Obsessions and Guilty Pleasures

The thrifty and nifty Nixdminx has tagged me for a meme. The great thing about these tags is they offer an opportunity to stop for a while, take a breather and share some of the otherwise ignored details of your life that simply pass by unrecognised. Even better you get a chance to find out about other folks too.

The rules of the meme. Respond and rework. Answer questions on your own blog. Replace one question. Add one question. Then tag 8 people. So here goes.

1.What are your current obsessions?
Collecting vintage jewellery and wondering how to inspire other Suffolk residents to go Zero Waste. That's what I call sparkling ambition!

2. Which item from your wardrobe do you wear most often?
A black and white print dress that I bought from Phase Eight about four years ago. It's still going strong but is in strict competition with a beautiful blue peacock feather print skirt that I bought three weeks ago at a charity shop for just £4.50.

3. What’s for dinner?
Chicken stir fry, with fresh chillis and cous-cous cooked by Mr A, followed by delicious strawberry ice-cream from a local farm.

4. Last thing you bought?
Three gorgeous ReSACKel bags made from beautifully printed rice bags, only available from www.myzerowaste.com. Worth a look!

5. What are you listening to?
A copy of a compilation CD that I made for Mr A for Christmas, with downloaded music from Napster. Includes Tainted Love by Soft Cell, Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys, the Nolans' I'm in the mood for dancing and Abba's Dancing Queen. I think you get the picture. Eclectic, nostalgic and fun.

6. Do you have a pet and if not, why not?
Two white cats with black splodges and three chickens.

7. Favourite holiday spots?
St Ives, Cornwall. It's romantic, an artist's paradise and is a key contender as one of the best UK seaside destinations. Also, Leysin in the Swiss Alps, utterly breathtaking.

8. Reading right now?
Just finished Remembrance by Theresa Breslin, a most wonderful book that brings the first world war to life, following the lives of 5 young people, highlighting their courage and ambitions. It's the best book I've read in a long time. I am now ready to pass it on, so if you would like it let me know in the comments. First person to ask gets it. But beware it's a real tearjerker.

9. 4 words to describe yourself.
Optimistic, cheeky, happy and a dreamer.

10. Guilty pleasure?
Watching Kirstie's Homemade Home.

11. Who or what makes you laugh until you’re weak?
The panel on Have I got News for You. Such a fabulous tonic to a serious world.

12. First spring thing?
Daffodils and narcissi.

13. Planning to travel to next?
Off to York to see Ruby hopefully in June, (shh, I haven't told Mr A yet) followed by a family holiday to Switzerland in the summer.

14. Best thing you ate or drank lately?
A glass of Chablis with dinner just now. OMG....and the chocolate cake I made last Monday. Geez, I made chocolate cake. I couldn't believe it. It's only taken me 40 years!

15. When did you last get tipsy?
At the MediaGuardian Innovation Awards celebrations in March. The champagne was flowing. I was with great friends and I just couldn't help it.

16. Favourite ever film?
Hard to choose: Goodbye Mr Chips - happy, sad and poignant or the Ladykillers, a very funny Ealing Comedy that just makes you laugh all the way to the bank. Damn it....the Ladykillers wins hands down. Who needs new movies when you can just recycle the old ones eh!

17. Care to share some wisdom?
It's no good recycling if you don't buy products made from recycled materials. Switch to recycled products where possible, close the loop and drive the demand for a greener economy.

18. Favourite song?
Porcelain by Moby. Makes me tingle every time.

19. What's your favourite meal you make without sticking to a recipe?
It's got to be Sweet and Sour Balti Chicken, which I picked up from a Balti recipe book. The book has since been lost after is was loaned to a friend. Good job the memory cells work because here it is. Combine two tablespoons each of greek yoghurt, tomato puree and mango chutney in a bowl, with a teaspoon of garam masala and add to a wok of hot corn oil. Bring to a high temperature and mix well before adding strips of chicken. Throw in some freshly-chopped chillis and cook for five minutes before adding water to dilute. Leave the chicken to simmer for 10 minutes or until fully cooked. Stir in a tablespoon of cream and a handful of chopped coriander. Serve with rice that has been boiled with cardamom pods

20. Who would play you in a movie of your life?
Please let it be Dawn French, she'd eat The Rubbish Diet alive and despite the serious nature, it really has been a bag of laughs.

21. Facebook or Twitter? Other or Neither?
Twitter! I think it's great for finding out new information and sharing brief snippets of news.

So which bloggers shall I pick for a game of tag? Erm let's see.....who haven't I visited for a while who I'd love to catch up with and might be up for a round of tag?

I think it just has to be Jo Beaufoix, Fiona over at A pot, a thought and a smidgeon of dirt, Sam at Feel the rhythm inside, Layla at Layla's Experiments, Katy at Aiming Low, my long-lost evil twin Katyboo, Grumpy old woman, and Picklesmum.

