Cluck, cluck,cluck, cluck, cluck!

So here they are. My three little hens: Snowflake, Chickie and Speckledy (named by the children, of course - can you guess which is which?).

I've not given them much blogspace since they arrived in the spring, partly because I've been very busy with so many other things, not least sorting out their poop - yes chickens do a lot of that as I've come to learn. However, as my thoughts this week are focusing on the garden and how composting and wormeries can help with food waste, I thought it would be great time to share news of how my hens are getting on....or indeed how I'm getting on with my hens.

I remember when I announced that we were getting chickens.

"Bloody hell!" exclaimed my mother in here lilting Welsh accent. "What ew getting them for? Havven ew got enough on yewer hands woman?"

Then I'm sure CompostWoman sent a note saying "Just wait till you see what they do to your garden".

Hmmm.

But I ignored the advice and took the bull by the horns, or rather went to the hen breeder just off the A14 past Newmarket and came back with three hens.

And within one week the Speckledy Hen was laying. Within a month the other two were following suit.

But my mother was right. I have had to juggle around routines to fit in the extra work. But that's okay, because what it means is that I am now happier to stay at home watching the hens than gallivanting around town shopping.

Chickens have an amazing therapeutic and calming effect. I just adore watching them and their funny little movements, scratching with their feet, and pecking at the ground.

But I often think of CompostWoman's wise words about what they would do to our little suburban garden.

It's all come true. All the leaves that are spread on the lawn are thanks to the girls getting busy hunting under the bushes.



And the view from my living room has changed a lot, on account of them digging out the gravel from the flower beds. This is the scene from the French windows as I write my blog this morning.



We don't mind the leaves so much or indeed the poop that gets dropped on the lawn. Indeed parts of our garden have never looked so good.

But it's the gravel digging that has caused us the greatest problems, because the stones have spread across the lawn, killing the grass in many places.

So as a temporary measure (while we work on redesigning our space), Mr A built a chicken run to keep the girls in one place.

What he hadn't anticipated however was how the chickens would plot their great escape, particularly Chickie who appears to be the ring leader.

First she dug under the fence and was successful, so we soon put a stop to that and blocked her escape route.

Then she learned out to jump up onto the chicken wire and with a bit of a wobble was the free bird she wanted to be.

But I put a stop to that, by digging in some extra canes to block her path to freedom.

However, not to be beaten, her final "piece de resistance" has involved jumping on top of the eglu henhouse, flapping her wings and launching herself over the fence, to the admiration of the other hens she's left behind.

She's most definitely worthy of a part in the animated movie "Chicken Run". In fact it was Chickie who sent me into a Benny Hill kind of dance, with me and the boys following her up the stairs and down again the first time she "broke into" our house.

Despite our "teething trouble" with the garden, they are the most wonderful pets. The children adore them and so do their friends. Where my youngest boy is a natural in picking them up and handling them, my eldest son has been more cautious. But even he can catch and hold them now too.

And as for the scraps, they help out in many ways, supporting my 5 year old bin saboteur with his leftovers. He's not much better than when I first started The Rubbish Diet, and still leaves half-munched apples and a compulsory amount of pasta or rice, no matter how little is served on his plate.

So the chickens are now my best friends, when it comes to reducing my little one's food waste. Better on their hips than mine. Anything that's too spicy for them, I add to the wormery.

And the thanks we get are the eggs we collect each morning. Mostly three a day, except when they are broody, but even then Chickie, the Calder Ranger, kept laying every day, when all around her had stopped. They've been so productive, I've only had to buy eggs on one occasion since we've had them.

At least that's some compensation for the destruction of the garden.

And long may it continue...the eggs that is...not the gravel!


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You really don't need much space to compost

Look, you can even get a wormery for your desk at work!
available from Bubble House

Hot on the heels of yesterday's post about my new Worm Cafe wormery, comes the news from Recycle Now that lack of space in the garden is one of the main reasons given by many people for not composting garden and household waste.

However according to Recycle Now’s Home Composting campaign, it need not be a barrier and with so many composting and other options available, anyone with outside space – around 95 per cent of households - should be able to give it a go.

Recycle Now's research reveals that over a third of us already compost garden and household waste in one way or another, using a compost bin or heap. Of those that don’t, one in four say this is because they do not have the space.

But as we've already seen on this blog, even the smallest outdoor spaces can be used for making compost.

Carl Nichols, Head of Home Composting at Recycle Now said:

“With so much choice available, anyone with outside space can compost at home. Even those of us with just a small patio or balcony, can do our bit, for example by using a wormery to turn waste food into free food for plants- indoors or out."

“Increasing numbers of people are starting to compost at home and we want these people to pass on their tips to their friends and families. By composting at home, not only are we reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill each year, we are also producing a rich and nutritious plant food with a wide range of uses for vegetables, indoor and outdoor plants and even lawns.”

To demonstrate that time and space needn’t be an issue and to bust other myths about composting, Recycle Now has put together a beginners’ guide:


1. Heap or bin? A compost heap is perhaps one of the most traditional methods for composting. However, compost bins are now widely available and popular as they are simple to purchase, construct and use.


