Free Willy Anyone?

Today I am speechless with the exception of just a few words. Psychiatrists, feel free to regard my personal ad as a cry of help:

Wanted: A loving home for a reusable straw, delicately shaped in the form of a male appendage. Rescued from a hen party. Unused, but could be repurposed as a plant support, nostril cleaner or milkshake stirrer. Available free to the first person who wants it.

When my brain has recovered from working out the number of plastic willies that could be potentially buried in landfill, normal service will resume. Until then, I welcome as many of your recommendations as you dare to suggest for reusing my free gift. Just remember to keep it clean. I blush easily you know.

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A mother's lecture: A response to Prince Charles

Last night, I watched Prince Charles present the 2009 Richard Dimbleby Lecture, entitled Facing the Future, a talk which emphasised the plight of the planet and humanity and forecasting the bankruptcy of nature's resources if we don't act fast enough.

His Royal Highness didn't offer any news that I hadn't heard before. However, I was transfixed by his delivery, a confident presentation that was evidently coming from the heart and backed up with both an academic and a practical vision of the future. The risk was clear, if we continue to consume as much as we have over the last three decades, our natural resources will be out of balance with the needs of our population and our children face a future of a "living hell".

People criticise Prince Charles for what they refer to as "meddling" in politics, but from what I witnessed last night, he has my vote to meddle as much as he likes. After all, as his introduction by Jonathan Dimbleby indicated, our heir to the throne has access to people, resources and experiences that go far wider than even many of our politicians could ever dream. As a UK citizen, I hope that he is able to take a lead role and work with our government, agencies and our communities to take us into the future.

Meanwhile, I hope as many people take time to watch the video of last night's lecture and even if you have only the slightest concern - or even doubt - over climate change, I ask that you watch it and if you support the ideas, to share it with others too, either on your blog, via Twitter, Facebook or email. The iPlayer video is available online, and can be accessed by clicking the photo above or through the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00lncxc/Richard_Dimbleby_Lecture_Facing_the_Future/

If you don't agree with what he says, that's fine, but if you do, I'd like you to start thinking about the other small changes that you can make, to help ease what he calls a time of transition.

I like to think of it as an opportunity to rewind, to revisit the knowledge of our forefathers and adopt the habits of older generations that have dwindled with their passing; appreciating what we've got now, understanding how to make things last longer and connecting back to a state of social inter-dependence in local communities instead of the culture of independence that currently thrives.

As a western society we are lucky that we have more resources on hand to feed and clothe us than every before and opportunities to make us the individuals that we are and the freedom we enjoy.

And the only way that we can hand-down the same opportunities and freedom to our sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and grandchildren is to slow down our consumption, which in turn will save energy further down the line. Thinking twice about whether you really need that extra T-shirt, even if it is in a sale and whether it really a good idea to jump in the car for that emergency bar of chocolate whenever the mood takes.

That part is not a lecture by the way. It's simply my own wake-up call to continue the journey that began with reducing our waste at home and I now need time to think about what else I can do to preserve what we have and hold dear.

And if by sharing my thoughts on this today can help realise a legacy of a balanced natural world that future generations deserve, I am simply glad to be of service, even if it is only one small drop in an enormous ocean

Thank you Prince Charles for sharing your thoughts in your lecture and to everyone else, thank you for listening.

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The 8 Things Tag

Well here's a refreshing change from talking rubbish. I've been tagged by Tasha at Wahm-Bam and more recently Cartside over at Mummy Do That, to give a personal insight into my past, my plans and other random doo-dahs that occupy my thoughts.

I had planned to share some of my adventures in my garden, but that'll have to wait for another day, while the nosey one's amongst you discover what goes on in my head and what lies ahead when I'm not washing out the tin cans.

So, here's the 8 things thingymajig. Are you ready for it?


8 Things I'm looking forward to

• The school holidays - fun times and lazy days with the children.
  
• Visiting my sister and her family in Switzerland.
  
• Broody hens starting to lay eggs again.
• Making a tiara for a friend's wedding and enjoying a hen night to celebrate another friend's marriage.
  
• A night out with Mr A for my 41st birthday - only 10 days to go.
• Being taken out for lunch by two very cool dudes in London - (chaps, you know who you are and yes, you are pretty cool).
• Going to see Calendar Girls with one of my best mates in the West End.
• Being interviewed for TalkRadioEurope next week

8 Things I did yesterday

• Started a collection to buy a class present for my youngest son's teacher and assistants.
• Dropped into the BBC Radio Suffolk studio as a guest on the James Hazell show.
• Made an impromptu visit to a friend's house for a surprise play-date.
• Rang my ex-publisher in shock after discovering the release-data for cancelled book is still winging its way around Amazon and other online catalogues.
• Started working on interview for a feature in an Irish national paper.
• Met up with some friends at the Bury LETS bartering group: swapped some of our home-grown salad leaves, broccoli, basil and a couple of eggs for some magazines, home-made card, jam and digital camera advice.
• Washed pants.
• Watched Torchwood
  

8 Things I wish I could do

• Bring an end to poverty, abuse, war and global warming.
• Become fluent in Italian, Welsh, French and German.
• Move next door to me old mucker Tracey Smith.
• Live closer to my sister, which makes the above wish a really tough choice.
  
• Do the Dunwich Dynamo moonlit bike ride.
  
• Be serenaded by Take That.
  
• Go shopping with Dawn French.
• Enjoy a lie-in on a Sunday
  

8 Favourite fruits

• Strawberries - only the sweetest will do
  
• Raspberries - firm, ripe but not too squashy
  
• Blueberries - best cooked in muffins
  
• Tomatoes - best picked from the vine in your own garden
  
• Gooseberries - tart - not the cooked kind, just tart
• Nectarines - firm but sweet
  
• Satsumas - at Christmas
  
• Lemons - especially when freshly squeezed and diluted with water as a presse
  

8 Places I'd like to travel

• St Davids, Wales - to relive faint memories of childhood.
  
• Ireland - for missed opportunities.
  
• York, England - to visit Ruby.
  
• Italy - for pizza and passionate language.
  
