There is more to recycling that separating our household waste, we have just discovered.
Last year we decided to make an effort to recycle as a family and do our bit to help save the planet.
One year on we have realised that our efforts are half-hearted. There is more to recycling than simply separating the rubbish, yet that is all we have been doing.
Could try harder
Even then, we have only been separating cardboard and paper from the rest of our household waste. Little effort has been put into recycling glass, washing out used food tins or investing in a composter despite flagging up several recycling suggestions here in the past, including recycling glass.
We definitely fall into the category of ‘could try harder’, so we made a decision to improve our recycling efforts. Thankfully a new initiative being promoted by The Rubbish Diet’s Karen Cannard has given us the push we needed.
The initiative is the idea of Shirley Lewis, also known as the Baglady. Shirley is an environmental film maker who is aiming to raise the profile of sustainable action within schools, communities and beyond. She is asking families to pledge to take up one thing that's sustainable and give up something that isn't.
We made a pledge over on the Baglady’s website to stop leaving lights on around the house and to remember to take our own bags to the supermarket. Kids can also make their own pledge too on the kids’ site.
Success so far
So far we’ve been successful. It just seems to be a case of changing old habits. We’re also planning to buy a composter and follow Deb’s tips for recycling in the garden.
There is proof that all these efforts do pay off -- one eco-family in have managed to fill just one carrier bag of rubbish in a year because they cycle virtually everything. On their website – My Zero Waste – they share some great tips on reusing and recycling waste.
I’m rather embarrassed at the size of our weekly waste bin in comparison.
The RedTedArt blog recently featured some fabulous craft ideas for kids – all of them created with recycled materials. We’re also going to give some of the try and see if we end of wasting less and using more.
Are you a family of recyclers or would you like to be? Do you have any recycling tips you can share?
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admin
12 January, 2011
Wow what interesting links Rosie! I can't believe they went a whole year and filled one carrier bag - that's amazing when I think of how many we get through in two weeks!
Our school is fantastic on the recycling front, they talk about it with the children all the time, they are very aware of what recycling is and why we are doing it, and our school is currently building a greenhouse out of 2l pop bottles which I can't wait to see when it's complete.
Sadly, we also fall in the the "could do better" catagory and I'm now going to make a concerted effort to try harder.
Leigh
Ready for Ten Team
mum
12 January, 2011
Thanks Leigh. I'm getting into the habit of walking round with my own Bag for Life. Today it saved me 5p in M&S, which is what they were charging for a bag. So we may be moving out of the "could do better" category. I keep having to nagmy daughter about turning the lights off though. Old habits and all that.
mum
12 January, 2011
We're so far behind other countries - I lived in Germany for a year in 1995/6 and all kinds of rubbish had to separated into communal bins outside our flats. It's good to see we are beginning to catch up and I think it's important that councils make it easier for people by having recycling collections.
I also agree that there's more we can do ourselves. I know I should get a compost bin, and need to stop making excuses! I'm trying to cut down on short car journies and walk instead. I keep shopping bags in my car though, so that if I do drive to the shops, I've always got bags. If the weather's ok, I walk there with my rucksack.
I like second hand/vintage homestuff and clothes anyway, but they also have the advantage of being a green option. Guilt free shopping!
mum
12 January, 2011
Thanks Kath, I hadn't realised we so far behind other countries when it comes to recycling. Countries like Germany could probably teach us a lot. I thought of getting a composter about two years ago and here I am still without one, but we'll look into that in the summer hopefully.
admin
20 February, 2012
Great post, Rosie! I do feel that as a family, we're fairly 'green' but I also see all the ways that we're not .. then I feel very guilty! Especially looking at the 'one carrier bag of rubbish in a year' link. That is amazing! - and inspiring.
There is so much packaging involved in supermarket food and most of the reason I buy most things in a supermarket is for the convenience of getting everything at the same time. Maybe I could rota in myself a morning where I fit in buying all the fresh produce we need from our local grocers, butchers and bakery. I always use my own bags anyway and the packaging, if needed, is often biodegradable (paper) but I could also, with a little extra organisation, take my own containers like in the link I just mentioned. FOOD for thought!!
Thanks Rosie!
Sue
Ready For Ten Team