family presents will save a fortune on paper in years to come. Influenced by the Japanese art of Furoshiki, there are many ways in which you can use fabric to wrap gifts. See www.recyclenow.com/christmas_09/furoshiki_eco.html for details.

Pretty floral dishcloths are probably the last thing you'd want to look out for in the Christmas sales, but if you are seriously interested in grabbing a bargain, hunt out some cool dishcloths and start using these in favour of paper kitchen towel from now on. I've already saved £130 since I picked up mine last year, which means I've had an extra £130 to spend on stuff that I really want to buy, rather than on something that gets bunged in the bin. When you add in a microfibre cleaning cloth that just needs water instead of chemicals to clean windows and other surfaces, that's a few more tenners in your pocket.

3. Look out for goods made from recycled materials.

These days there are so many products that are made from recycled materials, that at last the conscious consumer is beginning to have real choice. Including umbrellas and fleeces made from PET bottles to solar powered calculators produced from recycled electronics, the quality of these products easily matches competing products manufactured from virgin materials. To ensure the recycling economy works to its full potential, it is really worth voting with your wallet and where possible choosing recycled goods in the sales.


4. Remember your WEEE responsibilities when buying electricals.

If you've been browsing the electricals aisles in any UK department store lately, or have visited an electronics retailer, you will have most probably seen notices advertising the latest regulations for recycling end-of-life WEEE products - otherwise known as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

With the amount of electrical waste generated in the UK - which is enough to fill the whole of Wembley Stadium six times in just a year- this is serious stuff, and local authorities are working hard to keep it all out of landfill. The new recycling regulations affect all brand owners, importers, distributors and retailers of electrical and electronic equipment.

So if you're visiting the sales to replace an electrical or electronic item that is beyond repair, ask the retailer if they will take your old equipment in exchange. Most stores will now do this free of charge, on a like-for-like basis, as long as you take your old products back to the shop within a defined period after purchase (e.g. 30 days). If you are buying larger items such as televisions and washing machines, your old goods can be taken away when your new products are delivered. Alternatively, if your old appliances are in good repair, consider other ways of repurposing them (see the Furniture Reuse section below).

For smaller broken items, it might just be easier to take them along to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre. You can check whether it has WEEE recycling facilities using the postcode search at www.recyclenow.com.

The other news on this is that from 1 February 2010, UK stores that sell 32kg or more of household batteries will have to take back these batteries in-store, free of charge, when they become waste. In the meantime, check if your local HWRC accepts household batteries for recycling. All of Suffolk's 18 sites do and in Bury St Edmunds, we can recycle them via our kerbside collection.


5. Watch that TV!

Continuing on the WEEE theme, with digital television currently being rolled out across the UK, one particular temptation this year may be to grab yourself a brand new digital TV. However, if your existing television is relatively new and you're finding the prospect of replacing it so soon rather hard to swallow, be rest-assured that even with the digital switchover, you may not need to splash out on anything more than a digital-box. Even then, if you've bought a DVD player in the last few years, the chances are it will already have an integrated digital receiver, so you might already be sorted. So before you hit the sales, it's really worth checking what equipment you actually need. For more information, check out this factsheet at www.digitaluk.co.uk. Where I live, in Suffolk, we don't actually switch over until 2011, by which time technology will have moved on even further, so it's worth holding out as long as possible.

If there is still life left in your old TV and you decide to go for an upgrade after all, rather than trade it in where it would only be dismantled to recover materials, why not earn great karma by giving it away on Freecycle or donating it to a charity shop or re-use store that accepts electricals (see below).

It feels a real shame to send working technology off for recycling, especially when others can make good use of it. On the other hand, recycling facilities for end-of-life electronic products are a very welcome addition to the waste management sector, which is a growth industry in the UK. If it's of interest, you can see what happens to old televisions in the BBC video here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7747975.stm.