• Scandinavia - for the fjords.
  
• Liechtenstein - because it's small and European.
  
• Strattons in Norfolk - for sheer organic luxurious indulgence, without the kids.
  
• The Moon - the most adventurous way to see the world, with the kids.
  

8 Places I've lived

• Treharris, Wales: memories of working colliery, chapels, terraced houses and pubs.
  
• Mountain Ash, Wales...furnacite, ice-cream van, baby sister and moving house in a Mini.
  
• Sutton Bonnington, Leics... sheep, quaint road signs; bistro and university campus.
  
• Nottingham...polytechnic, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inn, & Trent Bridge.
  
• Hemel Hempstead, Herts ... train Station, Boxmoor cricket & Dunstable Downs.
  
• Berkhamsted, Herts...Ashridge Park, canal, Home & Colonial shop and cafe.
  
• London...South Bank, visits to Chelsea, researching music data standards in Stretham.
  
• Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk... enjoying motherhood, rubbish fun and tractors.
  

8 Lovely people I'm tagging...because I'm nosey like that

• Picklesmum
• Strawberry Jam Anne
• Lunarossa
• Susanna at A Modern Mother
• Victoria at It's a small world after all
• Danda
• Layla
• Mrs Green at MyZeroWaste
  

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Eh! At least he tried...a bit!

I've just come back from more fun and frolics at BBC Radio Suffolk, popping into the James Hazell Show to see how James did with his Zero Waste Week challenge.

So, the big question is...did he make it?

Er...um..mmmm

Well...let's just say he didn't do quite as well as his producer Sally Goodwin, who only the week before managed to go zero waste with the exception of a chocolate bar wrapper and some bags and film that I took off her hands to drop off at our local HWRC.

James on the other hand managed ...

...cue drumroll...

....a day!

Even with the promise of a zero waste bar of chocolate as a reward.

Something tells me he didn't quite take it as seriously as Sal.

BUT - and I don't mean cigarette butts - his household bin is only half full each fortnight, which is fab.

AND...

...during the last week, he's discovered there's a recycling bin in the kitchen.

AND...

...he found a reuse for those cigarette butts, which led to some jokes about Hazell's Butt Couture.

AND...

...even if he didn't take it as seriously afterwards, he did manage a rubbish-free day,


...which is, what could be called a vital start!

With news of his partial failure, I'm just relieved that James didn't bring his rubbish bags into the studio, but just in case I was prepared with my safety goggles and rubber gloves.

Because you never know...!

So when it came down to the jury...did he earn his bar of chocolate? Well, call me an old softie, but I just had to say yes. Not sure it was the puppy look that swayed me or the fact that he was trying at the very start of the week [note to Sal - you're free to interpret that as you like].

But I wasn't going to let him get away with it completely, so gave him a couple of booby prizes, including a special souvenir from Felixstowe that I picked up from Fran Crowe's exhibition at the weekend....a piece of old rope that she rescued from the beach during her work "Walking to Save Some Sea".

So the final verdict?

Well James - at least you tried...a bit,

...but could do better,

so.... shall I come in and see you again next year?

Eh?

With 12 months notice, we're bound to see further improvement.

But seriously, huge thanks to both Sally and James for everything they've done to promote the message about the range of recycling facilities that exist across Suffolk and giving me a chance to plug Recycle Now's Recycle Week.

It has been lots of fun!

So for me, it's feet up for the next couple of months until I'm back again for the Girls Talk session in September.

Who am I kidding. I'm afraid it'll be nose to the recycling grindstone as usual.

Update: You can hear it all for yourself on the BBC's Listen Again service. Just fast forward to two hours into the programme at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p003lm3k/James_Hazell_07_07_2009/

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A Rubbish Surprise in Felixstowe

Well look who I bumped into today on a family visit to Felixstowe.

We'd just started walking along the promenade and no sooner had we arrived but I spotted my friend Fran Crowe, a Suffolk artist who was setting up her exhibition in one of the beach huts on the sea front.

I met Fran last year after going to see her exhibition Walking to save some sea and interviewed her for the blog a few months later. Since then, we've met up on several occasions for some rubbish chats, so it was really good to bump into her today.

Her mini-exhibition in the beach hut is called Cast Away and is part of Felixstowe's Felixstroll event, which uses the concept of art to encourage residents and visitors to rediscover the coastline while admiring the artwork and taking part in events as they stroll between Languard Point and Felixstowe Ferry.

The aim of Fran's work is to highlight the issue of litter that finds its way onto the beach, inviting visitors to take direct action during their walk and help keep the beaches clean. She is encouraging people to pick up litter that they find and add them to a rainbow picture and other images that she is creating in the small area in front of the beach hut. If people don't want to part with their findings, they can package them up and take them home as a souvenir of Felixstowe. There are also alternative souvenirs available at the beach hut.

Following Fran's advice we decided to take part in the Felixstroll event and walked three miles along the coast to Felixstowe Ferry, discovering places that we'd never visited before in our six years in Suffolk. It's given a whole new insight into what the resort has to offer, passing beautiful scenery along the way.

When we arrived at the more rural setting of Felixstowe Ferry, I couldn't resist dropping in at The Caravan Gallery, which is a travelling photographic exhibition, all neatly packed into .... a caravan...! It's most definitely a portrait of Great Britain with a difference, totally perceptive and thoroughly entertaining and was well worth the walk.

However, after a three mile stretch that took as almost as many hours at a childlike pace, we couldn't face the walk back so hopped on the free shuttle bus back into town, where we dropped off an item of beach rubbish into Fran's evolving exhibition.

The piece of "rubbish"we found is the multi-coloured item that you see us holding in the photo, a peculiar looking thing that possibly resembles a lost dog-toy, which was made out of an old juggling ball and old pieces of fabric.

Somehow, I think Fran might have a good use for it instead of it floating out to sea when the tide comes in.

The Felixstroll was a real fun event, which continues over the weekend. If you're in the vicinity tomorrow, it's well worth popping into the resort for a stroll along the promenade with a difference. Just remember to say hello to Fran. For now, I'll leave you with some of the other sights we spotted today.

