The Bokashi and the Beasties: The first live gig

A round of applause ladies and gentlemen for the latest, most talked about duo (well in Stanton village anyway)....

It's the main act, so please give it up for ...........

The Bokashi and the Beasties!



Yesterday, I was the warm-up act at Stanton Primary School, where I revealed the contents of my gorgeous rubbish bin to almost 60 children.



I had my volunteer bin sorters ...two very brave children who were happy to delve into the bin. For reassurance I should add, all items were deliberately added that morning.

Bizarrely, both the children's names began with a "kicking K"... which made it very easy to remember, especially as my name begins with the same letter too. (Apologies, but having a six year old, it is so easy to fall into Jolly Phonics).

Then we had my other helpers, who pretended to be the bins for all the sorted contents...

We had a "Curly C" to look after the Recycling
Another "Kicking K" to take care of the Composting
A "S" to sort out my squidgy fruit and veg.
And a "W" to look after the rubbish.

The boys and girls knew about recycling and were enthusiastic to vote on what we should do with each item, while I told the story of The Rubbish Diet and how, during one week in March, all I threw out was one plaster.

There were looks of surprise when the bin sorters delved into the bin and pulled out some dodgy looking fruit and vegetables, but we decided the wrinkled apple wasn't mouldy and could be eaten once peeled. The banana could be used in a banana cake and the tomato or carrots could be used to make soup.

After all the sorting, the boy in charge of the "rubbish" was left with just a piece of film from the Weetabix box.

Result! If this had been a real bin, there would have been hardly anything to have thrown away.

As the bin sorters were hard at work, there were calls of "eurggh" as we revealed the morning's leftover breakfast, which was some Weetabix, still in bowl (but wrapped in a plastic bag for safety)...

And that was the intro to the final act!

The floodlights were lit to reveal the one thing that has helped me to reduce my rubbish....

Yes the Bokashi itself.


I warned that it smelled a little and drained off some of the bokashi juice to a chorus of "what a pong".

It was agreed that it smelled a bit like cider (confirmed by the teachers not the children, I hasten to add).

The children then queued up to take a peek inside the bin, before heading in my direction to have a look at the beasties who eat the bokashi and turn it all into compost.




Yes, the lovely wriggly squiggly worms, all looking dandy in their portable bed of compost.

And there I was, wondering how I would fill a whole hour. As it was, I had nothing to worry about as the hour flew by.

The kids were great, so attentive, friendly and inquisitive and didn't eat me for breakfast after all...which is a good job really, because the next tour-date is this afternoon, this time at my son's school!

So without further ado...let's give another round of applause for The Bokashi and the Beasties as well as the children at Stanton Primary School in Suffolk, especially my wonderful helpers. Also a big "thank you" to Mr Goddard for inviting me along.

Extra notes for teachers or parents that might be looking in: Please note the contents of the Bokashi should not be placed in the brown wheelie bins for collection from the council. It is intended for use in a home compost bin or wormery. Anyone considering a kit would need two bokashi bins, plus a permanent supply of special EMs impregnated bran. Once full, the bokashi bin should be left for two weeks and the liquid drained off every few days, while you use the second bin. More links can be found on yesterday's post, which discusses food waste.
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Why I no longer send food waste to landfill

Yesterday I was invited by the Jonathan Vernon-Smith consumer show to join in the food waste discussion on BBC Three Counties Radio. If you're in time, you can catch it again on the listen again feature (about 2 hrs & 52 minutes in) and hear us laughing about out-of-date chocolate and taking microwave meals off to your friends if you've been invited for dinner ... all in an attempt to reduce food waste of course.

On a more serious note, food waste is a real hot topic at the moment, following research last year by WRAP, which revealed that a third of all food we buy is thrown away.

That's like buying six bags of fresh food at the supermarket and throwing two in the bin when you leave, just because you couldn't be bothered to take it home or you changed your plans just after you got past the checkout.

If someone told you they did that, you would probably think they were bonkers. Yet in the UK we throw away 6.7 million tonnes of wasted food per year and this startling figure includes 5,500 chickens that are bunged in the bin, with full packaging intact, everyday... yes you did read that right...EVERYDAY.

When you add the fact that that we don't just spend money buying all this food, we also pay more to throw it away, the picture of lunacy becomes bigger. Then there's the environmental damage, caused by rotting apples and other organic matter in landfill, creating 18 million tonnes of of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

Phew...all from thowing the odd bit of meat or banana skins in the bin!

