Sunday 3 February 2008

THE FIRST "WEIGH-IN"


Just look at my bin!

Check it out...it's looking good!

Okay, I know I'm bigging it up as it's just a dirty old black bin, which could do with a really good wash, but I am pretty pleased with its contents, especially as it's Bin Day tomorrow and I know there is nothing going in it except these (and a cheeky little blue bag):


On the right is a 50 litre bag, which isn't even full. Due to the unpleasant fragrance of its contents, it got binned before it was done with. The bag to the left is less than half full and was photographed for the council's publicity campaign a couple of weeks ago.

As a rough estimate, I guess this accounts for about 70 litres of residual waste in the last fortnight, which for a family of four with a bin capacity of 240 litres is not a bad result. This is the least amount of residual waste we have sent to landfill since we moved into our house four years ago, which is great news.

If you're new to this site and are wondering how we've managed to get down from two/three bin bags to less than one and a half over two weeks, just click on the links on the right to see the story so far.

Thanks to some great advice that's been flooding in, I've now got something up my sleeve to make an even greater impact, which will even help with the contents of the little blue bag that I sneaked in. I'm not going to discuss that blue bag now. It's too gross to reveal and I am still trying to get over the experience.

Anyway, as far as Zero Waste Week is concerned, by the time it comes round it might just be achievable. Please keep sending in your suggestions as it all helps.

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looking good! What a great start...although I'm dying to know about the little blue bag! I've been paying strict attention to my waste now, but the things I am struggling with are already on your hit list; with the addition of yoghurt lids, plastic milk containers, toothpaste tubes, tetra paks and pre packed meat containers.
Can you not put shredded paper in the recycle bin?
p.s. sorry I missed your call, will catch up with you this week XX

Picklesmum said...

I was going to comment on shredded paper. One lot are telling us to shred everything with our names/addresses on the next lot say NO shredded paper in recycling bin, so it has to go in black bin? On a different matter shall I mention Mooncups or not? No, best not.

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hi Baba - great to see you're looking at your waste in a different light and it isn't just me. It's always nice to know that you're in good company. We're very lucky around here that we live in a borough which has one of the best, if not the best, recycling records so as far as plastic milk containers and meat containers we are fine. Yoghurt lids are a no-no and I am not sure about toothpaste tubes. However Tetra paks can be taken to a collection point at the local dump (see Bean Sprouts guest post for details). We can't put shredded paper in the recycle bin but we compost it. Catch up soon. x

Hi Picklesmum - as you can see I've just mentioned shredded paper, which can go into the compost. Also check out today's guest post from Mel at Bean Sprouts who's got some other great ideas. LOL Mooncups...now that's daring. Another time perhaps ;-D

Picklesmum said...

I'm getting worried about my compost bin. I looks just like a bin full of bits and nothing remotely like compost. Been turning it etc for at least a year. It's still just a smelly pile of rubbish though.
I'm SOOOOO hoping one of the boys 'googles' a mooncup! tee hee!

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