Mrs Green’s six stories on Sunday
Add article to favourites
Compost bin made from recycled materials
Morning folks! I hope you are well and enjoying your weekend.
It’s time to share some great stories from around the world; all with a reduce, reuse, reuse or composting theme.
If we follow these trends, we might end up with a zero waste world after all.
I’m supposed to select six stories, but I have just four this week; there’s a bonus video at the end!
Make a recycled compost bin
You might have heard people talking about how easy it is to make a compost bin from recycled materials. you just grab four or five pallets and fix them together and voila.
If you’re a person who needs more direction and instructions than that, the folks over at Re-nest have just the post for you. Follow their “How To: Make a Shipping Pallet Compost Bin” article with a great picture and a link to a clear tutorial.
Reusing everyday products
We all know the 3R’s by now – Reduce, reuse, recycle. This week I’ve been browsing the “Alternative uses” website which helps you extend the use of everything you already own!
You can find out all sorts of pearls of wisdom such as how to lubricate your bike chain without the use of dirty, smelly oils, uses for coffee grounds and what to do with old plastic bottle tops.
Enter your own ideas and be in with the chance of winning a prize for your suggestions.
Ten uses for plastic plant pots
At the end of the gardening season, we find stacks of plastic plant pots lying around the place.
We reuse ours in the spring, but if you’re over run with them, you’ll find “10 uses for plastic plant pots” over on the Re-Nest website.
I’d love to hear your suggestions too!
Wrap rage
You’ve probably experienced road rage, but I bet you’ve experienced wrap rage too!
It’s now an official term which relates to frustration or aggravation from trying to open packaging.
Apparently 67,000 people in the UK get injuries every year from cut fingers to sprained wrists by wrestling difficult-to-open packaging using scissors or knives.
The following video is a bit tongue in cheek, but we all deserve a bit of entertainment at the end of another busy week saving the environment.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxlDdfhyTzY
Readers who viewed this page, also viewed:
Don’t throw it away… That's rubbish, just throw it away ... How many times have you heard that or said…
It could be a zero waste Christmas after all (well, next year maybe) It's time to let go of your Wrap Rage, folks! Over on the fabulous 'Aiming Low'…
Mrs Green’s six stories on Sunday A round up of reuse, reduce and recycle news from around the world
Sunday Round up We have a new website launch next week - come and read about it!
Sunday Roundup Our roundup of this weeks events and some teasers about next week's fun!
Hi Mrs Green,
Is it any surprise that those who thoughtlessly use plastic packaging (waste), also give no thought to the consumer who has to open these future waste items? Their only concern is the profit derived from the article, some of which really should pay for the waste’s disposal. In truth, I cannot remember the last time one of these pack was purchased, personally speaking.
The plastic paint tin designed to replace metal tins, is all very well, but suddenly resulting waste has been increased. A better idea would be to show refillable systems for this item, rather than glorify in the excellence of plastic. From the Zero Waste perspective this has scored ‘Null Points’.
What an interesting piece on difficult to open packaging. Thank you for the share!
We have attracted the interest of Age Concern with a new evolution of the Re:tie tamper evident cap design that not only looks like it will work better with the manufacturing processes, but may possibly lead to a small additional aid with this form of cap/closure to assist opening for those suffering difficulties.
I am happy to give you first peak: http://junkk.blogspot.com/2009/08/retie-another-evolution.html
Hope you like it.
@John Costigane: 😀 I agree with your thoughts, John – there are so many people who think plastic is the answer to everything and just add a new design to soften the blow. Sometimes yes, plastic *is* good, but at other times there are better alternatives.
@Peter: Hi Peter, well if your new evolution of the Re:Tie can use even LESS plastic, then that would be great – good luck!