2. What type of bin is for me? There are compost bins of all shapes and sizes, to suit your gardening needs.

· Small garden? There are many alternative designs of compost bin to suit all garden needs such as beehive designs or bins made out of recycled wood.
· Balcony or porch? A wormery is the ideal solution for someone with little or no garden. · Lots of space? The opportunities are endless – there are a range of larger bins available from many Local Authorities and most garden centres.
· No outside space? Some councils offer a separate collection for food or garden waste. Why not check with your local council to see if this option is available in your area.


3. Garden design: If you are concerned about how your garden will look when you start composting, build the bin into the design of your garden. Compost bins could be disguised behind surround made of either brick or timber (or stone if in keeping with your garden), or you can put trellis in front of your bin and grow climbers over it for a really natural screen.


4. Getting started: Simply add a selection of ‘greens and browns’ to the bin for the perfect mix. ‘Greens’ are quick to rot and provide important nitrogen and moisture – try tea bags, vegetable peelings, old flowers and nettles, or spent bedding plants. ‘Browns’ such as cardboard, fallen leaves, twigs and branches are slower to rot, but provide carbon and fibre to the bin.


5. The end product: After nine months to a year your compost will be mature enough to use. You’ll know it’s ready when the compost has turned into a dark, crumbly soil-like substance. It can be used to enrich borders and plants. If you have little use for compost, consider using a wormery as this will produce less compost but plenty of plant food. For further information about home composting and how to get started, as well as advice and information to help you along the way, visit www.recyclenow.com/compost

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To support Recycle_Now's campaign I would love to feature photos of your home composting solution as well as details of the most unusual things you compost. I'll publish my favourites on the blog at the end of the month. Either email at karen[at]therubbishdiet[dot]co[dot]uk or send me a link via Twitter.

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Getting all wiggly at the worm cafe

Don't you love it when folk give you a second chance in life?

It makes you feel grateful doesn't it, especially when you're carrying a whole load of guilt about being a...

...Worm Murderer!

Yes a killer of defenceless little wiggly things.

I know. I am guilty as charged m'lord and I don't feel good about it.

Which is why I am thankful for a lovely gift I received from Wiggly Wigglers, which arrived on my doorstep just over a month ago.



It was their latest wormery...appropriately called the Worm Cafe, giving me the opportunity to make up for my misdemeanours.

The Can-o-Worms wormery that I'd previously been using had been going quite well until we hit winter last year, when I really couldn't be bothered to take my peelings and food scraps along the path, past the spikey plants and delve amongst the wet bushes just to feed the worms. It was much easier to bung everything in the Bokashi bin.

If the wormery had been smaller, we could have simply stored it outside the kitchen door and would have been far more convenient to use. However as useful as the Can-o-Worms was, it was just too big to do that and would have got in the way. I know, because I tried it.

But the Worm Cafe is perfectly shaped to fit into the smallest of corners. And just like the Can-o-Worms, it is easy to set up and comes complete with bedding, worms, a lime mix, worm treat and moisture mat when bundled with the Value Pack. It's also made from recycled plastic, so that's great news too.


I'm now pleased to say that our Worm Cafe has now been established just outside our kitchen for over a month and from a convenience perspective is very easy to use, particularly because its lid rests on the edge, so you don't have to juggle that while adding the scraps.



And as we no longer throw so much away these days, it is now the perfect size for my family, especially as we also have chickens and I no longer use the Bokashi bins.

I am confident that at last we've got a fool-proof system but I suppose I'm going to have to get through the Winter and see the first compost before I can truly celebrate.

In the meantime, I'm pleased to pass on our old wormery to our Beaver Scout leader and make my promise to be better behaved with my new batch of worms.

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More information about the Worm Cafe can be found at www.wigglywigglers.co.uk.

So how do you squash yours? Cartons not kids!

It's half-term week here in Suffolk, so what a perfect opportunity to not only indulge in the great outdoors but also to engage the kids in a bit of amateur dramatics for Tetra Pak's How do you squash yours? competition, which is encouraging consumers to flatten cartons before recycling them.

There were a few tantrums and tears, which led to a full-blown rugby tackle after I turned off the camera. My younger boy was calling for a rematch!

Mmmm, perhaps not.

The video is now published but before you check it out below, let me reassure you that no children were harmed during or after the event ... except for my eldest accidentally falling into a blackberry bramble.

Boys will be boys....bless 'em. They were great sports really and told me they actually did have a good time.



More information about Tetra Pak's YouTube competition can be found on the company's website, along with the latest news that the cartons are now also FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified.

Don't forget, if you'd like an opportunity to join in the competition, you have until 1st November to enter.

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The Newsy is: Zero Waste Catches on Worldwide

I'd like to thank Daniel over at online news site Newsy.com for making a surprise appearance in my inbox yesterday, pointing me in the direction of the website's encouraging report on the adoption of Zero Waste projects worldwide.

This is the first time I've come across Newsy and I know I am biased in relation to the content matter, but I happen to like the nature of its reporting and how it gives an international perspective on this subject.

