In Norfolk? Fancy going Gleaning?

Recently, Martin Bowman from Feeding5K (one of my fellow finalists in the Nesta Waste Reduction Challenge) got in touch to invite me to join their next Gleaning Day in Norfolk,  which is taking place at the beginning of April.  Sadly, I can't make it but I think the idea is so fab I wanted to extend the invitation out to anyone else who may be available locally.  Martin explains more in detail below:

Gleaning day coming up on Saturday 6th April

On Saturday 6th April, the Gleaning Network will be heading down to a farm in Norfolk to harvest tonnes of parsnips and save them from going to waste, redistributing them to food poverty charities. We need volunteers to help harvest the tasty produce! Contact martin@feeding5k.org to find out more, sign up to volunteer, or help coordinate. The day will be roughly 10am-4pm (TBC), and travel expenses are covered for those travelling from Cambridge and nearby- the farm is near Kings Lynn station. If you can't join us this time, sign up to our gleaning list and we'll let you know of all future gleaning days. Join the Arable Spring!

What is Gleaning?

Gleaning Network UK, recently featured on BBC Radio 4's Food Programme and Al Jazeera, and organised by Tristram Stuart and Feeding the 5,000, is an exciting new initiative to save the thousands of tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables that are wasted on UK farms every year. Farmers across the country often have no choice but to leave tonnes of their crops unharvested and get ploughed back in the soil. These crops often cannot reach the market either because they fail to meet the retail strict cosmetic standards or because of overproduction.

We coordinate teams of volunteers, local farmers and food redistribution charities in order to salvage this fresh, nutritious food and direct it to those that need it most, such as homeless hostels and charities. To date, we have salvaged several tonnes of excellent unmarketable British produce, including apples, cabbages, cauliflowers, spring greens and kale, and redistributed them to charities such as FareShare and the Best Before Project. Here's some more info, our video, and pictures of our last gleaning day. The movement is gathering pace, and we're rapidly expanding into a national network, with a hub now launching in Cambridge and Norfolk.

Here's more info in this video here:

Some rubbish things to do

While I'm on my travels, here's an important announcement about some rubbish things that are coming up.

Firstly the lovely Kate, who supported me through Bury St Edmunds' Zero Waste Week, is doing it all again. This time in Norfolk.

Norfolk councils are teaming up to run the waste free week and are challenging everyone to reduce the amount of rubbish they throw away to nothing. Anyone who would like to join in will be encouraged to use only products that can be recycled, reused or composted, avoiding things going in the rubbish bin. The Waste Free Week is running from 27 October- 2 November. Interested residents can sign up at www.recyclefornorfolk.org.uk/waste-free-week.asp.

So if you live in this area or know anyone who does, give your friends or family a nudge to join in. With Kate's help, participants will be in very safe hands.

If one week isn't long enough for you, then why not try The 30 day No Trash Challenge, where various authors take it in turns to blog about their experiences. The blog, originally set up by Miss Dayva, is looking for a new blogger to take over for August. Could this be you? If so, pop over to the blog and see how you can join in.

If you can't bear the thought of blogging about rubbish for a whole month, it's likely that you've still got something to say on the topic. If so, then you may like to contribute to the August edition of Carnival of Trash. This month it's being hosted by the lovely Mrs Green over at MyZeroWaste.com. So if you have a blog and want to submit an article, please do so by clicking on this link. We would like to welcome as many people as possible to join in.

Now that should keep everyone busy while I'm enjoying the Alpine views.

And if you're looking for even more inspiration, pop back tomorrow for my latest You Tube discovery.

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They're all at it!

They're all at it in our neck of the woods (officially known as the East of England).

Our Conservative MP, David Ruffley was at it last summer. Suffolk's Liberal Democrats joined in last autumn. It's been happening in Clare and there are intentions that it's going to happen in Newmarket, Bungay, Chelmsford and Aylsham.

The big news is that people in Norwich are also at it today.

So what are they all doing?

Don't worry, it's all legal and above board.

I'm talking about raising the profile of ditching plastic bags. Indeed, today Norwich is going plastic bag free for one day to help raise awareness in one of our region's largest commercial centres.

I'm impressed with the momentum that's been building, not just in the country but in our particular area. However, it's a shame that Bury St Edmunds retailers haven't appeared to have committed yet.

Even though our town hasn't stepped out from the dark side, I'd like to give a quick round of applause to the shops where it is customary to ask if a bag is actually needed. So, well done to Boots the Chemist, Rymans, Woolworths, WH Smith, The Body Shop and Butterworths. If anyone knows of any others, whether they are local shops in Bury St Edmunds or national chains across the country, please give them a shout-out here. The more that join in the better!

I am now inspired to encourage our little suburb of Moreton Hall to become plastic bag free. After all it shouldn't be difficult, as we only have a few shops including a chemist, a Tesco Express and a post office. I have heard that the little Tesco Express goes through about 10,000 bags in a week and that the people who use reusable shopping bags are in the minority. Come on people, what does it take to take along your own bag? Only a little practice that's all!

And if anyone is thinking that degradable bags are the solution, keep looking in as that's another topic worthy of its very own blog post.

Hmm, I think a telephone call to the Tesco Express manager is imminent. Ooohh, I always enjoy a challenge, don't you?

As they say, if you don't ask you don't get! So watch this space!


UPDATE at 5.40pm

Guess what...I rang the manager of Tesco Express, who is keen to pass my suggestions about going plastic bag free through their customer feedback system....so if you have a Tesco Express near you, why don't you try the same.

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