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For more information about Fran's excellent work, which can't help but get you thinking about human impact on the environment, visit www.flyintheface.com.

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Updated with extra photos 4/7/09

The Bin Saboteur turns 5

Arrrr me hearties.

O'ive bin prakktising moi poirate speak today in honour iv the poirate paarty for our little bin saboteur.

He be 5 year old now, all 18.5 kilos of him. Gett'n old eh! An he'll be ready for them high seas before we know it.

He were only 3 1/2 when this here blog came into being. A zero waste bin saboteur if ever o'ive seen one.

But he be gett'n tha hang of it these days. Only yesterdee he be asking the cap'n where the compost caddy lay, since it be moved to accommodate the sudden immobility of the QuarterMaster - who you be more accustomed in familiarity as Yours Truly.

Poirate speak?

Blimmin' 'eck more loike Bristolian - oi'd say. You'd swear Almost Mr Average had taken over this blog, wiv his underlying Wess Country tones.

Arrrr, shiver me timbers an his too, oi need ta get back to me ol'self.

Right! And here I am - back from the surreal world of kids' parties, where I've been busy hanging bunting, making a cake, enjoying a birthday picnic in the sunshine and dropping small change in the local woods for the kids to indulge in a treasure hunt....all 9 of them....!

I noticed that this year's party was more expensive than last year's party for his older brother, when I managed to cater for a whole army of children at home for about £35, including party treats.

However this year's was a more fancy affair all round mainly due to the pirate theme. But it was money well-spent thanks to a few georgous goodies that I picked up from eco-party company Little Cherry, including fabulous reusable cotton party bags that are made in this country. Even with the little treats, it still came in at around £75 including food, which is really not bad compared to the prices I've paid in the past.

And from where I'm standing, it doesn't look like there's going to be any waste. All the packaging from the presents is recyclable, and any food that was left over is being reused for tomorrow's packed lunches...except the half-eaten rolls which will be fed to the chickens and the garden birds.

It's interesting to look at birthdays with fresh-eyes and re-evaluate traditions, making changes where you feel comfortable.

For example, after last year's experience of borrowing a picnic set, I did the same again today, saving money on disposable products or buying my own set. Instead I used my money to invest in bunting that's perfect for boys' parties and as a result for the first time ever I avoided buying balloons, which create more waste and more arguments than they are really worth.

Also, little T's presents were pre-loved brio accessories from Raspberry Rascals in Bury St Edmunds. They were in excellent condition and saved us a fortune on brand-spanking new ones from the toy shop. He didn't even notice they weren't in a merchandised box and opened his presents with great excitement.

But yes, I did use wrapping paper I'm afraid...only because it was old paper that had been knocking about the house for a long time, including a roll of drawing paper that must be at least three years old. These days, I am so concious of using paper unneccesarily, I can't remember the last time I bought any - with the exception of the recycled christmas paper in December.

So after a busy day waving the Jolly Roger, it's time to open the Chablis and toast what was a very eventful day, with the pride of a parent observing their little ones growing up and maturing.

And if I can manage a second glass, I might even forget the pain of having to resort to a couple of emergency E numbers to rescue what would have been a disaster of a birthday cake. At least it was a rare occasion and no-one bounced off the walls and Little T was very impressed with my creation.

So I suppose it could have been worse.

I could have offered them grog.

Arrrrr!

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Sal's Recycle Week Success

Huge congratulations to Sally Goodwin, producer of the James Hazell show on BBC Radio Suffolk.

For Recycle Week, which took place last week, Sal rose to the challenge of a Rubbish Free Day and found it such a fantastic idea, she went for the whole week.

Well, I dropped into the studio today to see how she got on and blimey, she's most definitely worthy of a zero waste medal. Live on air, she revealed that after a week of recycling more and avoiding creating rubbish, the only things in her rubbish bag were a few pieces of film and some polythene packaging.

These things are pretty tricky to recycle in most areas, but in Bury St Edmunds we can take them to the local Household Waste Recycling Centre. So I've taken them off her hands and will add them to my collection at home, even though many supermarkets will take polythene packaging along with their plastic bag collections.

So well done Sal. That was fab.

Now onto James' challenge and his promise to reuse his carrier bags.

It was a fantastic pledge, but the cheeky chappy managed to circumnavigate his challenge by avoiding shopping all week.

Admittedly it was a success and should be hailed because the less shopping you do, the less waste you create.... but both Sal and I felt he needed to work harder.

So to make up for it, we've challenged him to his own Rubbish Free Week....

STARTING TODAY.

Nothing like pressure eh.

You can check on how he gets on at the programme pages for the show, where he will be blogging about his progress.

And I'll be back in the studio again next week for an update.

So good luck James and don't forget that promise of the chocolate bar.

As you can tell, we've switched the motivation technique to one of incentives.

UPDATE: You can hear about how Sal got on with the challenge and how James took to his new Rubbish Free challenge on Listen Again. Fast forward to 2 hours in...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/radio/bbc_radio_suffolk/ James Hazell 1 Jul 2009

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The Recycle Week Carnival

Well I've been promising it for a couple of weeks and at last it's here, the British Mummy Blogger carnival to mark the end of the Recycle Week challenge, where mothers everywhere (and a dad) - even those far away from the homeland - took their pledges to waste less.

Here's a list of all those who sent me their pledges over the last few weeks. I have a sneaking suspicion that the tag has travelled some distance beyond what you see here. If you want to follow the various tags, just visit those who joined in and follow the links.

In the meantime, it's time to celebrate the achievements and participation of all those who joined in the Recycle Week fun. So to find out why they chose their pledge and discover how they fared, just grab a drink, pull up a chair and say hello to all the fabulous bloggers below.



SO WHO TOOK THE REUSE YOUR CARRIER BAGS PLEDGE?

There were a whole host of bloggers who upon taking this pledge received the news that halving the number of bags we use in a year would mean using around 90,000 fewer tonnes of oil - (leading to a reduction in greenhouse gas production equivalent to taking up to 50,000 cars off the road). This created a wide range of interesting and entertaining posts, highlighting the juggling antics that come with forgetting a plastic bag.

