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Post by benjiesmum on Jan 9, 2007 21:51:08 GMT 1
I've decided that my New Year's resolution will be to routinely hand back packaging at the counter when I pay for stuff (although I may not be brave enough to do it in the Co-op). A small thing perhaps, but it made me feel good, and it's a fun seeing the perplexed look on the shop assistant's face. Try it! Brilliant idea, mrgluss. I will be trying that shortly. Had to stop off at Halfords on the way home tonight to get an indicator bulb. The conversation went something like this: The scene is a branch of Halfords in a retail park somewhere in Cheshire. Halford's man: That'll be £2.99, they are in packs of 2. Or you can buy a complete car bulb kit for £19.99. They are useful when you go abroad. Me: I only want one. I'm not going abroad, only back home to Wales. Don't you sell them loose? Halford's man: No, they are all in packs. Me: (resigned - handing over money) OK. Halford's man: (Puts packet of bulbs in BIG bag) There you go! Me: (Unwrapping bulbs) Thank, but you can keep the bag, I don't need it. Halford's man: OK love. (Looks bemused, then PUTS BAG IN THE BIN!!!)Nooooo! So much for trying to save the planet!
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Post by mrgluss on Jan 9, 2007 22:01:42 GMT 1
Well done that woman!
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Post by benjiesmum on Jan 9, 2007 22:19:36 GMT 1
Well, I keep trying! ;D But the more serious message in your example of the frying pan is that we waste so much with this confounded packaging. I think supermarkets are the biggest culprits with their cardboard outers and plastic inners and sachets all in a box for you to throw away. As consumers the government wants to charge us for our waste but often (as you experienced) you don't want the blinkin' stuff in the first place. I can remember when frying pans came "loose" not all wrapped up in cardboard. Hey ho! But I can't remember loose biscuits or big slabs of butter! Perhaps you should be boiling your food anyway - not frying it!! (Healthy living and all that!) ;D Just a thought.
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peterj
Peerie Magnie
Posts: 53
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Post by peterj on Jan 9, 2007 22:51:12 GMT 1
Here in Malta, all locally produced drinks are sold in (remember these?) refundable glass bottles. The refund is enough that an extremely high percentage are reused - got to be even better than recycling.
Apparently the EEC are pressuring Malta to stop the scheme as they view it as unfair protectionism and subsidising of the local industry. Pffft!
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Post by mrgluss on Jan 9, 2007 23:03:00 GMT 1
I do like the idea of reverting to returnable bottles. That way, I wouldn't have to a) face up to the number of empties in my utility room post-christmas and b) stand at the bottle bank freezing for FAR TOO LONG when I eventually get round to going. Then again that noise of smashing glass is good therapy ;D. Seriously I do feel at all the waste the supermarkets generate needlessly. Maybe I will start emptying the packaging at the check-out and refuse to take it home.
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Post by benjiesmum on Jan 9, 2007 23:31:46 GMT 1
Heh heh. I'd love to see that... And you can have that back...and that...and what about that.....I don't need that... And what's this.....I'll just empty this out.....I don't need this egg box...oops! Refundable bottles... now there's a good idea! ;D
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Post by Admin Mal on Mar 18, 2007 13:15:55 GMT 1
Recycling or disposal of newspapers - what do you do with yours? Some of ours are used for household jobs and when we had hens they lined the nest boxes, but some are dumped. <black bag - household waste> Occasionally we might rip them up and put a bit on the compost heap but I believe that you shouldn't put too much on at a time. I was thinking about trying them in the garden shredder or perhaps a home shredder might be better, which we don't have... <thinking out loud!> The SIC's stance is to either tear up and compost, deliver to the Gremista Waste Management Facility or put in your black bag. <Presumably putting out with household waste would mean going to the waste to heat incinerator?> www.shetland.gov.uk/waste/n.asp
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Post by maree on Mar 18, 2007 13:47:31 GMT 1
I'm wondering when the SIC website was last updated.........I think folk in Lerwick can leave papers oot for the recycling kert on certain days........I'm unsure what happens to the newspapers after that........possibly shredded fro animal bedding?
I think we are having similar thoughts aboot the garden shredder, but the thought behind my wanted advert was for shredding cardboard.
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Post by allen on Mar 18, 2007 16:54:03 GMT 1
Da most economic an environmentally friendly wey tae solve your newspaper problem is never tae buy ony.
I whet buying newspapers years ago fur dey ir nae mair is glorified comics - fur example newspapers tink da antics o some bok-eyed-dreeshin in da Big bridder Hoose is mair important dan British sodgers gettin blawn up in Afganistan or some idddr god-forsaken-hol.
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Post by Admin Mal on Mar 18, 2007 20:57:50 GMT 1
Not them all, thankfully!
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Post by bonna on Mar 19, 2007 11:17:32 GMT 1
No, not quite all. Just one or two actually still give you a fair bit of informed comment. The rest are only useful as an Andrex-substitute - if you're tough enough...!
But what I really wanted so say is that you can transform your old papers into blocks for your solid-fuel heating device - assuming you've still got one. It simply involves soaking them, tearing them up, and compressing them in a small hand-press. Then, once dried (storage heaters or radiators are perfect), they make a decent peat-substitute. OK, not all that green, still producing a peerie bit of CO2, but very re-cycley and very satisfying!
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Post by Pat on Mar 19, 2007 11:29:08 GMT 1
I tend to use my old Shetland Times' etc. to light the fire but they still pile up on me so thanks for the tip on soaking and compressing newspapers bonna.
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Post by Admin Mal on Mar 19, 2007 13:36:22 GMT 1
Interesting, bonna! I'd seen those in magazine supplements, etc but wasn't sure how good they would be.
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Post by bonna on Mar 19, 2007 15:05:45 GMT 1
The one we have has made probably 100 or so blocks (no counter supplied!) by now, and is a bit benkled but still working. It's not exactly high-tech and should be repairable once it does break. I don't honestly think the makers ever imagined anyone would treat it as a long-term thing (most are likely set aside once the novelty wears off), but we have and it's held together so far!
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Post by heimdal on Mar 29, 2007 23:35:23 GMT 1
Did the weekly shop at Somerfields today and just happened to notice that a lot of the customers (like us) had brought their own bags to take the goods home in. However, most of the said customers were 'of more mature years' (like us ;D) and I didn't see many of the younger ones with their own bags. I suppose they will see the light eventually At the checkout by way of conversation I said to the girl that the schools would be getting their holidays tomorrow. " Yes", she said "I'm going to bed early tonight, it'll be hell in here tomorrow" ;D
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