Yes ladies....you're it and I'm coming to get you!
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Wales to become a Zero Waste nation

It is a very exciting day indeed because today the Welsh Assembly Government has declared a new 70% recycling target to be in place by 2025, including households, businesses and the construction sector.

The Assembly has also announced that it will become a "Zero Waste" nation by 2050.

This announcement is part of the Welsh Assembly's new draft waste strategy which sets out how Wales proposes to tackle the issue over the next four decades. It includes plans to encourage a more integrated recycling infrastructure across Wales and capitalise on new green jobs and business opportunities as recycling services expand.

My own visits to the green green grass of home have already indicated a dynamic and proactive approach to waste management solutions. St Arvans in Monmouthshire is now well established as a zero waste village and can be hailed as a role model for many areas in Wales and indeed the rest of the UK.

Throughout the rest of Wales, local authorities have also been busy implementing food waste collections, including Merthyr Tydfil, my home borough. My mother gave me a demonstration when I visited last October and remains pleased with the facilities the council is providing.

Jane Davidson Minister for Environment, Sustainability & Housing said on the matter.

"Research shows that recycling is often the thing people most recognise as being their main contribution towards improving the environment. We need to create a truly comprehensive recycling society, where everyone can recycle where ever they are – at home, whilst out relaxing or at work. But this isn’t just about recycling. It is about getting people to rethink why they are producing so much waste in the first place."

So being a supporter of Zero Waste as well as being Welsh, I'd like to say "diolch yn fawr" to Ms Davidson and the Welsh Assembly for its forward-thinking plans. Yes thank you! And who knows, I may even be able to persuade my English husband to move over the border. Today he asked me to reorder a new wooden toothbrush on his behalf, so dragging an Englishman from his home country could now be a possibility.

More information can be found at the Welsh Assembly Government's website.

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Wenhaston Green: Greening up a village community in Suffolk

Today I'd like to highlight the achievements of Suffolk based energy support group Wenhaston Green whose amazing work is helping its village community to cut carbon emissions. From organising insulation projects for households and community buildings to setting up car-sharing schemes and implementing alternative energy solutions, including solar-powered water heaters, this group is making it easier for residents to make choices that are more environmentally friendly.


Reducing Waste

With the support of environmental social enterprise Bright Green (the organisation behind the National Materials Exchange - Eastex), Wenhaston Green has embarked on its latest project, helping the village community to reduce household waste.

Their very own Zero Waste Week was launched at the weekend, kicked off by the best idea I've seen in a long time...A Give or Take Day!



Hosted at the village hall, residents were invited to bring along items that they no longer wanted and take away anything they wished. It was a great event, with a whole range of items exchanging hands including heavy furniture, clothing, crockery, toys, video, books and bric-a-brac. All for free.




I was also allowed to take part, even though I'd arrived from the other side of Suffolk. So I emptied my wardrobe of all the clothes I no longer wear and came away with some gorgeous Readers' Digest books and a glamorous pair of shoes.

During the event residents also had the opportunity to find out about ways to reduce their carbon footprint thanks to representatives from Suffolk County County recycling services and the Energy Saving Trust. There was even a master composter available, demonstrating the benefits of home composting, including the use of Bokashi facilities.


The Zero Waste Challenge

Eleven households have signed up for the Zero Waste Week challenge, where they will attempt to minimise their waste over the course of the next week. With a weekly rubbish collection, the results will be measured next Monday.

Before the start of the challenge representatives from Bright Green conducted an audit of residents' bins to determine the amount of rubbish that each household throws away and how much of their rubbish could be recycled or composted.

The results of the audit were presented to the volunteers at a meeting following the Give or Take event. It was no surprise that the starting points were varied, giving the nature of the mixed household sizes.



However, what was surprising is that Wenhaston does not have a kerbside recycling collection, which means that residents do not have an easy solution to recycling plastics.

The village community has recycling facilities for metal, glass and paper, but household collection facilities will not be in place until March next year. This could be a major challenge for participants of the Zero Waste exercise.

On the plus side, residents can recycle food waste through their fortnightly brown bin collection which also includes garden waste.



Managing Plastic

With a long wait for plastic recycling facilities, there is an opportunity for the participants to analyze their dependency on plastic packaging and reduce what they can. Reusable bags and use of containers when shopping will provide some relief. The group also discussed making muslin\cotton weigh bags, which they can sell to other residents to avoid the plastic variety normally found in shops.

