How much of our waste is actually recyclable?
So here is the challenge - how low can you go if you put your mind to it?
Our amazing Rubbish Dieters in Shropshire have been slimming their bins over the last few weeks to spectacular effect
here are a few quotes:
"I can't believe what a difference taking all the polythene out of my bin makes! Wouldn't it be great if everyone took their polythene to Sainsburys, Morrisons or the Coop"
"I'm loving my Bokashi bin - no more food waste in my bin - and my bin is so much slimmer"
"Doing the Rubbish Diet with my neighbours has been a great way to meet people who live on Ashley Street"
"I asked the council to take away my big wheelie bin - now I have a tiny one because my rubbish has gone down so much I don't need a big one. The little one is easy to move and doesn't take up much space"
If you would like to know more about the Rubbish Diet - give me a shout on 01743 351014 07972 858313 or follow us on twitter @rdshropshire Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk
Sign up to the Rubbish Diet www.therubbishdiet.org.uk or come to 8 Woodfield Road Monday 17th June at 7.30pm all welcome for cake and a rubbish chat
Showing posts with label compost. Show all posts
Showing posts with label compost. Show all posts
Monday, 17 June 2013
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Apparently you can compost almost anything!!
Did you know.....?
20 surprising items you can compost Taken from the RecycleBank (4 Sep 2012 by Jo Dimbleby)
Many items of household waste can add extra nutrients to your compost heap – not just the obvious, such as vegetable peels and coffee grounds.
1. Stale wine and beer – great for after a party! Wine is actually used by many old school gardeners as an ‘activator’ for compost, kicking off the bacterial processes needed to break down the waste.
2. Hair from your family and your pets
3. Balsa wood boxes – such as the ones commonly sold with Camembert cheeses.
4. Used masking tape
5. Stale fish food
6. Hide or bone based dog chews – just make sure your dog’s finished with it first, otherwise you’ll have an unhappy hound.
7. Old rope – so long as it’s natural and not plastic-based
8. Really worn out leather items – chop these up into small strips with scissors to cut the time it takes them to break down.
9. Condoms – did you know that both latex and sheepskin condoms compost?
10. Wool or cotton clothing – finally a good use for that exhausted old jumper!
Old cotton clothing can be used as dusters and cleaning cloths first; when they get too mangy, wash them through and bung them on the compost.
11. Cotton tampons and cardboard applicators
12. Seaweed – tried and tested ‘activator’. Useful as it gives the decomposition process a boost.
13. Feathers – another brilliant way to get your compost heap working overtime.
14. Vacuum dust – woollen carpets only, not synthetic as these fibres will not compost.
15. Muddy scrapings from your hiking boots
16. Lint from the tumbledryer filter
17. Fingernail and toenail clippings – provided they’re nail varnish free.
18. Ashes from the BBQ – worms go crazy for these. Make sure they’re cool first, unless you want a flaming compost heap!
19. Used tissues – collect them when you have a cold. The screwed up paper helps create space and aerate the heap. Also paper towels make excellent compost.
20. Animal manure from vegetarian pets – best mixed with straw.
Let us know if anyone's got any other compost tips?
20 surprising items you can compost Taken from the RecycleBank (4 Sep 2012 by Jo Dimbleby)
Many items of household waste can add extra nutrients to your compost heap – not just the obvious, such as vegetable peels and coffee grounds.
1. Stale wine and beer – great for after a party! Wine is actually used by many old school gardeners as an ‘activator’ for compost, kicking off the bacterial processes needed to break down the waste.
2. Hair from your family and your pets
3. Balsa wood boxes – such as the ones commonly sold with Camembert cheeses.
4. Used masking tape
5. Stale fish food
6. Hide or bone based dog chews – just make sure your dog’s finished with it first, otherwise you’ll have an unhappy hound.
7. Old rope – so long as it’s natural and not plastic-based
8. Really worn out leather items – chop these up into small strips with scissors to cut the time it takes them to break down.
9. Condoms – did you know that both latex and sheepskin condoms compost?
10. Wool or cotton clothing – finally a good use for that exhausted old jumper!
Old cotton clothing can be used as dusters and cleaning cloths first; when they get too mangy, wash them through and bung them on the compost.
11. Cotton tampons and cardboard applicators
12. Seaweed – tried and tested ‘activator’. Useful as it gives the decomposition process a boost.
13. Feathers – another brilliant way to get your compost heap working overtime.
14. Vacuum dust – woollen carpets only, not synthetic as these fibres will not compost.
15. Muddy scrapings from your hiking boots
16. Lint from the tumbledryer filter
17. Fingernail and toenail clippings – provided they’re nail varnish free.
18. Ashes from the BBQ – worms go crazy for these. Make sure they’re cool first, unless you want a flaming compost heap!
19. Used tissues – collect them when you have a cold. The screwed up paper helps create space and aerate the heap. Also paper towels make excellent compost.