Susanna at A Modern Mother, a fellow blogger for Recycle Now, helped kick off the tag promoting her pledge. She obviously needed a little practice, which you can read about at her beautifully title post These damn bags are going to be the death of me. To see how she finally got on, pop over to see her at www.amodernmother.com.

Amy at And 1 More Means Four, took her pledge too, with her forfeit never to eat cookies ever again. This was serious. So did she succeed? Look at this post to find out. Something tells me she didn't take this lightly, especially with all those children to look after. Pop over and give her a round of applause at and1moremeansfour.blogspot.com.

Brit in Bosnia, aka Fraught Mummy also challenged herself to reusing all my plastic bags for a week. If you want to know what such a challenge is like over in Bosnia, her post "Of recycling and plastic bags" makes very interesting reading. For further updates, keep checking by her blog at britsinbosnia.blogspot.com.

Emily over at Maternal Tales from the South Coast also took the pledge. The forfeit if she failed was to abstain from computer use for a day. Strange, but Emily's been absent from the Internet today. To see why, read this post. And do go over and give her a virtual hug at emilybassin.blogspot.com, even though she won't be able to read it until tomorrow.

Cartside over at Mummy Do That took the pledge and detailed her ups and downs of the week, which ended up in having to give up chocolate. I think she can be excused though. See what you think when you pop over to read how she got on during the week at mummydothat.blogspot.com.


Peggy at Perfectly Happy Mum also joined in the fun and frolics on Friday with her pledge to remember her carrier bags. To encourage her along and to see how she's doing, drop by and visit at perfectlyhappymum.typepad.com.

Regular reader Antonella aka Lunarossa also took the pledge to reuse her plastic bags. Somehow I don't think she would have had any trouble, because she'd already been busy working on reducing her waste and I recently discovered it's come down as much as 50%. To find out how things are going with her recycling endeavours up in York, drop in and say hello at lunarossa-livingabroad.blogspot.com.


FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD

To help reduce the amount of food that gets wasted - which is still around 1/3 in the UK - bloggers promised to compost their kitchen (and garden) waste or reuse their leftovers for the following meal.


Clareybabble faced the prospect of a week away from the computer when she took her pledge to compost her kitchen and garden waste. Is she still online? Well given that she has also taken to composting her shredded bills and lots more. I think there's a chance that you might still find her in the ethernet. Find out at clareybabble.blogspot.com.

Sparx from Notes inside my head also took up the challenge. And if she failed, she'd be faced with cleaning under the furniture for a whole month - not a nice forfeit unless you're Anthea Turner. Well, she did leave us with a very entertaining account of her challenge of composting without a composter. And the news is there's lots of floor polishing to be done as well as shopping for a proper compost bin. Go and cheer her along at notes-inside-my-head.blogspot.com.

Now you might be surprised that Jo Beaufoix chose composting as her pledge. After all, she managed to reduce her rubbish drastically by buying a bin when she took the Rubbish Diet challenge last year. But she's moved house since and thought she'd sign up for one again, with the threat that if she failed at her pledge, she'd let her daughter do her make-up. Well the news is she'll be posting a photo of her freshly made-up face very soon. Will it be a Picasso classic or a beautiful Rembrandt? Visit www.jobeaufoix.com to find out. One thing's for sure, it will be an original work of art.

Surprised and Excited Mum is a very active recycler and joined in the week with her pledge to use her left-overs for lunch. It's always good to hear about other folk who are constantly taking out reusable bags and recycling everything that drops their way. To find out what else she's up to visit diaryofasurprisemum.blogspot.com.


Caroline over at What's Happening at My House pledged to use up all her leftovers too. If she threw anything away, she promised to donate £3 to charity on each occasion. To find out how she's getting on with her pledge, drop in and visit her at whatshappeningatmyhouse.wordpress.com


Over in the U.S. Michaelle at the Adventurous Women blog helped to spread the word by pledging to commit to more composting. It's great to see the Recycle Week message spreading out of the British Mummy Blogger network across the Atlantic. To find out more about Michaelle's pledge visit adventurouswomenblog.blogspot.com.



SORTING OUT THE TEXTILES

According to Recycle Now, making just one t-shirt uses 800 litres of water ad if every UK household recycled just two this year we'd save as much as 16,000 Olympic sized pools. So it's a good job then that some bloggers pledged to recycle their textiles.

Mum in Chaos over at the Madmuma blog made her pledge, with the promise to use the clothing recycling bank at the end of her road. Being an active recycler, if she failed to make it before the week was out, she promised to go without tea for a day. Find out if she made it over at madmuma.blogspot.com


Zooarchaeologist at Being a Mummy also took the pledge but admitted that recycling her textiles was a bit of a cop-out as she loves sewing and had lots of plans re-crafting old clothes. I can see why she loves it though. You only have to read her update post "Ten ways to re-use your old clothes" to be suitably inspired. For further updates, visit www.beingamummy.co.uk.



RECYCLING YOUR PACKAGING

When life gets busy it's so easy to just bung your packaging in the bin, but the truth is by doing that we're burying a valuable resource in the ground that could otherwise be used to save virgin resources, including bottles, cans and tetra pak cartons.

So it's great to see bloggers taking up a whole range of pledges to recycle what's leftover when the contents have been consumed.

Liz over at Violet Posy, pledged to recycle her glass bottles and almost missed it with a narrow escape. But her husband came to the rescue, leaving Liz plenty of time to take an impromptu pledge to sort out some textiles to take to the Salvation Army. The question is, did she get ever there? Pop over and see at www.violetposy.co.uk.

Tasha aka Codingmamma over at wahm-bam ventured forth to join me in the pledge to recycle Tetra Paks. After doing a postcode search on the Recycle Now website, she discovered that new facilities had been put in place nearby. She also has plans for getting a compost bin. So do drop in to say hello at wahm-bam.blogspot.com


Potty Mummy promised to recycle bottles and cans whilst out and about. She already does most things on the list of pledges with the exception of composting, but living in a flat in Central London ruled that one out. Find out more about Potty Mummy's pledge over at www.potty-diaries.blogspot.com.