Hot on the heels of recent news about local Zero Waste projects in the UK, such as our Seven Streets project in Suffolk, it is really inspirational to see how other communities and overseas organisations are also tackling their own waste mountains.

Against the backdrop of environmental issues and sustainable responsibility, one of my favourite quotes in the report has to be the key observation from a Wal-Mart executive who says

"When you reduce waste, you're taking inefficiencies out of the system, which ultimately means you can lower prices."

This is the language of commerce, using incentives that developers, manufacturers and retailers hold dear. And interestingly, bringing it back to a local perspective it was this strong argument that was also used in a presentation that I attended this week about Resource Efficiency, which was aimed at small and medium sized businesses.

So it looks like the old adage "Necessity is the mother of invention" is actually coming true, just as the report illustrates with its news of waste management developments and commitments from retailers.

The path to Zero Waste really does feel like a new and exciting industrial revolution and the great thing is it looks like it is truly international. I now can't wait to see what happens next.

So see what you think of the Newsy report below. And if you're reading this in an RSS feed here's the link to connect directly to the video on the Newsy website.




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Amanda Holden and Oliver Heath are at it too!

Slimming people's bins of course...what else could I possibly mean!

Looks like zero waste could hit the nation's streets, with the help of Kenco's latest marketing strategy for their eco-refills waste-less campaign.

So check out the video below to see what TV presenter Amanda Holden and eco-designer Oliver Heath are getting up to in Waste Lane, "Up North" in Yorkshire. If it's really successful, perhaps it should be renamed Zero Waste Lane. Fingers crossed eh!

Oh, I almost forgot in my excitement, if you click through to www.kenco.co.uk, there is even a chance to win an eco-break. You'll also see that if you send your empty packs back to Kenco, they will be upcycled by the wonderful Terracycle AND Kenco will give money to your favourite charity too. Now that can't be bad.



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21 October is Apple Day

This Wednesday is Apple Day, an annual event that has been organised by the charity Common Ground to celebrate apples, orchards and local distinctiveness.

There are many ways to celebrate the big day, with events taking place all over the country, including invitations to participate in the Longest Peel competition. Would you believe the record for the longest unbroken piece of apple peel is 52.51m long.

I won't be challenging the record, but I have to admit that apples are one of my favourite fruit, not least because they are inexpensive but also because they are so versatile. Not only are they delicious eaten fresh from the tree but are also flavoursome when added to desserts or even soups.

For me, they really do represent the taste of autumn and I've already found a lovely list of Suffolk varieties which I hope to start researching soon. The Suffolk Pink comes highly recommended, thanks to my recent taste tests.

My personal plans for celebrating this year's Apple Day is to bake an "Apple cut-and-come-again Cake" which can be found in the fabulous Grown in Britain Cookbook. It really is delicious on its own as a snack or served up with custard. It also kills two birds with one stone, as this week is National Baking Week too.

However, if you're not up for a bit of baking, you can still get involved in celebrating Apple Day.

• You could follow the advice of Monty Don and the Gardeners World team and plant an apple tree in your garden or school.
• Or you might like to show your support for Community Orchards by saving old ones or planting new.
• If you're keen to help reduce waste, why not follow the example of Suffolk's "Share-an-apple" volunteers and ask local apple growers\gardeners if you can scrump their spare produce to share with good causes.
  

And if you've got some apples spare yourself, you could try creating your own unpackaged dried fruit. Mrs Green over at MyZeroWaste has got some great advice on a whole variety of methods you could use.

There's lots you can do to celebrate the great British apple, so if you get a chance, please pop over to the Apple Day website for more info.
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Don't look now if it's too early for you

Once upon a time, talking about Christmas in October used to be far too unseasonal for me, especially thanks to weeks of pent-up frustration of seeing festive cards and giftsets appearing in shops months before the celebration itself.

But this year, I'm of the opinion that if I can't beat 'em, I'm most definitely going to join 'em and start getting ready for Christmas too. I know we haven't even enjoyed Halloween yet, but I've got certain plans that need a little more time than traipsing around the high street can offer, which is why I'm getting prepared now.

Yes, this year I've set myself a challenge of organising christmas gifts which come with that extra personal touch and apart from a couple of things the children would like, most of the presents will be made by me or by local artisans and producers.

Without giving too much away, on account that some recipients may be looking in and due to the fact that I haven't yet got a precise plan of action, I am hoping to make Christmas preparations as simple as possible.

As well as getting creative with some tree decorations and bead jewellery, here are just a few of my other ideas:

• I've been harvesting runner bean seeds from the garden which I can give to some of my more green-fingered friends.
• I'm also going to make some festive pot-pourri, made from dried citrus peel, fir cones and rose petals. I'll be on the look out for some cinammon sticks to add to the blend too. I've never done this before so watch this space to see what happens.
• My children absolutely love money, so I have been busy gathering all our loose change and filling up jam-jars. I'm planning to add chocolate coins to the collection to create mini treasure troves as stocking fillers.
• And talking of stocking fillers, would you believe that I've had a special request to make more of the little stocking fellas I created last year.
  

This year I will also be ditching traditional gift-wrap and will instead spread the joy of reusable fabric wrapping, so I have treated myself to a few metres of gorgeous fabric decorated with festive prints. Don't fall off your chairs but I'm planning on calling the sewing machine into action to make some present bags.

