Those tricky tissues

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 http://www.therubbishdiet.blogspot.com/.

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

We're up to Week 3


The theme for this week is FOOD! One of my favourites.


Check out previous posts for some top foody saver tips : http://www.letswastelessnel.blogspot.com/2011/11/top-5-foody-waste-saver-websites.html
http://www.letswastelessnel.blogspot.com/2011/07/food-lovers-finale-for-this-year-anyway.html


I don't think I'm really too bad with food waste, however it's tissue central here at Rubbish Geek HQ :( 


I've got a cold, which seems to have lasted forever (actually it's only a week!) and crumpled up tissues are filling up every bin in the house. I don't think the count up will be a good one on the waste front this week. In fact it feels like I've got worse! Not only did the tissues stack up, but when I went to buy them the best deal financially was a BOGOF, that came wrapped in an extra layer of plastic film grrrr.


I'm still discovering what extra bits can be recycled, and Future Hubby (FH) has decided to pitch in with his suggestions for sorting our recycling system. We've now got one bin in the kitchen for recyclables, kept in the pantry, which he assures me will get sorted into the appropriate containers as soon as it gets filled, by either of us...hmmmm... will believe it when I see it FH!


Will keep you posted on progress this week. In the meantime why not check out how some of the other RubbishDiet bloggers are getting on? You can find them all at www.therubbishdiet.blogspot.com

Pack it in!

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 http://www.therubbishdiet.blogspot.com/.

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

Week 2

Shopping in a waste aware way

This week’s focus for The Rubbish Diet Challenge is on Shopping!

I was feeling rather smug as I decided not to put out my general waste bin this week. All it had in it was a few pieces of polystyrene from a new TV. I wonder if there’s a way of buying electrical goods unpackaged?

Unfortunately because I wasn’t putting out my general waste bin, I forgot to put out my very full recycling boxes, so it’s either a two week wait or a trip to our friendly local Community Recycling Centre. And it rained. So they’re heavy. L

I went to an interesting talk this week with work on over-packaged products, and what consumers can do about it. Did you know you can report companies to Trading Standards if you feel something has excess packaging?

They can open up conversation with the company on improving efficiencies, making the packaging more easily recyclable or out of recycled materials. If the company can’t justify why the packaging use has been chosen, they may have to change it. I actually started boycotting one supermarket at one time because they had vac-packed an individual pepper!

Over the weekend I’ve been cleaning out my fridge ready for the fortnightly(ish) shop that’s well needed and using up leftovers. A lot of the products I’ve been buying come in the annoying plastic film, like my bag of beansprouts and pack of crumpets. This film can now be recycled at stores that have plastic bag recycling, so I’ll have to start separating it out as it would eliminate the majority of my waste. I don’t know if this includes clingfilm though. I prefer using old margarine tubs for leftovers. Clingfilm feels like an indulgence now!

However, it’s not just about recycling it, how can I avoid it? I already have reusable bags for my loose fruit and veg, but some things aren’t really sold loose locally to me (that I’m aware of).

It’s a case of weighing up between how much do I want a product if I can’t avoid extra packaging to go with it?!

I am very keen on my stylish reusable bags, but was pleased to spot spare cardboard boxes available at the end of the tills in the supermarket the other day.

Summary of waste for the week: 1 black bag of kitchen waste

Action for the week: Find a separate point to collect plastic films. Stop using clingfilm! 

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!

5 Top tips Re:Junk mail

How can we Reduce, Reuse and Recycle the pesky leaflets we never asked for?

Well it looks as though central government is going to try to pull together a one stop shop to allow householders to unsubscribe from junk mail once and for all in the UK.
Most of it is a waste of paper, especially if we already have the takeaway leaflet ten times over, don’t shop in the particular supermarket which has millions of deals on every week, and certainly don’t have a need for the product being advertised.
Currently the system involves contacting at least two companies – the Royal Mail, and the Mail Preference Service.

But how well will this work? I can’t honestly imagine that the local takeaways will take much notice of whether a house has signed a register or not, unless it confronts them on the doorstep!

What methods have we tried and tested already to Reduce and Reuse junk mail?