6. Furniture Reuse

Christmas is a time when many people also reassess their interiors, taking advantage of massive savings that can be found in the winter sales . Many of these purchases are to replace items that have worn out or have simply gone out of fashion. If your initial response is to throw away your old items in anticipation of welcoming in the new, or letting the retailer get rid of it for you then it's worth pausing for a moment to consider what other options are available.

It's a sad fact that of the 10,000 items of furniture that are thrown away each year, almost a third of these items could be reused and even more could be repaired. Furthermore, according to the Furniture Re-use Network, four million children live in households that cannot afford to replace worn-out furniture.

The Furniture Re-use Network has a membership of over 400 furniture and appliance re-use organisations across the UK, providing used and repaired items to local people on low incomes, who suffer from hardship, distress and poverty. Given the opportunity, it is far better to breathe life into old furniture than assume its only destination is landfill, so it's always worth contacting your local organisation to ask if they would like your redundant items. To find your nearest re-use charity, visit www.frn.org.uk and click on their UK map.


7. Beware of the Snack Attack!

Beating your way through the sales can be hungry and thirsty work and even if you're normally good at managing waste, it's easy to hit the rubbish danger zone when you're out and about.

When you're snacking on the go, drinks bottles, aluminium cans and even paper packaging are more prone to be bunged in the rubbish bin than when you're sorting out your stuff at home.

Of course, there is absolutely nothing to stop you bringing an empty bottle or drinks can home with you. Once you consider such packaging as a resource with vast potential for making new things rather than rubbish to be buried in landfill, bringing it home for recycling seems a natural extension of your regular recycling activities.

But if this all feels one burden too far when you're bags are already stuffed with your shopping, you'll be relieved to hear that an increasing number of urban centres have now introduced on-street recycling facilities, including our county town of Ipswich. So all you need to do is keep your eyes peeled and use them wherever possible.


PHEW!

After all that, I'll bet you'll be glad to put your feet up and grab a cup of tea.

But before I finish up today, I just want to highlight one final thing that will make your sales shopping really go with a bang!

Remember bags aren't the only thing you can decline. There are plenty of other things that shop assistants try to shove in your bags when you are least expecting, including vouchers you'll never use and freebies for you to try out. If you're not interested, just say so.

And if you're offered a coathanger, remember to say no to those too...

... especially if it's a plastic one. They're far more tricky than the blimmin' bags!

And on that note, Happy Shopping and may all your bargains be waste-free.

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If you've enjoyed this post, then why not listen into today's Rob Dunger show, where we will be discussing many of these issues live on air at BBC Radio Suffolk from 11:10 this morning and covering even more content during the rest of the week.

And if you're feeling particularly benevolent today, pop along to the Green Web Awards and vote for me in the Social Media Hero Category. While you're there, it would be great if you could support some of my other favourites too including MyZeroWaste, Waste Aware Love Food and Suffolk's Adnams brewery. Voting closes tomorrow, so you'll need to hurry.

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A Recycled Christmas Carnival

A few weeks I was wax lyrical about the amazing range of creative ideas for Christmas gifts that exists on the web, featuring recycled or reused materials. I'd been inspired by some research I'd done for the Recycle Now website and came up with the notion of this carnival to share details of things that other people have made or have even spotted on the Internet.

While I was waiting for creative bloggers to send me their links, I got busy with my own ideas and started making presents to give to some lovely people this Christmas. The gift that you see above is something I've made for Mr A's aunt. It's pot pourri, which features dried rose petals that I'd gathered from the garden this autumn, along with rosehips, pyracantha berries, sliced clementine peel and some cinammon sticks from the cupboard. I packaged it in an old jam jar, wrapped in an offcut of fabric taken from a festive organza tablecloth. It really was that simple and cost just a small amount of time.

I have to admit it's been an uplifting experience creating some handmade gifts this year, particularly using things from the garden that would have otherwise perished. Although I haven't had much time available, I've given it my best shot and even when we've sent our relatives money, I've tried my hand at "banknote origami" to add some originality - try googling it as I'm sure it will bring a smile to your face.