Food waste has become a personal issue of mine, not because I have always been perfect in minimising waste, but because it used to be the main cause of having an overloaded and smelly old bin!

However over the course of slimming my bin, I have discovered a few tricks of the trade in managing to reduce my contribution to the landfill problem, so I thought it was worth revisiting the ideas.

1. Buying little and often: I am absolutely rubbish at forwarding planning and would find myself throwing things in the bin because they were out of date or had gone off, so I now buy more fresh produce and meat in smaller quantities as and when I need them, allowing me to cook as the mood takes me. This also means I can make a quick visit to the market and benefit from the best deals.

2. Buying in bulk: I'm a lady who falls by the wayside of temptation, so I buy essential toiletries and other items in bulk, reducing the need to make regular visits to the larger supermarkets. My life of buying an extra dozen things I didn't really need is now over and no longer relies on my poor willpower. I can hardly believe my visits to the supermarket were once a leisure activity...these days I always make a quick getaway.

3. Reducing portions: I've become more careful with portion sizes, only cooking what I know we will eat. We can always top up with something else if we're hungry, even if it's a slice of bread. As far as takeaways are concerned, curries are our downfall, but now we just share one dish and eat it all, rather than buying one each and wasting the leftovers.

4. Using up fresh leftovers: If I know there are going to leftovers, I put them aside and try and reuse them for another meal. For example a bolognese dish can be quickly turned into a chilli-con-carne, just by adding a few simple spices.

5. Feed the birds: With two kids, the trickiest thing for us is sometimes bread crusts. The birds now lap these up together with some other odds and ends. It is a real treat to see our new visitors in the garden and the children love spotting the different types of feathered friends.

6. Feeding the worms: Of course even with best efforts, there is always going to be some food waste and we don't have the benefit of a separate food waste collection service from our local authority. However we already had a composter which is good for uncooked fruit and vegetables and it produces just enough compost to mulch our garden every year.

We can't use the composter for cooked food waste because of the risk of vermin and with this in mind we got a couple of bokashi bins, which can be tucked away in the corner of our small kitchen. It allows us to add our plate scrapings (including meat and fish scraps), over which we sprinkle a layer of specially impregnated bran. When full, we leave it to ferment for a couple of weeks before putting it in the composter and the worms love it! It's like hosting a worm party!

We also have a wormery, which helps us cope with the odd emergency when we run out of our bokashi bran. However, it can't handle meat or fish. The children treat the wormery as pets and we do have to be careful about keeping the temperature right in winter, making sure they are cosy in their blanket. The wormery seems a popular choice for a fly gathering at the moment, but I've picked up some excellent advice from Wiggly Wigglers, which I will share very soon.

The one thing I have learned is that food waste is very personal. Some people are great at managing it without any help of garden gadgetry, others (like me) are not so great unless they can step up to a lifestyle overhaul and get the right toolkit in place.

And yes, I still have the odd mishap, as I am human after all, but the best bit is, I no longer have to bung my food waste in the landfill bin, which means it no longer gets heavy or smelly and leaves me with one less thing to worry about!

If you want to read more about how I've dealt with my own family's food waste, try the following posts: How to be a rubbish cook; Look at my lovely worms and Putting an end to food in landfill.

For examples of how other consumers are also making the change have a peek Mrs Green's gorgeous site http://myzerowaste.com/how-to-reduce-food-waste/
where she's got some excellent tips. Specific details from other Bokashi users, including some other composting techniques, can be found at The Big Sofa, Faites Simple and Simon Sherlock's site.

More background detail about food waste in general can be found at WRAP's research site as well as their Love Food Hate Waste website.


In the meantime, I've got to get my skates on...because this morning I am off to explain all this to a group of primary school children.... yep... 60 of them... now that seems more scary than the first day I came face-to-face with a bagfull of worms, or indeed the WRAP event last week!

60 kids, eh?!

Yikes!

There's a big risk they could eat me for breakfast. So if you don't hear from me soon, send in a rescue party!


ADDENDUM: - If you would like to hear a great "all things considered" review of Bokashi bins, then tune in to Emma's podcast at the Alternative Kitchen Garden. Thanks Emma, aka Fluffius Muppetus for sharing the link.
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BALLS...to the laundry!

