Is that a Dalek in your garden?

If you've been looking into composting this week (well it is Compost Awareness Week), you might have been considering which option is best for you: whether it's a beehive composter, building your own or perhaps getting one of those dalek types.

If you are still pondering, perhaps this little clip will help you decide:

...now where did I leave that sink plunger...?

The person behind the voice: Jenny from Bletchley

If you were listening into the JVS show on Three Counties Radio last Thursday, you would have heard me chatting briefly with caller Jenny about her rubbish.

Jenny had phoned in to tell presenter Jonathan Vernon-Smith that her solution to the problem of over-packaging is to unwrap it and leave it at the supermarket. She relayed it with such great humour, I was disappointed when our 5 minutes airtime was up.

I knew I could have talked rubbish with her for much longer. Her character was compelling.

So, I decided to catch up with her off-air and I guess it’ll be of no surprise that we had a good old gasbag for an hour.

Jenny, soon to be 60, is widowed and lives on her own. She describes herself as an ordinary, everyday person, who is just happy in her own company, pottering around and enjoying her retirement.

I asked her why she decided to call into the radio station and this is her reply:

“Once you’re conscious of things like rubbish and you see how easy it is to make the change within yourself, you get drawn to what others are doing. When I heard Jonathan talking about the supermarket and the wrappers, I didn’t give it a second thought, I just rang up to tell them what I do with my wrappings. I was surprised when the producer Laura said she’d put me on air”.

As Jenny laughs about her actions, it becomes obvious that she is a do-er with a great sense of humour and is someone who is happy to stand up and be counted.

“Instead of just moaning to myself or my friends I take action,” she chuckles.

“When walking along my local high street, a couple of months ago, on a cold winter’s day, I passed what might be regarded as the top greetings card shop in the country, with its doors wide open. How ignorant I thought, to have the doors wide open, with full heating on, blasting all that hot air out into the street.”

“When I approached the manager and suggested how wasteful it was, she looked at me as though I was from another planet and said, ‘it’s shop policy’… ‘Doors open mean the shop’s open, doors closed means the shop’s closed.’”

“So I took it upon myself to remark loudly that it was very short-sighted of other customers not to have said something about it, after all we are the ones who are going to pay for this waste of energy the next time they put the price of the cards up.”

Jenny may appear to be an activist, but she is just an average person who has perhaps found her inner rebel and now has the confidence to do something about it.

When I asked her about her rubbish and recycling, she said that it’s only in the last couple of years that she’s paid particular attention to it, recalling that it must have been 10 years ago that her area was issued with recycling bins to sort out paper and tins.

These days, her area has pink bags for things like newspapers, cardboard and packaging and a black bin for landfill waste. Through choosing products carefully and taking recyclables back to the local supermarket facilities, Jenny’s landfill binbag remains quite small and she only needs to put it out every three weeks, despite a weekly collection.

However Jenny acknowledges difficulties with the current system. “When the council changes its contracted services, it can get quite complicated for residents while everyone tries to get used to it.”

She also believes that more could be done to encourage people to recycle more and comments,

“The local supermarket car park has some recycling facilities, which I use for the few tins I buy, but there could be more facilities available.”

At this point she happens to reflect on society in general and adds, “It’s also about getting people to have new thought patterns.”

“For example, I’ll take some rolled up bags to the shops and often people look at me strangely.”

“Some of my peer group just think I’m making a fuss and sometimes say I should get a life. I just tell them that perhaps they should stop rushing around so much and start thinking about other things that are important”.

I bet some of my own friends probably think the same about me and the various habits that I've developed over the last few months.

During our short chat, I quickly decided that I really liked Jenny's gumption and admired her approach. She doesn't have access to the Internet, but she did write down the address of this blog. So if any of Jenny's friends or relatives are reading, please give her a big high-five from me and thank her for agreeing to be featured.

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Easier done than said: Bread Rolls

Yesterday morning, I made some bread rolls. I know...I nearly fell off my own chair!

It all resulted from a conversation that I had with my husband over breakfast, reminiscing about our stay in a French guest-house last year and remembering how lovely the breakfasts were.

It was all down to Madame Marty and her ability to afford time to making her own jams, yoghurt and bread rolls. One morning while chatting to Mme Marty, she asked me what I did. When I told her that I was a housewife, she nodded almost in solidarity and conversed in a way that assumed I made the same lovely things as she did.

It's funny the things people assume. She was surprised when I explained that I didn't.