Well that's enough of my exploits. In this post I want to highlight the creativity and inspiration that has come in from other folk and as ever, between them there is a massive amount of enthusiasm that I hope will inspire you for years to come. So grab your favourite seasonal tipple, put your feet up and enjoy.

A bit of festive recycling from around the web.

Kicking off the carnival, is the lovely Nixdminx, who in her post Recycling this Christmas highlighted a fabulous pair of Vivienne Westwood shoes made from a fabric that will be recognisable to anyone who has visited London. It really shows how recycled products can be both stylish and cool.

I can't believe when I initially put this together that I forgot Evie George's most wonderful Baby Friendly Christmas Tree. I'd lost the email link and have been scratching my woolly head to find it again. And I am so glad I did because her work of recycled art is truly inspirational as is her gorgeous blog.

Mrs Green over at MyZeroWaste.com, (who you might recognise as being featured in the Sunday Mirror this weekend) has been a real busy bee. Her post A Zero Waste Christmas highlights how she's discovered her inner creative child, just in time to make an MP4 player case from an old pair of pyjamas for her 8-year-old. For someone who hasn't had confidence in picking up a needle and thread for years, the results are amazing.

Maria at Fabmums has also been creative with decorations made from branches, fir cones and recycled ribbons. I love her Monday Crafts post about how she made the festive branch, which not just saves pounds, but is so versatile it can be used in a number of ways to decorate the house this Christmas.

I'm sure you'll also fall in love with the painted garage in this post called Loving-Not Loving-Christmas, which has been submitted by Simone from Great Fun For Kids. How she has transferred an old battered child's toy is utterly awesome and is really worth a look.

With a totally thrifty feel, Cambridge Ecothrifter, also called Simone, has submitted her fabulous ideas in her post Cheap Christmas Cheer, which includes a whole host of creative thoughts on alternative gifts this year.

And if you have any doubts at all that you're up for the job of crafting your own recycled presents, Grit has done a great job of inspiring confidence, especially if you have children to hand and need to come up with that "something special" for the loved ones in your life. For an amusing tale, check out Grit's guide to Christmas for mean parents.

Now last - but definitely not least - is this cracking submission from a new website that I've recently discovered, thanks to a tip-off from the wonderful Mrs B from York. If you haven't visited the website Present Sense, then it really is a must. I guarantee that regular readers of The Rubbish Diet willl absolutely love it. Set up by a group of mothers who are passionate about sustainable gifting, the website offers bundles of alternative ideas for sourcing recycled or reused presents and helps break down any social barriers in doing so. I've already caught up with Karen, one of the founding members, who is delighted to include their Gift Ideas page in this carnival.

***

So there you have it, lots of inspirational posts and links to keep you on the straight and narrow in preparing for this Christmas and many more to come. Huge thanks to everyone who took the trouble to submit their entries. With so much to choose from, the difficulty will be deciding between what recycled gifts to buy and what goodies you can make. Judging by this year's experience I know that I will be champing at the bit to start my plans in January.

But Christmas isn't over yet and with that in mind, don't forget there is still time to enter Recycle Now's draw to win this stunning recycled Christmas Tree, the deadline for which is 17th December.



And while you're there, be sure to check out the latest ideas for making Christmas decorations as well as musical instruments from things that might otherwise be thrown away.

So all that's left to do is to officially wish you a merry recycling Christmas. And do come back soon for some more waste-free fun!

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Win a fabulous recycled Christmas Tree with Recycle Now

When I heard about the recycled cardboard Christmas Tree that Recycle Now was offering in its website competition, I couldn't wait to see it especially as it is based on the inspirational work of designer David Stark.

And I have to say, I am not disappointed. The 6 ft tree sculpture certainly looks like it could feel at home in my own living room.

The Christmas Tree competition is part of Recycle Now's campaign to raise awareness of the amount of waste that is created over the Christmas period and to remind people that most of it can be recycled.

The website also includes a whole list of inspirational tips on how to reduce waste, by upcycling everyday products into jazzy decorations. There's something else of interest on there too, which I'll tell you all about tomorrow.