Unless you're a truly inspirational domestic goddess who loves to lather up your smalls and hang out your nylons, washing duties will be one of those household chores that can really get you down and put a dampener on your weekend!

I've never claimed to be a proper housewife, not even in my days of being at home 24/7, because with full credit to all those who can strut their stuff with a duster and more technical gadgetry than you can shake a stick at, I just couldn't pass muster.

Something happened when I left the workplace, gave birth and arrived home with a small baby. I don't know what it was, but something in my brain was suddenly switched off and after almost seven years, has failed to kick back in.

Before the vultures in pursuit of the female inability to multi-task all swoop down and pull at the the bare bones of false evidence, I need to make one thing clear...

It's not that I can't do two things at once....I can. Just watch me in action cooking up a fine Sunday roast with one hand, whilst surfing the Internet with the other.

It's just that I no longer have the capacity or indeed the inclination to keep on top of the housework!

And doing the laundry falls right into this category!

Yes it's time to come clean, so to speak, and admit that I have been known to abandon my family's laundry in the washing machine for days on end!

When I'm not distracted by writing, sometimes I just merely forget about the laundry amidst the other tasks of playing residential restaurant manager or personal shopper. Other times, I just can't hack the production-line of taking the dry laundry off the clothes dryer, sorting out the whites and then balancing the fall-out from the over-crammed under-sink cupboard just to measure the laundry detergent, knowing fully well that I am kicking off a new cycle of washing that I can't properly manage at the other end.

On a really bad day, Mr A looks at me in despair, announcing that he is "low on pants".

I just look at the gray skies, and smile back, announcing "That's all very well, but I'm low on A rated energy".

(Which is true, because our washer\dryer is truly pants and I always feel blessed if it's sunny)

Anyway, if you're still sticking with my tale of woe, then bless you, you've made my day, but surely you must be wondering where this is all going!

Well the answer is... BALLS!

And at last ...I've got some!

Yes, I've now got enough balls to tell Mr A where to stick his pants as well as those of the Junior Posse.

And the other day I gave him a demonstration, telling him that all pants can be just stuffed in the washing machine with all the other laggards of the washing backlog, with nothing else to do than press the on-switch! It's that simple!

Now if that doesn't sound like a stunt in female emancipation with grounds for divorce, then I don't know what is....however, I feel that I should offer some reassurance.

Because after several years of lack of faith plus the desire for fresh-scented laundry, I decided to ditch my doubts, get over myself and strive for a life less-hassled.

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen...I got myself some ecoballs!

Yes balls that can just hang about in the washing machine for 1000 washes, without the need for detergent! The only thing I must remember is to count to 1000 and leave them out to dry when the washing machine's not in use.

Here they are...resembling three lovely spaceships.



Why I need to use three at a time, I don't know. However, I won't ask too many questions as it's such bliss that I no longer have to juggle the boxes and bottles, let alone remember to buy them [except for tackling the odd tough stain that is].

But all this must surely leave you wondering...how on earth a woman as disorganised as this keeps on top of her recycling? Now that's the same question I ask myself everyday. However, managing my rubbish is so easy compared to my laundry.

All we need now is a magical solution that can dry, iron and put away....sigh...perhaps we need a housewife... and an efficient one at that!



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The reaction on the street...

Last week ended with a real positive outlook for the future of mixed plastics recycling. After profiling WRAP's dissemination event and not wanting to lose momentum, I spent the weekend researching the reaction on the street...

...and as you'll see from the video, I think it would be an understatement to say that those interviewed are unanimously cock-a-hoop.






(Video: Copyright Steve Agland)

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Mixed Plastics Recycling Unwrapped!

Are you good at keeping secrets?

You are?

Fantastic!

Well gather around as I’ve got a good ‘un.

Come closer. Come on, don’t be shy.

Don’t tell anyone will you?

Because
....yesterday,
.......I went
..............on
..................a mission.

It meant getting up at the crack of dawn, getting myself all dolled up and heading down to London for the second time in as many weeks.

My mission, ladies and gentlemen, was to infiltrate!

And the target was the WRAP conference, or rather its dissemination event, where experts would divulge important research and findings into the future of mixed plastics recycling.