Assumptions of course arise from perception, either based on people's own experiences, or on what they understand to be true. This is why when people make such assumptions, it's almost like being presented with a self-reflection and if appropriate, it can also be an opportunity for positive change.

My own assumption was that bread rolls were difficult to make. A whole year later, after following some instructions on the Crazy Squirrel site yesterday morning, I now know that not to be true.

Like the pastry the other day, the rolls were surprisingly easy to make and the kneading didn't take too long. They were also much better than the loaves that we sometimes make in the bread machine.

I'd now like to think I could build baking bread into my regular routines. Not only is it nicer but saves on packaging too ... but all I can say is watch this space as I add it to the other million-and-one things on my to-do list.
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Slimming the Beaufoix Bin

Meet the Beaufoix Bin. Sounds posh doesn't it? It's even green, but don't let that fool you. It's not a recycling bin but a good old-fashioned (and overflowing) rubbish bin.


It's a real pleasure to have made its acquaintance, not because of its swank sounding name, but because it belongs to the lovely Jo Beaufoix, a fellow blogger and writer, who has volunteered her bin for The Rubbish Diet treatment.

And you can see why.



Despite its 240 litre capacity, there's no room for manoeuvre by bin day.

Just imagine if the Beaufoix household missed its fortnightly collection, especially as they often have an extra three or four carrier bags of rubbish that can't fit into the bin and are consequently taken directly to the tip.

Anyway, you've met the overweight bin, and it's now time to meet its owner, Jo Beaufoix herself.


Jo lives in the old mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, with her husband, two young children, a gerbil, a lorry-load of slugs and a fictional ostrich called Babs.

Jo wants to slim her bin mainly because she wants to help the environment, but is also hoping that the experience will help her and her family lead a healthier lifestyle and save some money along the way.

The Beaufoix household recycles whatever they can including card, paper and tin cans in their blue bin, which is provided by Mansfield District Council and they take glass to the bottle bank and clothes to the clothes bank, charity shops or carboot sales, so they are already pretty organised. They also have a brown bin collection for garden waste.

So the challenge is to work on the rest of the rubbish that goes in their landfill bin, which includes Aerosols, Batteries, Chocolate and Snack Bar Wrappers, Cleaning Waste, Cooked Food and Fruit and Vegetable Peelings. On top of that there are also the Gerbil's Bedding, Nappies, Meat Packaging Trays, Tea Bags & Coffee Grounds, Tetra Pak Cartons and Sanitary Products.

The key task for Jo and her family is to reduce all this by 50% and they are committed to doing this over the next few months.

It's great news that the Beaufoix household is also keen to start composting straight away, which means that they will be able to cut out some major things such as fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds and the gerbil's bedding, which is mainly shredded paper.

For Jo, there is no better time to start composting, as this week is Compost Awareness Week, which is being promoted by WRAP and the Compost Awareness Association and is supported by major garden centres, DIY stores and local authorities.

The good news is that living in Nottinghamshire, she will be able to take advantage of the cheap deals offered by Nottinghamshire County Council, which is running compost awareness events on 10th and 11th May, where compost bins will be available from as little as £17.

There are other composting events running across the country this week and you can find more details about local events at www.compostawarenessweek.org.uk. Further inspiration can also be found at the Recycle Now website, where you can see a video of celebrity garden designer Diarmuid Gavin indulging in the subject.

So while I am busy working on her Rubbish Diet plan this week, why not pop over and visit Jo at www.jobeaufoix.com, where you'll receive a warm welcome and an insight into her fun character... oh and I mustn't forget... the adventurous antics of her ostrich Babs.

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Rubbish as an Artform

I don't normally blog during the weekend, but I just couldn't wait to share the details of a fantastic art exhibition that I visited today, entitled "Walking to save some sea", by Suffolk artist Fran Crowe.

The exhibition is inspired by a 2006 UN report, which revealed that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter per square mile of ocean, causing the death of over 100,000 mammals and turtles and over one million seabirds.

On learning this Fran Crowe decided to "save one square mile of ocean" by collecting 46,000 pieces of litter, over a period of a year, whilst walking along local beaches. The rubbish, which weighs a third of a tonne, is now used in her exhibition to portray what she describes as "an accessible but unflinching self-portrait of our society".

As you'll see from some of the photos below, her work is fascinating, with carefully laid-out materials providing thought-provoking content through beautiful form.

Look closely at the images and you will see all sorts of things including plastics, metals, balloons, polystyrene as well as broken toys, paintbrushes and lots of other odds and ends.