There are simply billions of ideas out there and I am currently enjoying two particular scrummy books, which I picked up earlier in the year. The first is called Homemade by Ros Badger and Elspeth Thompson, which is stacked full of ideas that transcend the seasons. The other delightful read is The Christmas Book by Sheherazade Goldsmith, which focuses entirely on the festive season

So it looks as though this year will most definitely be a year of recycling and reusing, as well as using up stuff that we've got around the house. I'd love to know your ideas too. With little time on my hands as ever, I'm up for all ideas that come my way. If you're a blogger you may even be interested in joining in the Thrifty Christmas carnival which will be hosted by the lovely Liz over at Violet Posy. You can find more info about it here.

Given that the run-up to Christmas time has been very stressful indeed in previous years, this year, I am feeling surprisingly calm. Despite having more to do, I am optimistic that I will really enjoy it for the first time in ages. Well that's the plan.

All I now hope... is that the recipients will enjoy their gifts too.

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Blog Action Day: It's time to meet the Green Thing

There's no getting away from it, Climate Change is such a serious subject.

What with the facts, the figures, the uncertainties as well as the heavy debates and persuasion, not to mention all the things you need to juggle just to do your bit. It can most certainly make your head hurt

So it's refreshing when a wriggly little thing with three eyes pops up to remind us of the small things that count and how these little things make a huge difference.

This positive creature is called the Green Thing.

If you haven't met it yet, perhaps it's time to say hello, especially as it's Blog Action Day and bloggers all over the world are encouraging people to stop and think about how we tackle climate change.

So without further ado,I invite you to click on the video below and shake the Green Thing by one of its many tentacles. Just be careful it doesn't tickle you though especially when you're least expecting. It's reached the final of this year's Green Awards and it could get rather excited.

Meet Green Thing from Green Thing on Vimeo.

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Suffolk to become a Zero Waste Place

On-street recycling bin in Ipswich, Suffolk.

Things are most definitely hotting up in the UK, with Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for the Environment today announcing plans to turn Britain into a "Zero Waste Nation", expecting all local authorities to offer comprehensive collection services by 2020.

Included in his strategy is a ban on recyclable materials from landfill and schemes to encourage better recycling, including the generation of energy from collected food waste. As well as municipal waste, there are also plans to reduce commercial and industrial waste, working with businesses and the waste management industry to encourage innovative practices.

This is great news in itself, but what excites me more in a "Football's coming home" kind of way, is that my local county of Suffolk, in the East of England, has been chosen as one of six new Zero Waste places to trial what many are calling the government's tough new recycling policy.

Representing the Suffolk Waste Partnership, Councillor Roy Barker, has this evening been quoted in the local press, saying he is delighted that Suffolk is at the forefront of this innovative scheme.

And I can certainly share his enthusiasm, especially as it has been confirmed that Suffolk residents are already among the best recyclers in the country, with half of our waste being diverted from landfill.

So where can Suffolk go next in its Zero Waste plans?

Well, the exciting news is the announcement of the "Suffolk Seven Streets" project, which has been awarded a £10,000 grant from DEFRA, challenging local households to reduce their rubbish even further, indeed by half.

One street in each of the seven Suffolk local authority districts will be selected to test a new recycling regime. And with the support of council recycling teams, businesses and residents will be encouraged to see who can reduce their rubbish the most.

Further news will be available over the next few months as the local scheme takes shape and I can't wait to report on what's happening in and around the county.

But dare I say, as well as encouraging others, the competitive streak is now rising within me and I am already dancing around in glee flying my own virtual flag for St Edmundsbury. I'm now wondering if I can volunteer my own street and survey our local residents to see if they want to fly the flag with me. I think I might just ring the council and see if we're eligible.

But then again, the thought of knocking on strangers' doors makes me feel like the BBC's choirmaster Gareth Malone trying to create a brand-new community choir in South Oxhey.

I suppose I could always don an England football shirt, and merrily sing "Recycling's coming home" when they answer. Or should it be an Ipswich Town shirt I wonder.

One thing's for sure, if the "Suffolk Seven Streets" project gets as competitive as the local football leagues, just imagine the results.

I won't run ahead of myself quite yet. All I can say is well done to Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk Waste Partnership. Congratulations on taking the lead. When it comes to Zero Waste projects, this is going to be very exciting indeed.

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East Devon goes for Zero Waste

I'd just like to give a huge shout-out to the Recycling Officers at East Devon District Council, who are kicking off their Zero Waste Week today.

The council is in the process of introducing weekly food waste collections and to raise awareness of new methods available to reduce landfill, they are giving residents who already benefit from the new service the opportunity to participate in their first Zero Waste week.

Contestants will need to go for one week without producing any black bag rubbish and there will be a prize for the most successful household.

Although the competition is open to residents on Monday and Tuesday collections in the Axe Valley, Sidmouth and Ottery areas, other folk in the district are being encouraged to participate by avoiding packaging and recycling or reusing everything they can.