WHO DARED THE RUBBISH FREE PLEDGE?

It's a bit of a frightener isn't it? The idea of going rubbish-free for a day but the great news is someone was up for it:


Kat over at Housewife Confidential was prepared to give it a go and took the pledge. Find out how she got on in her update, over at housewifeconfidential.co.uk. Something tells me she won't have trouble attempting it again in the future.

News just in...the Dotterel over at Bringing up Charlie also signed up for the task but somehow Charlie didn't get the message. See what happened at the Dotterel's post Recycle Fail. Follow what else he gets up to (that's both Charlie and the Dotterel) at bringingupcharlie.blogspot.com.



OTHER WONDERFUL PLEDGES

This category is for all those other fabulous and creative ideas that came through as a result of the Recycle Week pledge, which might not have fitted into Recycle Now's list but hold such wonderful merit they deserve sharing.


First up is Rosie Scribble who as well as pledging to recycle her electricals, also committed to educating herself about the importance of recycling and then educating her daughter. I sense this will be a continuous project that reaches far beyond Recycle Week. To follow how Rosie gets on visit her blog at rosiescribble.typepad.com.


Lorna over at Califlorna, a British expat living in California, pledged to use natural cleaning products from now on and even have a go at making her own so that she can use less plastic bottles. Visit her blog at califlorna.com to check out an interesting tale of recycling in a whole new different area.


Half Mum Half Biscuit caught my attention with her idea for recycling time. Oooh how lovely would that be. But in light of potential difficulties, she also pledged to help re-introduce the returnable milk bottle into her neighbourhood, by encouraging other people to have their milk delivered. Find out more at halfmumhalfbiscuit.blogspot.com.


Garden Mum pledged to help promote recycling by offering up three garden recycling ideas, which are all worth a gander. To find out what else she gets up to in her garden visit www.littlegardenhelpers.co.uk


Laura over at Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy made me smile with her pledge to recycle her glass and other things. She cheated slightly because she already did it and was very busy moving house, and I have a sneaking suspicion she was glad to be getting a new neighbour. See how her house move went over at www.arewenearlythereyetmummy.com



SOME VERY WELCOME GUESTS

Although they were unable to make specific pledges the following wonderful folk have submitted some useful posts that might inspire you even further to take the rubbish bag by the horns and reduce your waste forever.

Lisa of Condo Blues confessed she's not British and not a mum so hadn't been tagged, but being a regular reader of The Rubbish Diet and having British heritage and being a dog-owner asked if she could join in the carnival. The answer of course was "Of Course". And for anyone who's interested in cutting back plastic, I recommend you visit her entry entitled: Show us your trash: plastic challenge, which was set by Beth over at Fake Plastic Fish. To find out what other rubbish-related antics Lisa gets up to in her condo visit condo-blues.blogspot.com.


Chloe at BestBen10Toys has sent in suggestions featuring 16 ideas for what to do with unwanted toys, which is always helpful when decluttering the children's bedrooms.


Last but not least, Maria from Fab Mums has a whole range of ideas to help you green up your kids with her reviews of Help George Save the World; Creative Recycling for Kids; Paper has never been greener and the Solar Powered Helicopter Kit.

~X~

And that concludes the British Mummy Bloggers Recycle Week Carnival.

What a great couple of weeks it's been witnessing the pledges come in. All that's left to do now is thank everyone who was involved in making and sharing their commitment to Recycle Week and to thank Susanna at A Modern Mother and founder of British Mummy Bloggers for her enthusiam in taking part from the very start and her encouragement to share the recycling love around the network.

Of course Recycle Week may be over but the message still remains, that recycling works and doesn't have to be boring. You can continue to make pledges and find out what can be recycled in your area. All you need to do is drop over to www.recyclenow.com, where there is lots of information that can help you.

Thanks again to everyone involved. I even think there are a few candidates who might very well join me in my crazy world of mummy garblogging. If you're hooked, I can only apologise.

P.S. I know Zoe at Rekindled might not be a mummy blogger, but she's a regular reader and I just wanted to celebrate her pledge to go rubbish free. If you want to know how she did it, she's got a guest post over at MyZeroWaste. So do pop by for a nosey and check out what Mrs Green has been up to as well.

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Day 7: Sunday, a day of rest

And so it was...very restful indeed.

After what has felt like a very busy week, Recycle Week is now over.

I had great plans for today, but all I could do was sit or sleep. I think the events of the past seven days have caught up with me along with the drama of the trapped nerve in my back migrating to a bruised sensation at the top of my leg.

But at 6.30 this evening I had to be lively, because it's Sunday and it was time to pick up the Tetra Pak collection bin from our local church, Christ Church of Moreton Hall.

Just like last time, Reverend Jonathan Ford was there to greet me, this time with a bin that was about half-full with Tetra Paks.


So with one fell swoop, I whisked the contents along to the communal bin that was just along the car park towards the Community Centre.

It was looking good. In fact the big blue bin was so full it was positively overflowing. I couldn't believe it...all those folk dropping off their cartons.... it was only when I lifted the lid, did I discover a huge Flymo box buried under a collection of random boxes, all squeezed into the Tetra Pak bin.

I couldn't help feeling responsible for the unexpected extras, so pulled them out, revealing the true number of cartons that had been collected this week. It is almost full and I'm sure one more day and there'd be no space left.



Well as far as Recycle Week is concerned, I think that's most definitely my shift almost over. It's been busy but rewarding all the same. I'll be back with the British Mummy Blogger carnival tomorrow and on Wednesday, when I'll have an update on how Sal and James have been getting on at BBC Radio Suffolk.

Reverend Ford asked me earlier whether I'd be doing this again next year, because if I do, the church would like to get more involved.

Do you know what...

I may feel exhausted by the events of the week and more in need of a holiday than ever I was before,

But next year eh?

Yes I most definitely think so and with more preparation, I think it could be bigger and better.