In the meantime, why don't you pop over to the Recycle Now site and sign up for the draw. It's free to enter, but you'll have to be quick as the closing date is 17th December. However, before you go, take a peek at the video below, which reveals how this unique piece of art was made.





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You really don't need much space to compost

Look, you can even get a wormery for your desk at work!
available from Bubble House

Hot on the heels of yesterday's post about my new Worm Cafe wormery, comes the news from Recycle Now that lack of space in the garden is one of the main reasons given by many people for not composting garden and household waste.

However according to Recycle Now’s Home Composting campaign, it need not be a barrier and with so many composting and other options available, anyone with outside space – around 95 per cent of households - should be able to give it a go.

Recycle Now's research reveals that over a third of us already compost garden and household waste in one way or another, using a compost bin or heap. Of those that don’t, one in four say this is because they do not have the space.

But as we've already seen on this blog, even the smallest outdoor spaces can be used for making compost.

Carl Nichols, Head of Home Composting at Recycle Now said:

“With so much choice available, anyone with outside space can compost at home. Even those of us with just a small patio or balcony, can do our bit, for example by using a wormery to turn waste food into free food for plants- indoors or out."

“Increasing numbers of people are starting to compost at home and we want these people to pass on their tips to their friends and families. By composting at home, not only are we reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill each year, we are also producing a rich and nutritious plant food with a wide range of uses for vegetables, indoor and outdoor plants and even lawns.”

To demonstrate that time and space needn’t be an issue and to bust other myths about composting, Recycle Now has put together a beginners’ guide:


1. Heap or bin? A compost heap is perhaps one of the most traditional methods for composting. However, compost bins are now widely available and popular as they are simple to purchase, construct and use.


2. What type of bin is for me? There are compost bins of all shapes and sizes, to suit your gardening needs.

· Small garden? There are many alternative designs of compost bin to suit all garden needs such as beehive designs or bins made out of recycled wood.
· Balcony or porch? A wormery is the ideal solution for someone with little or no garden. · Lots of space? The opportunities are endless – there are a range of larger bins available from many Local Authorities and most garden centres.
· No outside space? Some councils offer a separate collection for food or garden waste. Why not check with your local council to see if this option is available in your area.


3. Garden design: If you are concerned about how your garden will look when you start composting, build the bin into the design of your garden. Compost bins could be disguised behind surround made of either brick or timber (or stone if in keeping with your garden), or you can put trellis in front of your bin and grow climbers over it for a really natural screen.


4. Getting started: Simply add a selection of ‘greens and browns’ to the bin for the perfect mix. ‘Greens’ are quick to rot and provide important nitrogen and moisture – try tea bags, vegetable peelings, old flowers and nettles, or spent bedding plants. ‘Browns’ such as cardboard, fallen leaves, twigs and branches are slower to rot, but provide carbon and fibre to the bin.


5. The end product: After nine months to a year your compost will be mature enough to use. You’ll know it’s ready when the compost has turned into a dark, crumbly soil-like substance. It can be used to enrich borders and plants. If you have little use for compost, consider using a wormery as this will produce less compost but plenty of plant food. For further information about home composting and how to get started, as well as advice and information to help you along the way, visit www.recyclenow.com/compost

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To support Recycle_Now's campaign I would love to feature photos of your home composting solution as well as details of the most unusual things you compost. I'll publish my favourites on the blog at the end of the month. Either email at karen[at]therubbishdiet[dot]co[dot]uk or send me a link via Twitter.

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Eh! At least he tried...a bit!

I've just come back from more fun and frolics at BBC Radio Suffolk, popping into the James Hazell Show to see how James did with his Zero Waste Week challenge.

So, the big question is...did he make it?

Er...um..mmmm

Well...let's just say he didn't do quite as well as his producer Sally Goodwin, who only the week before managed to go zero waste with the exception of a chocolate bar wrapper and some bags and film that I took off her hands to drop off at our local HWRC.

