Halloween Horrors: Mwahahahahhhah

Yes I know I'm rather gruesome to look at my dears, but be kind, I am getting on a bit. 891 years old this year.Yes, Delores is the name and Devilish Cleaning's my game.And I'm making no apologies for gatecrashing. I just had to do something with that dreadful Almost Mrs Average. That domestic tripe has just pushed me too far. So, I fought her for her password, sent her off to landfill with an old boot for company and thought I'd tell you a few home truths.It may be Halloween, but you can forget the scary ghosts and ghoulies, the real horrors can be found lurking behind that woman's closed...

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War on Waste in Wales: Recycle for Merthyr Tydfil

Creoso i Cymru. Bore da. Sut ydych i heddiw? That's "Welcome to Wales". "Good Morning" and "How are you today?"Unfortunately that's about as much Welsh as I can remember from my schooldays but I'm now happy to add to Rhyfel ar Wastraff (war on waste) to my vocabulary and indeed Ailgylchu dros Ferthyr Tudful (recycle for Merthyr Tydfil).Now, if you're thinking this is all a bit random (and indeed it is), I'm simply recovering from a whirlwind trip, where we got up early and drove to Wales to see my family and drove through the night to arrive back in Suffolk just as the clock struck midnight.And...

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The "mural" of the story is....

...DON'T SCRAP YOUR OLD VAN, give it an ULTRA VIOLET makeover and sell it on eBayUltraviolet Artist, Simon Buck, whose work was featured on Grand Designs this year, will be selling his freshly customised UV van on eBay over the next few days. That's one mighty way of putting your old stuff to good use. To find out how he gets on, keep an eye on UVartist's YouTube account, where over the next couple of days Simon will be providing an up-to-date video and announcement of the sale.____________________________________________________...

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Waste Free Norfolk

Blinkey Blimey, it's all going on in the world of waste.As Cornwall comes to the end of its Zero Waste Challenge on Monday, Norfolk will be waking up to the start of its own Waste Free Week. And this is going to be a real fun week for the county, not just because of the challenge but because there is a gaggle of brand new bloggers on the block ready to blog the week away.Waste professionals from across the county have already been exercising their words of wisdom in preparation for taking up the waste free challenge themselves, under the full spotlight of the public. Norwich's Freecycle moderator...

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Caught up in a Jam!

The Norfolk Waste Partnership conference was a fantastic event. Welcomed by a fabulous looking bin lorry brought all the way from Somerset, the conference came with a great line-up of speakers and an audience of around 200 people. So amongst a sea of manufacturers, waste-professionals, portfolio holders, councillors and master composters I couldn't help but feel like a bit of gatecrasher...watching on as a member of the public, witnessing how agencies, local authorities and retailers are working hard to save our planet.I was going to do a write up about the event today, but somehow on a wet...

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Jam or Norfolk? The significance of blogging about waste

Today I'm making Jam.I am also co-hosting a seminar this afternoon at the Norfolk Waste Partnership Annual Conference.They are both major milestones in my life.It is the first time I've ever made jam and it's also the first time I've been a speaker at a waste conference.But I'm not sure what's more nerve-wracking. Making jam has always seemed too scary to contemplate, but as I ponder addressing an audience of at least 50 professionals....well...jam seems so easy.It really is bizarre how things happen. About a year ago, I was wondering how I could waste less and how I should cook more. Then...

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Am I insane? You Decide.

My name is Karen and I recycle most things that I buy.I recycle plastic wrappersI recycle on holidayAnd I have been known to help out the odd cafe that doesn't recycle, by taking my bottles home with me to put in my recycling bin.Is this a good habit or is it an obsession? Indeed, should I be worried that I am about to join the 7% of Americans, many of who have been deemed carborexic, as “dark green”, hard core recyclers and carbon footprint worriers with an obsession on their hands?Being a zero waste enthusiast perhaps I do have a psychiatric condition. Perhaps I am obsessed. Having chatted...

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Surfing in Cornwall reveals Zero Waste Blogger

I was enjoying a good surf over the weekend when I stumbled across a blogger who was about to embark on his Zero Waste Week challenge, which is currently running in Cornwall.And it's a Zero Waste Week with a difference. To see what I mean pop over to jrzerowastechallenge.blogspot.com and meet Jon Rolls. Indeed he is not just slimming his family's bin this week, but also that of his environmental consultancy Rezolve Kernow, of which he is the Executive Director.So while Jon and his family are sorting things out on the homefront, making the most of their wormery and food digester, staff at the...

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Kids in a Fizz: Just in time for Christmas

This weekend, I took the children to their favourite cafe in Bury St Edmunds: Coffee 'n' Kids, in Langton Place, where we went to road-test their latest and most exciting party activity ever...making bath bombs! And my goodness, I would never have thought that making those fizzy things would be so blimmin' easy, or indeed so much fun.All they had to do was gently rub a bowl full of bicarbonate of soda, which had been combined with a little citric acid. Then adding a couple of drops of yellow and blue liquid, they watched the colour of the powder gradually change before their very eyes. They...

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A Mess to Impress: Zero Waste Pasta

Given the choice, with hungry kids having just arrived home from school would you...a) open up a packet of tagliatelle and throw it in a pan of boiling water and serve up tea within 10 minutes orb) Optimistically open up a packet of grade 00 flour?Crack open a few eggs and spend 5 minutes mixing together and kneading to make a dough.Set up the pasta maker during the 15 minutes of rest, wondering whether it's you that needs the rest as well as the dough.Unable to clamp the pasta maker to the worktop due to lack of space, you become a circus grade contortionist, with one hand turning the handle,...