It's been a great week and huge thanks go to everyone in my online community and local area for supporting my pledge for Recycle Week.

I really hope I managed to help folk waste less over the last seven days.

And all I can say is, if I'm up for doing it all again next year .... anyone up for joining me?

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Day 6: If you don't ask...

So there I was doing a quick trolley dash around Waitrose last night, with my eldest in tow on our way home from Chess Club.

I normally avoid taking my children shopping because being such a positive person I really dislike saying "no" and trips out with the kids normally follow the same pattern...

"Mummy can I have....?"

"No"

"But Mummy, can I have....?"

"Oh no"

"Mummy, pllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaase"

"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

"Mu..."

"Not on you nelly and that's the end of it!"

And that's just in the second aisle.

But last night there was hardly a murmer. I was beginning to wonder if he'd taken some compliancy pills because we'd done most of our shopping without a hint of a demand or a whingy-woo.

That is, until we got to the juice section and then it started...

"Mummy can we buy all those?" Pointing individually to each and every type of carton he could find on the shelves.

WHAT!

Perhaps one type of juice might be a reasonable request, but the whole aisle? That was a different matter entirely

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." came my reply.

"But we can recycle all the cartons." he said in his defence.

"There's even a recycling bin at the back of the car park."

He's obviously been taking notice of everything that's been happening this week.

Well it might be Recycle Week, and I know I've been working hard on my pledge but I'm not that dedicated I'd buy a whole range of fruit juice worthy of a well-stocked cocktail bar, just so I could recycle the cartons at the back of the car park.

Besides we already had stocks at home that hadn't even been opened.

But while we were both admiring the range of drinks on the shelves and arguing the toss, I couldn't help notice that something was missing...

...and something so simple too.

There may very well be an excellent recycling bin at the back of the car park for processing empty cartons, but how does the customer know?

There weren't any signs in the store or in the car park to advertise. Even if they are well used by those in the know, imagine the potential if more people were aware.

If it hadn't been Recycle Week, I might have simply paid up and wandered back to our car - yes, even me with my dedicated rubbish reducing antics.

But it's interesting how a public pledge and the mighty hand of a national campaign can motivate a busy mum with an impatient son in tow, to stop off at customer services and put in a simple suggestion that might help raise consumer awareness.

So while I stood writing out my letter to the manager....in the form of "Dear Waitrose.....can I have.....?", I dearly hoped that my idea to include some visible signs to their carton recycling facilities would be taken on board, rather than a "not on your nelly".

And if they do...that's what I'd call a Recycle Week result!

So keep your fingers crossed and if you find a similar opportunity to help your community waste less, remember the old saying..."If you don't ask, you don't get". And like the mind of an opportunist seven year old, even if you don't get, at least you know you've made a step in the right direction.



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Day 5: School recycling in Moreton Hall

Huge thanks to Abbots Green, Sebert Wood and Moreton Hall Prep School for taking part in my Recycle Week pledge. You're the real stars of the week along with your teachers who have also worked hard.

Phew what a day!

I've spent much of today dropping into our local schools to see how they've been getting on during Recycle Week. And I can honestly say I am amazed at the results. Not least because school life is always busy and this week has probably been more hectic than most. Yet they've all come up with the goods.


Early this afternoon, I visited Sebert Wood school to collect the cartons from them. They've had such a busy week with an Ofsted inspection, school trips and a teddy bear's picnic, but the children still managed to collect lots of cartons. The school staff also told me they've had a recycling assembly this week, featuring recycling songs and all the children were invited to make pledges, which they hung on their pledge tree.

Later I met up with the one of our friends from Moreton Hall Prep School, to add the last of their collection into the bin.

They too have had a busy week at the school and have had a team of volunteers making a regular run to the temporary recycling bin throughout the week.

Judging by how full it is, I think they've been hectic with their contributions too.

My final visit today was back to our own school Abbots Green, to catch up with how their week has gone.

And as I expected, they too have been busy working on their pledges. Here are a few members of the Recycling Club, helping to recycle some of the cartons I've been given.

Here's how the bin was looking this morning.

Abbots Green has also been busy with another recycling activity this week, which grabbed the interest of our local newspaper the Bury Free Press. Here's the journalist at the top of the ladder taking a photo of the results.

He was pointing his camera at a collage made from clothes donated to the school's textiles collection. I wasn't tall enough to capture the scene properly on my camera but here are a few highights of the detail in the picture.

Some children playing ball on the beach.

A sunbather resting under a parasol.




And on the horizon, a sailing boat gently drifting across the seascape.

Organised by one of our assistant headteachers and the art co-ordinator, the project was put together to give the children an understanding of reuse and an opportunity to engage their creativity. The effects were stunning and involved the whole school with each class taking their turn to create the seaside landscape. When I collected my children from school this evening they were keen to tell me how they made the sand and the sky.

I'm now looking forward to next week, when not only will we find out how much we have raised for the school, but we will also be able to see the full effect of the picture when it is published in the Bury Free Press.

So at the end of what has been a hectic school week, with me almost forgetting to take my own cartons into school, I'd like to thank all the schools in Moreton Hall for joining in the fun and for St Edmundsbury Borough Council for providing the bins.

There are only two more days to go of my Recycle Week pledge which is to help those in my community waste less this week.

It promises to be a quiet weekend, but if something happens, I'll be back to break the news.
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For other schools that are interested in organising a textiles collection, the contractor arranged by our local council to collect our clothes is BCR. More information about BCR's work can be found at their website at www.bcrglobal.co.uk

More information about other ideas and opportunities for recycling in schools can be found at the Recycle Now website.

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Day 5: Recycling on the radio

If you've been following the events of Recycle Week this week, you'll remember Sally Goodwin and James Hazell from BBC Radio Suffolk and how they took their own pledges, with James promising to reuse his bags and Sally going for a Rubbish Free day.

Well there's been a bit of a twist, since I blogged about my visit on the show this Monday.

While James has kept to his pledge by cunningly avoiding shopping, Sally has enjoyed her challenge so much she's actually attempting a rubbish free week!

Yes that's right... a whole WEEK!