The delegate list comprised decision-makers and stakeholders from sectors right across the waste stream, including packaging companies, consumer product manufacturers, retailers, local authorities, waste management companies, central government, industry researchers, consultancies, journalists and academics. There were some big guns and then there was……uh ummm… me!

Yep...Almost Mrs Average...a little consumer amongst the mass of production, retail and waste professionals. OK...I'm not that little...I am in fact 5'4", pretty average really!

How the heck did I go from being an innocent resident, signing up to St Edmundsbury's Zero Waste Week to attending a significant information dissemination event organised by the UK's NGO that is tasked with getting society to reduce waste and recycle more?

I’d love to tell the tale of how I sneaked in through the back window of the Bloomsbury-based hotel, darting carefully past the kitchen staff before ducking through the side of the conference room, where I lurked behind the floor-to-ceiling curtains…feeling nervous at being found out…like the little boy in Roald Dahl’s Witches, who was discovered and turned into a mouse.

But instead, I just sauntered through the main entrance and picked up my delegate's badge that said "The Rubbish Diet".

I wonder how many of the delegates looked at the list and thought "What on earth is The Rubbish Diet?"

I also wonder how many of those have now come over to have a peek...They've probably all got better things to do but for those who have made an effort, I'd just like to say a quick "hello", especially because I would love to know delegate's thoughts on yesterday's event (email address can be found in the side-bar).

You see, this post isn't really about me or my exaggerated account of playing with the big boys and girls, it's more about the future of mixed plastics, which as we've already seen, is something that concerns many consumers across the country, whether it's due to over-packaging, combination packaging, lack of collection or recyclables being processed in China.

It's about eliminating restrictions like this (and I don't mean the bit about consideration to neighbours)...


According to WRAP's research, the UK produces about 1.4 million tonnes of mixed plastic packaging waste per year. That's yogurt pots and margarine tubs to you and me, plus other things like food trays and salad bags. This amount is growing by 2-5% per year, which unless tackled soon will become a worsening problem.

Of course, there is the option of reducing packaging, but certain levels of packaging will always be needed and it is this that needs to be managed effectively and appropriately.

WRAP's team of experts unveiled in some detail the methodology and processes they used to test the financial and environmental feasibility of recycling mixed plastics. As a non-scientist, you can only begin to appreciate the complexities just from the different plastics that are banded about, such as PP, PE, PET, PS, PVS and PLA.

The recycling processes were also compared with the effects of more "traditional" methods of dealing with mixed plastics, such as landfill and burning. Consideration was given to concerns about whether the recycled products could be created without detriment to the environment, ensuring that quality was good enough to replace virgin resources and would provide sufficient added value.

Anyway, the good news for all those concerned with the amount of mixed plastic going to landfill, is that recycling has proven to be the best option.

Liz Goodwin, Wrap's CEO, sums up the positive results for recycling mixed plastics in the UK:

“This is the first time that we have been able to prove that recycling mixed plastics is not only possible, but cost-effective and makes good environmental sense. The amount of plastic packaging we see in our bins is frustrating, as there is currently nothing most of us can do about it. However, this new research is a first step towards getting that plastic out of the household bin and back in use. This will reduce the need for us to use large amounts of energy producing new plastics and the oil required in their content.”

Frustrated by the lack of local mixed plastic recycling facilities, I know someone who will be particularly pleased with the news. Yes fellow waste blogger Mrs Green. I bet she's doing a handsome dance in her kitchen right now.

However, what does all this really mean for consumers, who are the recyclers at the coal-face of waste?

One thing's for sure, it doesn't mean that Mrs Green and the rest of the UK residents will be able to recycle their food trays and yoghurt pots overnight.

There's the small issue of supply and demand and this is where I regret ditching my Economics A' level in favour of taking German.

Basically it all comes down to collection authorities creating the supply as well as industry generating the demand. Of course the "middle-men", MRF (Materials Recycling Facility) operators such as Veolia and Viridor must also play their own part in extending their sorting processes in such a way that provides economies of scale that are financially beneficial to themselves and the taxpayer.

At face value, it might seem a simple task of just sorting all the new plastics in the same way as dealing with the variants in plastic bottles.