1. Put up a sign. Yes it may look like Mr Scrooge has had a hand in decorating your letterbox, but a small polite sign really can work wonders. We tried it on our letter box, simply saying, ‘No junk mail including charity textiles bags, please.’ The impact was fantastic! Until weathering gradually wore it away. So, on my To do list is: replace the sign. Some people choose durable stickers, but I liked being able to personalise my notice, as charity bags was a real issue for us, receiving up to 5 a week!

2. Catch them at it. A short conversation could flag up your property as a ‘No, thanks’ address, with that particular distributor, but probably you won’t be in, or the message won’t be passed on to the bosses.

3. Send it back. Costly in postage, but it does make a statement. Let us know if you get a response? Mrs Green at My Zero Waste probably has some great templates for returning mail, as well as sending back unnecessary packaging!

4. Chopping it up and making use of it. This was especially fun cutting out pictures of our favourite foods for a school project! Shredded coloured paper would make decorative, recyclable fillings for hampers or present boxes.

5. Crafting it. Magazines and direct mail are often printed on brightly coloured or patterned papers, so why not turn them into some beautiful paper flowers – they’ll never wilt or die,
The paper flowers are made in a similar way to making paper snowflakes, each a unique design. Then roll a sheet around a pencil, use a dab of glue or smidgen of sellotape to seal the end, and slide the pencil out, making your own stalk to attach. Paper aeroplanes and origami are also a popular activity, and cost-free!

And of course if you can’t reduce or reuse it, please recycle it. Maybe our blue boxes will be lighter once the new measure comes into play – keep your ears to the ground!

Let us know about your junk mail successes and messes below.

Top 5 foody waste (and money) saver websites

Our top 5 foody waste saver websites

1. Ok, if you’ve been a regular on this blog you’ll have heard us bang on about how great Love Food Hate Waste’s website is – but that’s just it, it IS! I especially recommend the party planner, where you can specify how many people are visiting and how long for, to plan the amount of party nibbles to provide. But please let us upload more recipes soon… http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/

2. However as another tasty treat for the regulars why not have a look at Scotland’s version http://www.wasteawarelovefood.org.uk/. I especially like the recipe section, which has a recipe finder for you to type in your ingredients to use up. www.wasteawarelovefood.org.uk/recipeTools

3. One of the best parts of the Love Food Hate Waste webpages is the meal planner, but I think that the NHS have actually cracked it on their 5 a day planner.

Not only can you drag and drop all your favourite recipes, but you can do it for a whole week, print off the plan, as well as the recipes, and plus count up lots of healthy eating points too! If we're planning our meals for the week ahead we're much less likely to have lurking items forgotten about in the fridge.
www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/5aday.aspx

4. Can I keep yoghurt in the freezer? How long for? How do I blanche? All the answers to these questions and so much more, can be found at http://www.stilltasty.com/ They brand themselves as Your Ultimate ShelfLife Guide, and I tend to agree.
It’s an essential guide to safe storage of every food type you’ve ever thought of.

5. Premeditated Leftovers is a blog from an American homemaker mum, filled with recipes and brilliant tips for being frugal with your food. You can sign up for regular updates or just pop in for a visit at www.premeditatedleftovers.com/

Going green in the garden

The demonstration compost bin we take to schools and community groups

It may not be spring but we're turning our attention in this post to going all green in the garden. Garden waste is becoming an issue that’s getting people all hot under the collar at the moment in North East Lincolnshire. But it could be getting all hot in a compost heap instead!
The council isn’t obliged by law to make a doorstep collection of garden waste, and when the first bins were put out for this use it was paid for using funding from Defra. Unfortunately we’re living in hard financial times and NELincs council may well have to introduce a charge for this service in 2012. Many councils already make a charge to collect the garden waste instead of expecting people to take it to a council tip, but the prices charged range widely.
Of course any moving of green waste from the house means extra pollution whether it’s a public or a private vehicle taking it away.
The nutrients in green waste can be used as a perfect soil conditioner for your own garden, and allsorts can be included such as grass cuttings, plants, even egg boxes and tea bags! For more information to know what to compost or not go to www.nelincs.gov.uk/environment/recycling--rubbish-and-waste/recycling/home-composting/ or for a reduced price compost bin visit
http://www.nel.getcomposting.com/

We’d love to hear from you if you’re a keen composter, live in North East Lincolnshire and would like to offer your advice to anyone who’s struggling to compost or is just starting out.
Please phone 01472 325843 and ask about becoming a Compost Champion!