And if you have been listening in to Good Morning Devon today, you may even have heard East Devon's Waste Management Team's Steve Joyce making his radio debut with his colleague Naomi.

It was all fun and frolics with BBC Radio Devon presenter Matt Woodley, inviting Steve and Naomi to delve into his family's binbags to find out what could be done with a "fetching pair of plum hotpants"and a pink bra.

Steve's tip that the bra could actually be recycled and might even come back as soundproofing material certainly caught the attention of the radio presenter as well as other interesting facts during the 10 minute slot. Having your rubbish waded through on air, is a brave thing to do even for a confident radio presenter, but it did make great listening as Naomi and Steve managed to reduce the rubbish by 50%.

So if you live in Devon and missed the debate, which included top tips about nappies, dry cleaners' bags and shredded paper, then it's worth popping along to BBC Radio Devon and clicking on the Listen Again button. You just need to fast forward to 2hrs 32 minutes.

Best of luck to all in East Devon who are taking part and to Steve and Naomi in their bid to help reduce the UK's landfill. It's wonderful to see more councils rolling out Zero Waste challenges and when the week is over, I'll be sure to report back on their successes.

And if you'd like to find out more information about East Devon's Zero Waste Challenge, further details can be found on the council's website.
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It's 10:10 - Happy Anniversary Mr A.

"We're not swapping presents this year are we?" asked Mr A attempting to settle his nerves over whether he needed to buy me a gift for our wedding anniversary, which happens to be today.

Well, it's always worth checking your wife's expectations don't you think! He's a very wise husband indeed.

Anyway, to cut a long story short (which I know is a rarity around these parts), I declined the offer of a pressie on account of having enough sparkly things, lingerie and champagne to last me for a while longer .

And besides he's already "treated me" to my very first pair of reading glasses this week. And that wasn't cheap, neither was his loving acceptance that his old bird had finally reached "that age".

But don't worry, romance isn't quite dead yet - despite the ageing process kicking in - because yesterday I had a momentous brainwave and rang him to break the news.

"You know I said I didn't want anything for our anniversary" I mumbled, interrupting him during his lunchbreak.

"Yes?" he replied, in more of a questioning tone rather than one of confirmation.

"Well, I've changed my mind" I added, then proceeded to ramble on about how I'd like to make a small donation to 10:10, the organisation that is working its socks off to inspire individuals, businesses and public organisations to reduce their carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. Here are just a few of their supporters, lots of other ordinary folk down at the launch party in the summer.



"That's how I'd like to celebrate our anniversary, by pledging to commit to our future." I said.

Then came the silence. Surely that was what marriage was about anyway.

The donation may have seemed a random suggestion - just like the day he returned home from work earlier this month to my announcement that I'm to become a poppy seller. It has all probably left him wondering if I'm the same old girl that he married 11 years ago. Indeed I often wonder if I am indeed the same lass who you can see in the photo below.



But before I knew it, he'd agreed to my anniversary wish and a cheque is now winging its way to help produce supporter packs for people who want to raise awareness in their local communities.

But it's not just about donating money. It's also about taking action too. And I've been pondering this a lot over the last few weeks.

Okay, I know we've been doing our bit and reducing our carbon footprint quite significantly as far as recycling and reducing waste go, but I've wondered what else I can do and it's all becoming blindingly obvious, dare I say.

Now it might sound very 20th Century and 1950s housewife-ish, but I'm beginning to think it all revolves looking after my husband a lot better than I've been doing for the last few years or so.

Take this week, when he gently suggested that he should perhaps take home-made lunches to work...instead of partaking in the 8 mile round trip into town, or dropping into the nearest supermarket!

Yes, I know... I've never been efficient in that particular area.

Then there's the issue of organising our kitchen, so I can make better use of the little storage we have and minimise the shopping trips that I have to make.

And of course, there's the perennial issue of the growing pile of pants.

If I wasn't such a hapless case of a housewife, I might just keep on top of the washing pile, which means he'd never again have to make an emergency trip to Marks and Spencer for a critical top up.

These are just some small changes that can make a huge difference.

So, I've a funny old feeling that today I may be renewing our marriage vows, which will go someway beyond for richer or poorer or in sickness and in health. It looks like I'm going to need an organisational overhaul.

Of course, if I'm going to do my bit for saving energy it will mean turning down the lights tonight and digging out the tea lights instead. I just need to find something to put them in.

Perhaps I could use some of those jam jars that I have been collecting for I don't know what?

The problem is, where the blimmin' 'eck did I put them?

Oh well, it looks like it's back to the kitchen for me for a good rummage in my disorganised cupboards...and while I'm there, I'll remember to wash those blimmin' pants.

So happy anniversary Mr A. Here's to clean pants, hot lunches and reducing emissions. I love you and thank you even more than ever for putting up with me x
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I'm still here, but I'm also over there too!

Here's a big hello from the East of England. I'm sorry if I've been a bit quiet on the blog recently. As well as celebrating the news of last week, I've also been busy looking after a poorly little boy and preparing for a bigger boy's 8th birthday [geez, he was just six when I started the blog].

And while all this has been happening I've also been getting around making a few guest appearances elsewhere on the old Interweb.