James on the other hand managed ...

...cue drumroll...

....a day!

Even with the promise of a zero waste bar of chocolate as a reward.

Something tells me he didn't quite take it as seriously as Sal.

BUT - and I don't mean cigarette butts - his household bin is only half full each fortnight, which is fab.

AND...

...during the last week, he's discovered there's a recycling bin in the kitchen.

AND...

...he found a reuse for those cigarette butts, which led to some jokes about Hazell's Butt Couture.

AND...

...even if he didn't take it as seriously afterwards, he did manage a rubbish-free day,


...which is, what could be called a vital start!

With news of his partial failure, I'm just relieved that James didn't bring his rubbish bags into the studio, but just in case I was prepared with my safety goggles and rubber gloves.

Because you never know...!

So when it came down to the jury...did he earn his bar of chocolate? Well, call me an old softie, but I just had to say yes. Not sure it was the puppy look that swayed me or the fact that he was trying at the very start of the week [note to Sal - you're free to interpret that as you like].

But I wasn't going to let him get away with it completely, so gave him a couple of booby prizes, including a special souvenir from Felixstowe that I picked up from Fran Crowe's exhibition at the weekend....a piece of old rope that she rescued from the beach during her work "Walking to Save Some Sea".

So the final verdict?

Well James - at least you tried...a bit,

...but could do better,

so.... shall I come in and see you again next year?

Eh?

With 12 months notice, we're bound to see further improvement.

But seriously, huge thanks to both Sally and James for everything they've done to promote the message about the range of recycling facilities that exist across Suffolk and giving me a chance to plug Recycle Now's Recycle Week.

It has been lots of fun!

So for me, it's feet up for the next couple of months until I'm back again for the Girls Talk session in September.

Who am I kidding. I'm afraid it'll be nose to the recycling grindstone as usual.

Update: You can hear it all for yourself on the BBC's Listen Again service. Just fast forward to two hours into the programme at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p003lm3k/James_Hazell_07_07_2009/

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Swapping clothes for Recycle Week

I love this poster by Suffolk County Council, promoting a clothes swap shop for Recycle Week. And I really wish I could go, because at these events I always find something I love. It's always a great opportunity to pass unwanted items onto a better home too.

However, I can't get along because of events relating to my pledge, but if you live in Suffolk, why not see if you can pop along yourself and take some friends. It's at Sproughton Tithe Barn, Tuesday 23rd June, 6pm - 9pm.

Doors will be open between 6pm to 7pm to accept clothing and then from 7pm onwards, individuals will be welcome to swap 'til they drop! Members of the public have been asked to bring a minimum of 1 item and a maximum of 10 of clothes,shoes and jewellery. There will also be bring banks collecting end of life textiles that would normally end up in the black bin with the aim of diverting them from landfill and recycling them instead.

It really does look like fun.

Suffolk County Council is busy supporting Recycle Week's Lets Waste Less theme by focusing on recycling textiles, so there are more opportunities to recycle your clothing across the county. For more information about what's happening in Suffolk, pop over to www.suffolkrecycling.org.uk

And don't forget, there's still time to make your pledge for Recycle Week, which starts on Monday. So if you've got a spare couple of minutes - that's all it takes - hop over to Recycle Now, where you can also find if there are similar events happening in your area.

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No time to waste!

Apologies if I've been quiet on the blog over the last week.

It may have looked like the lights were on, but I am afraid that there was no-one at home, no-one that is except for two cats and about two hundred worms.

Following a last-minute cancellation at a rural hotspot we've had our eye on, we took the opportunity for a short break in Monmouthshire.

With family in the heart of Bristol as well as the coal-mining valleys of South Wales, Penallt (a little village just outside Monmouth) seemed the perfect base for visiting those close to us, nicely located in the middle of our two destinations but far enough away to feel like a real holiday.

And it was a holiday...even from blogging...as there was no access to the Internet! I was just glad that I'd organised the videos beforehand, knowing things would be busy.