There may also be opportunities to recycle other plastics that come their way, through combining efforts. Unfortunately the nearest recycling facilities are an estimated 15 mile drive away and for individuals to travel there in the name of slimming their bins would be simply increasing the carbon footprint that they are working hard to reduce. However, if one resident could take the materials when they are next passing, this would help this challenge immensely and maybe it could lead to an interim solution for enthusiastic recyclers while they are waiting for a permanent recycling collection.



Community solutions

What I experienced at the weeked was inspirational community action. As individuals attempting to reduce our carbon footprint, it is often difficult to know where to start and options can appear to be confusing. However community groups that serve to help the local area seem a natural step forward, combining the knowledge and enthusiasm needed to move communities forward.

I believe there is much to be learned from proactive communities such as Wenhaston Green and organisations like Bright Green, also based in the East of England and who are able to empower and transform companies and communities by raising environmental awareness and helping to implement change.

The Wenhaston Green energy support group was formed just two years ago in March 2007. Originally created by Parish Councillors who were keen to have carbon reducing ideas as part of its parish plan, the group is now independent of but still supported by the Parish Council. In its short existence, the energy group has already been awarded funding by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) to refurbish the village hall with insulation and photovoltaic panels and in 2008 won the Community Energy Award from Suffolk Strategic Partnership's "Creating the Greenest County"

It just makes you think doesn't it? There is much that an enthusiastic individual can do on their own, but combine that with the knowledge, support and enthusiasm of others and the opportunities can be amazing.

If you are based in the UK and are inspired to find out what can be done to reduce the carbon footprint of your own community, more information can be found at Transition Towns. Local advice is also available from www.cred-uk.org and it is also worth contacting your local regional development agency for details of which projects are supported. Funding opportunities can also be sourced through the Energy Saving Trust.

And if you are lucky enough to be based in the East of England, why not put a call into Bright Green.


Huge thanks to Sue from Bright Green for inviting me to the Give or Take Day and for the members of Wenhaston Green for making me feel very welcome. And most of all, good luck to all the residents who are busy with their Zero Waste Week challenge. I can't wait to hear the results and find out what happened to all the usual plastic.

If you're already involved with a local community group that can help inspire others, please share your good news and if you have a website, I will be happy to include a link on the blog.


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Beth Terry's Letter to Oprah

Plastic is all around us. We take it for granted along with its convenience, versatility and its ability to protect and preserve. But has this convenience become so ubiquitous it's emerged as one inconvenience too far? I'd like to introduce a video by one lady who is making us think again about our responsibilities as consumers. Spurred on by the environmental cost of plastic, she has taken major steps to reduce her own dependency and has inspired individuals and companies to reduce their reliance on it too. Most people know her as Fake Plastic Fish, creator of the blog that shares the same name.

In the last couple of years Beth has inspired many people to change their habits of a lifetime but for such change to have the impact required, her work needs to be shared with a much wider audience. So this weekend she wrote a letter to Oprah and recorded a video that highlights her passion. Here is the video revealing the inspiration behind Beth's work, her personal commitment and her achievements so far. If you know other people who could be inspired by her message, let's not just leave it to Oprah. The Internet is a powerful thing so it would be great if you could share Beth's message too. And yes, after watching the video, there will be a few changes that I can make too.




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Celebrating Earth Day

Regular readers will know how I love crisps, especially Walkers Quavers, but will also know that the packaging can't be recycled or composted easily. So in honour of Earth Day, I'm giving them up for a whole week, while I share some great news about the future of crisp packaging, or chip packaging, as they say in the US.

The following video reveals what FritoLay, an American crisp company, has promised for next year's Earth Day for their Sunchips brand. Interestingly, FritoLay has some connection with the UK Walkers company through the Pepsi empire.

I can't help wondering whether I will soon be able to eat Quavers and still keep my rubbish nice and slim. If so, my only worry will be my own diet rather than that of my bin. Now that's reminded me, my other Earth Day promise is to get on my bike....that'll certainly help!



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Green Pepper goes Naked

It's a busy week with the kids still off school today, so it's the great outdoors for us. However, if you're looking for a dose of entertainment, pop over to the Green Pepper blog where the lovely Paul has invited me to submit a guest article. So grab a cuppa, put your feet up and discover why I believe going naked is easier than stripping. Surely you can't resist a title like that eh. Now where did I put that palm leaf?
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Some waste-busting highlights from UKAware

Well having stretched my cycling legs to venture into Bury St Edmunds to see Her Majesty last week, this week's adventure was a visit to London. But before you get all excited thinking it was trip to Buckingham Palace, I'm pleased to tell you it was more exciting than a royal garden party. I was indeed off to meet the royalty of UK sustainable living, the movers and shakers who are making it easier for us to live a lighter and brighter life and who happened to be congregating at the green lifestyle exhibition UKAware.