20. Animal manure from vegetarian pets – best mixed with straw.
Let us know if anyone's got any other compost tips?
Thursday, 9 May 2013
How much food goes in your bin?
So here we are in week 3 of the rubbish diet - this week we are looking at food waste and how to avoid it!
No-one deliberately wastes food but it is so easy to do!
Karen Cannard - the creator of the Rubbish Diet sent over this link from love food hate waste campaign.... "Re food, it's also worth remembering that even up to its Use By date, certain food can still be frozen. Here's a great link that you might like to share around your community:" http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/content/know-your-dates-londons-love-food-hate-waste-campaign
I think I just need a 30 hour day - then I would be really organised! The chickens next door are enjoying my attempts at getting rid of food waste and the dog is getting fat! This has got to stop - no more food waste from now on!
No-one deliberately wastes food but it is so easy to do!
Karen Cannard - the creator of the Rubbish Diet sent over this link from love food hate waste campaign.... "Re food, it's also worth remembering that even up to its Use By date, certain food can still be frozen. Here's a great link that you might like to share around your community:" http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/content/know-your-dates-londons-love-food-hate-waste-campaign
I think I just need a 30 hour day - then I would be really organised! The chickens next door are enjoying my attempts at getting rid of food waste and the dog is getting fat! This has got to stop - no more food waste from now on!
My biggest and best discovery is the bokashi bin - a little caddy into which you put all your food waste even bones. You add some bokashi bran and in 2 weeks the fermented contents are safe to put in your compost bin or dig straight into your garden.
Here at the Rubbish diet we have some bokashi bins to give away to rubbish dieters to help you keep your bin weight down. If you would like a set to have a go - just drop me a line at Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk
Just seen this from love food hate waste for things to do with soft tomatoes: http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/search/apachesolr_search/tomatoes?filters=tid:78%20type:recipe
Here at the Rubbish diet we have some bokashi bins to give away to rubbish dieters to help you keep your bin weight down. If you would like a set to have a go - just drop me a line at Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk
Just seen this from love food hate waste for things to do with soft tomatoes: http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/search/apachesolr_search/tomatoes?filters=tid:78%20type:recipe
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
Woodfield Road, the latest street to take up the Rubbish Diet Challenge!!
Never ceases to amaze me!!
Over the Easter break I got my kids to post a little leaflet about the Rubbish diet challenge through my neighbours doors. I offered cake and a chat about rubbish! Low and behold 5 people turned up last night - all live on my street, but do you know what - I hadn't even seen them never mind talked to them. So even before we get into the benefits of taking the rubbish diet together - I already know 5 more of my neighbours!
I decided to ask people on my street to do the Rubbish diet with me having seen the great things that have happened in Ashley St - where 22 households are slimming their bins together and sharing journeys to the Household Recycling centre for cardboard, tetrapak and electrical items.
It's bin day today so the bin slimmers of Woodfield Road have thrown themselves straight into the challenge -aiming to reduce the amount of stuff that ends up in their blue bin by recycling more, composting for England, trying to avoid non-recyclable packaging etc.
We have decided to share cardboard recycling as well - so I will put out a sack for cardboard on Sunday and people can wander down the road with their cardboard instead of driving it to a bring bank.
I love getting to know my neighbours so I am really looking forward to slimming bins with the folk of Woodfield road over the next 8 weeks.
If you think your street would like to meet up and eat cake and talk rubbish - let me know and I will happily come and have a chat and help you set it up. It really works and it's good fun.
Have a look at our lovely new website and sign up for the Rubbish Diet: www.therubbishdiet.org.uk
Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk or give me a ring on 07972 858313
Over the Easter break I got my kids to post a little leaflet about the Rubbish diet challenge through my neighbours doors. I offered cake and a chat about rubbish! Low and behold 5 people turned up last night - all live on my street, but do you know what - I hadn't even seen them never mind talked to them. So even before we get into the benefits of taking the rubbish diet together - I already know 5 more of my neighbours!
I decided to ask people on my street to do the Rubbish diet with me having seen the great things that have happened in Ashley St - where 22 households are slimming their bins together and sharing journeys to the Household Recycling centre for cardboard, tetrapak and electrical items.
It's bin day today so the bin slimmers of Woodfield Road have thrown themselves straight into the challenge -aiming to reduce the amount of stuff that ends up in their blue bin by recycling more, composting for England, trying to avoid non-recyclable packaging etc.
We have decided to share cardboard recycling as well - so I will put out a sack for cardboard on Sunday and people can wander down the road with their cardboard instead of driving it to a bring bank.
I love getting to know my neighbours so I am really looking forward to slimming bins with the folk of Woodfield road over the next 8 weeks.
If you think your street would like to meet up and eat cake and talk rubbish - let me know and I will happily come and have a chat and help you set it up. It really works and it's good fun.
Have a look at our lovely new website and sign up for the Rubbish Diet: www.therubbishdiet.org.uk
Alison@therubbishdiet.org.uk or give me a ring on 07972 858313
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