So any guesses, where I've been hanging out?

Well at the weekend, we popped over to the Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival, which was a great event. I'm hoping to blog about it soon, but in the meantime I've put some photos up on my Twitpic Account.

I've also been talking rubbish over at MyZeroWaste , helping Mrs Green out with a guest post and being loud and proud about community action. She's got some other articles from other familiar faces, so do go and have an explore.

And elsewhere, I've been interviewed by Willi Paul over at PlanetShifter, answering some very deep questions about all sorts of things to do with recycling and sustainability. And yes it did make my head hurt on times.

So after all that, I think I need to put my feet up before my 8-year-old gets home desperate to tuck into the birthday cake.

It's a zero waste one of course.....

Well it will be when I've made it!

It's at times like this I really wish I could be in two places at the same time.
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Recycling Champion of the Year Finalist

Now I was going to have an early night and blog about this in the morning, but the news was far too exciting to keep to myself.

This afternoon I received a surprise phone call from Suffolk County Council, to let me know that they had nominated me for this year's CIWM Awards for the category Recycling Champion of the Year.

Of course I was chuffed to bits with the news, but my smile got much wider when Anna, the Waste Communications Manager, continued to tell me that I've also been shortlisted and will be put forward as a finalist to the judging panel, who will announce their decision at the Awards event on 11th November.

Now this is where I take a break and run around the sofa in wild excitement for the 10th time today before I adopt a more professional manner more in keeping with the event itself.

And with my serious hat on, I am really grateful for Suffolk County Council's nomination as well as the enthusiasm of all those I have worked with on various campaigns and projects, including waste professionals, local schools, refuse collectors, local councillors, blog supporters, bloggers and tweeters as well as all my friends and family who have turned over to the lighter side when it comes to rubbish.

But do you know the best bit about the awards ceremony?

It's not that it's at a posh hotel in London, or that it's being hosted by Dragons' Den investor Deborah Meaden, or even that the awards are made from recycled glass...

Well, okay I admit that's all impressive in itself, as is the opportunity to rub shoulders with waste professionals who are really making a difference to the environmental landscape.

However what I am getting very excited about is the chance to meet someone very special, who I've discovered today is also listed in the same category and will be attending the awards too. It's Sarah Blenkinsop, aka Compostwoman, our very busy blogging friend who can normally be found in The Compost Bin in Herefordshire.

So with me in my recycling bin and Sarah in her composter, I am sure we'll make an entertaining double-act on the day and should we accidentally drop anything on the floor no doubt Tipton Litter Watch, the other finalist in our category, will help us clean up our act.

So huge thanks again to Suffolk County Council. It was a wonderful surprise, which has made one particular member of the community very happy indeed.


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The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), is the professional body which represents over 6,000 waste management professionals in the UK as well as overseas. The CIWM Awards for Environment Excellence are now in their third year and will be held at the Dorchester Hotel, London, on 11th November. The Recycling Champion of the Year award is intended to recognise the contribution of people or groups outside of the waste and resource management industry in encouraging public participation in managing resources and reducing or recycling waste.
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Naked deliveries make my day

I feel I must apologise for my absence over the last few days. I'd been so looking forward to tucking into some tasty British food and blogging about my discoveries, but by Tuesday I was all struck down with a nasty cold. Then my appetite skedaddled and my tastebuds followed suit, all disappearing into a big black hole.

Hardly being able to speak today I was home alone feeling sorry for myself, coughing with one breath and then sneezing with the other, when suddenly I heard a rat-tat-tat at the door.

And what a surprise!

It was my lovely friendly postman making a naked delivery.

Now, stop your rude thoughts.

Granted, the Royal Mail might make a few extra bob if they did strip-o-grams, but then again....

I can reassure you that our friendly postie was most definitely suitably dressed in all the right clobber, but he was holding before him a naked flower.

Of course, I had to to grab my camera to snap it before saying thank you and closing the door.

The felt flower, which was all pink and fuzzy, had been sent to me by Henry and Jayne, home of a beautiful range of hand made gifts. It was part of an experiment to see what would happen to flowers sent in the post without any packaging whatsoever, focusing on ways to reduce unecessary packaging. You can read more about their experiment here.

Well the great news is, the flower has arrived in one piece, completely intact with no damage at all.

Just perfect.

It even had an address tag made from a recycled Christmas card.

So thank you to Liz at Henry and Jayne for letting me take part in this wonderful experiment. I am now a joyful owner of a beautiful flower that's taking pride of place in my dining room.

And as for the postie, well he says, it's the most beautiful naked delivery he has ever made.



I promise to be back soon with further news of my local gastronomic adventures, as well as some other exciting news that has made my day even more exciting. For now though, I'm afraid I have to go and sneeze.

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British Food Fortnight: Time to tuck into local fayre

As British Food Fortnight commences, it's time to get your tastebuds at the ready and celebrate the best of our country's home-grown produce and culinary talents.

And on a personal level, I am really looking forward to the opportunity to explore the regional fayre of the East of England, in particular in my local county of Suffolk.