It was a great opportunity to catch up with friends new and old, including Al from Natural Collection, Angus from Ecoboom and Chris from SnaffleUp, as well as my old mucker Tracey Smith, founder of International Downshifting Week and author of The Book of Rubbish Ideas. My only regret was that I'd given myself just 4 hours for the visit. I could have done with a whole day, but here are some rubbish diet treats, revealing my top 10 highlights of the day.


1. Looking for a desktop wormery?

Then look no further than Bubble House Worm Farm's easy solution for somewhere to pop your apple cores and bread crusts. Made from recycled plastic here in the UK they also have a larger version for all your kitchen waste and with its neat design sits well on the smallest of patios. You can even use the top layer as a herb planter. Visit www.bubblehouseworms.com for more details.



2. From recycling to recycled!

Whether you're looking for solutions for sorting your recycling or closing the loop with recycled gifts, take a peek at what The Recycle Warehouse has got on offer. Even the bins, as demonstrated by John are made from recycled materials. Visit www.therecyclewarehouse.com.




3. Fed up with all your bills arriving through the post?

Then say hello to Gavin from NoMorePost.com, a brand new one-stop secure service that enables users to easily access bills, statements and correspondence online. He can't do much to reduce your bills but he can certainly help to reduce the amount of paper that lands on the doormat. Visit www.nomorepost.com.





4. Onya back, onya side, onya everywhere!

Having been a fan of Onya reusable bags for some time, at last I had the chance to meet the man behind the UK operations, Dan, who was kind enough to offer a discount to offer a 15% discount for bin slimming fans, which you'll find over at www.thezerowastecheckout.com. For more information about Onya bags, visit www.onyabags.co.uk. Thanks for the discount Dan and I hope you had a good trip back to Suffolk.




5. Want a chance to go potty?

Thanks to a fabulous demonstration from Caro at the Nether Wallop Trading Company, I am now an expert in making paper plant pots. Here she is demonstrating the Paper Potter. Having wanted the opportunity to make my own seedling pots for ages, I couldn't resist buying one and it really is that easy. For lots more sustainable home and garden products visit www.netherwalloptrading.com.




6. From Junk to Chic in one beautiful step!

If you've ever wondered whether your junkyard find could have more potential but not sure how, designer Katie from Junkyard Chic is your woman. With a fabulous portfolio of designs, this lady has a talent for converting the most uninspiring piece of furniture into a beautiful and unique work of art for your home. Check out her gorgeous and stylish designs at www.junkyardchic.co.uk.





7. Solving plastic party nightmares!

Thanks to Lucy at Little Cherry, sustainably-minded parents now have a wide range of eco-friendly options to make kids' parties go with a green bang! From recycled plates to compostable crockery and sustainable toys, the company provides a complete solution for planning the best party ever. More information can be found at www.littlecherry.com.




8. First impressions matter!

And nobody could agree more than Bruce at First Impressions Last Longer, Europe's first carbon-neutral office supplies company. While doing your bit at home comes easy, the good news is that at last there are simple solutions for the office too. So if you want to upgrade your office supplies to products that create less waste, visit www.firstimpressionslastlonger.com.



9. Reuse and recycle your energy!

Not sure what to do with your old batteries? Well this irresistable guy here will show you the way. He's the walking talking battery that promotes the recycling of batteries across the UK. To find out what you can do with yours and how to discover your nearest recycling point, be sure to visit www.SaveBatteryWaste.com. Even better, send them a photo of you recycling your batteries and you can get 50% off USB rechargeable ones.




10. Let the wind be your guiding light!

It's true! You can now turn wind into light without installing your own windfarm in your back yard. If you're looking for a revolutionary decorative outdoor light that doesn't just look good but provides an eco-friendly talking point, then check out the Firewinder. It doesn't need batteries or electrical power, just wind and its effect is stunning. Whether you want to buy one for yourself or distribute them through your business, these are the chaps to contact, inventor Tom and Marketing Director Joe, who've just been told a great joke by our rubbish friend Tracey Smith. For details visit www.firewinder.com.




The Rubbish Diet will be featuring some of these fabulous folk in more detail over the next few months so you can have a closer look at their products and the inspiration behind their ideas. In the meantime, do pop along and have a gander at their websites. You'll never know what goodies you'll find. You'll also find more highlights in the latest edition of Sustained Magazine.

UKAware was a great day out indeed. So huge thanks to the organisers for their vision. And what good timing to hold such an event, as this weekend is also the start of International Downshifting Week 2009.

So if you want a chance to slow down as well as watch your waste, there's no better time to pop over and say hello to the founder Tracey Smith at www.downshiftingweek.com, where you'll find lots of inspiring ideas.

Ah downshifting eh! After a busy day out in London yesterday, I think today's the day for most definitely unwinding in the garden. It's a bit breezy too, so I now regret not buying that snazzy light.

Ahh...now where's that cup of tea......

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