Monday 15 June 2009

British Mummy Bloggers do Recycle Week



Well the Recycle Week plans are about to kick off big-style.

And with exactly one week to go until Recycle Now's big campaign week, I am roping in the help of some of my old blogging friends over at the British Mummy Bloggers network. Well I did pledge that as well as recycling cartons, I would also make it easier for those in my community to waste less and that includes my online community too.

Not many people may know this (ok, that probably means the rest of the world), but before I started blogging about rubbish I was a 100% mummy blogger. These days I suppose I am more of a Mummy Garblogger, juggling the constant demands of the kids with one hand whilst promoting rubbish reducing strategies with the other.

These days my life is often reminiscent of a micro civil war, with the cry of "Mummy, I want, I want, I want" being called from the battlefields, met by the defiance of "Not on your nelly" being launched from an inner stronghold - located somewhere behind the much battered defences, normally known as the recycling bin.

Anyway, I pledged I'd make it easier for folk to waste less and I thought there'd be no better place to start than to spread the word about Recycle Week amongst the British Mummy Blogger network whose talented members are always up for supporting a good cause. Who knows, maybe I can turn them into Mummy Garbloggers too.

So today I am launching a new meme tag, with the challenge to see how many of the 300-or-so BMB members can sign up to a Recycle Week pledge over the next two weeks as well as blog about it!

And the rules are easy:

1. Visit www.recyclenow.com and sign up to one of the pledges to waste less.

2. Share details of your pledge on your own blog.

3. Chose five other bloggers, who will also be up for a bit of recycling fun.

4. Come back to this post at The Rubbish Diet and share your pledge with others, by placing a link to your pledge in the comments field.

5. Optional - as a thank you to all involved The Rubbish Diet will be publishing a British Mummy Bloggers' Recycle Week carnival on Monday 29th June. To be included, simply submit your favourite post revealing the progress of your pledge by Saturday 27th June - email to karen[at]therubbishdiet[dot]co[dot]uk.

I've never launched a blog tag before, so the truth is, this is quite a daunting experience. How many bloggers will take up the Recycle Week pledge and how will they get on?

But with pledges that are as easy as "looking for new recycling labels when going shopping" to more tricky ones such as attempting a "Rubbish-free day", there is something for everyone to get their teeth into. And I expect there will be some funny tales too.

So, to kick off the British Mummy Bloggers' Recycle Week tag, I have the pleasure of tagging five fabulous bloggers, who I think will be up for a recycling challenge.

1. Susanna at A Modern Mother, who not only is fantastic at PR, but is a wonderful creative writer AND is also the founder of the British Mummy Blogger network in the UK. I admit this tag is a bit of a cheat because she has already made her own pledge, which you can find about here.

2. Rosie from Rosie Scribble, a wonderful writer and old blogging buddy who tells the funniest of tales about motherhood and friendships.

3. The fabulous and thrifty Nixdminx, who I know will tackle the mission in a stylish and urbanite way and will have us laughing all the way to the recycling bank.

4. Liz, author of the most beautful blog Violet Posy. She's almost a blogging neighbour, she lives that close. Well, half an hour's train ride to Ely. Who knows, maybe we will finally make it for coffee.

5. And of course Jo, as in the talented Jo Beaufoix who signed up to The Rubbish Diet treatment last year and managed to cut her rubbish in half. I can't wait to see what she does this time for Recycle Week.

So while I leave it to this fabulous group to share the recycling love around the online community, I have got my work cut out figuring out my final plans to help reduce waste in my local community. Do drop by later this week to find out more about what else I'm up to.

And don't forget, if you're a mummy or indeed a dad who blogs (yes, despite the name, men are welcome too) why not join the British Mummy Bloggers network, where there are plenty of opportunities to join in with reviews, PR opportunities and sponsored get-togethers. For more details visit britishmummybloggers.ning.com.

And for those readers who are not part of the BMB network but would like to promote the benefits of Recycle Week, why not launch your own blog tag through your regular network of bloggers and find out what other people are up to.
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34 comments:

A Modern Mother said...

What great fun Karen and a great cause. Here's my post: http://www.amodernmother.com/2009/06/recycle-week-tag.html

b said...

Hi Karen
What a great idea to get everybody involved, well done. Good luck with your pledge, you will do brilliantly.

Local Girl said...

Great idea! I'm recycling all my glass jars and bottles for mine, which shouldn't be too hard :) Just off to write my post now. Must have that coffee sometime!! xx

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen, I've blogged, I've tagged, I've pledged!

Here's my post:
http://rosiescribble.typepad.com/rosie-scribble/2009/06/totally-rubbish.html

Jo Beaufoix said...

I've pledged but am hoping to blog it and tag folks tomorrow, so watch out everybody, mwah ha ha ha haaa.

And here's my pledge and forfeit. I'm a bit scared actually. :D

http://www.recyclenow.com/applications/recyclenow_08/recycle_week/pledges/pledge.rm?pledge=599:44d643ec

ANd it's not a cheat as I have no compost bin in my new place so I needed to get on this.

Almost Mrs Average said...

Thanks everyone for your comments and good luck with your pledges and your funny forfeits. Thanks for joining in and good luck to all the bloggers who join us too...especially those who are tagged with Jo's evil laugh. The more the merrier :-D x

Tim Atkinson said...

Right, I've been tagged. I've yet to blog, but I have pledged - to go 'waste free' for a day on pain of shaving off my beard! Beginning the regret it already...

John costigane said...

Hi Mrs A,

A great effort to raise the recycling profile amongst a host of contacts. There must come a point when recycling becomes an efficient and universal practice.

The Recycle Week can be a big step in the right direction with many more enthusiasts, some of whom might join our all-embracing trend of Zero Waste.