It's only recently that my interest in British food has come to the fore. With the exception of supporting Welsh lamb - representing my affinity to my home country - I used to zip around the supermarket without a care in the world about where my food came from. And my taste in more continental and exotic foods fuelled this. By comparison British food seemed boring, unadventurous and downright plain.

But something's changed over the last few years. There is something about British food that now excites me. No longer do I buy cheap cuts of meat that have been flown half way round the world just to be disguised in a hot spicy sauce. Indeed the opposite is now true, with regionally sourced meat being bought from our local butchers, it is the perfect opportunity to discover how best to cook it for maximum flavour, without necessarily adding any fancy accompaniments.

Added to this is the magic of seasonality and the opportunity to enjoy buying fresh food at its best, when it is supposed to be eaten or at least preserved for the winter months.

So for the next two weeks I am going to ditch the lazy habits that have crept in over the summer relying on pasta, cous-cous and rice and get back to enjoying good old British grub.

I am going to take every opportunity I can to put local food on the table, while experimenting with regional recipes from around the country.

And living in Suffolk, this shouldn't be too much of a challenge. We are blessed with shops that delight in local produce, including Barwells in Bury St Edmunds (recently featured on the Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain and now famous for its St Edmundsbury Purse), which takes animal welfare seriously and sources its meat from approved Suffolk and Norfolk farms and game from the local Denham Estate.

As well as a fabulous twice-weekly market, we also have a farmers' market at Wyken Vineyards, where even local wine is available. Now Suffolk may not be necessarily known for its expertise in this area, but Wyken and the nearby Ickworth Vineyards offer a range of excellent British wines that are a real match to the more traditional wine producing regions of the continent.

Further afield, there are opportunities to explore the delights of the Suffolk and Norfolk coast with locally caught fish. And talking of the coast, one of the highlights on this year's calendar has to be the Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival, which kicks off on the 26th September, playing host to over 70 local growers and manufacturers of Suffolk produce.

So over the next couple of weeks, I plan to do very little except enjoy some tasty delights and I will be revealing some of my favourite discoveries around our local area. Of course, I will be commenting on the packaging too. Let's not forget, this is The Rubbish Diet after all.

But before I venture off around the county in search of local fayre, I'm thinking the best place to start is to dig up the rest of the potatoes from our garden and gather the remainder of the runner beans that are hanging from their beanstalks.

And of course I shouldn't overlook our eggs. Collecting the daily eggs from our chooks in the garden is one of the best pleasures ever and when it comes to local, you can't get better than that.

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To find out how you can get involved in British Food Fortnight, which runs from 19th Sept to 4th October, visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

National Zero Waste Week: Grand Finale or Anti-climax?

What a funny old week it's been. And unless you've been walking around with your head in a bucket and your ears full of sand, you'll have been aware I've been taking part in MyZeroWaste's National Zero Waste Week, along with many other bloggers and Twitter users across the UK and indeed around the globe.

Now the first time I tackled a Zero Waste Week - in March last year - I was very well prepared. I had a plan and I was constantly on the ball, keeping my eyes peeled for any piece of rubbish to bite me on the bum at the least expected opportunity.

But this time around I've had a sprained wrist as well as such a busy social calendar that it could make your eyes pop with the velocity at which I've had to fit it all in.

So apart from the odd little lie to the kids "Sorry they had no crisps, have a packet of foil & paper wrapped Rolos instead" and the odd little fib to Mr A "Sorry they had no Minstrels, have a packet of foil & paper wrapped Rolos instead" as well as collecting a handful of disposable cotton handwipes from a bunch of folk I've never met before at a Twestival visit to an Indian restaurant, I haven't really given it a great deal of attention.

Yes as far as my personal Zero Waste Week contribution has gone, it's simply muddled along with the rest of my life.

Now this means it could have been an absolute disaster but the great news is my resident foodie fusspots have done an amazing disappearing act this week. With a husband travelling around the East of England living off buffets at every turn and kids now back at school returning home with a ravenous appetites, the bin has been in pretty good health.

It's been so good, we've had absolutely nothing for the Bokashi bin and as for the chickens, they've been looking so blimmin' disappointed at the lack of any spare scraps, that by the end of the week I was feeling emotionally blackmailed into cooking extra portions of pasta just for them.

Geez, it comes to something when you spend the best part of your forties trying to REDUCE food waste then suddenly find that you need to CREATE some, to ensure the whole menagerie are blimmin' fed.

So with no unrecyclable\reusable packaging during the last week and no cooked food waste to hit the Bokashi bin, I was feeling on top form, thinking I would have a completely empty bin...

... until our pair of black and white moggies got all sniffy and refused to eat the last scraps of their Whiskas cat food left in their bowl from Saturday.

So the amount of rubbish created this week has been just a few bits of the cats leftovers.

Not bad eh....especially when our usual weekly rubbish is normally about a quarter of a bin bag..

...and I am chuffed to bits I can fit it into the brand new wheelie bin that I dug out especially for National Zero Waste Week!

It's the one on the far right of the picture above....that's right...the one at the very end of the row!

Here's the photo again to save you scrolling back up.




And here it is being picked up by the friendly bin man ...



