Tuesday 22 January 2008

Introducing Almost Mrs Average

Who am I, Why am I doing this and why am I blogging about it?

I am your almost average woman, bringing up my almost average family in an almost average household. We're average in most senses of the word, with two children and two cats living in a 3 bedroom house in Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds. We have two cars, which is probably the average number but only one TV and no microwave, which is probably less than average.

I decided to sign up for the Zero Waste Challenge because underneath I really don't like waste. I can't stand throwing anything away and I doubt that is good for the environment. Waste management is a pain in the neck, even on a small scale at home. It would be a relief to reduce the number of bins that clog up our tiny kitchen. We have a small one for kitchen waste, a middle-sized one for glass bottles and a large one for recyclables....but sitting next to our kitchen door is a huge 50Litre bin, which we feed with food waste and other nasties before Almost Mr Average and I silently fight over whose turn it is to empty it into the even bigger 240 litre black bin that lurks outside.

I'd love to reduce the amount of black bin waste, both for my convenience and for the environmental benefits it will bring. I know that reducing waste will mean reducing consumption and that should also save some money. I am hoping that the Zero Waste Challenge will help achieve this.

So, why have I set up a blog? I enjoy writing about things that are important to me as well as those that may be of interest to others. Also for me, Zero Waste Week is not about the week itself, but the effort over the next seven weeks to really try and reduce the amount of waste created by my family and stick to it thereafter. Therefore this will act as a very useful diary of our progress. Despite my enthusiasm, you won't find any holier than thou attitude on this blog. There are so many people out there who are much holier than me, which is why I am just your Mrs Average (well almost).


Addendum: Zero Waste Week ended on 17 March 2008. You have to read the rest of the story to see what we threw away, but what about the rubbish afterwards. Well, it's a case of so far so good. But keep watching, there's always a new challenge around the corner.

10 comments:

Picklesmum said...

Hello Almost Mrs Average(gosh that's a mouthful!) I am puzzled as to HOW you are going to get zero waste other than a sneaky trip to the dump, or a midnight sneak to your neighbours bin!
We have a compost bin in the garden as we have no brown bin out here, we recycle all papers, cartons etc, and use local bottle banks but our black bin is still nearly full, every week.
Best of luck, and let us in on how you do it??

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hi Picklesmum and welcome. You're the first to comment on the blog, but no prize I'm afraid.

I'm going to attempt my first challenge today...I'm off to the supermarket and I'm going to see if I can change my purchasing habits with Zero Waste in mind. This might be the hardest part!

See you later.

Almost Mrs Average said...

P.S....just call me Mrs!

grumpyoldwoman said...

Hi Mrs

The supermarket is probably not the best place to start. For instance if you buy fish it will be in a plastic 'box' with a clear lid whereas if you visit a fish stall on the market you should get fish in newspaper.

Pizzas have polystyrene 'plates' underneath them inside the packaging.

Even flowers come wrapped in plastic.

I think the supermarket will be the downfall of anyone trying to avoid unnecessary packaging.

but best of luck - I admire you for trying!

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hi Grumps and a big welcome to you too. Thanks for coming over to visit. Those are really great tips and I am hoping that once I get my black bin waste in order I will be able to use the market effectively to elimate recyclable packaging. I normally buy flowers when I go to the supermarket, but today I blanked them due to the plastic wrapping (which always hacks me off) and bought a very reasonable flower arrangement from the market instead. I also noticed a stall that sells unwrapped daffodils, which was tempting!

Please keep popping by with any hot tips.

Anonymous said...

Dear Almost Mrs Average,

How do you manage to have enough time to maintain such a blog with 2 children, 2 cats, 2 cars and a television. Does Almost Mr Average help you?

I would love to learn your secret.

Also how is Almost Mr Average shaving? The shaving cream containers must have to go into the black bags...

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hello Anonymous - the answer is, the children are sometimes at school, or at nursery, the cats are happy sleeping, the television can talk to itself and if the cars ever needed my constant attention it would be a sad life indeed.

Thanks for popping by and re Mr A, I think he will be the biggest challenge yet. I am not sure if I can tear him away from his mainstream shaving cream, which is why this is my challenge and not his.

However, if there are any other men out there who can be wrenched from the shaving can, here's a post by N.& J. from BadHuman:
http://badhuman.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/homemade-shaving-cream-yeahthats-right/

waste woman said...

Hello Almost Mrs Average (although regrettably you seem well above the average - my job would be much easier if you were only "almost" average!)
With regards to cooking oil - in the next few weeks, you'll be able to take used cooking oil to your local household waste recycling centre in suffolk, where it will be taken by living fuels (they have a website) to be made in to a usable fuel product. You heard it here first!

Almost Mrs Average said...

Hello Waste Woman - I promise I really did start out as pretty much Almost Average - LOL.

However, with the bit between my teeth and determination to succeed and with my inner research instinct, it's been so easy to get hooked.

Perhaps I've ventured into the darkside, from which there is no return. At least there is one saving grace, this whole rubbish diet is really working. And if it can work for a once-average old bird like me, it can work for other average households too.

Great news about the cooking oil. Is that the same service that's used by the restaurants?

Anonymous said...

Hi Mrs

Congratulations for your resolutiion, and I have some questions:

"The Tv talks to itself" - did tv need to be on? isn't it a waste of energy?
"if the cars ever needed my constant attention it would be a sad life indeed" - Cars are an important cause of energy waste, what you think about it even if you don't use it often, well let's say 2 dimes a day,maybe 3? Can't get rid of them?

Once again congratulations and keep doing a good job. take care and enjoy!

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