Blog Archives

Lets talk about waste..

23/1/2019

In the last couple of weeks it seems that all my conversations come back to plastic and waste. In some ways what was a lovely walk on the beach, even reminded me that we have to change quicker, with the plastic rubbish and cigarette butts.

So recycling seems to be the topic of the week. If you can’t manage to find things plastic or waste free then the next option is to recycle. Bournemouth Council seems to be doing a good job compared to other authorities, and I went to an informative talk by their Senior Waste Officer at Southbourne library last week.

Local recycling facilities

In an attempt to make things easier we have created a page for local recycling facilities on our Sobo Wastebusters website. Take a look at our page and let us know if there is anything else you know about or want to know. As this is work in progress we are very happy to received feedback.

So are they or aren’t they recyclable?

Bournemouth kerbside collection will take the following:

Plastic Packaging (remember they need to be clean!):
Drinks bottles - fizzy drinks, squash, milk; Detergent bottles - washing-up liquid, cleaners; Plastic tubs, pots or trays - fruit punnets, yoghurt pots, meat trays (any colour); Shampoo & shower gel bottles; Plastic lids in fact all bottles tops.

Plus: Foil & foil trays, Food and drink cartons (tetra paks), Envelopes with windows, metal packaging, cardboard, mixed glass and paper.

If in doubt you can always ring the recycling team at the Council to check!

Signs and Symbols

Other things that everyone finds confusing when it comes to packaging are the various symbols, signs and labels that supposedly are there to help you.

So here’s a quick guide:

So these are commonly seen on packaging now and are fairly comprehensible. Obviously the check locally one is difficult but should be easier with the above advice.

This symbol indicates that the product is capable of being recycled. It does not guarantee that the material will be accepted by your local recycling centre or collection. It does not signify that the product is made from recycled materials.

This symbol does not mean that the packaging is recycled or recyclable. It shows that the producer has financially contributed to the recovery and recycling of packaging.

Then the newer ones that we may have been fooled by, certainly goes for the paper cup suppliers.

Compostable or biodegredable?

Compostable

This logo certifies that the product is ‘industrially compostable’. That means it needs to be collected separately and be sent to be composted industrially, otherwise it just goes into normal landfill!

Home compostable

Packaging with this symbol or plastic sleeves that say they’re 100% compostable can go in your home compost bin.

Biodegradable

A biodegradable material is not necessarily compostable but a compostable material is always biodegradable. In a lot of cases biodegradable is just plastic that breaks down into smaller pieces of plastic quicker than normal plastic. In other words worse than regular plastic as it becomes micro plastic sooner!

I won’t bore you with the details but biodegradable is only one element test in whether something is compostable. Again it may need to be processed separately.

Basically compostable is better.

Still baffled? If you’re interested in this and unpicking the issue, we’re going to be running a reduce your waste and recycling event at the end of February. So keep an eye open or sign up to our mailing list or FB page with just the practical advice of what we can do locally.

To end on a positive note though I did though find some egg cases of undulate rays on the beach near Hengistbury head - nature reminding me why I care about waste and making the changes, thinking about what’s happening to these animals and their and our environment.

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waste free food shopping

14/1/2019

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Happy New Year – Food Basics

Hope you all had a good rest with friends and family over the festive season.

I aiming to make things easier for myself and my partner this year, as last January I really tried to go cold turkey on buying plastic free products as well as reverting back to being vegan after 30 years of being a vegetarian.

I started with our food staples which meant, amongst other things, making our own bread, and no pasta or rice until I found a plastic free source. Giving rise at one point to comments ‘that I couldn’t just give away bread to anyone like it was cake’!

Bread

However over the last year, as you probably know, we’re lucky we have Bakehouse 24, Bennetts and M’s bakery all within walking distance. I also take my homemade produce bags to the co-op in Southbourne and fill them up at their small bakery section. We also did this at Aldi in Boscombe for a while, but the bakery seems to have gone now.

PASTA & RICE

In terms of pasta and rice you can get them either online (I’ve used The Plastic Free Pantry) or, easier, go to Sunrise organics in town where they have dispensers and you can fill your own containers, hurrah! There is talk of other shops opening, so watch this space or let us know if you use somewhere else.

Pulses

Pulses and grains such as beans and lentils, as well as dried fruits, nuts and spices can also be bought with your own containers at Sunrise Organics in town.

MILK

I don’t drink milk but my partner does and we swapped to having it delivered on the door by Milk & More, along with our fruit juice in glass bottles. Eliminating plastic containers and tetrapac.

FRUIT & VEG

Finally in the ‘main’ food staples for us I also swapped, and had been doing for a while now, going to the fruit and veg shop in Southbourne with my own bags filling up my shopping basket, no need for things to be put in separate bags. Sunrise Organics and Earth foods also have a small selection of organic veg. Supermarkets also sometimes have things like peppers and fruit un-bagged. Another option for package-free is fruit and veg, are box deliveries from companies like Avon Organics, Riverford and Abel & Cole.

Fish & meat

Being vegan I don't buy fish and meat, but my partner tends to buy frozen fish or chicken pieces that come in cardboard. You can also get it fresh over the counter by bringing your own containers to a local butcher, fish monger or a supermarket that has a deli counter.

So what’s next for me in terms of food? I’ve been trying to look at what else we eat and changes we can make.

Even CUTTING DOWN THE RECYCLING - Sobowastebusters are going to do an information sheet on recycling and where it goes so that we all have a better understanding of where all our effort goes to and the difference it is or isn’t doing.

So what do you think you could do?
Switch one thing a week? Make a LIST, start with something easy (bread, change to milk in bottles), tick it off (always satisfying) and let other people know. You’ll be surprised how much you achieve, let us know how you get on we’re about sharing stories and experiences. Good luck.

PS Post Christmas is a good time to take stock of what you bought and used this year and what changes to make next.

recycle un-recyclable items

Don’t forget, even some of the single use plastic can be recycled locally by Ideas2Action: Biscuit & crisp wrappers, corks, aluminium foil, stamps,
toothbrushes/ dental items, milk bottle tops, toiletry tops/ pumps & more.. Next time they have some extra after-Christmas items as well, read more here

Next collection:
Southbourne Library
Saturday 19 January 10.30 - 12 noon

Reduce
single use
plastic

For more ideas about how to replace single use plastic, have a look at the suggestions on our website

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Lets talk about waste..

Local recycling facilities

Signs and Symbols

Compostable or biodegredable?

Compostable

Home compostable

Biodegradable

waste free food shopping

Happy New Year – Food Basics

Bread

PASTA & RICE

Pulses

MILK

FRUIT & VEG

Fish & meat

recycle un-recyclable items

Reduce
single use
plastic

Author

Archives

Categories

Lets talk about waste..

Local recycling facilities

Signs and Symbols

Compostable or biodegredable?

Compostable

Home compostable

Biodegradable

waste free food shopping

​Happy New Year – Food Basics

Bread

PASTA & RICE

Pulses

MILK

FRUIT & VEG

Fish & meat

recycle un-recyclable items

Reducesingle use​plastic

Author

Archives

Categories

Happy New Year – Food Basics

Reduce
single use
plastic