But dig deeper and it becomes evident that unleashing mixed plastic recycling opportunities on society at large will likely lead to a whole new range of contaminates being bunged in the recycling bin. If MRFs can play their part effectively, householders far and wide will need to understand their plastics. So it's a good job that the research has taken into account potential contamination risks.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council has collected mixed plastics for recycling since around 2004 and Daniel Sage, St Edmundsbury's Strategy & Policy Manager for waste and recycling, demonstrated how effective the programme has been in householder take-up and at minimising contamination. At risk of looking like a groupie, here's a photo of Dan, on stage, sharing details of our local scheme.



Amongst other things, success has been down to effective communications to householders, with instructions placed on wheelie bins as well as a "yellow card" type warning system if incorrect materials have been placed in the recycling bins. I've certainly been on the receiving end of one of these, when I mistakenly put a carrier bag in the bin a few years ago!

I never did it again, especially as persistent offenders in our area receive a "red card" which means their bin isn't emptied.

Another highlight from yesterday's event was seeing Tesco's Head of Waste and Recycling in action, in the form of Sion Stansfield who stated that customers want Tesco to stop over-packaging, stop using mixed materials in packaging and to introduce consistent labelling.

Consquently Tesco's buyers are evaluating their product lines with packaging in mind, following five key principles:

• Fit for purpose
• Lightweight
• Sustainable Materials
• Recyclable & Renewal
• Low Carbon Impact
  

Phew! It looks like we are getting somewhere, but perhaps not as fast as we'd like, especially when supermarkets are deemed to be falling behind local retailers and markets when it comes to reducing packaging.

However, what we may need now is some patience, while we wait for what happens next!

So what is going to happen next?

The good news is that WRAP is planning to carry out a large scale demonstration, supporting the creation of a UK mixed plastic recycling plant, capable of processing 40,000 tonnes per year.

Its business plan aims to have this available by 2011 and by 2018 it will increase facilities to manage 500,000 tonnes of mixed plastic recycling per year. Yes, I know that will meet about a third of the current usage figures, but I suppose this is what progress is about and at least it gives councils and manufacturers the opportunity to come online at a pace that can be managed.

Well, I think I managed to get away with being the cuckoo in the nest.

The information dissemination event was fascinating and I've come away with a whole new range of vocabulary, from balers to SRF, ballistic separators to flaking and the best one of all...co-mingling.

Yes co-mingling...and that's got nothing to do with rubbing shoulders with waste management aficionados. It's more to do with the wide range of materials that I bung in my recycling bin.

It was most definitely worth the trip and in my case I came away a more confident consumer than before I walked in.

I just wish I'd asked about toothbrushes!

Anyway, if you're after more details than just my waffle, information about WRAP's research can be found in their press release, issued yesterday. If you're interested in the background science, you can also download your copy of the research report Life Cycle Analysis of Management Options for Mixed Waste Plastics. Copies of the presentations from the event, together with the list of delegates, are now available at the WRAP website .


Oh, I nearly forgot. On my latest trip to London, I eventually managed to spot some recycling bins...indeed a scruffy array of big bins in the busy borough of Camden...


...but if you happen to be passing in the early hours of the morning or late at night, I'm afraid that you'll have to take your recycling back home with you, out of consideration for the neighbours!

I suppose that's the only time I'd advocate being quiet about recycling.
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St Arvans: Wales' First Zero Waste Village

...Or as they say in Welsh...Sain Arfan - Pentref, "Sero-wastraff" Cyntaf Cymru.

While I was in Monmouthshire last week, I went to visit an unlikely hotspot, in the form of the village of St Arvans.

Yes, St Arvans, which is best pronounced with the Welsh accent it deserves.

What grasped my interest is that it is the first Zero Waste Village in Wales and unless otherwise contested, the UK. It is a community of around 280 homes, with a staggering take-up from 95% of its residents.

The Zero Waste Village is one of three local recycling projects being managed by Monmouthshire Community Recycling (MCR), a not-for-profit company that looks after kerbside recycling in this part of Wales. The aim of the project is to go beyond recycling and focus on changing the way that residents think about waste, encouraging people to treat it as a resource rather than rubbish.

The organisation also acknowledges that Zero should not necessarily be seen as an absolute figure but as a target for which to strive, with the expectation that new levels of innovation and efficiency will arise as a result.

When I arrived at St Arvans I was met by Simon Anthony, MCR's Zero Waste Co-ordinator, who gave me the lowdown on the organisation's collection services. Together with the unitary authority Monmouthshire County Council, MCR offers kerbside collections of paper, glass, cans, clothing, plastics, cardboard as well as food waste in some areas.