But don't get excited yet because amongst all this good news and celebration over our week's worth of waste, I am left with a HUGE dilemma because when we returned from a trip to the seaside yesterday, my King of Declutter, the beloved Mr A, shifted everything around in the dining room, so he could find room for a huge painting of Southwold that he commissioned for his 40th birthday.

It involved shifting out a load of crap from what's been a much under-used room in the last few months.

And in doing so uncovered this...


Yep, it's a bag of miscellaneous "rubbish" according to Mr A, which he sorted out about a month ago, but forgot to "throw out" - i.e. surreptitiously take to the tip while I was busy elsewhere.

Of course being the offical head of the household, he tells me that this doesn't actually count to National Zero Waste Week, because it is a bag of "old rubbish" and as it happens, I've not had chance to sort it yet and I am sure it will be smaller by the time I've finished with it.

But forget Mr A's excuses. I think I should leave it for you to decide what should account for our official weigh in?

My small bag of cat food or Mr A's unexpected bag of household crap?

Who gets your vote?

I know it could be tricky, so while you make your mind up, I'm going to enjoy a cup of tea in our nicely restyled dining room, where I will be getting ready to join in the Jonathan Vernon-Smith show on BBC Three Counties Radio this afternoon.

Today's debate is the issue of new wheelie bins for managing food waste.

Yep I'm talking rubbish again - for a change.

Hmm, I wonder if he'll show me his, if I show him mine. Question is, which bag should I show him?



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Surviving a Zero Waste Week: Rethinking Rubbish

Damn, blast, splidgery flip flops...I've got some blimmin' rubbish!

Look at it. An annoying piece of desperate-to-pop bubblewrap, discovered last night in an empty strawberry carton, which my husband had bought at the weekend.

And there I was, thinking I was all prepared for Zero Waste Week, but I'd forgotten about these pieces of cushioned plastic that are now pretty ubiquitous in the soft fruit packaging department. It just goes to show even old hands at this zero waste business can get caught out.

Now as you are probably aware bubblewrap is pretty tricky to recycle and it'll be a top notch council that allows you to put it in your recycling bin. Ours is good, but it doesn't take bubblewrap. So if I'm going to survive a Zero Waste Week, especially a National Zero Waste Week it's time to think like a crafty old weasel.

I'm going to have to think of this bubblewrap as a valuable resource and not let it become a piece of rubbish.

Well rubbish is so last century isn't it? These days, if you're throwing stuff in your bin, you're also throwing away resources, wasting an opportunity to save money, energy and virgin resources. It really is the equivalent of throwing your small change into landfill. And who in their right mind would do that, especially if they need all the pennies they can get?

So where does that leave me with my tiny piece of bubblewrap?

On the edge of finishing that bottle of gin, with the kind of week I've had!

But seriously. If you're faced with the same problem during your Zero Waste Week, be assured there are a range of solutions out there.


Option No 1: Reuse It!

Yes I know, there aren't too many applications that call for a 8x13cm piece of bubblewrap but if you put your thinking cap on and pray for inspiration, you might be able to find other uses around the home.

For example, if you are blessed with a small child who owns a dolls-house, you might be able to get away with a few make-shift duvets for the dollies to keep warm at night. You could even unleash your inner seamstress and throw in a range of duvet covers while you're at it.

Keen gardeners amongst you can use them to insulate mini seedling pots (especially those made from old newspapers and toilet rolls).

Also, if you ever send very small and delicate items in the post you can use them as protection. And if you're making plans for the festive season, one of my fellow Tweeter @henryandjayne came up with the suggestion of craftily using them to create Christmas decorations. So you see, there are lots of ideas out there if you scratch your top-knot hard enough.


Option No 2: Recycle It!

Regardless of whether you find a reuse for these darn things, there'll come a time, where you'll be shouting "No more", depending where you are in the divorce proceedings. So you could consider recycling them.

Recycle them?!

Yes, I know I said that it would be a rare super-duper council that would take such a thing off your hands. But just because your council can't recycle it, it doesn't mean that your fruity bubblewrap has to be lost to landfill.

Because if you need a helping hand on your road to Zero Waste, there is a mailing film company that will happily take them off your hands. Based in Norfolk, Polyprint is the only film company that accepts waste polythene from the general public for recycling. And the great news is, this includes bubblewrap, even the small pieces that come in the bottom of fruit punnets. You can find their full list of acceptable items here.

So even though this is one of the few items that I've been bunging in my bin since I did my last Zero Waste Week, 18 months ago, I can now confirm that my zero waste fruitaholic lifestyle is now pretty much future-proofed.

However on this particular occasion, I'm not going to recycle this piece of bubblewrap. I've got other ideas and I've decided to upcycle it instead, to highlight a process that adds value to a material that is at the end of its original life cycle.

So as a memento of National Zero Waste Week, I've created a miniature work of art entitled: 21st century savings. Titter ye not, I bet even with a "face value" of just 39p it's the most valuable piece of 8x13cm bubblewrap in the whole wide world.

21st century savings

Hmm. I wonder if that could be true? The most valuable piece of fruity bubblewrap ever? If it is, what are the chances of getting my money back on eBay?

I am almost tempted to go and investigate.

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