Sparx said...

Hello - great blog by the way - and a great idea. I've been tagged and I've pledged to do the dirty and compost... right over here:
http://notes-inside-my-head.blogspot.com/2009/06/recycle-week.html

Looks like this is taking off!

cartside said...

Fab initiative! I've pledged. I'm in the process of posting and will tag. Can I tag 10 people?

Anonymous said...

I'm in too!

Here's my post:
http://whatshappeningatmyhouse.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/recycle-week/

Happy recycling everybody!

Potty Mummy said...

OK, I'm in too: http://potty-diaries.blogspot.com/2009/06/question.html

Almost Mrs Average said...

Thanks for dropping by and leaving your links ladies. You've got some great pledges. Thanks so much for joining in. Am looking forward to The Dotterel's too. AS ever thanks for your support too John. I can't wait to hear what you get up to for Recycle Week.

Lisa Nelsen-Woods said...

Even though I don't live in the UK, I took the challenge because I'm crazy about reducing my recycling and trash :) I chose to take any plastic bottles home for recycling if/when I'm out and about. This isn't a cheat, because I'm going to a local festival and parade where I might actually purchase a drink in a bottle (this festival always falls on the hottest day of the year) because I don't think they will allow us to bring our own.

Almost Mrs Average said...

Lisa - that's fab news. And that's a good point about the festival too. If that's the case that you are forced to buy bottles onsite, it would be interesting to know if they also take responsibility for recycling facilities. All too often those things don't go hand-in-hand despite the fact they should. If it's bad news you could point the organisers in the direction of the UK's Glastonbury Festival...they're great. :-D

Victoria said...

I haven't specifically been doing anything for recycling week, but for the last two years I've taken my own bag shopping and used refillable water bottles (Camelbak with a straw). I've saved shed loads of money on water and it's really useful to not have to queue at a busy event on a hot day.

PS we heard the bull escaping, but didn't see it as we were just around the corner. But we did see the bull in question just before it escaped!

and1moremeans5 said...

Great idea!! I have pledged to reuse my plastic bags

http://and1moremeansfour.blogspot.com/2009/06/recycle-me.html

good luck everyone! x

Coding Mamma (Tasha) said...

I have pledged and posted.

http://wahm-bam.blogspot.com/2009/06/recycle-recycle-recycle.html

lunarossa said...

I've also pledged and posted. See http://lunarossa-livingabroad.
blogspot.com/2009/06/recycle-week.html

Thanks very much Karen for keeping us aware of this vital issues! All the best. Ciao. Antonella

Almost Mrs Average said...

Amy, Tasha & Antonella - Thanks for dropping in the links. I am so excited that you have all been able to join in. You've got some great pledges and I just love your blogposts and forfeits :-D

Victoria it sounds like you've been as busy as I have. I love the Camelbaks. Haven't bought one yet but am waiting for the excuse. That bull at the Suffolk show was such a vision. It's a shame we missed each other. would have been great to have met up :-D

Unknown said...

Ok, I'm late coming to this party but I am on the bandwaggon.

http://diaryofasurprisemum.blogspot.com/2009/06/recycle-week.html

Dorset Dispatches said...

So really cutting this one fine, but I'm in, I've posted and I've got plastic bags in every pocket I can find!

http://britsinbosnia.blogspot.com/2009/06/recycling.html

Good luck everyone.

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hello to Surprised and Excited Mum and Brit in Bosnia - thanks so much for joining in. And it's not too late. In fact we've got all week, which gives plenty of time. Here's to a good week for you both and good luck :-D

Unknown said...

A bit late but here is my post!

http://clareybabble.blogspot.com/2009/06/what-are-you-recycling-this-week.html

Happy recycling everyone!

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hi Clareybabble - yay, thanks for joining in. Am looking forward to popping over to see you. :-D

Calif Lorna said...

Here's my post:

http://califlorna.com/national-recycling-week-321

Thank you to Emily at Brits in Bosnia for tagging me.

Mum Gone Mad said...

gonna give it a go lol here http://madmuma.blogspot.com/2009/06/silver-lining.html thanks to clareybabbling for inviting me to join in the fun :)

Unknown said...

Im quite late, but its the principal of the thing isn't it!
http://www.beingamummy.co.uk/2009/06/recycle-week.html

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hi Mum Gone Mad (love the name btw) and zooarcheologist. Thanks so much for joining in. Doesn't matter that it's Thursday. There's plenty of time to go yet. Good luck and do let me know how you get on :-D

Kat - Housewife Confidential said...

Nearly forgot to post here! This is my pledge: http://housewifeconfidential.co.uk/2009/06/recycle-week/

Perfectly Happy Mum said...

I am so late... sorry but here is my pledge http://perfectlyhappymum.typepad.com/perfectly_happy_mum/2009/06/i-will-reuse-my-carrier-bags-i-will-reuse-my-carrier-bags-.html

Michaelle said...

I know I'm coming in at the end but I just got tagged and this is a great idea! I'm not British but since recycling is a planet-wide effort, here's my part: http://adventurouswomenblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/doh-its-national-recycling-week-and-ive.html

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hi Kat, Perfectly Happy Mum and Michaelle. Thanks so much for joining in - If I haven't visited already...I'm popping over to see you now.

And if anyone else is thinking it might be too late to add to the fun and games. It's certainly not over until "the fat lady sings"....and I won't be doing that until Monday. So please feel free to drop by with your pledge :-D

Anne aka mum-e said...

I know I'm late but it's not like it's ever too late to start recycling so hope this still counts. See my pledge here: http://www.mum-e.co.uk/?p=319
Great idea and it's really exciting to see so many mums taking part.

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