As well as daily updates on the James Hazell show, they've been blogging daily about their progress on the programme page. I thought I'd include today's extract here....

All I can say is....go Sal go....

... and James, I think it really is time you went shopping....

So without further ado here's the lowdown from BBC Radio Suffolk

Friday 26th June

Sal:

The big day dawns. It’s recycling bin day today. The blue bin is so full I’ve had to stick the dog, who weighs a hefty 34 kg, on top to force the contents in – otherwise there’s a chance the bin men won’t take it if the lid won’t shut properly so I’m not taking any chances. The brown bin is three quarters full of garden waste and food waste wrapped up in newspaper as Karen told me. The grey general waste bin, which will be collected next Friday, has had nothing put in it this week and lo and behold I’m maggot free for the first year in ages. I’m now waiting, nose pressed against the living room window like a child in anticipation of Father Christmas arriving, for the bin men to come to collect my recycled rubbish. Has the week’s experiment of being rubbish free been successful? Hugely and I would recommend it to anyone. It leaves you feeling good about yourself, you’ve done a good turn for the environment, and it’s obvious that supermarkets can do more to reduce the packaging of their products or do more to make sure it can be recycled. I’m looking forward to a big pat on the back from Karen Cannard next week. James – the floor is now yours. Let’s see what you’ve done towards your challenge.

James: Uh oh. As a result of some pathetic conspiracy I have been given a shopping list. It contains things that I am not sure exist and certainly don't appear to be cary-able with no bags. I will not be defeated however. Watch this space...

Well Sal that's fantastic - I couldn't have said it better myself - and as for the conspiracy... what conspiracy? I just hope James enjoys juggling.

If you're interested in hearing how they've both got on, you'll be able to catch the programme between 9.30am-1pm each weekday. And I'll be back in the studio next Wednesday at 11.30 to take a look in Sally's rubbish bag, which I suspect is going to be almost empty.

And even if you don't live in Suffolk, you can still listen in as the programme is available on the Internet, either live or through listen again.

So here's to Recycle Week, which seems to be getting better and better by the day. And even though it's Friday, it's not too late to make your pledge. Lots of people are still joining in. Pop over to www.recyclenow.com for more details. Who knows, you may even be inspired to try a Rubbish Free Day yourself.

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Day 5: Back to School for Recycle Week

So it's Day 5 of Recycle Week and it's probably the one which I have been anticipating with bated breath.

If you remember last week, I helped put together letters on behalf of our school inviting parents to bring in their empty Tetra Pak cartons for the school's Recycle Week collection at Abbots Green Community Primary School.

And following up an idea from another governor, we also arranged to organise a clothing collection as a fundraiser.

It was quietly nervewracking and I couldn't help wondering how many people would take part in either scheme. And I must admit, I was so nervous I didn't dare ask how things were going early in the week.

But look...when I popped into school this morning, I saw how many cartons had been coming in. I was most definitely impressed.


And look at how many clothes have been donated for the clothing collection....



In fact there are even more clothes than that and today is going to be a fun day indeed, because all the children are getting involved in an "Art Attack" project which will see the clothes being made into a huge picture before being collected later next week.

I've got lots to do today, catching up with everything's that's been going on both at the school and elsewhere. I'll be back later with photos of what promises to be a really enjoyable project, plus other news. Huge thanks to all involved. I hope everyone is having as much fun as we're having in our neck of the woods.

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Day 4: Girls go shopping!

It's been a beautiful day in Moreton Hall... lovely sunshine and birds twittering...

... a wonderul summer's day, only be topped off by builders drilling and banging outside...

...followed by their intermittent sunbathing on the grass verge just in front of my home.

Crikey, now there's a view I'd rather not have.

So when my best buddy Lucy offered to whisk me away for some shopping, how could I say no.

We both love shopping and have spent many a day browsing around boutiques, interior design shops as well as creative havens of artistic delight.

But today was different!

We weren't off to the sparkling stores in Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich or Cambridge.

In fact, we didn't need to leave Moreton Hall.

Our destination was the St Nicholas Hospice Retail Centre, which is located in a warehouse just a few minutes away from our residential area. It's an amazing place full of good quality furniture and homewares.



I discovered this treasure trove a couple of weeks ago, and having spent many a shared hour being inspired by the latest wave of TV programmes such as Kirstie's Home-made Home and Mary Queen of Charity Shops, I couldn't wait to introduce Lucy to my new find! I knew she'd love it because as well as enjoying a good rummage, she's become more and more active in supporting charity work - even as I write she's preparing for the Race for Life this Sunday.

And what better timing could there be to visit than Recycle Week, when we are being encouraged to reduce and reuse as well as recycle.

I've been thinking a lot about charity shops myself recently, not just in relation to the benefits they offer but regarding how my attitude to them has changed over time.

When I was a student in the 1980s, I used to use charity shops a lot, looking for every opportunity to find something cheap that could be altered and would make me feel like an individual.

Then when I graduated and found a job, I left the charity shops behind and instead made sure my work wardrobe was kept up-to-date with the latest fashions from Next and Principles, switching to Per Una and Phase Eight as I grew older.

I found that the more money I earned, the less I depended on charity shops and if ever I visited, it would be simply to drop stuff off before running back out again, with the kind of embarrassed look that said "I'm only donating, I can actually afford to shop elsewhere, you know".

What a snobby twerp eh!

And yes, you do now have my permission to give me a tickle around the face with a wet fish whilst dangling eels over my head.

But before you do, let me at least redeem myself because these days you can't keep me out of such places.

I've since realised that my purchasing habits are no longer dependant on income or the pride associated with buying brand new things. For me, it's now the opportunity to buy things we need without impacting upon the waste stream and the environment. And by switching much of my custom to charitable causes, I know our money will be put to good use.

Of course, not everything I buy is sourced from a charity or thrift shop but it is the case that while Mr A may be found buying his bespoke-made suit at the tailors, I am usually busy in the charity shop next door.

