Having just seen on the news what China’s doing with coal power yes we are all wasting our time. I do what I do probably for my own piece of mind, I don’t go tripping off in the car for a loaf of bread or a plant from the GC, I only cook what we will eat so never, ever a scrap of food waste. I recycle all I can only one small bag of landfill rubbish a fortnight. My water rate bill is ridiculously low as is my electric bill, does this help the planet, not really it’s a drop in the ocean. When they first started the recycling scheme back in the ‘80’s I knew someone who worked in a plant, he said the items went into a huge vat of hot water then all the scum would float to the top and that was skimmed off, don’t know what they do now.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Radio 4 did a good item on the recycling process. Lots of info on how recycling is graded and treated. Link below. The system seems resigned to dealing with the waste from the lazy. It disappoints me that a lot of people don't even crush their recycling let alone clean it or process it properly. It all adds transport miles, adds to the processing time and makes it cost more generally for the rest of us.
We are told that if you wash out a bottle with hot water and soap, you've used more energy than recycling it will save. While we do recycle most of what we can I do not think it is anywhere near the solution it's sold as.
That's a bit of a misleading statement though surely? I doubt many people do more than a quick swill in the washing up water after they've done the dishes or stand things in the sink so they rinse when you wash your hands. Second hand water has no energy cost.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Well not really no. washing up bowls are to non existent here so it would be fresh water, or in the dishwasher. both of which have an energy cost, you could argue that it is "spare" space in a dishwasher, but I am just saying what the authorities here said. basically do NOT use hot water and soap on recycling.
Morrison are using paper bags instead of plastic, they do disintegrate very quickly, I put 2 potatoes in one, by the time I got to the checkout it was in shreds, rather that than plastic though.
I remember that packaging, it had a lovely smell similar to puffed wheat.
That is the supermarket I was talking about Lyn, I used one for some bananas, but imagine they would be useless for some heavy potatoes.
Yes the packing peanuts did smell like puffed wheat
I also do not like the recycling schemes. Ours is collected fortnightly, so not rinsing things properly is a no. I do not want a dirty smelly bin of loose recycleable items. Any particularly dirty items (I do use some microwave meals) those containers are bagged and binned with household waste. A waste of hot soapy water whether done at home or at the point of recycling. We are told by the council that here most household waste goes to one of three incinerators that produce some energy. Little now goes to landfill.
We have to take glass ourselves and the most expensive product to remove and process from the planet that is better recycled is not catered for, unless one goes out of the way to save it. Aluninium.
Skandi said:While we do recycle most of what we can I do not think it is anywhere near the solution it's sold as.
Today I received a magazine wrapped in starch based plastic. Do not bin me it said. So I went out to throw it on the compost heap, wondering whether it will still be there in Spring. I took the tight lid off of one of the daleks, to find a toad looking at me. No idea how he got in unless he burrowed up all the way from the bottom. He has plenty to eat, the brandlings gather en masse on the lid, and the surface (and the toad) is covered in tiny white larvae. I put the kitchen waste and the plastic in another bin, put the lid back on and left him in peace. I guess he has a nice safe place for winter with lots of food.
As to the compostable bag, I'll let you know in the Spring. I usually throw all the kitchen waste into one bin over winter. It turns into something like a worm bin on top of the compost already in there. In Spring I skim the top off and mix it with new grass cuttings to make compost in the usual way.
Do you think the toad may have found his way to the top to find some air, the worms cluster on the lid to try to get air , maybe you could make toad a nice nesting place in a remote corner with lots of hay and greenery around him. Not sure if those bugs on him is a good thing.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Posts
I do what I do probably for my own piece of mind, I don’t go tripping off in the car for a loaf of bread or a plant from the GC, I only cook what we will eat so never, ever a scrap of food waste.
I recycle all I can only one small bag of landfill rubbish a fortnight.
My water rate bill is ridiculously low as is my electric bill, does this help the planet, not really it’s a drop in the ocean.
When they first started the recycling scheme back in the ‘80’s I knew someone who worked in a plant, he said the items went into a huge vat of hot water then all the scum would float to the top and that was skimmed off, don’t know what they do now.
Yes the packing peanuts did smell like puffed wheat
I also do not like the recycling schemes. Ours is collected fortnightly, so not rinsing things properly is a no. I do not want a dirty smelly bin of loose recycleable items.
Any particularly dirty items (I do use some microwave meals) those containers are bagged and binned with household waste. A waste of hot soapy water whether done at home or at the point of recycling.
We are told by the council that here most household waste goes to one of three incinerators that produce some energy. Little now goes to landfill.
We have to take glass ourselves and the most expensive product to remove and process from the planet that is better recycled is not catered for, unless one goes out of the way to save it.
Aluninium.
@Skandi you are absolutely right.