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Post by Admin Mal on Mar 29, 2007 23:43:53 GMT 1
I think Somerfield were also offering 1 of their bags-for-life type carriers free for every 5 ordinary Somerfield carrier bags. Not sure if that is still on. For years I have stuffed my trusty string bag in me pocket when wandering down to ye Hillswick shoppe. It's great - tiny and light in yer pocket and is Tardis-like, expanding to quite a large size with the shopping in it. This kinda thing - www.thegardenersshop.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYCAT&catid=90
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Post by benjiesmum on Mar 30, 2007 6:58:58 GMT 1
I think Somerfield were also offering 1 of their bags-for-life type carriers free for every 5 ordinary Somerfield carrier bags. Not sure if that is still on. That offer is still on in our local Somerfield Fiona, but I think this is one of our biggest environmental problems. PLASTIC CARRIER BAGS!!!!! AAAGGGHHHHH! They litter the roads, hedges, motorway embankments; they get tangled in trees and in bushes. Tesco give a "green point" on their club card scheme for every time you reuse any carrier bag - which is a real incentive. I tend to take them shopping with me when I remember. And, our bottle recycling people take them away when they collect the bottles which is good. Hopefully it won't be too long before carriers are totally biodegradable. I read yesterday that Tomlinsons Dairies of Minera, Wrexham is making milk in degradable plastic pouches for primary schools - so the technology is there. The Republic of Ireland I think I heard has banned free carriers. Brilliant! I've been in the Gardeners Shop you recommended Fiona, to look at the string bags and spotted the Paper potter too - another use for newspapers! Brilliant idea if ever I saw one! . In fact, they've got lots of recycled stuff for sale. I'll go back and have another look.
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Post by bod on Mar 30, 2007 7:55:44 GMT 1
Here in York we are encouraged to separate all our waste. We have a green box for glass and cans, a blue bag for newspaper, a green bag for cardboard, a green wheelie bin for garden rubbish and a big bag for plastic bottles. These are collected on a fortnightly basis. The familiar black wheelie bin is then collected on the remaining fortnightly day. This has been such a good idea and has certainly made me more aware of just how much rubbish a single household can generate. I just wish my black wheelie bin was still collected weekly.
The council, in some parts of York, are fitting devices into black wheelie bins, A type of spy really, which detects rubbish that shouldn't be going in i.e. stuff that should be put into your box or bags and you can get fined for doing so.
Another way of recycling what you deem as rubbish is to take it to a car boot sale and flog it, you stand there smiling sweetly at your customer telling them "yes thats really nice and such a bargain". So why the hell are you selling it!!!!!!!!
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Post by benjiesmum on Mar 31, 2007 15:54:23 GMT 1
I just wish my black wheelie bin was still collected weekly. The council, in some parts of York, are fitting devices into black wheelie bins, A type of spy really, which detects rubbish that shouldn't be going in i.e. stuff that should be put into your box or bags and you can get fined for doing so Well, I wish I had a wheelie bin - we don't get them being too far out in the sticks!!! As for devices on wheelie bins!!!!!!!!!
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Post by bod on Mar 31, 2007 21:44:33 GMT 1
Buy one then or move.
Once when walking through York I noticed a random black wheelie bin next to a building. This old woman walked past and up came the lid and a bloke dressed in black and shouted aaaaaargh at her, I've never seen anyone look so scared. So you see thats another use for them!!!!!!!
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Post by benjiesmum on Apr 4, 2007 7:16:00 GMT 1
On the subject of plastic bags - which really gets me going - did you know that they are so common in South Africa's environment they have been nicknamed the national flower and in India 100 cows a day dies from eating plastic bags. Plastic bags take hundreds of years to degrade fully and in the meantime are unsightly and unnecessary. Try ethical shopping at: www.ethicalsuperstore.comIt has a section on environmental news as well as loads of interesting products. In their "bags section" they have a really natty bag made out of woven crisp wrappers - but I wonder if the bags were ever full of crisps. In one of our local gift shops there are chicken ornaments made out of plastic bread wrappers which are "different"!
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Post by Admin Mal on Apr 4, 2007 21:02:55 GMT 1
Very interesting, benji - I'll have to take a look at that site. As well as me ol' string bag, I've now also got a lovely jute bag from Scoop, which is our local wholefood shop in Lerwick. They have them in two sizes, both have the shop name and details printed on them, so you are a walking advert I suppose!
Someone here used to make maps of Shetland out of what we would call 'red cans' - cans of McEwans Export. So prevalent here in the roadside ditches at one time that they used to be called 'Shetland Roses'.
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Post by bod on Apr 29, 2007 7:54:29 GMT 1
The council, in some parts of York, are fitting devices into black wheelie bins, A type of spy really, which detects rubbish that shouldn't be going in Bin Police - that was the headline in yesterdays Daily Mail - Quote An army of wardens will enforce the rigorous rules which go with fortnightly rubbish collections. The bin police will have powers to slap £100 on the spot fines on householders who put rubbish out too early or leave their bin lids open. Now that sounds like a rewarding job!!!!!!! The priorities in this country are so wrong sometimes.
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Post by benjiesmum on May 17, 2007 20:33:12 GMT 1
Here it is...the ultimate forward-thinking innovative idea for recycling. I believe that there is another one in Shropshire but it should be the law that every council has a facility like this. Just how marvellous it is! Take a look at their website they do so much for the community. www.crest-cooperative.org.uk/english/trash.htmYou can pick everything you need here for crafts etc. for use in schools, charities, social services...etc. Just a few things they have include paper, silver card, coloured card, material, carpet squares, icecream scoops, plastic bowls, plastic cups, paper cups, wet wipes, plastic toys (the sort you get in cornflake packets), puzzles and games...the list is endless. It would have usually ended up in a landfill site but is now donated by big companies and most of it is free!!!!! For a small fee you join for a year and can take as much as you want.
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Post by maree on May 17, 2007 21:17:50 GMT 1
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Post by benjiesmum on May 17, 2007 21:29:13 GMT 1
Brilliant!!! I think it's a really good way to recycle stuff! Perhaps there are more ventures like this around the UK?
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Post by maree on Feb 27, 2009 21:57:52 GMT 1
I've just joined the Freecycle group in Shetland......I'm hoping to have a bit of a spring clean and figured this could be a good way of doing it....... Here's some information from Freecycle and a link for anyone who'd like to join Freecycle groups help people who have unwanted things to find people who can use them. Our goal is to keep useful items out of landfill, thereby reducing waste, clearing clutter, and strengthening communities. Shetland Freecycle began on April 17 2008, and is just one branch of an incredibly fast-growing international movement. Freecycle began in Tucson, USA, on 1st May 2003 and now boasts thousands of groups all over the world. We're sure you know lots of people who would love this idea - so why not tell them? Word-of-mouth will really help our group grow, so please tell your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. If they're not local, they can find their nearest group at uk.freecycle.org .
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