Firstly, let me say thanks to all who have left a comment on the 'plastic' posts and for sharing a little of what you all do to walk more lightly upon the earth. It is so very easy to slip it all into the 'too hard' basket, but each and every little bit that we do does count!!! Each little thoughtfulness around the use of plastic in our lives, the action taken to minimise or even eliminate it (eventually), is part of the conditioning of the capital 'ell' Love.
One of the essential things to be aware of is that not all the stuff you put in for recycling actually gets put into the return system. Australia used to be particularly good in this field, but things got complacent, and now it is in crisis. But it is not alone. Very disappointing in particular is the glass (non) recycling. A point made in that article though is that we could be doing a lot more in simply re-using, rather than recycling.
This interests me in particular. I mentioned last week about 'projects'. I was referring to my own little efforts. It is possible to do a lot of reusing - or repurposing - in our own homes. I do like to reuse plastic trays which some fruit get sold in (though would prefer it didn't get wrapped in trays at all). They make good bases of table condiments, holders for tealights,
for use around the cooker for the spices and are also good for starting with seeds such as cress and other herbs. Cutting large plastic milk bottles to make a cover results in a cheap and purposeful incubator and terrarium. As spring tries its best to arrive here at the Hutch, I shall be getting some of those going again soon. I have been avoiding buying in plastics for about two decades now - but it can't be avoided at times. I love Horlicks, for example. It used to come in glass, but no longer. The plastic jars it comes in, though, make ideal storage jars for all my dried pulses and fruits.
We had those woven recycled grocery bags in Australia for at least the last 15 years, so I got a bit of a shock when I relocated to the Bonny Land and discovered that this revolution had still to properly 'take'. Supermarkets handed out 'plakky bags' with no hesitation or question. As I had to rely on home-delivery for the first eighteen months, I landed up with a ridiculous number of them lurking in the hall cupboard. Yes, one could simply put them into service again, and this was done, but the sheer numbers of them meant this hardly made a dent. Then, last week as I set out on this tangent (it wasn't planned, it just happened, but hasn't it been fun?) it struck me that I might be able to 'upcycle' them.
For that, I am reserving next Monday's post... oh yeah... I'm a tease...
Scotland did get its act together four years back and put a price on plastic bags - if you want one you pay 5p for it. This has resulted in a very significant reduction in the use of the standard plastic bag - 80% drop in the first year! Now for something a little upbeat to end general reporting on this matter, from MacRebur Road Makers. They laid road in Cumbria a couple of years back - road I drove on when I made the trip South to spend time with Aitch in Carlisle. It's a great system and should definitely be getting much more extensive use.
Other than that, all I have to say to you today is get scribbling, because Friday 30th is FFF day!!!
One of the essential things to be aware of is that not all the stuff you put in for recycling actually gets put into the return system. Australia used to be particularly good in this field, but things got complacent, and now it is in crisis. But it is not alone. Very disappointing in particular is the glass (non) recycling. A point made in that article though is that we could be doing a lot more in simply re-using, rather than recycling.
This interests me in particular. I mentioned last week about 'projects'. I was referring to my own little efforts. It is possible to do a lot of reusing - or repurposing - in our own homes. I do like to reuse plastic trays which some fruit get sold in (though would prefer it didn't get wrapped in trays at all). They make good bases of table condiments, holders for tealights,
for use around the cooker for the spices and are also good for starting with seeds such as cress and other herbs. Cutting large plastic milk bottles to make a cover results in a cheap and purposeful incubator and terrarium. As spring tries its best to arrive here at the Hutch, I shall be getting some of those going again soon. I have been avoiding buying in plastics for about two decades now - but it can't be avoided at times. I love Horlicks, for example. It used to come in glass, but no longer. The plastic jars it comes in, though, make ideal storage jars for all my dried pulses and fruits.
We had those woven recycled grocery bags in Australia for at least the last 15 years, so I got a bit of a shock when I relocated to the Bonny Land and discovered that this revolution had still to properly 'take'. Supermarkets handed out 'plakky bags' with no hesitation or question. As I had to rely on home-delivery for the first eighteen months, I landed up with a ridiculous number of them lurking in the hall cupboard. Yes, one could simply put them into service again, and this was done, but the sheer numbers of them meant this hardly made a dent. Then, last week as I set out on this tangent (it wasn't planned, it just happened, but hasn't it been fun?) it struck me that I might be able to 'upcycle' them.
For that, I am reserving next Monday's post... oh yeah... I'm a tease...
Scotland did get its act together four years back and put a price on plastic bags - if you want one you pay 5p for it. This has resulted in a very significant reduction in the use of the standard plastic bag - 80% drop in the first year! Now for something a little upbeat to end general reporting on this matter, from MacRebur Road Makers. They laid road in Cumbria a couple of years back - road I drove on when I made the trip South to spend time with Aitch in Carlisle. It's a great system and should definitely be getting much more extensive use.
Other than that, all I have to say to you today is get scribbling, because Friday 30th is FFF day!!!
YAM-Aunty sometimes our 5 cloth are not enough, you will be very happy we hope...to learn that the plastic bags that do come home with us are used to as Da Phenny would say to collect recycled food that I leave in my litter box and mom uses them for small trash can liners.
ReplyDeleteHugs madi your kitty niecy
Our area stopped recycling glass too. There are a few organizations that will collect it, but you have to bring it to them. Mom tries to do that but we don't seem to use a lot of glass. Now those plastic bags come in quite handy for the Momster when she has to do poop patrol. So even though they eventually end up in the trash, at least they are getting used more than once.
ReplyDeleteWoos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Our recycle programs is going though some change. Do to cost. But at most of the local stores they will knock off nickle to a quarter for cloth bag you bring and use...Coffee is on
ReplyDeleteOur stores still use plastic bags but most of them also have bins to deposit your used bags for recycle. Guess that is better than nothing
ReplyDeletehugs
Hazel & Mabel
We haven't had plastic bags for YEARS! And, frankly, the reusables are so much better anyways! Our city/state/county recycles everything, even glass. Butts, it seems peeps are not properly disposing of them, and they end up as 'dirty' recyclables. Which means, that companies in China (that are suppose to melt, shred, reuse, etc) won't take them anymore, because they are unusable. This means that it can end up in a landfill anyway. So, we have to do better here, or we will defeat the purpose and pay more!
ReplyDeleteKisses,
Ruby ♥
we keep a lot of this plastic trays too, they make good dog food bowls when we travel... and they also make good bowls for human food or bowls for marinating bbq-stuff ... eggs-cept the trays for tomatoes what have holes at the bottom ... they make only a good mess ;O)))
ReplyDeletei recycle everything the city will pick up, we have special cans for it, but there are other things we can't recycle. i do believe each person makes a difference. i use and reuse everything i can.
ReplyDeleteSaving Gaia ~ great post ~
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
I have actually taken up "collecting" cloth bags, they really have some very creative designs in local stores! I am REALLY enjoying these posts!
ReplyDeleteMy MIL 'crocheted' utility rugs from old bread wrappers and other plastic bags.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
DeleteMy word, Janice... you have pre-empted my Monday reveal! That is indeed what occured to me to do and there I was thinking I had thunk it up mysel'!!! &*> Hope you'll like what I did and that is anywhere near as good as I am certain your MIL did! Yxx