However rubbish dieting aficionados will be pleased to hear that it wasn't a holiday from waste awareness and apart from the other personal stuff such as staying in a fab place, enjoying great food and celebrating Mr A's (waste-free) birthday, here are some of the less obvious highlights....

• Zero Waste Travel: Zero Waste Travel was Mr A's idea and at his request I baked muffins for the journey instead of buying snack bars. I also saved the fruit and veg from a lonesome week in the fridge and created some snack pots for the journey. I mustn't forget the invention of a new awesome snack of bananas in blankets, easily created by wrapping a slice of bread around a banana! Perfect for rumbling tummies en-route! But tsk-tsk Mr A. No sooner had we set off, I discovered Mr A discretely unwrapping some Cadbury's chocolate eclairs. Zero Waste Travel indeed! And as for the snack pot of chopped fruit, perhaps I should mention they tumbled out of my eldest's hands, coinciding with a very sharp bend ...oops...Gritty grapes are not nice, especially when squashed into a backpack!
  

• Not on your nelly! This time, it was Mr A's turn to "tsk-tsk" me. After all my hard work on saying "no" to the children, all it took was a weak moment on Tuesday morning. I took the boys on a tour of Tintern Abbey, while Mr A stayed outside to finish a work report. After just over an hour of wandering around the ruins about three times over and fifteen minutes of hide-and-seek, we decided it was time to leave and the only way out was via the shop. One ball-point pen and plastic compass later, we returned to Mr A's frown and look of dismay. I know, I know! After everything I said....BUT...the compass was educational AND the ball-point pen was excessively huge and so orange that it could never get lost and can be used for storing all sorts of things when it runs out...EXCUSES, EXCUSES... I guess it just shows how hard it is. However, in my defence, these were the only excesses during a week of half-term antics and is a huge improvement on previous times.

• Meeting Mrs Green! When regular commentator Mrs Green heard that we were staying in her neck of the woods, she kindly invited us over for a cup of tea! We couldn't refuse a lovely impromptu offer like that, especially as she has courageously just signed up to her own Rubbish Diet. Mrs Green is a talented lady. Not only is she brilliant at blogging, she's also great at biscuits and cakes, plus lots of other things. It's just a shame we could only stay for a couple of hours. There's more on Mrs Green tomorrow, so do visit for lots of exciting news, including my very unusual composting experience.
  

• Visiting St Arvans! As I told Mr A, it really was a coincidence that we were staying so close to St Arvans. "What's so significant about St Arvans?" you might ask. I'll reveal all later this week, but if you can't wait to find out, there's always Google!

• Realising our accommodation had a Food Waste collection! There wasn't any info in the brochure, the landlady hadn't even mentioned it and I am not that obsessed that I 'd checked out the recycling bins, but the sheer joy of opening the front door one day and seeing little food waste bins on the kerbside meant I found myself in recycling heaven. The only downside was trying to empty the remnants of the previous night's black bean stir-fry into the teeny bin, whilst fishing out the odd wine cork.....er, honestly I'm really really not obsessed!
  

Sorry, I've just realised...how rude of me not to send a postcard! After abandoning the blog and going on holiday for a week it's the very least I could do.

So without further ado, here's a lovely photo that I took of my visit....to none other than Monmouth's Household Waste Recycling Centre:



And as for the message:

"Weather crap and recycling variable....

Wish you were here... Well perhaps not exactly here as other HWRCs are available.

As today is the beginning of WRAP's Recycle Week a visit to your local HWRC will be even more timely. The theme of Recycle Week is "One more thing", so what a perfect excuse to rummage through your cupboards and pop along to your local HWRC to show your support. Your "one more thing" could be an aerosol can, a tetrapak carton or a few batteries... whatever they are able to take. And while you're at it, tell your friends just in case they can't find their way. And if they really can't find their way out of a proverbial paper bag the Recycle Now site will be of great help.

Oh I'm so glad to be back... even if it never felt like I was really away!

Lots of love,

Almost Mrs Average xx"


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