The exhibition was set within the walls of the ancient monument Landguard Fort in Felixstowe, providing a very interesting background against which to curate an installation such as this. The combination of the two is sheer genius.

So if you've got nothing to do this Bank Holiday Monday and you fancy a trip to see the exhibition in Felixstowe, then you are in luck because Monday 5th May is its last day. It really is a worthwhile visit.

However, if it's not within your reach and you would still like to find out more, then please pop along to Fran's website at www.flyintheface.com.

The exhibition really did have an instant effect. We took the foot ferry to Harwich afterwards and went exploring on the beach. I couldn't help but notice the amount of rubbish dotted around the shore, including a couple of fizzy drinks cans that had just been left on the sand. The nearest bin was only 20 metres away, less that a minute walk away. It's a pity whoever left the cans couldn't see it!
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The Self Sufficient-Ish Story

Dave and Andy Hamilton: Authors of The Self Sufficient-Ish Bible

Regular readers may recall my recent announcement about a fabulous book called The Self Sufficient-ish Bible. It's a great read and is very inspiring for anyone who wants to live a more frugal lifestyle.

I recently caught up with Andy Hamilton, one of the co-authors and founders of the Selfsufficient-ish website to find out more about the site, their recent stardom as well as their rubbish. I hope you enjoy the insight that Andy has so kindly provided.

What prompted you to set up the Website?

"Selfsufficientish.com was set up in 2004 as a place for us (Dave and I) to share our increasing knowledge of growing herbs and veg."


Why did you choose a website instead of a blog?

"We chose a website instead of a blog as neither of us knew much about the Internet as we were not big surfers. We did not even think about setting up a blog. They were pretty alien to us. In fact after reading an article in one of the Sunday papers years ago, I thought that blogs were run by 14 year old American girls and not many more people."

"Obviously times have changed but we are very happy with the decision that we have made. It has meant that the site is no longer just ours but it (especially the web forum) now belongs to an ever-increasing membership from all over the world."

"It was a huge learning curve for me, learning how to code the website and how to get us noticed by search engines. I was working full-time in a psychiatric hospital, studying for a psychology degree and working 16 hours on the site. Looking back I am surprised that I managed to do all that and still keep my girlfriend and a social life."


Of course you must be dead-chuffed with the book but what have been the other highlights in the Selfsufficient-ish journey?

"There have been a number of highlights. Perhaps the biggest one was when Dave telephoned me one Saturday morning urging me to look at our stats. We had gone from 30-ish hits a day to over 10,000 a day."

"A month previously I had sent an email to Click Online (now simply called Click) a BBC news program aired on BBC Worldwide and News 24. It immediately gave us a global audience."

"The first time we were mentioned in The Times was another big moment. As was first getting our agent, hearing we had got a book deal, giving a talk (to 24 people) at the Oxford literary festival and just recently meeting up with a crew and doing some filming for the Paul O'Grady Show."

"It has been a strange old time over the last couple of years. Aside from media interest, everyday things can really mean a lot. We occasionally get thanked by people or get what I guess would be called 'fan email'. As the Selfsufficientish journey has not always been a fruitful one, these emails have made all the difference."

"There have been occasions where running the site has caused nothing but stress and these emails have been the ray of hope needed to carry on. It is also fantastic to find out that we have helped people not only in giving them advice on how to be more Selfsufficientish but also giving some a place to make friends."


How do you and Dave share your work responsibilities?

"With the book, it was easy we split the work load in half, taking the subjects that we felt more passionately about. For example, Dave wrote about the soil, as he is forever trying to improve his and I guess I am more of a hippy and so wrote the Nature's Medicine chapter."

"The website is a different matter that has mostly been down to me to deal with. It is changing and we have taken on board a web designer to do up the site. When we launch the new-look site, we will both be updating with a whole load of new articles."


What was it like to be on the BBC Breakfast red sofa?

"Very, very nerve wracking. But not as scary as the Radio 4 Today program, which we did an hour previously. At one point I was feeling sick and turned to look at Dave hoping he would cover for me , but he was whiter than the driven snow! We got through it and I heard it back once on listen again but it made me cringe a little."

"When we did the BBC Breakfast, later that day, Dan Cruickshank was also in the Green Room (more of a cupboard) and he seemed very nervous, so I chatted to him to help calm HIS nerves."

"The whole studio does not look anything like it does when you watch it. There is a stain on the sofa and no cameramen. In fact it looks like two people talking to themselves. The big screen behind them is just a brick wall painted white with whatever is projected onto it. The whole thing was over in seconds."


