Friday 26 February 2010

Asparagus tips madam? We do composting tips too...

 
Market trader Julie Lightly at Queens Market in Newham, east London
Photo credit: Geoff Caddick/PA


Interesting research from WRAP reveals that over forty percent of us believe that because food is biodegradable, it is harmless when it gets thrown out and sent to landfill and are not aware that it can produce methane, a powerful global warming gas which damages the environment.  Of course the same waste composted at home produces no methane and provides free fertiliser and soil improver for our gardens.

In a drive to raise awareness, market traders across the country are to back a campaign to get Britain composting, thanks to a partnership between Recycle Now and the National Market Traders’ Federation that launched this week at Queen’s Market in Newham.  From today, traders will be offering green tips to their customers along with their purchases, to encourage them to compost household waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings, instead of throwing it away.  The  "Ask me about composting" programme will then roll out across the UK over the next few months.

Julie Lightly, a fruit and vegetable market trader at Queen’s Market said:

“It’s great that we are now talking to our customers about composting. At Queen’s Market we already talk to customers about other green issues such as recycling, so this is a natural progression. I am sure customers will really warm to the advice we will be giving as many are already very interested in helping to do their bit for the environment. We hope to turn our market into the greenest in the country and show other markets and their traders how simple it is to offer our customers a little bit extra.


Well I for one will be keeping a close eye on when the initiative reaches Bury St Edmunds and will catch up with my favourite fruit and veg stall - pictured below - nearer the time,  


If you haven't been to our local market,  I'd recommend it, especially as it was listed in The Guardian's 10 of the best markets in EnglandIt really does come highly recommended.
 
In the meantime anyone wishing to find out more about composting and how to get started should visit www.recyclenow.com/compost or call their infoline on 0845 600 0323.
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3 comments:

mrs green @ myzerowaste.com said...

Great post, Mrs A and wonderful initiative taking place. Will keep my eyes peeled for people offering me compost tips over here ;)

Mel said...

What I'd love to see is our council installing a large composter in the market - we're lucky enough to have a seven-day per week market, & most of their waste is compostable.

I know at least one nearby business would be interested in using such a facility, too.

I feel an email coming on...

Dahlia ChanTang said...

Oooh, what a nifty idea! Compost bins at the market... The markets around Montreal have installed recycling bins and such, but no composters... Though I suppose that a skip makes for easier dumpster-diving, and there is quite a bit of that going on...
Anyhoo, I sometimes root around the skips for compostables that I cannot provide: pineapple cores are great for compost, but I do not consume industrial quantities of it. I also bring back compost material from work: I do not produce enough waste at home (bet you never thought you'd hear that complaint Mrs A.!) and one can never have too much compost!
I like the initiative to encourage composting... all that waste going to waste just breaks my heart!

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