The St Arvans collection includes food waste, as well as drink cartons, household batteries, printer cartridges and mobile phones. There is also a community recycling point in the car park of the village pub, for residents and visitors to use while they are out and about.

Simon made it sound like recycling heaven and after a quick tour around the village I realised it was.

It was Polly Summers who really brought the whole idea to life. Polly is the eight year old daughter of the Summers family, which is the representative"recycling family" of St Arvans. She was with Simon when I arrived and as we walked along to her house, she told me why it was so important that everyone should recycle.

She knew that waste was a valuable resource and that where possible, villagers should make the effort to reduce waste that can't be recycled. It made sense to her that buying single packets of crisps was more sensible than buying multi-packs that are sold in a larger bag.

Polly also told me that free plastic toys that come with magazines aren't really free and because they break so easily it's better to spend money on toys that last longer and which are played with more regularly.

She's definitely cut through the essence of basic marketing techniques and such wisdom will serve her well in later years.

It was very obvious that Polly was pleased to be part of the Zero Waste Village. She was proud of what they were doing and is so captivated by it that she is also on the eco-council at her local school.

We soon arrived at the family home, where I was introduced to Lou and Rob Summers and their other children, Joe (8), Jake (6) and Ceri (4). We spent the next hour talking about...well...rubbish.


The Summers are an average family, who just happen to be keen on recycling, so much so that before the project started they managed their kitchen and garden waste through home-composting. It has always been very important to them and Lou has always been conscious of minimising food waste in the home. It was easy to see why the villagers thought they should be St Arvans' representatives.

However, since the project started a year ago, they have never had it so good and are happy to have given up they home-composting system in favour of using the service provided by the kerbside collection. The philosophy of "reduce" carries through the family and they were full of examples of how waste can be presented at source, from managing the family's needs right through to organising birthday parties.

I've been struggling with my new-found feelings about waste reduction for a little while and wondering about the significance of how it's slotted into our lifestyle. Lou was able to sum it up in one sentence.

"It's like cleaning your teeth. It's something that we do automatically, without thinking about it."

So simply put, but it makes so much sense.

So why was St Arvans chosen for the project? Simon explained that it was the St Arvans Community Council that actually approached MCR for more support. How great to see such motivation from a community. No individual is forced to recycle. There are no fees or fines, yet 95% of the households are participating, leading to a local recycling rate of 77%. With results like this it is hard not to be motivated.

As well as a need coming from the village itself, the excellent communication processes, such as door knocking, and weekly collection system all play a part in the success of the project. Residents are provided with a black box in which to place all their recyclable items and the recyclates are sorted at source by the operators of the collection truck. Simon confirms this is key to minimising recycling contamination. Anything that can't be accepted is just left in the black box for the residents to deal with separately. And for people who find it all too much, for example those who have difficulty carrying boxes, help is at hand to assist them.



I must say that I am very impressed by the service and it would be great to see such efforts being rolled out across the county and indeed the rest of the UK. Despite having fantastic recycling facilities in St Edmundsbury, I couldn't help feel a little envious of having so many things collected from the kerbside. It would mean no more tetra paks, printer cartridges or textiles having to be carted off to the nearest collection banks.

If you can excuse the pun, it seems that MCR has got most things pretty much sorted. In a recent study by the Welsh Assembly, it came out as the best value kerbside recycling of any rural district in Wales, with the service costing 24p per household per week. As it adds more items to its collection, MCR recognises that charges will be increased but asserts that this will continue to be cheaper than the alternative of being fined.

So what's next for MCR? As well as trying to influence the elimination of over-packaging, the organisation is also aiming for 100% real nappy usage in the village. However, it doesn't stop there. Shops and businesses have been brought on board too.

The local shop reuses plastic bags as well as paper bags and the local pub, The Piercefield, which is part of the Brains brewery chain, is proactive with bottle recycling and has managed to implement a system that is really effective.


While discussing business recycling over coffee, Denise Eve, one of the joint managers told us that the key to engaging staff effectively is to ensure that internal recycling bins are placed in the most convenient areas for staff use.

One of her concerns was about food waste and how important it is for her business to tackle. Business food waste is currently not collected by MCR or Monmouthshire County Council. Denise is confident that current internal practices are so well managed that it would be easy to apply if a such a service became available. It is too soon to know the outcome of the request, but it would be great if her interest led to a positive result.