And thanks to this, my favourite wardrobe items have been charity shop finds, including a fabulous pair of nearly new Betty Barclay boots that I picked up from St Nicholas Hospice's town-centre store for just £25 last Christmas. Indeed, I've seen so many good quality items, I've regularly come away speechless.

So this afternoon was one of those visits to find little treasures and support a very worthy cause that provides palliative care to local people and their families living with terminal illnesses. And I had no hesitation that Lucy would be impressed with the retail facilities.

While I came away with a brand new picnic rucksack, she picked up a few items including a stunning piece of art, which will look fabulous in her home and a Lion King video which her daughter has been wanting for over six months.

But we also came away making a pact to rummage through our homes for good quality items that we no longer need and have committed to dropping them off in a month's time.

It won't have the same impact as Mrs Green's massive decluttering exercise that's occuring over at MyZeroWaste - I don't think I could be that brave - but it will be a gentle nudge for us to get rid of some old things that we've both been harbouring. And by doing it together we can at least encourage each other along.

Now the one thing I haven't told you about Lucy, is that last weekend as her pledge for Recycle Week, she also agreed to let me help her whittle down her week's rubbish.

As well as taking her food waste off her hands she's also going to hand over the things that she's been unable to recycle in her blue bin. She hasn't yet revealed what she's got in store, so who knows what challenges I'll find. I'm not sure whether I should indeed be scared.

Well at least I've already sorted out her Tetra Pak problem, because the other thing I haven't told you is that she's married to "that man in the kilt"...

YES...Remember him?

For all those who missed it, here's the YouTube video revealing what actually happened to her cartons. With entertainment like this, I don't think she'll be throwing them in her landfill bin ever again!



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Day 4: I'm a riot at parties you know

Yesterday was most certainly the hardest day of Recycle Week. Nothing to do with the challenge itself. It had more to do with the pills that the doctor had given me, which sent me all whizzy dizzy for the whole of the day.

AND there was the unfortunate incident of my skirt doing a full "Marilyn Monroe" on the way to school.

So by the evening I was desperate to venture out and meet some of my really good friends from Bury LETS, a date at Pizza Express for a good old Sloppy Giuseppe and to celebrate a few birthdays.

Of course as it's Recycle Week, to keep in with the theme of my pledge to help others in my community to waste less, I asked if they could bring something along that they normally find hard to recycle.

I am chuffed the ladies joined in and last night I hobbled out from the restaurant, with not just my appetite satisfied but with a few rags, a carton and some glass bottles and jars.

But it's a good job the waitress from Pizza Express told us they recycle their bottles, otherwise I would have had a few more to bring home too.

Phew...not sure I could have clanked all those back to the car.
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Day 3: Thank you to Great Barton Beaver Scouts

Huge thanks to Great Barton Beavers Scouts for their commitment to the Recycle Week pledge.

I've just arrived back from our weekly Beaver Scout meeting, with over four bags of cartons. The colony sent letters out last week asking children to to join in the Recycle Week pledge and bring in their cartons And quite a few did, including one parent who normally recycles them every month at our local HWRC. I think she was pleased that this week I've saved her a trip.

As well as cartons, I even came away with a bag of mixed plastics recycling. By now I think they get the idea that I'm a tad keen.

It's no surprise though. In fact the Scout Movement is excellent at encouraging recycling amongst its youngsters and depending on each individual set-up, groups can often be found collecting mobile phones, aluminium cans and paper as part of their fundraising activities.

All those that get involved also now have the chance to earn the new Environment badge, which was launched earlier this year, to help scouts of all ages understand the impact of rubbish and litter on the community.

So I think that our visit to Beavers has fetched fantastic end to Day 3 of my Recycle Week pledge.

Day 3!

....blimey!

It already feels like a week, it's been so busy.

It's a good job I'm now off to relax and celebrate with some friends and a pizza.

Night night! See you tomorrow.
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Day 3: Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to school we go!

YES! YES! YES!

The Almost Average Household has finally remembered to recycle its cartons!

Phew!

That was lucky! The boys took them to school this morning to add to our school collection for Recycle Week, swinging them around in a wild fashion, whilst trying to hold up their trousers.

So on Day 3 of the pledge that I made at the Recycle Now site, we've finally done it. I just can't believe it took me three days to remember, especially as it's me who suggested the school collection in the first place as part of my wider community pledge.

But you know what this really means?

Not only have I contributed to local community spirit and the environment, I've also made sure that we keep Suffolk lovely and peaceful, in the manner to which it's now become accustomed

...because...

Thanks to recycling my own cartons today, it means I won't be forced to fulfil my forfeit which was to sing in public.

so as well as my neighbours in Moreton Hall, the folk at BBC Radio Suffolk and all their listeners will be totally safe from my wobbly warbling, when I drop in next week for my catch up.

I hope everyone else is doing well with their own pledges. I can't wait to find out how you're all getting on.

In the meantime.....

"Hi ho, hi ho, It's off to work I go......."

As you can see, I'm more than happy to sing on my own.



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Day 3: Man in kilt spotted SQUASHING Tetra Pak cartons

Remember the man in the kilt? Well here he is again, doing the well-known "Scottish" dance called "Stripping the Tetra-Pak", which from here on in is set to become the tradition for all kilt-wearing men that recycle.



I am sure that Jenny Walden, Tetra Pak's Recycling Officer will be impressed. Tomorrow she's helping to launch the "How do you squash yours?" competition, inviting people all over the UK to enter the craziest videos showing how they squeeze the air out of their cartons.

It may be a fun competition, but it has a serious message, highlighting the importance of reducing the number of recycling trucks and CO2. If everyone squashed theirs, three times more cartons could fit into a recycling bin, making them more efficient to collect.

So, what are you waiting for?

To find out what you need to do, here's Jenny with the rules and some really fantastic prizes, including a ‘chance of a lifetime’ place on an exciting international environmental adventure as well as an Eco TV, 50 hot DVDs and a supply of wine or smoothies in Tetra Pak cartons! The winner can choose which prize they want. You have until 1 November 2009 to enter.

For more info CLICK HERE. Happy Squashing!



P.S. Thanks again to Angus from Ecoboom for his kilt-wearing antics.