Rubbish Diet Challenge 2012

What is the Rubbish Diet Challenge? 

We're always trying to encourage our lovely locals to cut down on their waste, but how easy can it really be? Challenge accepted!!

Alongside 8 other bloggers we'll be following the top tips and advice of household waste guru Karen Cannard of The Rubbish Diet, as she encourages us on how to out our bin on a diet too! You too can see her tips and advice, as well as see how she got on when the spotlight was on her bins at www.therubbishdiet.blogspot.com.

We'll be blogging away here, as well as tweeting on @RubbishGeek and Faceybooking at Letswasteless Nelc

Week 1 I took my homework back last night, and took some piccies. Week one we need to work out what waste we're throwing out, and what can be recycled in our area.

I've just moved house into North East Lincolnshire Council and new recycling system, so I've got new boxes and bins to get to grips with. Details of the collection system are on www.nelincs.gov.uk/recycle

Green wheelie bin is general waste (collected weekly)
Brown wheelie bin is garden waste and cardboard (collected fortnightly)
Green box is glass  (collected fortnightly)
Orange box is cans and tins (collected fortnightly)
Blue box is paper (collected fortnightly) see below

I've also got huge amounts of paper to recycle, having had a blitz on the filing system during the house move, so despite having a fortnightly collection of recycling, the box is full already with one week still to go! I keep the paper box inside for convenience.

Last week I put out loads of cardboard in the monthly winter collection (brown bin) from christmas presents. 

In the general waste bin (weekly) was 1 black sack of kitchen rubbish and two carrier bags of household rubbish. Not too bad really, I felt. The recycling boxes (fortnightly) were full to the brim from a party the week before.

So what's in the bins this week? 

Kitchen bin.. mostly plastic films, and yoghurt pots

bathroom bin ... some recyclables have sneaked in here!

 I can see a lot of plastic - plastic films, plastic yoghurt pots and I used one of my bug bears this morning - plastic meat trays.

However on closer inspection I found the tray is actually a type 1 plastic! 

Type 1 plastic (as well as 2 and 3) can be recycled with plastic bottles in bring banks, one of which we have in the village. So the film and wadding will have to go, and I'll wash it out, but hurray - this tray at least can be recycled! Check for a number inside a triangle to work out what types of plastic are being used.
There are also a few items other that should be recycled, like paper and cardboard in the bathroom bin (I blame DH, he's not very good at looking beyond the nearest bin). So an action for future could be to get separate areas in the bathroom for recycling to go on.

My compost bucket is full to the brim but… I had to leave my outdoor compost bin behind in the house move, bye bye House A...

Compost bucket, full to the brim!

So my target action for this week is to buy a new one for my garden in House B. In North East Lincs the price is subsidised by the council, and includes delivery, a compost bucket and an activator liquid to speed up the process. www.nel.getcomposting.com is the website to order them from.

I thought I was going to have a terrible start to the week - as it was Chinese New Year, we invited some friends over to share a meal. We're not Chinese, but do LOVE chinese food. However I hate having to deal with all the various cartons and tubs that come with a takeaway. I try to re-use the tubs, but have ended up with a cupboard full of spare tupperware which drives DH bonkers, especially as many are missing matching lids! Anyway, this time brain wave struck! We ended up going to our local chinese restaurant instead and let them do the washing up! Lots of waste avoided, as well as having to tidy my dining room table!

Ok, lots of info about my bins - up close, and honest! 

How are your bins this week?

Rubbish Geek

New year's solutions!

I've been getting all creative with the Love Food Hate Waste theme, which means everyone benefits!

Well those in the office benefited from banana bread offerings, and you lovely readers can benefit from a bit of poetry.

It's important that we all make the most of the food we've got, because no-one likes throwing food in the bin, down the drain or out to the birds - not when its you that was intended to eat it!

And if we can pass on the benefits, then everyone's benefits grow! 

We're looking for some local Food Champions to spread the Love Food Hate Waste messages into their schools, community groups and colleges, workplaces and working men's clubs... anywhere really! So here's some verse to inspire you (hopefully!)

A poem about Food: 

We post a lot on Love Food Hate Waste, 
Because we think it's Really Great,
So now we think it's time to share,
Not just on here, but EVERYWHERE

There's money savings, help and tips,
Not to be secret, so let it slip -
To neighbours, friends, to mums & dads,
To get some help will make them glad

Recipes and FAQs,
not just for me, but you, and you
and everyone that we can tell
so the ranks of Food Lovers swell

Put up a poster, send round a card,
With a recipe on it – it’s not hard
To be a Food Lover just means you hate waste,
And want to give everyone a taste

Of £50 a month that could be saved
And CO2 gas effects that can be waived
So give some advice and egg someone on,
You too can be a Champion!

If you liked our poem and feel like making a difference in your community, follow the link to find out more about being a local Love Food Champion!

http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/resident/recycling-rubbish-waste/love-food-hate-waste/local-love-food-champions/ Love Food Hate Waste - Community

Those keen to have a go at tackling blackened bananas, here's a recipe for Banana Loaf:

8oz bananas

8oz plain flour

4oz margarine/ butter

2 eggs

2 tsps baking powder

4oz soft light brown sugar

1 sp mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

My bananas before starting out (Fairtrade of course!)

Mushy bananas can have other bananas added in too

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºc

2. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

3. Cream together the sugar and margarine.

4. Beat in the eggs.

5. Add flour, spices and baking powder. Mix through.

6. Mash the bananas using a fork then add to the main mixture.

7. Put mixture into the tin and bake for 50minutes

The mixture doesn't look particularly appetising either!

Beautiful banana loaf!