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A turn up for the books

I'm afraid you won't find me here today. I'm having a change of scene and will be hanging out elsewhere, over at Tracey Smith's place, covering for her while she's enjoying a well-earned snooze. So do pop over and say hello. You can find me at www.bookofrubbishideas.co.uk.Addendum: I couldn't resist popping back with the news that's just come in from WRAP, announcing that the construction industry has just signed a voluntary agreement to halve the amount of waste it sends to landfill by 2012. Now that's what I call another turn up for the books.___________________________________________...

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Recycling Lives: Supporting, Inspiring, Employing

It was lunchtime. I was in London and it was raining.I had been down to the city on one of my special visits and was dashing through Hanover Square, picking my way through the streets to the nearest tube station so that I could head home to rural Suffolk. The rain suddenly came down faster and I was quickly becoming drenched.A group of office workers took shelter in a large service doorway, a gathering of strangers who were only drawn together because of the weather. I watched them sip their take-away coffees and nibble at their packaged sandwiches. Dressed in dark suits, they stood silently...

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Fed up of over-packaging?

Then join the campaign, which will be taken by Green Voice to the UK Government. As we know every little LESS helps.______________________________________...

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Carnival of Trash #4

Welcome to the October 13, 2008 edition of carnival of trash. This month, it's come back home where it all started just four months ago! Not for long though, because next month it's travelling up to Mansfield to the lovely home of the most fabarooney Jo Beaufoix. So, get your gladrags on and bang the beat for edition 4 of The Carnival of Trash, where we've got a a whole range of fabulous delights for you this month. Recycling Cindy presents Recycled Mini Shoulder Bag posted at My Recycled Bags.com, saying, "Here is my little shoulder bag purse which is crocheted from recycled plastic...

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"So who's nicked me wife?"...

...said the man with grey hair and trendy glasses, who commonly goes by the name of Almost Mr Average."I said...who the heck has nicked me wife?" he repeated, thinking I hadn't heard the first time.But I had heard. I was just on my way back into the kitchen to get a serving spoon for the apple crumble, when the first comment came.And I smiled...especially when I considered the evidence.With a home-made sponge pudding for Friday's dessert and Bolognese for yesterday's lunch, followed by some home-made biscuits, he has been rather spoiled. And as for today, there was the home-made tomato soup...

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Happy Anniversary Mr A!

We've always got something to celebrate over at the Almost Average household. And today is no exception. It's our 10th Wedding Anniversary and I've just discovered that the traditional gift for ten years together should be something made from aluminium or tin....Well, I know Mr A and I agreed on no gifts this year, but....(impish laugh begins)...I'm going to have a root in the recycling bin and see what I can find...And while I do that, I'll leave you with a wonderful clip of how to celebrate wedding anniversaries, Flintstone style...ADDENDUM: Sunday October 12By special request...don't hold...

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A Poem about Rubbish

I heard on the radio earlier that today is National Poetry Day. Indeed I am not a poet and oh yes I know it, but somehow I just couldn't resist.So, sit back while I torture you with my own contribution.IT'S A FUNNY OLD THING IS MY RUBBISHIt’s a funny old thing is my rubbish It breeds and breeds on its own I chuck it all in a huge wheelie bin Then into a lorry it’s thrown! It’s a funny old thing is my rubbish It springs up from a place called thin air It gradually appears and then DISappears As if it had never been there. It’s a funny old thing is my rubbish It...

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Are you from Denmark?

Today I have got a special request of an international nature.I have been approached by a Danish freelance journalist called Sole Møller who is interested in following up consumer's waste related projects in Denmark?Perhaps you can help and if you can't maybe you know someone who can.The key requirements are that you need to be based in Denmark and have done something to reduce the amount of waste that you throw away. Whether it's storing your garbage in the basement or if you've taken other radical measures, Sole is interested in hearing from you.So if you have a story that you would like to...

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Just Gai's Zero Waste Challenge

It may seem like a Tale of Two Cities, yesterday Bath and today Bristol, but I am very pleased to venture over the border into my husband's home city to discover how blogger Just Gai got on with her Zero Waste Week, which was organised by Bristol City Council. Having already been fairly green for a while, Just Gai and her family of four were initially inspired by the Rubbish Diet and Mrs Green’s Zero Waste Challenge. She had even been considering setting up her own independent challenge. However she admits that it might never have happened if she hadn't seen an advert for Bristol’s Zero Waste...

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How the Bakers fared in Zero Waste Week

Last week, I promised I would catch up with the Baker family regarding the successes of their Zero Waste Week challenge, which was organised by Bath and North East Somerset Council.Judith kindly provided me with a full summary of how the week went. It really brings home the actual issues to hand and helps put things into perspective for the average family, which is why I've sought permission from Judith to publish the full update.SO....IT'S OVER TO JUDITH"First the good news: the bin lorry passed my front gate at 8.30 this morning but there was no bin bag for it to collect from the Baker family....

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It's carnival time again

It's incredible how quickly time flies when you're having fun and next week, it's carnival time again! Yes, The Rubbish Diet will be hosting issue 4 of the Carnival of Trash.So, if you've got something to add on the subject of waste, whether you call it trash, garbage or rubbish, your work will be welcome here.Please submit all entries at the Carnival of Trash page which can be found at: http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_4478.htmlThe deadline is 10th October.____________________________________________________...

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Sucking Strawberries on a Saturday night

Good grief - I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror just now.I looked like I was sucking lemons instead of strawberries. It was a scene worthy of Candid Camera and I didn't know whether to laugh, cry or just finish the whole punnet.If you've never tried it you should really give this a go, even for entertainment purposes alone.You see, this afternoon I stumbled over the most amazing fact that strawberries can be used as a natural whitener for teeth and are reported to remove stains such as those caused by tea and coffee.According to an article at Health, you just need to mash up a single...

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