What an unexpected delight to add to my short holiday in Wales. I am grateful to Simon Anthony for inviting me along. It was such an interesting visit, on what was a rare sunny day and I would like to thank Simon, The Summers Family and Denise Eve for such a warm welcome and sharing details of their project, which has become an engrained part of the village's lifestyle.

Should you happen to be passing through St Arvans one day, be sure to stop at the Piercefield pub. As well as a great welcome, you'll be guaranteed a delicious freshly made meal. And you never know, even if you can't manage to finish your dish, hopefully your plate scrapings will not go to waste.

More information about Monmouthshire Community Recycling can be found at: www.monrecycling.co.uk.

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Additional notes: The Zero Waste Village is supported by Monmouthshire County Council, Monmouthshire Waste Forum Environmental Partnership, Communities First Abergavenny, Gwent Association of Volunteer Organisations, Rural Communities Action and Monmouthshire Green Web. Other partners include Environment Wales with funding from the Welsh Assembly Government.

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Don't Forget Your Toothbrush!

The forgotten toothbrush by almostmrsaverage

(To enlarge cartoon, just click on it)

It was too late!

Whilst unpacking our bags at the weekend, Mr A and I realised that somewhere between Wales and Suffolk, our matching pair of toothbrushes had gone missing.

I'm not sure which is worse, the fact that we had lost them or revealing that they were a matching pair!

But I could have sworn I'd packed them.

I'm pretty convinced I did.

Perhaps they fell out of the holdall? Who knows?

But whatever has happened, one thing's for sure, in that wherever they've ended up they will be hanging around forever.

We've managed to get by for a couple of days while I've been busy pondering the future of our dental hygiene and taking the opportunity to give proper consideration to our replacements.

The problem I have is that I hate throwing away used plastic toothbrushes and I really don't like the idea of them being sent to landfill. It seems such a waste, just to sit there in the ground for eternity. I normally keep the old ones for cleaning tricky areas in the bathroom but there comes a time when a woman has all the old toothbrushes she needs.

So before heading off to the supermarket, I thought I would do some research!

I quickly decided that the natural option just wasn't for me. Using a twig to clean my toothy pegs is not my kind of thing.

There was another option of toothbrushes which come with replacement heads. I like this idea but it still means the replacement heads will be dumped in landfill when their time is up.

I also came across the Preserve toothbrush, which is made in the U.S. I loved this idea because the manufacturer, Recycline, takes recycling very seriously. The handle is made from recycled plastic such as yoghurt pots and the company also encourages customers to post back their old toothbrushes. These are then sent away to be made into "plastic lumber", which is used to make benches and decking. This seems a perfect cradle-to-cradle product and definitely gets a big thumbs up.

Oh decisions decisions!

I would have really loved to have bought the Preserve brush, but even though it can be purchased in the UK from shops such as the EthicalSuperstore, I didn't like the idea of it being shipped backwards and forwards to the States, just in the name of recycling. It would be different if we could recycle our toothbrushes here in the UK. For a country that gets slammed so much for its environmental policy, the U.S. seems to have come up with some innovative solutions way ahead of our own.

Anyway, desperately trying to avoid landfill products, I was pleased to discover another option...

...that wooden toothbrushes are now available in the UK!

Yep, you heard me right and I hope you haven't fallen off your chair with the news.

I managed to track down the elusive creatures on the Cebra website, which is an ethical and fairtrade online store. These particular items are made in Germany from sustainable sources.

They were the most expensive choice, but even so I decided that it was the best option for us!

So, having ordered some yesterday, including one for all the family of course, they promptly arrived today. You can't get better service than that! The best thing is, they came with very little packaging, simply a small piece of plastic covering the bristles.



So I am now in my element, with one less product to throw in the bin. Ah, it's the simple things in life that matter so much.

But why such determination to buy a wooden one?

Composting of course! When we've finished with them, we can simply pop them in the compost bin. Hopefully, the worms will munch on them (after they've softened a bit) and then poop them out into lovely fine compost.

One thing's for certain, when I'm mulching the garden this time next year, I definitely won't have forgotten my toothbrush.

(Thanks to the lovely Jo Beaufoix for sharing the Toonlet gadget)
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