How are you coping with the media interest?

"Well to be fair we are hardly A list or even X,Y or Z list celebs. Mind you, we had a white van man (in a claret van) pull up shouting, 'Oi you!'. Worriedly we both looked up, and he just said 'how's your allotment?' Some of the local folk seem to recognise me and I have now gone from a customer in the local green grocers to becoming a friend."


Have you ever met up with forum members or are you planning to?

"Well yes a few. Indeed we are meeting up with some on Saturday to celebrate the launch of the book. The famous Nev Sweeny, our site guru from Australia, will be in the country and we are really looking forward to spending time with him."


So what's in your recycling bins?

"Over the summer months we have hardly any packaging in the bins as most of what we eat is home grown. However, as we are self sufficientish and not self sufficient, we have never professed to being totally self reliant and aim to be realistic. Tinned beans, apple juice cartons, chick pea cans seem to make up the bulk of what is in the recycling bin...really just stuff that we can't make or grow or that would take a long time to produce."


How big is your regular landfill bin?

"As I live with my girlfriend and Dave lives in a shared house, it is hard to really say how little we do throw away. Even so, here in Bristol the collection is fortnightly and we have been known to miss it on more than one consecutive fortnight. This has meant 6 weeks worth of rubbish building up, to be fair we could probably go 8 weeks without having our rubbish collected. If I lived on my own I think I could easily go almost waste-free."


What's your top tip for minimising waste?

"I have twice taken a plastic-free challenge, not buying any plastic for 2 weeks. My waste was minimal during this time. I would say that I was perhaps cheating a little as during both times I was growing a lot of my own stuff. It is much easier to be waste-free when the only packaging that you use is mud! It is possible to make almost everything and using our book and the Internet could set you in good stead to become waste-free!"


Many thanks go to Andy for his patience in answering my various questions. I certainly don't think he was cheating by using his own produce during the plastic-free challenge and it's something that I would love to be able to do, if only I could find the time and energy to stop those slugs from eating my lettuce.

Anyway, I am certainly inspired to try to become more self sufficient-ish and hope that you are too. For more tips and advice, pop along to Andy and Dave's website www.selfsufficientish.com, where there is even an active forum to hand which includes topics as varied as growing your own right produce through to eco-parenting as well as reducing waste.

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The day I baked an apple pie

Yesterday, I woke up with a real desire for apple pie.

Why? I don't know!

I just wanted apple pie.

More curiouser...I felt the urge to make one.

The old me would have just gone out and bought one, but for my alter-ego, aka Almost Mrs Average, who has this thing about packaging and all that, this option is now generally a no-no!

Of course, it's pretty easy to get ready-made pastry these days and this has been a popular addition to my shopping basket over the years.

But yesterday, I took a step back in time and recalled the days when I used to make my own pastry.

The last time was circa 1988 when I was a student on a grant in Nottingham, with £2500 annual income to support me for the whole year. Back then I used to be able to cook up a mean apple pie to share with my friends.

So what happened?

I suppose things have got in the way of my appley pie delights...work, cheap supermarket deals, more disposable cash, kids and generally less time on my hands. When you think about my love of blogging as well as my regular dose of Corrie, I generally don't have the hour or so needed to dedicate to regularly making pies.

...but that's where I've been foiled. My poor memory must have got the better of me, darn it.

An hour...where did I get that from? Of course it doesn't take that long!

Yesterday I grabbed the flour, butter and lard, rubbed it into crumbs and bound it together with some water and within 10 minutes I had some pastry.

After leaving it to chill in the fridge, I rolled it out and shaped it into the pie dish, added the chopped apples and then bunged it in the oven for 50 minutes.

And there it was...a delicious apple pie, which required only about 20 minutes effort.

I am glad to have rediscovered the ease of home-made pastry. For something that seems to carry a veil of mystery, it really was that easy. It's almost like unpicking an illusion and discovering the reality that hides within.

I think only time will tell whether I' m a real convert or whether it's just a temporary blip of enthusiasm, but I'm pretty confident that there will be a few more pies in the Almost Average Household from now on!

The other big news today is that Almost Mrs Average is stepping out of Suffolk...well only for 5 minutes...when I "nip" over the border to Beds, Bucks and Herts!

If you tune into BBC Three Counties Radio at about 12.15, you may be able to hear me talking to presenter Jonathan Vernon-Smith about my rubbish, or rather the lack of it. So to any listeners who are visiting the blog as a result, may I extend a very warm welcome and thank you for listening to my rambles.

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